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AMVETS Post 44 in Struthers collected 2,000 signatures on the card
STRUTHERS
Members of an Army unit in Turkey, one of whom is Sgt. Jordan Williams, a 2010 graduate of Poland Seminary High School, were surprised with an 8-by-5-foot Christmas card containing more than 2,000 signatures sent to them by AMVETS Post 44 in Struthers.
Williams, a member of a military police unit, is the son of Greg and Sandi Williams of Plant City, Fla., and grandson of Mollie and Tom Williams of Columbiana, also former Poland residents.
Williams, who previously served a tour in Afghanistan, moved to Florida with his parents and enlisted in the Army from there.
The Christmas card was sent to Williams rather than his unit because of the requirement that items be sent to specific individuals. The card, however, was meant for the entire unit to share, said Jan Brown, commander of Post 44.
“We were looking for someone overseas whom we knew to send a Christmas card to and discovered Sgt. Williams is the grandson of Millie and Tom, friends of mine,” Brown said
Williams and his fellow soldiers received the huge card shortly after Christmas Day and sent a thank-you note which AMVETS Post 44 received Tuesday.
The note says: “Thank you AMVETS Post 44 and the people of Youngstown and everyone who took the time to sign this banner and for sending it to us. It was truly a blessing, and everyone loved the sign. It will be hanging up now every Christmas on top of the mountain.
Sincerely, The Troops.”
“I’m pleased that it will hang there every Christmas. I’m glad we did it. It might be the start of a tradition if we have somebody local to whom we can send a card,” Brown said.
The troops also emailed a group picture to Post 44, taken in freezing temperatures, of them posing with the Christmas card.
The idea for the project, dubbed Operation Christmas Card, came from Pete Gabriel, longtime Youngstown area radio personality, Brown said.
Signatures for the card were collected at several locations Dec. 15-17.
“It is one of the more-pleasurable projects I have been involved in,” said Gabriel, an Air Force veteran and a new member of Post 44.
Gabriel began his radio career in 1957 with Armed Forces Radio and in 1978 became the “morning drive” host for WKBN in Youngstown, where he also served as operations manager for 12 years. In 1979, he created Youngstown’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade.