The Dunellen Public Library will be holding a holiday card decorating event on Thursday, December 17 at 3:30pm. The completed cards will be sent to Sa’Phyre Terry, an eight year-old New York resident who survived a 2013 house fire. The deliberately-set fire killed her father and three of her siblings. She suffered burns on 75 percent of her body, causing her to lose her left foot and right hand.
Terry had seen a tree-shaped Christmas card holder her aunt and legal guardian Liz Terry-Dolder had purchased and was hoping to fill it. “When she said she can’t wait to fill up the card tree my response was I don’t think it’s gonna get filled up but I am sure we will get a few more cards” said Terry-Dolder. But after Kevin Clark, a supporter of the family posted an address to where holiday cards could be sent on Facebook on December 4, her wish went viral. Within days, the story had been shared around the world by various news organizations and celebrities such as Blink 182 and Hulk Hogan. The Schenectady Post Office is now making special deliveries to her home since the post office box listed on the post is far too small for the bins of cards and packages coming in.
Dunellen resident Melanie Conover shared Terry’s story with Jennifer Neely, head of children’s services who immediately thought that it was a great way to encourage charity and sharing: “It is the season to teach our children to do for others and sometimes that is something as simple as drawing a picture.” The library will have a crafting area set up on Thursday for those interested in creating a card for Terry. Those who would prefer to create one at home can drop the card off at the library. The cards will be sent out on December 19.