The University of Denver’s Letters of Love club (LOL DU) is a cultivation of students who want to provide hope and light in a child’s life. Every week from 5:30-7 p.m. this club gathers in the Community Commons to craft heartfelt letters for children’s hospitals around the world.
While maintaining a strong presence at DU, Letters of Love is a global organization that was started five years ago by Grace Berbig, a Minnesota high school student.
Berbig sadly lost her mother to cancer and decided to help people who were in similar situations as her. She began the club by writing letters to local hospitals spreading positivity to children who were ill. Her idea caught the attention of the world causing the organization to spread and create clubs across the globe.
The nonprofit organization Letters of Love Global states, “the mission of Letters of Love is to provide emotional support to children battling serious illnesses through the creation of hand-crafted, heartfelt letters. We aim to build a community of love and kindness, empowering young people to change the world one card at a time.”
The organization attracted DU students who could relate to the cause and wanted to help create postcards of positivity. The club makes cards every week with the occasional specialized themes during the holidays.
This past week’s Halloween theme gave students the opportunity to make a hospital environment feel more festive. The club also hosts special events for Valentines day and Christmas as well as fundraisers where the money goes towards Letters of Love Global.
The response from parents and children make it all worth it. A testimonial from a mother on the website read, “Letters of Love has been an absolute light in our daughter’s Leukemia journey. It means the world to us each time she receives a stack of handmade cards and goodies. The thoughtful notes and drawings are perfect reminders that our girl is loved, supported, and prayed over! I can’t wait to see how much LOL grows and the impact their mission will have on other families as well!”
With almost all executive officers of the club being abroad this quarter, newer members of the organization stepped up to fill their roles. Second-year Stella Matherwiez, has filled in as outreach chair and organizes multiple club meetings.
“I like the flexible time and a way to be creative during stressful school weeks,” said Matherweiz.
LOL DU’s vice president, Aderyn Ketchum, found out about the club during her freshman year at the involvement fair.The purpose of the club stuck with her, leading her to join and has been a devoted member ever since.
“Letters of Love Global will post pictures of the kids so we can see the impact of our work,” Ketchum said. “[it] brought me so much joy knowing that these cards were going to actual kids who get a smile on their face.”
The Letters of Love club has used ink and empathy to bring optimism to children who are in unfortunate situations. Being stuck in a hospital as a child or at any point in life can be soul-crushing and receiving an envelope full of hope can provide a larger impact than one can imagine.
