There are two Sample Letters here ~ Letter One is the one I'll use THIS year for Henri-Chapelle. Letter Two (same basic style) is that way because it's the letter I would have used LAST year for Epinal (. . . until the ABMC precluded Public Access to all overseas cemeteries).
Best Luck ~ and Happy Memorial Day!
Use these letters as just a place to start. Be sure to customize them to make them "your own" ~ for your cemetery. But to start with one of these, you can click and drag and copy the text from this very screen ~ and paste it into an outgoing E-Mail.
Here are a couple of things that we know from experience will increase effectiveness: 1) Add a graphic ~ or at least reference a web address ~ so your sons and daughters can see the last set of Wreaths and Banners they helped to provide; 2) Individualize your letters, if you can. As people respond better if they aren't treated as a cast of thousands. If you DO need to send send a GROUP mail, put the addresses in the BLIND copy field, as not all Members would like their address to be visible; and finally, send a copy to yourself first ~ so there are no surprises.
Letter One ~
Dear Sons and Daughters of Henri-Chapelle American –
Memorial Day 2021 is on the way . . . on Monday, May 31st (stateside) . . . but as you likely know, the actual Memorial Day services overseas will be held before the actual holiday – on Saturday, May 29th. The new Superintendent of Henri-Chapelle is Jennifer Roman.
As you may know, Henri-Chapelle was closed to the public on Memorial Day last year — but if you saw our Memorial Day treatment for Memorial Day last year ~ you'll know that our Fathers were well remembered! If you haven't seen it, please check here:
Here’s a picture of the Wreath and Banners you helped provide in our last pre-Covid year . . . when Dianna and I were lucky enough to be on hand in Belgium to present the AWON Wreath and Banners.
If you’re new to AWON – and you’d like us to add your father’s Rank and Name to the Henri-Chapelle Banner for 2021, please send me his name, exactly as you want it to appear. Please reach me at Rik@dayone.com by mid April so we'll have time to add it.
If you’ve participated before, we’ll assume the name on the wreath should remain as it was for Memorial Day, 2019:
To help us fund the Memorial Day Wreath and Banner for 2021, please send $10, if you can – and if you can – round up! This will help to cover others among us who may be less fortunate – or who may be away – but who nevertheless would so value the seamless remembrance of their Father or loved one on Memorial Day. Your donations cover the cost of the wreath, the banners, the shipping of the banners to our florist in Belgium, and the cost of changing Dollars to Euros so we can pay the florist, Fleurs Mertens. . . who delivers such a beautiful arrangement every year.
Please write your check to Rik Peirson . . . and send it to me at this address so I can gather the donations and send them on:
Rik Peirson
100 Oceano Ave. #14
Santa Barbara, CA 93109You can help us meet our schedule if you can send your check to arrive by Wednesday, April 14th . . . with many thanks in advance for your donation!
We have just three reminders:
First ~ please check the New AWON Website by mid or late June (look under Remembrances ~ Overseas) . . . and you should see pictures of Memorial Day weekend 2021, along with the Wreath and Banners representing AWON, and remembering our 57 men by name.
Second ~ this is a Volunteer-run project ~ done with care for AWON Members ~ and while this isn’t a Membership Renewal note – we’ll be counting on you to keep your Membership current.
And finally ~ if you'd like more donation detail than I can give you here ~ just write me back toward the end of April, and I’ll provide all I can.
The GOOD news ~ if there’s any good news associated with this Coronascare ~ is that we can do this remembrance without leaving our seats! Though standing for a salute is always encouraged!
In Their Memory ~
~ Rik Peirson
Henri-Chapelle American Coordinator
Letter Two ~
Dear Sons and Daughters of Epinal American –
Memorial Day 2020 is coming fast . . . on Monday, May 25th (stateside) . . . but as you likely know, the actual Memorial Day services overseas will be held just before the actual holiday – on Sunday, May 24th. The Superintendent of Epinal is Hamid Faqir.
As you may know if you’ve seen the pictures of the Epinal Wreath and Banners on Memorial Day 2019 — our Fathers were well remembered!
To see the Memorial Day Wreath and the names of the 43 men we remembered at Epinal American last May, see:
Here’s a picture of the Wreath and Banners you helped provide . . .
If you’re new to AWON – and you’d like us to add your father’s Rank and Name to the Epinal Banner for 2020, please send me his name, exactly as you want it to appear. Please reach me at Rik@dayone.com by mid April so we'll have time to add it.
If you’ve participated before, we’ll assume the name on the wreath should remain as it was for Memorial Day, 2019:
To help us fund the Memorial Day Wreath and Banner for 2020, please send $10, if you can – and if you can – round up! This will help to cover others among us who may be less fortunate – or who may be away – but who nevertheless would so value the seamless remembrance of their Father or loved one on Memorial Day. Your donations cover the cost of the wreath, the banners, the shipping of the banners to France, and the cost of changing Dollars to Euros so we can pay the florist, Le Comedie. . . who delivers such a beautiful arrangement every year.
Please write your check to Rik Peirson . . . and send it to me at this address so I can gather the donations and send them on:
Rik Peirson
100 Oceano Ave. #14
Santa Barbara, CA 93109You can help us meet our schedule if you can send your check to arrive by next Friday, April 10th . . . with many thanks in advance for your donation!
We have just three reminders:
First, please check back on the AWON Website sometime after the middle of June (look under Memorials – Epinal American) . . . and you should see pictures of Memorial Day weekend 2020, along with the Wreath and Banners representing AWON, and remembering our 43 men by name.
Second – this is a Volunteer-run project – done with care for AWON Members – and while this isn’t a Membership note – we’ll be counting on you to keep your Membership current.
And finally – if you want more donation detail than I’m giving you here – just write me back toward the end of April, and I’ll provide all I can.
The really GOOD news – if there’s any good news associated with this Coronascare – is that we can do this remembrance without leaving our seats! Though standing for a salute is always encouraged!
In Their Memory –
– Rik Peirson
Epinal American Coordinator
We welcome other letter samples, too. If you've written a successful Donation Letter, send it to Jeanne or me ~ and we may add it to this page next year!
© 2021 • by Wreath & Banner and the sons and daughters of AWON • All rights reserved.
