Serviceman Center

The article above was sent to my mother by Mrs. Purdum.

12/10/70

Dear Florence and James and Family,

     I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write but maybe this clipping will explain. We opened the room Nov. 22. We had over three thousand people at  the opening. The Mayors of both cities were there for the ribbon cutting. The night weather wise was awful.
     We have coffee, milk, sandwiches, soup, ice cream, cookies and many other things -- they are all free. The boys and men who come in just can't believe it. We have color TV and carpeted floors, a pool table, lots of books that they can take with them. This has been all by contribution. Some of the boys have a wait as long as twelve hours before they get out of there. They can sleep there - we had nineteen there the other night. So far in two weeks we have had 482 register in and some of them don't sign in.

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     I think the most thrilling thing happened today - a boy had read about our room in Vietnam. He hadn't even called his parents yet and came in and gave us $10. because it meant so much to all the kids over there that people really care. He was on his way home from Nam a month early and his family didn't know he was coming. We had a General in there yesterday for six hours. I'm so proud and grateful - these fellows are so great.

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     It's very hard to say Merry Christmas but we will have to make the kind of Christmas our boys would want.

Our thoughts are with you,

Tom and Maggi Purdum

1/31/71

Hi James and Florence and Family,

I've been a long time in writing and I'm sorry. I've been very tied up with the Serviceman's Center. It is just a wonderful thing. We have had 3500 service people there since Nov. 22 and they are so grateful. They can't believe that people really care. There are so many stories connected with it so far. I would have to write a book to tell them all.

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We heard from the Aiaus' and Andrus' at Christmas. We didn't send cards. We put that money in the Serviceman's Center. Many parents up here did. When I get some good color pictures of it I will send them. The White House wants to know all about it now. It's about time they get interested in these kids.

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It's almost midnight and morning comes so early.

Goodnite for now.

Love,

Tom and Maggi Purdum