Hearts by Linda H

At a time when patriotism is at an all time high, leave it to polyclayers to jump on the bandwagon with a loving, charitable way to honor our troops and veterans – The Hearts for Heroes project.

Spearheaded by Laura Reid (aka “River”), Hearts for Heroes (H4H) began in late October 2004 in response to a television news story about American soldiers who gave their lives in the war in Iraq. Moved by an overwhelming feeling of grief, and being deeply affected by the sacrifice being made by our troops and their families, River decided she wanted to give something to the soldiers. She decided on a small heart that could be placed in their pockets and used as a daily reminder of appreciation for their selfless acts of service.

Not long after this life-changing moment occurred, River presented the idea to a small group of her polymer clay friends online. The group was equally enthusiastic about the hearts. Coincidentally, one group member had a relative stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina who hooked them up with a source to act as the receiving base for the hearts. The initial group of hearts went to soldiers about to be deployed, and from there, the project was officially launched.

Today, the number of polymer clay artists working on the H4H project has grown substantially. The group is now organized as many people joining together to show support for our troops and veterans. They make and send out the hearts at their own expense and ask for nothing in return.

Hearts by Houston PCG

Each heart is accompanied by a card with the following inscription:

You are my hero.
As you hold this heart,
know you abide in mine.
Thank you so much for your service.

River says, “Our project stresses quality craftsmanship and proper size of the hearts that we send to our troops so they can wear them on their dog tags. Quantity isn’t our main concern,” she continues. “The rewards that heart makers who donate to the project receive are from personal pride in making beautiful, wearable hearts for our soldiers, the smiles it gives them, and the support our troops feel from this endeavor. It truly is a gift of love and appreciation.”

Hearts by Indiana PCG	Hearts by Laura "River" Reid	Hearts by SE Florida PCG

To learn more about Hearts for Heroes, including how to request hearts and volunteer for the program, visit their website at www.hearts4heroes.com.

 

Disclaimer: The Hearts for Heroes project was conceived as a loving and charitable way to support our troops and veterans - these hearts are given away as gifts. We do not sell them. We do not ask for money donations, nor accept them. Any persons or groups who use the "Hearts for Heroes Project" name to solicit money donations are not in any way associated with our project. We are not responsible for those acting outside the guidelines listed on the official website.