I’m offering a free Zinnia “thank you” postcard to support the 2020 Winter Mansion/Refugee Campaign.

To get a signed postcard, all you have to do is donate any amount to me at Jon Katz/Mansion – Refugee Fund P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. or via Paypal, [email protected].

I told Zinnia this morning that it’s time to put her cute face to work for small acts of great kindness.

I got 200 of these postcards (I’m having them reprinted; there was an issue on the color), so there should be enough for everyone. The offer is good until I run out of cards. And if you don’t get one, e-mail me with your address – [email protected], and I’ll send another. I’m going to keep ordering them.

The campaign is heating up as the harsh part of the winter hits this area. I’m getting requests from the refugees and the residents for certain kinds of winter clothing. Almost all of these clothes have to be purchased new or in person because of unusual size and health and mobility considerations.

I’d like to pay for some musicians to come and sing to the residents, and also for some local outings so the residents can get out and around.

That’s for the Mansion.

There are some new residents, and they need some warm pajamas and nightclothes.

For the refugees, we also find donated clothing often doesn’t fit or has other issues, so our preference is to shop for the students and families on Amazon or at Wal-Mart. Some of the teachers volunteer to help, and I have become a whiz at special orders online.

Some of the Mansion aides are also requesting scrubs for them to wear while working there. Scrubs are comfortable and flexible and easily washable, the aides do some tough stuff. I’m giving them coffee creamers in different flavors for their Break Room.

I’m also hoping to outfit the new Bishop Maginn Choir for their first concert performance, and I know that Sue Silverstein (who never asks for anything and denies needing anything) needs some funds for art supplies.

She has done a fantastic job with her art class; their work is being shown at an art show in the state office building complex in Albany next week.

The other project I’m taking on tomorrow; tuition support for two wonderful young women, the Christer twins from Myanmar. The family needs help keeping the girls at Bishop Maginn, where they are thriving. I’ll be getting the details Wednesday, including how to contribute to their tuition.

Several of the teachers have approached me with some textbook requests.

So thanks for your donations. If you’d like a Zinnia “heal” card, good karma and mojo under any circumstances, send what you can to Jon Katz, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816, or via Paypal, [email protected].

(If you have no funds, and can’t afford a donation right now,  please e-mail me – [email protected]) and I’ll send you a card if you want one. Zinnia has magic in her.)

The fund was depleted during the Christmas season; I’d like to build it up a lot. All purchases will, of course, be documented and photographed.

I’m planning on having 1,000 postcards printed, so in the unlikely event I run out of cards this round, I’ll be printing more, and you can e-mail me anytime – [email protected] or P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816, and I’ll send one to you, no questions asked.

I hope to send a thank you card for all donations, all seasons. The Paypal donations take longer to sort through, but I’ll get there.

Thank you!