The Rotary Balita no. 621 (May 26, 1948)

When Juan was fighting through the jungles of Bataan, we were proud of him. While he was starving in Capas we felt sorry for him. To his comrades who died we had all our gratitude and praise. But there are so many Juans who have suffered a fate worse than death. They are confined to their cots in our hospitals. Some will be there for years, some will remain inside those walls for life. There are those deprived of their limbs, sight, speech, and some deprived of their reason. The army has done all it can to alleviate their sufferings. Modern medical and social aids have been given them. But these are not enough. Juan, Jose, Pedro, and the rest of these boys long for something more. They want contact with the outside world, a feel- mg that somebody is interested in them. They want to talk with people, unburden their feelings, and most of all they want to lead the life you and I lead, a normal life. There is just sheer entertainment - the club chorus, its quartet or its octet. There is the club member who can do card tricks. There is the local school’s wrestling team, its gymnastic team. There are motion pictures, film strips, slide films - in addition to the regular motion pictures shown by many hospitals. Entertainment possibilities are nearly endless in variety! There are ceiling projectors for those who can’t handle books, athletic equipment, postage stamps for collectors, material for other hobbies, arrangements for trips to the outside world. With the Rotary club providing transportation and care - what is there that cannot be done? Rotary clubs everywhere can indeed take part in helping veterans to forget the long hours. While the clubs near a Veterans Hospital will find such help easy to provide, those at a distance can take active part too -for if they cannot visit, there are so many things to be sent and done! The need for such interest and active help was so urgent. No matter how much we do, we can't do nearly enough!