Posti sends postcards to war veterans marking Independence Day

National postal and logistic services operator Posti sent about 31,000 cards this year during the card campaign, in which the veterans and women of Finland´s wars and Lotta women were commemorated with a postcard marking the Independence Day, said Posti in a press release on Thursday.

Posti and the war veteran associations of Finland organized a card campaign for the ninth time this year.

The delivery of the cards started at the end of November and the cards will reach their destination by Independence Day.

The purpose of the card campaign was to remind Finns of the importance of staying in touch and to give them the opportunity to express their gratitude to veterans, war-time women and former Lotta women and girls for their efforts to preserve Finland’s independence.

“I would like to thank everyone who sent a card. For the generation of veterans, letters and cards are the most familiar way of communicating. The elderly may feel lonely and may not have access to digital means of communication,” said Sami Määttä, Director of Domestic Consumer Letter Services of Posti.

There are about 2,300 veterans remaining in Finland as well as about 7,000 war-time women, 600 Lotta women and 3,200 Lotta girls.

“The Independence Day card brings an appreciative greeting to the veterans of our wars and their spouses and widows. For someone who lives alone, a card can be the only moment of the day when you get to touch another person,” said Pia Mikkonen, Head of Fundraising of the Veterans of the Sotiemme Veteraanit (Our War Veterans) and Sotiemme Naiset (The Women of our Wars) collection.

”It's great that so many people joined the campaign and wanted to bring joy to our lotties and veterans. A warm thank you to everyone who sent a card,” said Susan Mykrä from the Lotta Svärd Foundation.

Mail carriers will deliver the cards to veterans, war-time women and former Lotta women and girls according to the address information provided by Finland’s War Veteran Association (Suomen Sotaveteraaniliitto), the Disabled War Veterans Association of Finland (Sotainvalidien Veljesliitto), Veteran Soldiers (Rintamaveteraaniliitto), the Aid Society and Relatives of the Fallen (Kaatuneitten Omaisten liitto) and the Lotta Svärd Foundation.