Dear Prouty Garden Supporters: On behalf of the Friends of the Prouty Garden, we would like to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we hope you will take the time to read and share this Prouty Garden Patient & Family Storybook we have assembled. Many children and families have spent time in the Prouty Garden over the decades; some have suffered incredible losses and found peace there, while others experienced moments of joy and relief. Stories from Children's Hospital aren't always what we want them to be, but they can teach us to practice and be thankful for the things which will always matter -- kindness, generosity -- no matter the circumstances. We all know Children's as a place that reminds us how quickly lives can change. In an often scary and serious world, saving a small Garden may seem like a small thing, but those who know it know how big it really is. We hope the administration will do what's right, but for now, we are thankful for every moment that the Prouty is still living, breathing, and being there for those who may need it this holiday weekend. We will press on. Thank you to those who chose to share there stories here, and thank you to all of your for your support. The storybook may be read here: http://www.saveprouty.org/storybook --- As we take this time to reflect on all the good in our lives, we would like to thank YOU for all of your support in recent months, in the form of letters to the Attorney General, donations to our campaign and attendance at our gatherings. While our efforts have been met with resounding silence from the hospital administration at nearly every turn, we forge on with the knowledge that this is a sacred, healing space that is worth saving. We would also like to take this opportunity to briefly update you on our latest efforts, which include: -Mailing a packet to Boston Children's Hospital Leadership and Board last week which included the Storybook, the most recent signed petition from BCH clinicians ( http://www.saveprouty.org/blog/so-goes-the-soul-of-the-hospital ) -which now includes over 100 signatures, literature on the importance of therapeutic healing gardens, Landscape Architect Thomas Paine's excellent analysis of the Prouty Garden to the proposed gardens in the new building, and finally a Boston Globe article about the hospital's sale of the parking garage real estate, calling into question that site as a viable alternative for the new clinical building. -Continuing outreach and updates on behalf of our lawyers to the Attorney General's office as she continues to consider our petition. -Creation of a new video clip entitled, Novocaine for the Soul, which may be viewed on our homepage at http://saveprouty.org, or here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNh7M5aQ-EY&feature=youtu.be We are still asking supporters, if they have not done so already, to consider writing to the Attorney General, Maura Healey, asking her to uphold the terms of Mrs. Prouty's charitable gift and telling her why the Prouty Garden is so irreplaceable. We are also still in need of your continued donations as we continue all of these efforts. Information on both of these action items can be found on our website, www.SaveProuty.org. Finally, if you are a BCH clinician, you may still sign our growing petition - contact us at saveprouty@gmail.com for more information. Thank you again for your support. Happy Thanksgiving. Very sincerely, Friends of the Prouty Garden “You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson