Tag Archives: snail mail

Day 324: Patricia

Day 324My friend Patricia still cherishes handwritten correspondence. She chooses the paper carefully and writes thoughtful, handwritten notes regularly.

I thought for her birthday I would make her a card. I embossed the happy birthday note on the front of a paper that I purchased at Paper Source.

Day 324-2

Patricia,

Greetings from Boston! I hope that you have a wonderful birthday. I’m sorry I missed your recent performance in Bethesda – I’m sure you nailed it.

Here’s to another great year and I look forward to seeing you soon.
Reed

 

Day 232: Barbara

Sometimes the worlds of my “Year of” projects collide – today is an example of just that. Barbara, who followed the Year of Giving and Year of Volunteering, dropped me a handwritten note to say hello. She said she’s enjoyed following my year-long pursuits and is looking forward to my book. Yeah, me and Barbara both. I’ve got a ways to go on that though, I just haven’t been spending enough time on it. Perhaps next year has to be the Year of Reed’s Book.

My letter with Barbara's card in the background.

My letter with Barbara’s card in the background.

Barbara,

Wow! I was so pleasantly surprised to get your letter – it’s been a long time. I looked through my old emails and found that I wrote you back after your email to me in September of 2011, but I’m not sure I ever sent you the volunteering suggestions?! Shame on me if I didn’t.

Thank you for sharing about your volunteering experience during your Spring Break – what a great way to spend that week. I think voluntourism is an interesting way to bring groups together while doing good.

Congratulations on your nursing degree. I’ve had several friends and family members in the hospital this year and have developed an even deeper appreciation for the profession. You’re doing truly important work!

Best of luck to you on your wedding, that’s exciting – hopefully not too stressful. Don’t forget that it is celebration and it’s meant to be a special day for you to remember – make sure you enjoy the moments.

Thank you again for reaching out and saying hello – that meant a lot to me. Stay in touch,
Reed

Day 153: Mari

I love when businesses help their community. Today’s recipient works for DC Brau, a brewery here in Washington, DC that was tapped in 2009. If I’m not mistaken, it was the first brewery inside the District since the 50s.

Photo: Reed Sandridge

Robert Samuels & DeNeen L. Brown of the Washington Post posing with Street Sense leadership and volunteers. Photo: Reed Sandridge

I stopped by DC Brau yesterday to pick up some refreshing locally brewed libations for the Street Sense Excellence in Journalism Awards that were held last night at Wilmer Hale’s beautiful offices on Pennsylvania Avenue. Mari greeted me at the brewery and was very kind to provide Street Sense with this generous donation.

The awards are a great way to recognize some of the most profound stories from the last year on the issue of homelessness. Some of them inspiring, others bone-chilling. It’s an issue that doesn’t receive a lot of support because people often believe that the problem is that those experiencing homelessness are lazy and just need to get a job. Of course there are folks like that, but the data shows that the problem is much more complex than that. Street Sense wouldn’t be able to provide the services that it does without generous help from our supporters and friends in the community. Thank you again DC Brau!

Day 153

Mari,

Day 153-3Thank you and everyone at DC Brau so much for the generous donation of delicious beer for the Street Sense Excellence in Journalism Awards on Tuesday. Your sponsorship helped make it a very successful evening. I made sure to test (strictly for quality assurance reasons) all three beers: the El Hefe, the Citizen and the Corruption. They were tasty and consistent with all my previous experiences with them.

Thanks again for supporting local nonprofits in our nation’s capital. You guys rock!

Reed Sandridge
Street Sense Board Member

Sunday Notes & Letters for Week 21

Day 96- Reyes-2Writing a handwritten letter or note every day for the past five months has been so much fun. Today I thought I would share a blog post I found from Traci Bild that talks about why you too should be writing letters and more importantly, why you should write them now instead of later. She’s got six reasons – all good ones.

Who will you write to this week?

 

Day 135: Postmaster General Megan Brennan

Actor and activist Danny Glover was the recipient of my letter  yesterday. Glover, whose parents and brother worked for the U.S. Postal Service, was here in D.C. to encourage people to stand up for postal workers.

So today I thought I’d do just that. This is my second letter to Postmaster Megan Brennan – my first one was on Day 51.

Day 135

I stand with Postal Workers 

Postmaster General Brennan,

Postal service is declining, offices are closing, letters are taking dramatically longer to be delivered. I urge you to not reduce hours, improve wait time in line, bring delivery times back to where they used to be and explore innovative ways the post office can be relevant in a digital world. Your organization is vital to vibrant communities.

-Reed Sandridge