According to Karen Kringle, it was a blurb on a local TV station that set her into motion.

And thanks to her, numerous others responded, as well.

That blurb was about sending Christmas cards to wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. Kringle first figured she could send some cards out on her own, but then decided she could do more if she enlisted a little help.

“I like to keep going,” said Betti Culbertson, 79, who ended up becoming one of the Kringle’s key recruits.

Culbertson is one of the newest residents of the Spring Estates Senior Living Center in Kenmore.

Writing out a few cards each evening, Culbertson figures she filled out 36 of the blank cards.

“All we were required to do was put in a cheery little line or two,” Culbertson said. “I said something different in each one.”

Mostly, Culbertson said she thanked the soldiers for their service and let them know people were thinking about them. She added her instructions were not to put her name on the cards, but she signed them all “Grandma.”

“If they’ll accept them and try to read my handwriting, God bless them,” she said.

Kringle’s card ended up at the Kenmore Senior Center, as well, where seniors wrote a couple of dozen more cards and letters.

“It wasn’t really a project of the center,” said center Program Director Garreth Jeffers. But Kringle asked Jeffers if she could help and things just sort of took off from there.

All in all, Kringle figures she and her helpers wrote out about 80 cards, along with the letters sent from the senior center.

“I just like doing stuff like this,” Kringle said, but adding she especially enjoys getting others involved, particularly seniors.

“Any way to get them active,” she added.

Although just 47 herself, Kringle is apparently pretty well known among local seniors. Jeffers said Kringle often is involved with activities at the senior center.

“She is just one of those people who is always doing something,” said Culbertson, who described Kringle as a friend of her and her daughter.

While she grew up a in a military family, Kringle said that’s not really why she decided to get involved with the cards. About five years ago, her daughter joined the Army, but due to an injury never made it out of boot camp. Still, the nine months she spent with her daughter far away made Kringle think about soldiers who have spent far more time from home in places far more dangerous than an Army training camp.

Kringle added she knows some soldiers just don’t receive the support and contact from home one might think they get. While her daughter was in boot camp, Kringle began corresponding with another female soldier who was in training at the same time. That woman has now completed her military service, but Kringle still stays in contact.

“It just makes me realize how much some people sacrifice for us,” she said.

Kringle wanted to emphasize anyone interested in sending notes to soldiers themselves can get involved through the Red Cross Web site at www.redcross.org.

According to Karen Kringle, it was a blurb on a local TV station that set her into motion.

And thanks to her, numerous others responded, as well.

That blurb was about sending Christmas cards to wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. Kringle first figured she could send some cards out on her own, but then decided she could do more if she enlisted a little help.

“I like to keep going,” said Betti Culbertson, 79, who ended up becoming one of the Kringle’s key recruits.

Culbertson is one of the newest residents of the Spring Estates Senior Living Center in Kenmore.

Writing out a few cards each evening, Culbertson figures she filled out 36 of the blank cards.

“All we were required to do was put in a cheery little line or two,” Culbertson said. “I said something different in each one.”

Mostly, Culbertson said she thanked the soldiers for their service and let them know people were thinking about them. She added her instructions were not to put her name on the cards, but she signed them all “Grandma.”

“If they’ll accept them and try to read my handwriting, God bless them,” she said.

Kringle’s card ended up at the Kenmore Senior Center, as well, where seniors wrote a couple of dozen more cards and letters.

“It wasn’t really a project of the center,” said center Program Director Garreth Jeffers. But Kringle asked Jeffers if she could help and things just sort of took off from there.

All in all, Kringle figures she and her helpers wrote out about 80 cards, along with the letters sent from the senior center.

“I just like doing stuff like this,” Kringle said, but adding she especially enjoys getting others involved, particularly seniors.

“Any way to get them active,” she added.

Although just 47 herself, Kringle is apparently pretty well known among local seniors. Jeffers said Kringle often is involved with activities at the senior center.

“She is just one of those people who is always doing something,” said Culbertson, who described Kringle as a friend of her and her daughter.

While she grew up a in a military family, Kringle said that’s not really why she decided to get involved with the cards. About five years ago, her daughter joined the Army, but due to an injury never made it out of boot camp. Still, the nine months she spent with her daughter far away made Kringle think about soldiers who have spent far more time from home in places far more dangerous than an Army training camp.

Kringle added she knows some soldiers just don’t receive the support and contact from home one might think they get. While her daughter was in boot camp, Kringle began corresponding with another female soldier who was in training at the same time. That woman has now completed her military service, but Kringle still stays in contact.

“It just makes me realize how much some people sacrifice for us,” she said.

Kringle wanted to emphasize anyone interested in sending notes to soldiers themselves can get involved through the Red Cross Web site at www.redcross.org.