JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Johnson City Medical Center’s interim chief executive officer, Kenny Shafer, recently opened a piece of mail all the way from California. A 93-year-old man had found a circa 1939 postcard of JCMC – then Memorial Hospital – in a local antique store and decided to mail it across the country to the hospital.
“The card itself is an old-time classic,” the man wrote in his letter. “I said to myself, ‘By golly, I think I’ll send it home where it can be appreciated.’ Our heritage is important to all of us. At any rate, I hope it will brighten your day.”
Kenny shared the story with the JCMC staff along with a photo of the antique postcard. He noted that the card’s timely arrival coincided with the hospital’s 110th anniversary and plans for a mural honoring current and past teams who have served the community.
According to his letter, the thoughtful Californian said he likes finding treasures, tracing their roots and sharing them with those who will find them meaningful. “I like to call my hobby ‘redistribution of happiness,’” he wrote. “The world sure needs it.”
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