Gallery Collection Blog

Operation Gratitude Q&A – One Millionth Care Package Event

The Gallery Collection recently made a 7,500 greeting card donation to Operation Gratitude for their 1 Millionth Care Package Celebration. Carolyn Blashek, the Founder and CEO of Operation Gratitude, was kind enough to provide us with some information about both Operation Gratitude and the upcoming One Millionth Care-Package Event. Read on below to learn more about what the organization does, and how it benefits the members of the military community.

What is Operation Gratitude?
- Operation Gratitude is a volunteer-based organization that annually sends 100,000+ care packages & letters of support to individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Marines deployed in harm’s way & on ships at sea, to their children left behind, and to Wounded Warriors, Care Givers, Veterans, Military Families and First Responders.
How did Operation Gratitude get started?
- In March 2003, Founder Carolyn Blashek met with a soldier who broke down at her desk after letting her know that he was going back on deployment and due to some of the personal issues he was experiencing at the time, he did not care if he made it back. It was then that Carolyn realized that troops need to believe that someone at home cares about them as an individual and Operation Gratitude was officially born.
What is the Operation Gratitude One Millionth Care Package Event?
- On December 7^th, 2013, Operation Gratitude will assemble and celebrate their One Millionth Care Package, which is something that no other organization has accomplished.
When is the Operation Gratitude One Millionth Care package Event?
- December 7^th, 2013
How will the cards The Gallery Collection donated be used during the One Millionth Care Package Event?
- The 5,000 Thank you for Attending Cards will be distributed to everyone who attends the event as a token of appreciation for their attendance and help. There will also be another 2,500 Thank you for Your Service cards that will be used by attendees for signing and writing notes that will then be placed in the care packages that will be sent out. Get a closer look at the two sets of cards The Gallery Collection donated here.
What are some of the things that will be happening during the One Millionth Care Package Event?
- Assembly of the “One Millionth” & “One Millionth & One” Packages
- Santa Claus Photo Ops and Giveaways
- Entertainment and Celebrity Surprises
- Games & Activities for Kids; Raffle and Door Prizes
What kind of donations does Operation Gratitude Accept?
- Operation Gratitude accepts all kinds of items including things like DVDs, CDs, gift cards, toothpaste, deodorant and much much more. A complete list of wish items can be found at the below link:
How many items are included in each care package?
- Each care package contains 50 or more donated snack, entertainment and personal care items.
Where does the assembly of the actual care packages take place?
- Operation Gratitude conducts its Assembly Drives in the National Guard Armory in Van Nuys, California where more than 15,000 local volunteers participate on-site and 250,000 volunteer hours are served per year.
Where can people go to find out more information about Operation Gratitude?
- More information about Operation Gratitude can be found below:
- Information about the Millionth Care-Package event can be found below:

Ten Simple Steps To Get A Good Workout At Work

Many of us would love to be able to get more exercise, but the problem most people face is having time to workout. With our busy lives, some of us barely have enough time for work, family and home obligations, and sleep, so getting in a workout on top of all that would be quite a challenge.

So what to do when you don’t have time to workout? Since we spend so much time at work, it makes sense to try to squeeze in small bits of exercise throughout the day at work. The recommended amount of physical activity for health benefits varies depending on individual needs and goals, but 30 minutes of moderate activity is a good place to start. Note that this does not mean the 30 minutes has to be done all at once; it can be broken into smaller amounts of time that add up to 30 minutes total. Looking at it that way, it is easy to see how you can squeeze in some exercise at work in order to total 30 minutes per day. Here are ten simple steps to get a good workout at work.

