CEDAR FALLS - Some cards take only five minutes to finish.

Dena Rekow has developed a system in her years of creating cards that allows her to finish dozens at a time. Still, the task of completing nearly 500 can be daunting. Some years, she opts out of sending Christmas cards altogether, but this year there will be no such reprieve.

These cards aren't going to friends and family. These cards are being sent off to soldiers wounded in the war.

"I am just so thankful for everyone who is serving, but those who are hurt, they have sacrificed so much," Rekow said.

Rekow is working with Julie Ehlers, organizer for the annual Iowa's Bravest holiday boxes, to send out handmade cards to wounded soldiers recovering in rehabilitation centers and veterans' hospitals across the country. Ehlers received some help making those connections from Robert "B.J." Jackson, a Des Moines native and veteran who lost both legs below the knees and suffered severe burns while in Iraq in 2003.

"Who better than Robert would know just how important it is to our wounded soldiers to know they are not forgotten as they recover from the injuries they received while fighting for our great country. These men and women deserve much more," Ehlers wrote in an e-mail to The Courier.

Each soldier also will receive a calling card, donated by Brittany and Robbie Bergquist, two teenagers in Massachusetts, who started the Cell Phones for Soldiers project in 2004. The duo previously donated 1,000 international calling cards for a special springtime Iowa's Bravest shipment.

Just a few months ago Rekow, with the help of friends, family and even some strangers, completed about 1,000 Christmas and special occasion cards to ship out to soldiers in the Iowa's Bravest boxes. Each soldier received one hero card thanking them for their service to the country. Also included in the package was a three-card assortment of birthday, thinking of you and Valentine's Day cards soldiers can send to family and friends stateside throughout their deployment.

"I had a lot of help for that project, both in making the cards and from donated supplies," said Rekow.

While dropping off that shipment of greetings to Ehlers, the two began discussing the domestic calling cards that couldn't be sent to soldiers serving overseas. Ehlers originally had planned to purchase holiday cards to send to wounded soldiers, but Rekow once again offered to step up and help.

"I can't believe we didn't think about them before, but better late than never," Ehlers wrote. "I think we will do this next year in the middle of the year when they may not get as much support as they do during the holidays. … I think it is important to let our soldiers know just how much we support their effort and appreciate their service."

However, Rekow does warn about mass e-mails currently circulating that recommend people address an extra holiday greeting to A Wounded Soldier and ship it off Walter Reed Medical Center.

"They won't actually get to the soldiers. Each piece of mail has to be addressed to a specific soldier," she said. "I just don't want people thinking they are sending this off and then it never actually gets to the soldiers."

Rekow almost has finished creating the cards but wouldn't mind some extra help writing a personal note inside each one. Volunteers can contact Rekow through her Web site www.drekow.typepad.com.

Contact Emily Christensen at (319) 291-1570 or emily.christensen@wcfcourier.com.