Snail Mail My Email sends old-school handwritten letters for free

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Penning letters by hand is becoming a lost art.

Nowadays, with cellphones and computers at people’s fingertips, it can seem laughably anachronistic to handwrite missives, lick an envelope and trek to the post office. Why buy stamps when you can send emails for free?

But the folks at Snail Mail My Email want to bring back corresponding by pen and ink.

The premise is simple: For a month, from July 15 to Aug. 15, a horde of volunteers will transcribe your email into a handwritten note and then snail mail it to a special someone anywhere in the world -- free of charge. They’ll also include a doodle, a flower petal, a spritz of perfume, a lipstick kiss or some other old-fashioned gesture of your choosing.

Snail Mail My Email is described on its website as an ‘interactive community art project which seeks to both share the warm-fuzzy feeling of receiving a personalized letter as well as inspire people to send their own snail mail.’

‘In a culture overrun with instant gratification and on-demand services, this project cultivates appreciation for the lost art of letter writing,’ the site said.

Anyone interested should send an email to snailmailmyemail@gmail.com with a physical mailing address for the intended recipient and a message in 100 words or less.

Now, I have my doubts too about whether these folks are the real deal. So I’m testing them out by sending a letter to my pen pal (remember those?), whom I’ve been corresponding with for years, but always through email. She’s teaching English in South Korea; I’m writing this in Los Angeles. We’ll see whether the note makes it around the world.

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--Shan Li