Rockingham County woman makes cards for community members

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - A woman in Rockingham County has made it her mission to spread joy by creating cards.

Ella Burkholder always checks the newspaper to see who is celebrating a birthday or anniversary. She then gets to work by hand-making a card to send to neighbors near and far to celebrate the special moments in their lives.

She sent out her first card in 2015.

Burkholder has an entire room in her home dedicated to her crafts. A lamp on her desk shines down on her workspace, which is lined with drawers filled with colored pencils, stamps and cutouts that she puts on the cards. On the other side of the room, she has a chest of supplies, including tape and cards that she has pre-cut so they’re ready to go when she is.

“I have 50s and then it goes on up to 70 anniversaries and on to 80s... So, I can just come in here and get my card,” Burkholder said.

Each card is made by hand from the heart and includes a special note on the inside.

“This card I made just for you. It’s something fun for me to do. I don’t know you. You don’t know me, but god has blessed 70 years I see... Or it’s however old they are that I put it on there,” Burkholder said.

She makes these cards to send to strangers hoping to bring a little light to someone’s day.

“I like doing it, and hopefully I can bless people,” Burkholder said.

It’s a small gesture that can go a long way. Many people have written back to Burkholder thanking her for her thoughtfulness.

“I think ‘oh! Someone really appreciated that and they’re letting me know.’ Really, when I started out, I did think about that. I didn’t expect it,” she explained.

The list of lives touched goes on and on. Burkholder has sent out more than 1000 cards, and she plans to send out many more.

“As long as ‘ol Arthur lets me. My fingers are really nimble yet,” she said.

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