Kids from Valley Park Schools in St. Louis had an unlikely project for their P.E. class… writing letters! Apparently the philosophy at Valley Park is to frequently integrate writing into the curriculum wherever they can, even sports!

So the kids were directed to write essays about sports figures who inspire them. They then sent the essays and letters to the athletes and have actually gotten a great rate of response.

You can read more about this inspiring article at: STLtoday

Who inspires you? Why not write a letter to someone who inspires you? And how about sending it? Even if you don’t get a response, won’t you feel great sending some great vibes their way? Jot me a note and tell me who inspires you and why. We can all use a little inspiration!

[photo credit: Erik Charlton]

Tags: athletes, inspiration, kids, News, to-do

Here’s a nice story about some middle school children writing to the President and getting an answer back. Sweet!

Metro West Daily News

Tags: kids, Link, News

I once wrote a complaint letter to a hotel and got a free weekend stay on my return visit. Once I wrote a complaint letter to a bleach company and got a replacement skirt for a co-worker who had her clothes ruined by an exploding bleach bottle. A well-written complaint letter can be a powerful tool.

I ran across a complaint letter recently that actually got an answer from Richard Branson himself. It’s highly amusing.

Tags: complaint letter, News

Two pieces of news:

On the last postal news entry I mentioned the idea of the USPS reducing delivery service due to some of the cost constraints and significant losses they are suffering (to the tune of about $3 Billion).

Today there was a news story about the salary of the Postmaster General which was pretty astounding. Check out ABC’s version of the story on video. I’d like to hear your thoughts on that.

Second:

Christine, who is a part time rural mail carrier, said that February 14th to March 14th is an important time to send mail because this is the time all the mail is counted for benchmarking or performance (or something like that) for the year. You can read her remark in the comments section of that same entry. Go look and go send some mail!

Tags: News, post office, postal service

Michelle Herrmann, an elementary school teacher, began a tradition of having her classes write letters to veterans of the Vietnam War.

In a news story from Beloit Daily News, Herrmann describes the value to the children and to the Veterans. The children get to learn about history, patriotism and giving. The Veterans learn that we have never forgotten the sacrifices they made by serving in an unpopular war.

Do you know of a teacher in school that might be inspired to start a project like this? Consider printing out the story and sharing it! Or if you are into philanthropy, consider donating to a project like this. Even with the cost of stamps on the rise it’s still a pretty cheap hobby!

[photo: horizontal integration]

Tags: kids, News, pen pal

This is how geeky I am. I nearly hopped out of my seat squealing “woo woo woo!” when they had a segment on Good Morning America about gifts you can give people for Christmas if you’re having hard economic times. One of the ideas was writing a letter.

Mellody Hobson mentioned in the segment that she got the idea from Oprah who said that one of the greatest gifts one person can give another is a letter. She also mentioned that once when asked what Oprah would be getting Denzel Washington for Christmas, she said she would be writing him a letter!

So, it’s never been an easier time to simulate the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Forget high fashion, forget upscale homes and cars. Just write a letter!

(Just FYI, the summary of the segment that I have linked to is not nearly as good as the video. She elaborated much more on the letter writing. I’m sorry I couldn’t find a video version of it.)

Tags: denzel washington, gift, gift idea, good morning america, letter writing, letters, mellody hobson, News, oprah, oprah winfrey

Here is an interesting article about a teacher who writes seven or eight letters routinely every day. The news story describes her writing habits and her philosophy of letter writing. What a faithful and fascinating pen pal!

http://www.freep.com/article/20081130/TWIST01/811300357/1025/rss05

Tags: interesting, letter writing, letters, Link, News

One of my favorite letters of all time is the letter from Abraham Lincoln to Mrs. Bixby, the mother of five sons who were in the Civil War. You might know this letter from a scene from the movie Saving Private Ryan and handled in such a moving way in the film.

Recently, a copy of the letter was discovered in the archives of a Texas museum and is in the process of being appraised and authenticated. If you want to know more, you can read the whole news story at AOL News. You can read the text of the letter below.

Let’s get back to writing letters like this! How shall we start?

Executive Mansion,
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.

Dear Madam,–

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

Tags: abraham lincoln, bixby, civil war, history, letter writing, letters, News

Not ten minutes after I posted a link to a love letter writing contest, I ran across a news story about a horrible incident in which a boy was killed for writing a love letter to a girl in his village.

For those of you who live in places where we have the freedom to write who want about what we want, take a moment to appreciate what we sometimes take for granted.

Tags: letter writing, letters, love letter, News