WOMAN FANCIES FIRST REAL CHRISTMAS IN YEARS

Each Christmas morning, Mrs. M gets out of bed, dresses and then waits. She waits by the telephone for the one holiday call with Christmas wishes from her sister.

Mrs. M's sister lives in another state. Her sister also is elderly and unable to travel. But she always calls on Christmas morning.

After the phone call, Mrs. M goes about the rest of her day as if it were any other. She has no gifts to open; no holiday meal to prepare.

Mrs. M says she doesn't need anything anyway, but Christmas for the Elderly would like to make this holiday special for her.

She is a diabetic and has kidney disease. When all her expenses are paid each month, she has about $30 left. She has no savings and no retirement benefits.

This Christmas Mrs. M would enjoy a new heavy coat, size medium, a white sweater, size large, and a pair of nice gloves.

Mrs. M also would like some personal luxuries that she would never spend money to purchase for herself, items like spray perfume, a nice hairbrush and new hair scarves.

She also would enjoy a musical Christmas decoration.

Gifts may be delivered to the Southeast Missourian at 301 Broadway or the Cape Girardeau County Health Department, 1121 Linden.

Gifts or financial donations may be mailed to Christmas for the Elderly, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699. Please deliver gifts by Dec. 14. For more information call Kim McDowell at 335-6611.