Mission Valentine Launches for the Fifth Year at Chatham Hall

For the fifth year in a row, Chatham Hall students have come together to spread love and kindness through Mission Valentine, a community-wide initiative that brightens the lives of those in Chatham and beyond. This year’s campaign reached a new milestone, with a goal of 500 hand-crafted Valentine’s Day cards delivered to residences and businesses around Chatham. The success of the campaign underscores the School’s strong commitment to service and community engagement.

Mission Valentine was first launched in 2021 by the Spiritual Life League with the goal of involving the entire Chatham Hall community in spreading love. Inspired by a family tradition of Chaplain Barksdale’s, in which she and her mother would deliver cards and homegrown roses to vulnerable members of their community, the project encourages students to bring joy to those who may need it most. Each year, students handcraft the cards and deliver them to local residents, especially the elderly, isolated individuals, and those in need of a little extra cheer. In its inaugural year, 100 cards were delivered; last year, the number grew to 450.

Hear from some of our Alumnae and current students below!

“I loved everything about this idea. I loved the togetherness it brings. It gets Chatham Hall together as a community and gives us a chance to connect with the town of Chatham,” said Virginia Grace J. ’22.

Ellery B. ‘24, former president of the Spiritual Life League, reflected on the joy of meeting Chatham’s neighbors and speaking with residents at the Chatham Health and Rehabilitation Center. “We want our community to know how much we appreciate them.”

Annie W. ‘25, who has participated in Mission Valentine for the past three years, shared, “As a senior, I’ve seen how this initiative excites both our students and the greater Chatham community. It’s a wonderful way to uplift the people of Chatham and spread Valentine’s Day cheer!”

“It’s a beautiful way to spread love and joy throughout the community,” added Aspen S. ’25. “Mission Valentine makes Valentine’s Day special for everyone in our local area.”

 

Service Life League President Aliah R. ’25 said, "Mission Valentine is a great way to engage with our neighbors in the local community. Not only do I get to make cards for people who live here in Chatham, but I also get to hand them out. I have enjoyed seeing the smiling faces of the community members and how happy our valentines make them. It's a great way to show we care!"

Isabella C.P. '25 shares, “Mission Valentine is one of my favorite events at Chatham Hall because all of the students are able to be involved creatively by making Valentines or physically delivering Valentines. This mission allows us to think about the greater community and the difference one person can make in order to show love towards others in the community.”

This annual tradition of giving has now become the foundation for a broader community service initiative at Chatham Hall. All of the School’s service leagues will participate in Mission Valentine this year. Chaplain Beth Barksdale, Frankie Beyer, and Denise Dalton, the Service League sponsors, kicked off the effort with a combined meeting last week. Over the next week, Chatham Hall community members will continue making valentines, and on Valentine’s Day, students will deliver the cards throughout the Chatham community.