from Carol “T” Butz of Midlothian
I have enjoyed the articles that were written in your paper over the past couple of months about the Fresh Air Fund.  My family participated with the FAF back in the 1970’s when we lived in Chester Springs, Penn.  We have five children - four boys and one girl - and we thought, “What is one more for a couple of weeks?” 

Pat came to us from New York City for over five years and it was a good experience for our family and for Pat also.  We moved to Miami, Fla., and always kept in touch with Pat and then we moved to Virginia about 20 years ago.

We lost touch then and it always bothered me, wanting to know how and what he was doing.  I tried a couple of ways to find him - none successful at that time.  In April of this year, he found us through my daughter’s Facebook.  As soon as I heard, I called him, and as soon as I heard his voice and his laugh, I knew we had found him again. 

It was wonderful and we have been in touch a lot lately, catching up on each other and what everyone is doing.  He told me how much it meant to him as a boy coming to Pennsylvania and I am so glad we were able to give him that chance.  He is doing well - still in New York.  We hope to connect with him in person this next summer when all of our children, their spouses, our nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren will meet again for a week in the Pennsylvania mountains.  He also told me that at one time he did some volunteer work for the Fresh Air Fund.  I just wanted to share this happy story with you and let you know what a difference this can make in a kid’s life.