From Deseret News archives:

MormonTimes.com: A place of giving, a place of healing

Published: Thursday, March 13, 2008 12:47 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Primary Children's and children's pennies have been a perfect partnership for decades.

The hospital was founded in 1911 at the urging of Louie B. Felt, then general president of the Primary Association, the children's organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and her assistant, May Anderson. Their chance encounter with a handicapped child in a Salt Lake park inspired the idea of a hospital dedicated to the treatment of children.

From the start, Primary Children's Hospital was not just a place for sick children, but an opportunity for all children to learn about the joys of service by giving to the hospital's patients.

"It was our hospital," said Beulah Christiansen, of Centerville. "We felt like we owned it."

Christiansen recalls how exciting it was to take her annual birthday pennies to a Primary meeting, one penny for each year of her age. Each week, children on the "unbirthday" roster also had the opportunity to slip a coin into the "Primary Children's bank," often a replica of the hospital made of cardboard or wood.

In many ward Primaries, children sang "The Penny Song" as they marched past the bank.

Story continues below
Later, when Christiansen was an adult and president of her ward's Primary, she and other leaders canvassed the neighborhood for "Pennies by the Inch," a drive that encouraged donors to "stand tall" and give a penny (or more) for each inch.

When she knocked at one door, the resident was on the telephone and couldn't respond at the moment, she said. He called the hospital later to see who had come calling. "All he could remember to describe me by was my earrings," Christiansen said.

It was enough. She was contacted, returned to the home and accepted the gentleman's donation.

In 1975, the church divested itself of its group of hospitals, and Primary Children's became part of the newly organized Intermountain Health Care system. The intimate tie that Primary children had with the hospital eroded over time, but the giving has never stopped. Latter-day Saints who grew up with the tradition of sharing continue to make donations.

Children also continue to do their part. Sharon Goodrich, director of the Primary Children's Medical Center Foundation, said an envelope reached her office recently from a little girl who had enclosed 7 cents and five bandages "for the hurt children."

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image
Deseret Morning News Archives

Pennies from children helped establish Primary Children's Hospital.

previousnext

Latest comments

Sounds like a good option if you can't or won't switch to AT&T for the...

I worked with and around Bill Sederburg for 5 years while he was at...

Price injured; Miles has cast removed

hand. He needs to work on his moves to the basket and rebounding. Lateral...

Jazz blow big lead, hang on

play Fez or Koufos tonight. He went with a smaller line up and Boozer, Okur...

I've met Bennett before and he is a nice man. He also knows the Constitution...

Thousands protest health bill

That's never been a secret. Everyone will pay for it except those that don't...

What exactly were Nephite interpreters?

I agree with NonMormon. I am active LDS, and I enjoy Ash's articles, and I...

I kept saying don't resign Milsap, especially after Portland offered that...

U. hopes to keep clicking

BYU is the slowest team that has ever been in the top 25. Utah will put up a...

NFL: Midseason grades

i think u have the cowboys ranked too low! at least an A- LOL nice work!

Advertisements
Advertisement