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Pen
pals keep her letters flowing
 In
today’s world of instant e-mail, cell phones and text
messages, manually typed, snail-mail letters might seem a
bit dull and dated. But not to Villa St. Joseph resident Lois
Hoffman.
The
low hum of a Brother electric typewriter can often be heard
coming from her room in the Ebensburg unit. "I sure hope
it doesn’t conk out," she said. "You can’t find
these anymore, and I’ve put a good many miles on it."
Ms.
Hoffman, 81, has maintained an impressive list of pen pals
for some 55 years. She presently corresponds with more than
100 people in the U.S., Canada, England, Australia and even
her hometown of Edgeworth.
Lois
moved to Villa St. Joseph three and a half years ago when
she lost the use of her legs due to Multiple Sclerosis. She
said she considers herself fortunate to reside at a facility
where programs focus on helping residents maintain their independence
in a home-like setting.
"The
Villa has a lot of activities," she said. "So, when
I’m not writing, there’s always something to do."
Lois
recalls how she ended up with so many pen pals. "I noticed
an ad in one of the Pittsburgh newspapers for the Good Neighbor
Club. There was a girl who had MS, and they said she might
appreciate a cheer card, so I sent her one and we started
writing to each other."
She
now keeps a file of the letters she receives — sometimes
more than 20 a week — placing those she needs to answer
in front. Asked what she writes about, Lois smiles and says
there is never a shortage of material.
"We
went down to Pittsburgh for a cruise on the Gateway Clipper,
so I tell them about things like that. And you can always
talk about the weather. The people I write to say my letters
sound like I am right there talking to them."
When
she’s not answering letters, Lois enjoys crocheting and doing
cross-word puzzles. She’s also a familiar face at the Villa
reception desk checking her mailbox for letters daily.
"I
like to stay busy," she said.
©2010
Sisters of St Joseph - Baden
Villa St. Joseph
1030 State
Street, Baden PA 15005
724.869.6300 | Fax: 724.869.6399
Feedback, questions and comments are welcomed at bhecht@stjoseph-baden.org
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