Cherry Hill residents can paint free watercolor greeting cards for veterans and deployed troops at Croft Farm Arts Center on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The Healing Art For A Hero's Heart program offers two one-hour sessions, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at 100 Bortons Mill Road. The workshop is open to ages 8 through adult, and all supplies are included. Registration is required, and space is limited.
Participants will paint "Thank You For Your Service" cards and write messages of gratitude, South Jersey Media reported. Completed cards will be distributed to veterans and active-duty service members with ties to South Jersey families across military branches.
How the program started
Amy Bash, a military spouse and artist, created the program after her husband was deployed to Kuwait in December 2019. She organized the first card-painting session at the Voorhees Arts Center, gathering neighbors to write holiday messages for service members far from home.
"To receive a greeting from afar is really uplifting," Bash said.
Since then, thousands of handmade cards have been delivered or mailed in care packages. Some have gone to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The program has traveled to multiple locations, including a session at the Cherry Hill Public Library in July 2025.
What participants can expect
Bash will guide attendees through watercolor techniques. Participants can choose from provided templates or create original artwork, and ideas for messages will be available. The cards are nondenominational so they can reach service members from a variety of backgrounds.
Each finished card will include a keepsake star cut from an American flag. Military members who attend the workshop will also receive a star.
More at Croft Farm this fall
The Cherry Hill Township Harvest Festival takes place Sunday, Oct. 18, from noon to 4 p.m. at Croft Farm. The Fall Into the Arts Juried Photography Show runs Nov. 2–12 at the Croft Farm Arts Center. Contact the arts department at 856-488-7868 or [email protected] for details.
