Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1906-02-24
THE SUNSHINE SOCIETY.
An Organization Which Brings Coo<
Cheer Into Darkened Hearts.

ShSSr INTO Darkened Hearts.
Among the many societies organ.
lied by the generous men and women
OF to-day for the welfare and happi.
ness OF others none has quite so inter.
estlng history and unique q charac.
ter as the International Sunshine So.
ciety.
It is SO broad in its scope that It
embraces all the charities. yet Is In
itself NO sense charity, but an inter-
change OF kindly greeting and the
passing on of good cheer, material or
otherwise. Sunshiners do not labor
under any rules, but there is always
the personal touch of sympathy which
means SO much to the unfortunate
man or woman to whom fate has
seemed unkind.
A more appropriate name could not
have been found for the society, the
members Of which pledge themselves to
LInRs sunshine into the lives q
others; to do something each day %
tighten someone's burdenTS suea3
the cheerful word that may bring 40
hope, new life and energy; to take ~
tice of the lonely; to do the little 49,
of kindness, thoughtfulness 90
generosity that manifest the hun
sympathetic interest in ones fel)U1
creatures.
Opportunities for doing kindness
are often lost for lack of thought; the
members of the Sunshine Society
strive to cultivate the habit Of SYM
pathy that will give them a keener
grasp and deeper understanding OF
the lives Of those around them.
ChA &C. IN
are no salaries paid. The president
general, every minor oficer and mem.
| Der gives his or her services. Even
the necessary clerical work is freely
donated. The personal sacrifices that
every officer and member makes to
carry On the work cannot be estimated.
its Origin and Growth.
The Society was incorporated under
the laws of New York in 1900 and to-
day there are 100000 enrolled MEM
bers.
The Society is the outgrowth Of q
thought expressed by Mrs. Cynthia
Westover Alden in the Office OF tho
New York Recorder several years ago
during the holiday season. Mrs. Alden
was the recipient Of number OF cards
from her co-workers on the paper as
we'll as outside friends. After enjoy.
ing the cards, she protested that sho
would have been better pleased II the
donors had not written their names on
them. This statement Mortified her
audience and with one accord every
one exclaimed:
what! You wouldn't give our pres
ents away, would your"
n NJ
what do you do with yours?"
A laughing investigation soon devel-
oped the fact that the waste basket
was the ultimate destination Of most
Of the cards received.
Let me give you the history OF one
pretty ten-cent card that came to mo
year ago" said Mrs. Alden. "It had
an exquisite poem on It, and enjoyed
IL so much that I thought at once OK
an old uncle who would appreciate It
and forwarded IL to him. He. a. I
thought, did enjoy It, and 30 much
so that he Immediately recalled an old
friend to whom 1t would appeal with
special force. So he copied the poem
and sent the card on. This recipient
found the card SO helpful that she,
too, felt called upen to pass It on and
before the seven days holiday was
over the card had carried Its Christ
mas message to six different persons.
OF course this Is exceptional, but n
still an example Of the infinite posi-
bilities OF q gift accepted In the trus
spirit and then passed on, giving each
one the double delight Of receiving and
giving"
The cards which had Afforded the
little sermon were spread out and were