Photo by Deb Gau Beth Erdmann went through the stacks of handmade valentine cards she and her family members pitched in to make for U.S. military service members this year. Together, the family has sent out a cumulative total of more than 10,000 valentines to soldiers stationed in 32 countries.

Valentine’s Day is a special time for the Erdmann family — in fact, they start preparing for it months in advance. That’s because it takes time to make and mail out hundreds of valentine cards for U.S. military service members overseas.

Making valentines for the troops has become a tradition for Beth Erdmann and her family members over the past 15 years, she said.

“We just wanted a family project we could do together,” said Erdmann, a rural Balaton resident. “It kind of mushroomed as we got going.”

This year, the family reached a new milestone for the number of valentines they’ve made.

“The cumulative total for the 15 years is 10,358 valentines, and they have been sent to 32 countries,” Erdmann said. This year, valentines went to service members in countries including Honduras, Barbados, Djibouti, Iraq and Japan.

Erdmann said the tradition of making valentines for U.S. soldiers started as an idea for a family service project.

“I was just trying to think of something we could do beyond ourselves,” she said. Making valentines was something that everyone in the family could do, even younger children. And valentines would be a fun way to let military service members know people appreciated them.

“We all have a little kid in us. If I get a valentine, that makes me smile,” Erdmann said.

It takes plenty of creativity — and lots of coordination — to make and send out hundreds of valentines each year. Erdmann said she uses resources like the website anysoldier.com to find addresses of U.S. troops serving overseas, and she also has friends help by giving her addresses and all-occasion greeting cards.

Then comes the work of making the valentine cards. Erdmann said the whole family don’t often get together to make valentines. But she, her children and 15 grandchildren make valentines at their own homes.

“They get really into it,” especially the grandkids, she said. “They’re far more creative than me.”

Erdmann said the valentine project is perfect for the time after the Christmas holidays. She stocks up on paper, stickers and other supplies to make cards.

“One of the best gifts my daughter gave me was a paper cutter,” she said.

While the whole family helps make valentines, Erdmann said she does the actual mailing of the cards. Family members send their finished valentines to Erdmann, and each one is mailed to a soldier, along with a letter of support.

“I try to get each family’s valentines to go to a special country,” Erdmann said. For example, one household would make all the cards that would be mailed to Japan. That way, if any of the soldiers stationed there sent a message back, the kids could connect with it, she said.

Sometimes soldiers do write back to the family, Erdmann said.

“We’ve gotten back some very warm responses,” she said. “Some of the letters are really quite touching.”

The fun of making the valentines is another part of what has kept the family tradition going.

“We have really enjoyed doing it, and the kids are very happy to help,” Erdmann said.