24,000 postcards sent to war veterans marking Independence Day

National postal and logistic services operator Posti, the war veteran associations and the Lotta Svärd Foundation organized a card campaign for the tenth time, in which the veterans and women of wars and Lotta women were commemorated with postcards.

The purpose of the campaign is to bring relief to the loneliness of the men and women of Finland´s wars, joy to Independence Day and a warm spirit in anticipation of Christmas, said Posti in a press release on Tuesday.

“The card campaign was popular again this year, with around 24,000 cards sent. The campaign ends this year, so it's great that we can once again express our appreciation and thanks in this way to those who deserve it,” said Sami Määttä, Director of Domestic Consumer Letter Services of Posti.

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

There are about 1,500 veterans remaining in Finland as well as about 4,500 war-time women, 430 Lotta women and 2,700 Lotta girls.

“Next year, even the youngest veterans of our wars will turn 100. The last entire age group to be ordered to war were men born in 1925. The veterans and their widows have greatly appreciated the numerous Independence Day greetings they have received over the past 10 years,” 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.

"I am really happy and grateful that so many people wanted to send a card to Lotta or the veterans. They are the heroes of our Independence Day, and you can never thank them enough," said Susan Mykrä of the Lotta Svärd Foundation.

Mail carriers will deliver the cards to veterans, our war-time women, 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), Tammenlehvän perinneliitto and the Lotta Svärd Foundation.