The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-01-30
WOUNDED GRATEFUL
.FDRFAIRMONT CHEER.
Miss Elizabeth Kenny
Writes to Fairmont Red
Cross.

Aching joints, twisted and disabled
legs and arms and sad hearts were
forgotten for time at least by some
forty convalescent, MANNED, bruised
and wounded soldiers and sailors In a
certain ward in the United States
Public Health Service hospital at
Greenville, South Carolina on Christ
mas day, 1919. And why?-for the
ter OF the American Red Cross saw tit
to donate a certain sum of money Tor
the purpose OF bringing Christmas
cheer and good will TO these soldiers
and sailors who had served their coun-
try CALAMITY and we'll and in so do
ing had perhaps been manned or GRIP
pied for life.
Through the thoughtfulpess and
generosity of the local chapter these
young men were given real Christmas
cheer in the shape OF genuine fifteen
cent cigars-as the letter OF aclnowl-
edgement says-a real treat-also
books, eandies, fruits, puzzles and 9th,
er articles calculated to bring happi-
ness to any soldier or sailor, aud in
addition the money afforded the means
of procuring for these boys Christ
mas tree and quantities OF holly and
mistletoe.
Miss Elizabeth Kenny, who is not a
native Fairmonter but who obtained
her education IN nursing at the Cook
hospital In this city and who saw SER
vice in France, is stationed at this
hospital in South Carolina. Noting
/ the fact that If real Christmas-cheer
was to be provided for these lads
many OF whom came under her per-
sonal care she and the other nurses
must concoct scheme for securing
funds for this celebration. Pocket
books had been drained previously to
meet the demands Of the yuletide sea-
son. Finally happy thought struck
Miss Kenny who knew enough about
Fairmont people to believe they would
help out and she wrote to Mrs. Joseph
Roster, head OF the Red Cross chap
ter work and asked that she would
interest the chapter in giving these
boys merry Christmas. True to the
real Fairmont spirit Mrs. Roster got
busy and consulted with the other
heads Of the chapter with the result
that the check was sent and with It
hearty wishes for a Merry Christmas
from Fairmont. And this was not I'll
that was done either as Fairmontefs
could not stop with this check but
Miss Dora Lee Newman was interest
ed in the scheme, having been In
France herself, and knowing what
these things meant to the boys sole.
tied the help of the Social Service
league OF the High school and the
girls Of the +Y" with the result that
forty Christmas boxes chuck full OF
candies, nuts, fruits and other goodies
were sent on their way rejoicing ana
these went as surprise for Miss
Kenney and her associates in the
Christmas game.'
This is the letter received by the
local chapter of the American Red
Gross in acknowledgement OF the
Christmas treat and it didn't come late
either asfit is dated December Is, 1919,
but 1t has only recently come into our
hands and we hand it on in order that
those who helped in sending this bit
of cheer to these boys>of ours may see
and be glad that they had a part in
it. This is the letter:
my dear Mrs. Roster: wish 1t
were possible for me to tell you Just
how much our boys enjoyed the
Christmas you made possible.
Miss Butler, nurse in ward, and 1
began talking holly week ago; ons
boy after another grasped the holly
spirit until we had a room filed with
holy and mistletoe. Monday when
starting the decorations we found
some boys collecting fund from the
ward for trimmings. We were ahead
OF them on trimmings and had the
fund stopped.
"All the wards are decorated; some
have trees; but none have the abund-
ant trimmings that ours has We
have a patient, who in civil life Is a
decorator, so with his skill and your
supplies we are proud to show our
ward to our many visitors.
"In addition to our tree decorations
we had a. Gift on tree for each boy,
such as alarm clocks, toys, dolls, rat
ties, watches, jitney-busses and ten
dozen candles.
christmas Eve Miss Butler, six
nurse friends and I went to the ward
Ito the boys surprise) lighted the tree,
hung a Santa Clause stocking on each
bed in which was candy, nuts, dates,
orange, apple and two fifteen cent
cigars; real treat Then we had a
popcorn party and some games. The
ward was a huge Christmas spirit,
and how the boys enjoyed it all!
This morning, after breakfast we
gave them their Fairmont Christmas
boxes and books; such a good time
going through the boxes, eating,
working the puzzles and filling the
Red Cross bags!
81 fssN no idea of the Fairmont peo-
pie doing so much, the boxes were as
great surprise to me as to the boys.
/ am going to ask you to thank every
one, who in any way assisted you in
making our Christmas so elaborate.
Wishing you the seasons choice
wishes,
Most sincerely yours,
ELIZABETH KENNY,