Warm Hearts By Making A Valentine Or 2 For Petaluma-Area Seniors

PETALUMA, CA — There is nothing more heartwarming than receiving a handmade Valentine, and thanks to a Petaluma nonprofit and crafty local residents, thousands of homebound Sonoma County residents are set to have one delivered right to their front door again this Valentine's Day.

It all started 11 years ago when Petaluma People Services Center asked community members to create handmade Valentines for delivery to 320 Meals on Wheels recipients. That little project grew exponentially and along the way, has warmed thousands upon thousands of hearts.

"Last year we received over 5,000 Valentines and were able to deliver Valentines to all the seniors throughout the South County, in addition to our Meals On Wheels clients," Petaluma People Services Center says on its website.

To participate, make one or more Valentine's Day cards with a nice message inside. There is one big rule: "No Glitter," says Elece Hempel, executive director of PPSC. Other than that, get creative (and see a list of some other dos and don'ts at the bottom of this article).

When your masterpiece is done, drop it off at Petaluma People Services Center, 1500 Petaluma Blvd. South, in Petaluma.

If mailing your cards, send to: Petaluma People Services Center, 1500 Petaluma Blvd. South, Petaluma, Ca 94954.

The deadline for dropping off cards is Monday, Feb. 10; if mailing them, please send a day or two prior to Feb. 10.

Dos and Don'ts

• NO GLITTER: This creates food safety issues.
• Please make your cards cheerful by using bright colors. You can decorate cards using paint, crayons, markers, collage or anything else you can think of.
• Please avoid dark backgrounds and religious symbols.
• Please write clearly in large print and avoid using abbreviation "V-day"; instead, please say "Valentine’s Day."
• You should not give out your address or suggest that the recipients write back to you. Initiating an ongoing correspondence is not appropriate.
• Please make sure the cards are appropriate for the intended audience. That is to say, pretend it’s your sweet grandma, not your snarky teenage brother.