With 17 events of the 24 scheduled this season completed, MTS can now boast that it has shipped 83,000 cards, signed by fans and MTS employees during each NHRA event so far. The prestigious U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend is expected to produce over 7,000 cards. Expectations are high that the program will reach its 125,000 goal by the completion of the 2009 NHRA series.

As part of its support of Jack Beckman, driver of the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, MTS has set several internal challenges and incentives for individuals and terminals that meet and/or exceed the 7,500 post cards collected for the Mail From Home program at each event.

"All in all, it is a program for which the greatest reward is the knowledge that we will have made soldiers smile at least 125,000 times," said Rodger Comstock, President and CEO of Mail Terminal Services, which operates 16 terminals throughout the U.S.

"The Western Swing (Denver, Seattle and Sonoma, Calif.) was very successful for the MTS Mail From Home program," continued Comstock. "In Denver and Seattle the volunteer workers from our MTS terminals in those cities exceeded their 2008 collections by an additional 1,000 cards. But the group that was at Sonoma from the MTS San Francisco (SFO) terminal was sensational. This year a combination of the San Francisco/Sonoma NHRA fans' patriotism and the SFO Mail Terminal Services volunteers' determination combined for a record-setting event. The SFO group collected 6,800 cards from NHRA fans and guests. That exceeded the previous record set by the Brainerd, Minn., volunteers from the MTS-MSP (Minneapolis) terminal of 5,500 at the track in 2008.

"We are very proud of all of the efforts from the MTS employees and the NHRA fans to help collect post cards for the troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan," added Comstock.

"We have heard back from several of the soldiers who have received the cards and shared them with their buddies. They all have appreciated the knowledge that people other than their families care about what they are doing and wish them well. They agree that it improves their mindset as they go on patrol and do their jobs."

Soldiers in the war zones receive a package of post cards with individual messages on them, autographed "hero" cards from the Valvoline/MTS team and other DSR teams, as well as National Dragster and Drag Racing magazines. Fans are asked to sign and write messages on these unique post cards at the Don Schumacher Racing hospitality area and the U.S. Army kiosk in the manufacturers' midway at each event.

The Mail From Home program has resulted in the shipping of 90,000 cards in 2007 and 105,000 in 2008.

Fans who are unable to visit the NHRA events but would like to participate in the Mail From Home program and send a Mail From Home package to a specific soldier, should send the soldier's APO mailing address to mfh.mts@gmail.com. MTS will be pleased to help brighten the day of a soldier.

Courtesy of Judy Stropus