Trio brightens days for seniors, veterans with handmade cards

"It's nice always to get something in the mail," Belinda Mueller said as she joined Brenda Speidel and Georgia Howe one rainy July afternoon to create handmade greeting cards to deliver to nursing home residents and veterans.

The three -- Speidel, her 92-year-old mother Howe and Howe's neighbor, Mueller -- have made thousands of cards over the past five years.

Using stamps, ink pads and a little creativity, the group bonds over "thinking of you," sympathy, Christmas and birthday card creation. They often lose track of time, Speidel said, as they gather around a table in Howe's home to volunteer their time.

Especially during the pandemic lockdown, it's important to reach out to people in senior living and veteran homes, Speidel said. Many people in group homes may not be allowed to visit with family or friends due to COVID-19, she said, and greeting cards can make a positive impact.

"Some people scrapbook, some people making greeting cards -- we've taken it to the next level with donating them, and that's our little mission," Spiedel said.

The cards are distributed at locations such as Lutheran Home and Fountainbleau Lodge. Speidel, who lives in Texas, takes the cards to MD Anderson Cancer Center during her husband's visits to the doctor. Howe also visits an oncologist at Saint Francis Medical Center and said she distributes cards whenever she goes.

Of all the greeting cards, Howe said she enjoys creating Christmas cards the most -- finding new and unique designs each year is the most exciting part of the process. Speidel said her computer-savvy mother loves to research designs on the internet and Pinterest before creating new cards. This year, the three have created more than 300 cards for Christmas alone -- Speidel said they try to start in May to stay ahead of the December rush.

For Howe, it's important to consider the recipient of greeting cards when creating it. Before she chooses the design, she said she tries to imagine the reaction of the person receiving it. This helps her to better customize the design to the individual and create more meaningful cards.

Currently, they're creating patriotic cards with red, white and blue flags stamped on the cover. They'll be distributed to veterans and residents at the Lutheran Home when finished, Spiedel said. All three agreed receiving a card in the mail is enough to brighten anyone's day.

"You have something to hold on to, and a piece of the person who sent it -- like a piece of their heart," Spiedel said.