A fan letter from home is a sure-fire way to boost the morale of troops stationed in the United States or abroad.

Recently, some local groups have been recognized for helping in the morale effort by the organizers of a mail campaign.

The Fan Mail for the Troops campaign is run by Friends of Our Troops, a nonprofit organization that gathers mail at its headquarters, thoroughly intermixes it and redistributes it so that soldiers can receive mail from their home state or a neighboring state.

Christmas fan mail is distributed to more than 1,000 units, bases, hospitals, ships, armed services and YMCA.

The organization accepts a minimum of 10 letters, and larger packages arrive from organizations, individuals, churches, military families and friends, colleges and schools that pool their mail and send it as a combined effort.

Community groups in Cape Girardeau recognized by Fan Mail for the Troops include Kage Homemakers Family Community and Education Club, led by president Dorothy Strack with participation by The Young Americans 4-H Club; Town and Country FCE Club, led by Norma Schrieber; and Laureate Alpha Rho of Beta Sigma Phi led by Edna Hey and Debra Henninger.

Other area contributors include Wonderworkers FCE, led by Margie Reisenbichler and Mary Jeanne Weber and friends in Jackson; in Benton, Mo., Kelso C-7 Beta Club at Kelso School District Elementary; in Advance, Mo., Randall Hendricks with Zalma Beta Club; in Bernie, Mo., Youth Department and Women's Ministry Group of First Assembly of God Church.

If you would like a package of fan mail sent to your military friend or relative to be shared with their unit (as well as with troops in other units, as feasible), e-mail mailman@ troopfanmail.net. Enter SEND THEM MAIL on the subject line. Include your name and mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, how many people are in the military unit and how long the military person will be at that address, if known.