"'Have a Mary Christmas'"

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1988. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

"'Have a Mary Christmas'"

Bay Area Reporter (12/22/88) Vol. 18, No. 51, P. 22
Richards, Mary

This year, as in 1987, the children of San Francisco have drawn pictures and written messages to send to people with AIDS on Christmas. After coming up with the idea as a way to show "that one person can make a difference," Robert Meslinksy of San Francisco wrote a letter "to children of all ages" and mailed 115 copies to Bay Area elementary schools and parents' groups. Last year, 10 schools responded with 375 cards. This year he sent a press release and a poster with pictures of last year's cards to television and radio stations, hoping for a bigger response. On Dec. 23, Meslinsky planned to take the cards to San Francisco General Hospital, Coming Home Hospice, and an in-home hospice. Last year one card contained the message, "Dear friend, I hope you do better in the housepillow and have a mary Christmas. Ho ho ho Marry Christmas." Meslinsky says the kids will learn something about AIDS and maybe "teach their parents a thing or two." As for the patients, Meslinsky says, "What greater expression of love than having kids open their arms to you."
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