The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-06-16
THE SUNSHINE SOCIETY.
THE GOOD WORK IT IS DOING IN
WALDO COUNTY.

| Inc international SuuSulue society
is gaining rapidly in numbers and
popularity in Waldo county. There
are many active members and several
branches that are doing a beautiful
work in bringing sunshine" into a
great number of hearts and homes.
( Among the branches is one at Monroe,
Me-, the president of which during the
past year was Mrs. Belle J. Palmer,
and under her guidance the branch has
done much good work. One worthy
object was the buying of an artificial
limb for Carl Peavey, 15-years' old
boy of North Monroe. This was ex-
pensive but the members did their
best and succeeded. There is also a
branch at North Monroe that helps all
worthy objects. At North Searsport
are several active members, including
Mrs. Fred Black, Mrs. Ida Nickerson
and SON. These members assist the
| State President in various ways Bel
| fast has a branch that sent out much
| Vii 10 CICCl. do NOlA eto uOlllS u1dlly
helpful deeds throughout the year. The
president, ! believe, is Miss Isabel
, CHM. A special feature of the work
of the Sunshine Society is the filling of
| "empty stockings" that is the remem
| brance of the little children whom
Santa Claus is not likely to visit; and
shut-ins, cripples, the aged and lonely,
are also remembered. The Scatter
Good Branch at Troy, Miss Mile
Stevens, president, is another branch
that is prosperous ard active. Shut-ins
in all parts of the county are lovingly
remembered by this branch. The Jewel
Sunshine Branch of North Stockton
Springs is another branch. The presi-
,, dent is Miss Bertha A. Partridge and
the junior members are the children in
her Sunday school class. Other active
members of this branch are Miss Abbie
C. Chase of Searsport and Miss Mary
Eva SWEET, who had charge of the tele-
graph office in Searsport last winter
and is now telegraph operator at Oak
land Miss Amy Lane of Stockton
Springs is interested in the work of the
society. Jewel Branch sends out much
reading to shut-ins and has also dis
tributed clothing and other things
where it was appreciated.
The object of the International Sun
shine Society is to help wherever help
is needed, to scatter sunshine every
where. The State President, Mrs. John
Sumner Head of Portland, has the
branches over the entire State perfect
ly organized. Mrs. Head is greatly in
terested in the effort to help cripples
who may be benefited by surgical or
medical treatment and the society has
now two little crippled children at the
Eye and Ear Infirmary, Portland, for
treatment. Recently the society fur
niShed treatment there for Miss Alma
Appleton of Brewer, who had not walk
ed for seventeen years. She went home
cured and able to walk Many of the
branches i'll the State own wheel chairs
which are lent to those who need them
and the work of the members consists
in doing such things as writing birth
day letters to invalids, letters of COM
fort to the bereaved, patterns exchang-
ed, all kinds of delicacies made and sent
to the sick, flowers sent and all sorts of
wants are supplied. This is sunshine"
and every week new members are add
ed who understand that making others
happy is the true way of finding happi-
ness. There are in this State 70 branches
and between 1000 and 5000 men, women
and children enrolled as members. The
motto of the society is, ''Have you had
kindness shown, pass it on" There
are no stated dues but each member is
supposed to give according to his or her
means. To become member one must
pass on" some kindness. There is no
better factor for the making of noble
character in the education of our chill
dren than the organization of Sunshine
Branches in our schools and Sunday
schools.
BERTHA A. PARTRIDGE.