Workout at Work

If you drive to work, park as far away as possible from your building, so that you get a good walk in. Wear a pedometer and try to get 10,0000 steps in per day.
Take the stairs whenever possible inside the building.
Put in face time with your coworkers. Instead of emailing, get up and walk over to see your coworker. You can also suggest taking walks during meetings instead of gathering to sit in a conference room (if there is no presentation or anything that needs to be seen). When you are on the telephone at your desk, stand up instead of sitting down.
Trade your desk chair for an exercise ball. This will force you to work your core to balance. Or have your desk replaced by a high desk, so that you have to stand at it. This will greatly reduce the amount of sitting you do per day.
If you have an office, you can close the door for privacy during breaks or at lunch and do a number of no-impact exercises. You can do squats, lunges, pushups, crunches, etc. You can even keep hand weights at your desk (or use waterbottles) to get in some light resistance training.
Join a local gym and workout at lunch. Many gyms offer 30 minute “express” classes that cater to working professionals on their lunch break. Or you can walk on the treadmill or use one of the other cardio machines for 30 minutes. This will leave plenty of time to shower and grab a quick healthy lunch.
Like to be social during lunch? Start a lunchtime walking or jogging club. Forget the water cooler and catch up on the latest office gossip or entertainment news while getting in shape with your coworkers.
Set a timer on your computer or cell phone to go off every hour to remind you to stand up, step away from your desk, and either walk a lap around the floor or go up and down a flight or two of stairs. Every little bit of activity counts!
Want to encourage your co-workers to fit in exercise too? Start a sports league at work. You can practice or play games during lunch or after work at a nearby location or local school.
Whether or not you have an office, you can still do some exercises at your cubicle. Isometric exercises are performed without weights and require you to tense your muscles for a time and then relax them. Since the moves are performed without actually moving any part of your body, no one will actually even know you are exercising!

The Gallery Collection Donates 7,500 Cards to the Operation Gratitude 1 Millionth Care Package Celebration

The Gallery Collection has a long history of working with Operation Gratitude. So we were thrilled to donate 7,500 cards to the Operation Gratitude 1 Millionth Care Package Celebration occurring on December 7th, 2013. We’ve created 5,000 specially designed cards to thank everyone attending the celebration for their support of Operation Gratitude over the years.

Thank You for Attending Card

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We’ve also created 2,500 specially designed cards to be signed and sent in even more care packages to service men and women stationed overseas.

Thank You for Your Service Card

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Operation Gratitude seeks to lift morale in the military community by sending care packages addressed to individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines deployed overseas, to their children left behind, and to Veterans, First Responders, Wounded Warriors and their care givers. Operation Gratitude care packages contain food, hygiene products, entertainment and handmade items, plus personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support.

The 1 Millionth Care Package Celebration is the culmination of a decade of hard work and dedication. To send so many card packages was no small feat, and this feat could not have been accomplished without the donations and volunteer efforts of so many people. This celebration marks not only the shipment of the 1 millionth care package; it is a celebration of everyone who made this moment possible.

If you’d like more information on the Operation Gratitude 1 Millionth Care Package Event, or if you’d like to help out in some way, please go to the Operation Gratitude website: http://opgrat.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/save-the-date-one-million-care-packages-and-counting/.

Our Top Choices For Christmas Card Messages

As the holiday season nears many are on the search for the perfect gift. And every gift is also accompanied by a holiday card. When looking for the perfect Christmas cards, what do you look for? Is it the beautiful cover design which convinces you to purchase the card? Perhaps it is the heartfelt message written on the inside that wins you over. The Gallery Collection offers numerous beautiful Christmas card messages that help you express your holiday cheer to every loved one. These are some of the top choices for preprinted messages that we have to offer!

• In warm appreciation of our association, we extend our Best Wishes for a happy Holiday season and a New Year filled with Peace, Joy, and Success.

• Wishing you the joy of family, the gift of friends and the best of everything for the new year.

• Merry Christmas and Warm Wishes for a Wonderful Holiday Season and a very Happy New Year.

• Season’s Greetings and Best wishes for a Happy New Year.

Whichever Christmas card message you decide to choose, you can be sure that your greeting that reflects the true holiday spirit and cheerfulness of the season.

Make Your Company Stand Out With Unique Christmas Cards

That time of year is coming around again, when we’re all hustling and bustling for the nicest holiday cards. With so many choices in every store, surely it’s become very difficult to choose which card would be perfect for my business. Every year, I usually buy an assortment box of holiday cards and then handwrite a note to all of my employees. But the company has been growing with each coming year, and so this year I wanted to make my cards unique. I wanted something different that would portray my gratitude towards my employees as well as make my company standout with unique Christmas cards.

Scouting around on the internet one day I came across The Gallery Collection, and I never looked back. They not only have a beautiful assortment of cards, but the inside is also customizable! Meaning, I would no longer need to hand sign all of my cards, but rather sign one and it would be reprinted on all of them. I chose a card with a cute snowman and personalized it with a greeting and my very own signature on the bottom. I even had the option to make my signature glisten in gold foil! The cards came out so beautiful, I already can’t wait to hand them out!

