Norwich bulletin., 1920-12-11
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The sanatorium Fund

MT. Editor: May I beg a little space
 in The Bulletin on behalf of the holiday fund now being collected for the Norwich
 Tuberculosis Sanatorium? Many of your
 readers are subscribers each year to this
 fund. But there are many who have
 never heard of it's existence or having
 done so know little of its purpose. It is to these people direct my appeal. This fund was started a few years ago by some ladies of Norwich to try and bring a little Christmas cheer to the patients at the sanatoriurn. Being an ex-patient
 can testify as to it's success as ''joy bringef,' having spent Christmas 1917
 and 1918 at the sanatorium. All patients
 who can possibly do so are encouraged to be home on this day of joy and feast ing but there are always a good many pa tients who are too sick to leave even for a day. These are the ones you are asked to cheer. Everything possible is done by the doctors and nurses to make it a happy day for these unfortunate 1 shut ins." but the funds allowed by the
 state. are strictly limited. Here your generosity makes itself felt Every pen | ny subscribed to the fund is actually 1 spent on comforts there being no expens- l es. I especially remember the happiness
 1t brought me Christmas, 1917, which was a black one for me, myself being sick and then a week before Christmas my wife was taken to the hospital seriously | i'll and to make matters worse was war far away from friends. Y, felt | think as lonely and forlorn as it possi-
 ble to be. I awoke Christmas morn with a heavy heart. and thought of the many fellow patients who were able to be that day with their loved ones. While I was
 alone and forgotten. But no, not forgot 1 ten, for little later Santa Claus came. Yes, a real live Santa, and he handed us | each parcel-name on and everythinS | and filled with surprise I wonderingly l opened my parcel and tucked away amongst the many gifts was a card | wishing me Merry Christmas-I whC thought was forgotten. And I was told | that the good people of Norwich had sent the gifts along with cheery good wish Words cannot express the happiness |
 brought me but you boys who were lover there and received a surprise gift
 from home will understand and recall tht
 lump in your throat you had to keer
 swallowing. Such was my feeling ana
 that of my fellow patients.
 On my dinner tray was a further : smile maker in the form of a toy Sants Claus-value. perhaps ten cents. But tfii little symbol of Kindness travels with m wherever I go and I would not part witt 1t for anything. It stands on my dressing table and when people ask me why I : : grown man keeps a toy ever before me proudly tell them of how the people o i. Norwich brought me sunshine on 8 yer cloudy day.
 | I would ask you all when you mak , your list of Christmas gifts to just includ ? ''the holiday fund" for none of your gif' f will bring greater joy. Having bee f there and fully realizing the happiness thi - fund brings. I trust that many sufferer f at the sanatorium will look upon Chris e mas 1920 as one of the best ever" mad
 so by the generosity of the people : Norwich and district. I enclose my init
 Please forward to solicitors. Thankir o you for this space. tI,
 s Yours truly.
 e Ex-PAT1ENT .- Groton. Conn.