Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide have adopted a tradition that began in 1947 when a 7-year-old Czechoslovakian girl composed a drawing based on “happiness in a country at peace” — United Nations Children’s Fund greeting cards.

Two years after Jitka Samkova’s sketch was sent to UNICEF, the company issued its first year-end greeting card, according to UNICEF’s Web page.

Judy Dolphin, director of YWCA, said YWCA starting selling UNICEF greeting cards before she became the director.

Dolphin said she thinks it is appropriate for YWCA to sell the cards because YWCA and UNICEF are both service organizations.

“We sell the greeting cards because we know that UNICEF is helping the children around the world, and we want to support UNICEF on their mission,” she said.

Dolphin said the greeting cards represent the diversity of the world and carry the message of peace. She said they come in packages of cards that cost $9 to $18.

“Some people think the greeting cards are expensive, but if you choose to buy cards individually you spend more than $9 since most cards cost more than $1 to $2 a piece,” Dolphin said.

And some people call every year to find out when the greeting cards will be available, she said. Tammy Hensel, an Ames resident, is one of those loyal customers.

“When I was a little kid, I used to trick-or-treat for UNICEF for a fund raiser,” Hensel said.

Debbie Durham, assistant manager of Worldly Goods, 223 Main St., said the store sells the greeting cards to Ames residents, regular customers, students and tourists.

“We support families, children and households in the developing countries, and we indirectly support the children of the world by supporting UNICEF,” Durham said.

Dolphin said the money generated from the card sales is sent directly to UNICEF, and the organization then distributes it according to their budget.

“The money I spend [on the cards] goes to UNICEF instead of going to a profit organization like a card company,” she said.

Immunizations, trauma counseling and peace education are some of the ways the money is used.

In addition to being sold at Worldly Goods, the cards also are being sold at Big Table Books, 330 Main St.