Gallery Collection Charitable Donations – Camp Quality USA

The Gallery Collection is pleased to announce a donation of 900 birthday cards and 1000 Thank You cards to Camp Quality USA. Camp Quality serves children with cancer and their families by providing year-round programs, experiences, and companionship at no cost. Camp Quality promotes hope and inspiration while helping children foster life skills and develop their full potential.

Camp Quality USA has existed in the United States for nearly 30 years. Originating in Australia, Camp Quality got its name when a doctor commented that while we can’t impact the quantity of someone’s life, everyone can improve the quality of another person’s life. With a week long residential camp for children with cancer as its hallmark annual event, Camp Quality grew into an organization that spread to several countries. From a single week of camp for 43 children in Northwest Missouri 28 years ago, Camp Quality USA now serves 900 children each summer at 16 camp locations in 12 states, and provides year round events for those children and more, as well as their families.

The greeting card donation provided by The Gallery Collection has been shared with Camp Quality USA local organizations for their use in sending birthday cards to campers and thank you cards to volunteers.

For more information about Camp Quality USA, and how you can help, please visit their website at www.campqualityusa.org.

The Gallery Collection Gives Thanks on Veterans Day

The Gallery Collection would like to give thanks to all members of our armed services on this Veterans Day. We appreciate your dedication and your service.

The work that the members of our armed services do is important to all of us. This is why The Gallery Collection works with organizations such as Operation Gratitude and Soldiers’ Angels, who create care packages for deployed military and have other programs that help our servicemen and women.

Along with the donations we’ve made to these organizations, we also offer a chance for you to help just by purchasing cards! When you’ve made a purchase you can use promo code LHEYC for Operation Gratitude, or promo code LHFYC for Soldiers’ Angels, and 10% of your order total will be donated to the organization of your choosing!

Religious Christmas Cards Share The Spirit Of The Season

Sending out religious Christmas cards can be a gamble. When you are sending holiday cards for business it is usually best to be more generic and include everyone. “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays” are the sentiments normally sent out , especially for corporate cards. It is understandable, especially for businesses, that the sender would not want to offend any of their recipients.

But when it comes to personalized Christmas cards, I think most people are aware that Christmas is a religious holiday, and sending out a religious card is an acceptable way to recognize it. In fact, sending out a religious card, or at least one that actually mentions Christmas, is perfectly acceptable for those of you that want to share your holiday greetings with friends and family alike. If someone sends you a card for a holiday you don’t celebrate, it is not meant to insult, but rather to simply share the spirit of the season. Picture yourself receiving a card from someone wishing you a “Happy (insert holiday you don’t celebrate)”! Your reaction would probably be less “How dare they!” and more “That was nice of them to think of me.” So if you come across a lovely religious Christmas card that you would love to send and share, chances are the recipient will be happy to share the spirit in which it was sent.

Gallery Collection Charitable Donations – Canines for Disabled Kids

The Gallery Collection is proud to announce a 4,000 holiday card donation to Canines for Disabled Kids. CDK is an education/advocacy group that educates the public about assistance dogs, and assists families in determining if a service dog is the right tool for their child.

CDK helps families select the best training program to serve their child’s needs, as well as assist with the application process. Canines for Disabled Kids also provide scholarships to offset the cost of dogs for children 18 and under, as well as advocacy work for all working service dog teams. They are often seen in schools or at civic groups educating interested parties about service dogs, how they are trained, and the multitude of ways they can help mitigate disabilities.

As a non-fee for service program that works nationwide, the 4,000 holiday card donation from The Gallery Collection will allow Canines for Disabled Kids to send warm holiday greetings and thanks to all of their supporters.

If you are interested in learning more about Canines for Disabled Kids, and other ways that you can help, you can visit their website at: http://caninesforkids.org/

The Gallery Collection Presents Our 2013 Bizrate® Circle of Excellence Award

For the second year in a row, The Gallery Collection has received the 2013 Bizrate® Circle of Excellence Award. This award recognizes online retailers that have provided a superior online shopping experience and above average customer service, as rated by the customers themselves.

We are very proud of the fact that this award is given to us based on the reviews of our customers. We pride ourselves on the high quality of our greeting cards. But more importantly, we pride ourselves on our customer experience. With a website that is easy to navigate, orders that are easy to place, and customer service reps that go above and beyond for our customers, every person who orders from The Gallery Collection has a top notch experience.

We welcome you to view The Gallery Collection’s customer satisfaction ratings and customer reviews at its detailed Bizrate Store Rating page. And we’d like to thank our customers for their wonderful reviews. We promise we will always work our hardest to give you the best experience possible!