Telegraph photo by ADAM URQUHART Founder of the Holiday Cards 4 Our Military-NH Challenge Laura Landerman-Garber has set out on a new mission in the midst of this ongoing pandemic, Cards 2 Connect. On Tuesday, she held a handful of hand-crafted appreciation cards while standing next to a touch-free drop box set up at the Hollis Pharmacy and General Store to collect appreciation cards for Granite State veterans.

HOLLIS – A new effort is underway to show appreciation to veterans in New Hampshire who are unable to connect with their loved ones during these challenging times.

If one felt isolated before the coronavirus disease pandemic hit, that feeling is only amplified now. So, Laura Landerman-Garber of Hollis and Sen. Maggie Hassan teamed up to make sure veterans are not feeling forgotten. They are encouraging Granite Staters to participate in a new initiative by writing cards that will then be delivered to veterans throughout the state.

Landerman-Garber is the founder of the Holiday Cards 4 Our Military-NH Challenge, a nonprofit group that sent personalized, hand-written holiday greetings to deployed troops. Last year, the group was able to send out 175,000 cards.

The new challenge, Cards 2 Connect, will deliver bundles of appreciation to veterans at the New Hampshire Veterans Home, Manchester Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and White River Junction VAMC, using appropriate health precautions.

“I think the piece that strikes me about this challenge that is different is that it’s in the midst of this pandemic,” Landerman-Garber said.

Landerman-Garber believes the country as a whole is feeling isolated right now with the ongoing pandemic. She believes the country is feeling anxious, sad grief and even anger at being isolated. That sense of isolation some may feel can be cured with connection, and these cards establish that.

“This is one way to connect with our veterans, and it doesn’t just connect them to you when you write a card, but it gives the writer of the card a connection to a veteran,” Landerman-Garber said. “Even if you don’t know them, even if they don’t know you, it’s going to decrease the writer’s isolation. And we’ve got a lot of healing to do in this country that way, and Cards 2 Connect is one way to start the healing.”

Landerman-Garber had been working very closely with US Air Force Lt. Col. Jason Johnson, who she said is concerned about this sense of isolation. While that concept was brewing, she received a call from Hassan’s office a few weeks ago. The senator was also interested in decreasing the isolation veterans may face, asking Landerman-Garber if she had any ideas.

Within a day Landerman-Garber’s family built a COVID-19-style, touch-free drop box, setting it outside the Hollis Upper Elementary School. The Hollis Primary School also participated. She found on social media and that lots of cards were coming in. The box was set up the week before Memorial Day and was there until the day after the holiday.

Landerman-Garber wanted more cards and contacted the Hollis Pharmacy and General Store, who served as her first holiday drop-box center in 2017. They agreed to host a drop box, which will remain at the entrance to the pharmacy through Aug. 1.

“COVID-19 has prevented veterans across New Hampshire from seeing their loved ones in person, and we wanted to give all Granite Staters an opportunity to show these veterans that we’re thinking about them, and to also thank them for their service,” Hassan said in a press release. “I am so grateful to Laura for her leadership in helping get this program off the ground, and I encourage all Granite Staters to join us in showing our appreciation for veterans.”

Anyone looking to join the cause can drop off cards at the box at the Hollis Pharmacy located at 6 Ash St., or they can mail them to Laura Landerman-Garber, Card Challenge, 400 Amherst St., Suite 407, Nashua 03063.

The guidelines are simple. People are asked to either fold a piece of paper in half or use a note-card and address it to “Dear Veteran.” Add a note of appreciation and include some news on any topics such as the writer’s favorite sport, hobby or book. If someone in the writer’s family is or was in the military, they should include that as well. People are also asked to sign their first name only, with the city and state in which they live.

People can email any questions to her at holidaycardsnh@gmail.com. More information on her nonprofit is also available on the website at, https://militaryholidaycardchallenge.com/.

Even as a child, Landerman-Garber was never comfortable leaving someone alone at a lunch table in the school cafeteria or on the playground. Connecting with others was important to her.

“I’m a clinical psychologist and I know the power of connection whether it’s intellectual connection, spiritual connection, emotional connection – our veterans deserve our heartfelt appreciation, Cards 2 Connect, it says it all,” Landerman-Garber said.

Adam Urquhart may be contacted at 594-1206, or at aurquhart@nashuatelegraph.com.