Editor, In Georgia there are several thousand citizens living in the state’s seven regional mental health and retardation hospitals. Many of these patients have lived in these hospitals most of their lives and have little, if any, contact with or support from friends or family.
Fifty years ago, in 1958, the Georgia Municipal Association and then Governor Ernest Vandiver created the Mayors’ Christmas Motorcade to help these hospital patients celebrate Christmas by providing each with a present. The staff at the regional hospitals tell us that without the Mayors’ Christmas Motorcade, many patients would go without any type of gift or recognition during the holidays.
Our city has started its gift collection campaign and we are asking for your help. The hospital clients are part of our community, drawn from a region, and we would like to encourage all of you to remember them. If your school, church, business or civic group would to participate in an outstanding holiday community project, please call Deborah Hines at 610-1851 for further information on how you can get involved.