Volunteers Melissa Sikora and Jacob Sikora hold signs outside of Superior Express Care and Wash in July 2018 for the sixth annual Military Appreciation Car Wash and BBQ. The event, which was organized by Anna Dravland, raised funds for local military units and their families. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Dravland is working to spread the word about the GivingTuesdayMilitary edition and facilitate acts of kindness for local veterans and service members. (Journal file photo)

MARQUETTE — One act of kindness can change the world — or at least one person’s world.

It is with this in mind that three spouses of military members from different branches of the service made the decision to go global and inspire one million acts of kindness by establishing the inaugural GivingTuesdayMilitary edition, which has a local effort underway.

Anna Dravland, founder of Spread Goodness Day, is working with partnered businesses and individuals to facilitate similar acts of kindness in the Upper Peninsula.

However, Dravland noted the COVID-19 pandemic has added a few challenges recently.

“They can’t meet as frequently in a social setting or a camaraderie basis right now as they usually can,” said Dravland, whose father and three of her brothers have military backgrounds.

She believes the GivingTuesdayMilitary edition will remind people in and from the military that people are thinking of them and want them to be happy.

“I just think it’s important at any time to uplift our soldiers and veterans,” she said.

Dravland also said the acts of kindness don’t have to be large financially.

“You don’t have to spend a lot of money or send a big care package,” she said, although she acknowledged such a package would be appreciated.

Dravland has long been an advocate of supporting the local military through an annual car wash. Over $8,000 has been raised in eight years to support Christmas parties, picnics, soldiers with cancer, funeral expenses and more.

Her advocacy continues this month.

Through Dec. 1, a post office box has been opened for people to send letters, cards or care packages to the men and women of the 652nd and 107th military units as well as the D.J. Jacobetti Home For Veterans.

People may choose their recipient, then write a letter or send a funny or uplifting card, care package or “silly” present.

Participants can mail their items to their selected military recipients in care of GTM-UP, Anna Dravland, P.O. Box 146, Marquette, MI 49855.

All items received will be inventoried by sender for transparency. They will be delivered unopened to the selected military organization in an appropriate and secure fashion, organizers said.

The project’s progress can be tracked on Facebook through the group Giving TuesdayMilitary-UP.

GivingTuesday, which is the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, was established in 2012 to make generosity go viral.

The global day of giving is designed to inspire charitable giving to organizations that are change-makers in their communities, but also stimulate collaboration and volunteerism in communities.

GivingTuesdayMilitary was founded in 2019 by active duty military spouses Maria Reed, Jessica Manfre and Samantha Gomolka, who were brought together through the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year program.

According to the website givingtuesdaymilitary.com, the three forged a close bond and shared passion for service. They wanted to create something special that would unite all the branches of service in a collective effort to “serve with purpose and in kindness,” the website states.

The 2019 inaugural GivingTuesdayMilitary reached 2.5 million people, organizers said.

To learn more about the effort, visit givingtuesdaymilitary.com.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net