Greeting cards send encouragement by the hundreds

Sometimes, words of encouragement are all that are needed to get through a rough patch. Most people would say the COVID-19 pandemic has been the roughest patch they’ve ever gone through.

For Cadott High School senior Jordan Gilles, encouragement during the pandemic was something she took seriously. Since the pandemic began in early spring 2020, Jordan has made more than 500 homemade greeting cards to give to people as a pick-me-up.

“I was not surprised she came up with this idea,” said Jordan’s grandmother, Judy Gilles. “I think this is her mindset.”

Jordan has a heart for service, as she is the youth adviser on the family’s church council, works at the church as part of the Pantry Pals distribution day, has done numerous fundraisers at their church for the Pantry Pals and even went on a mission trip to Denver, Colo.

Using her own designs, Jordan, along with a little help from Judy, made cards for nursing homes, Meals on Wheels, the English Lutheran Church of Bateman and finally, for the holiday season, 130 cards for the Cadott School District staff.

“We just delivered the cards directly to the locations and then the people there gave them to all the people,” said Jordan.

Using cardstock, cutouts, stencils and scrapbook paper, Jordan came up with creations of greeting cards of trees, flowers and colorful designs.

“We had a bunch of different designed cards, too, so there was a variety,” said Jordan.

Judy says she is not very artistic, so Jordan was the primary designer.

“Every time I came up with a design idea, she would shake her head and quietly say, ‘No,’” said Judy. “We definitely had our favorites.”

With hundreds of cards to make, Jordan had to design with the scrapbook paper on hand, and got very creative in using bits and pieces.

“She also went through many glue sticks,” said Judy.

Judy says the two had a good time making the cards, while Jordan said it was nice spending time with her grandma and encouraging the community.

“We just kind of did it together,” said Jordan.

(Below) In memory of her great-grandmother (Joyce Gannon), Cadott senior Jordan Gilles gave Rutledge Home residents colorful cards as encouragement during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also made cards for Wissota Place, in memory of her great-grandmother, Marion Gilles.