Pen-pals meet

Press, 26 February 1987, Page 5

Pen-pals meet

Mrs Florence Gagan (right) of Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, comes of a large family. She was the thirteenth of 15 children. But after 50 years of exchanging letters, she says she is now closer to her pen-friend, Mrs Pat Montgomery, of Christchurch, than to many of her sisters. The two women started writing to each other in September, 1535, when Mrs Gagan, then aged 15, put an advertisement for pen-friends in a magazine of girls* Mrs Montgomery, then aged 18, replied

and the pair have exchanged regular letters and occasional telephone calls since. They have now met for the first time, as Mrs Gagan is in New Zealand for a six-week holiday. The pair say they are now more like family than friends. 1 “It becomes ver# personal when you have

been writing for so long,” said Mrs Montgomery. “My children called them (Mrs Gagan and her late husband) Aunty and Uncle,” she said. For both women, writing to pen-friends has been an important part of their lives. Mrs Montgomery had 20 penfriends at one time. “It really helps you to know each other’s countries. You would be surprised how Interesting it can really be,” said Mrs Gagan. The two women plan to leave today for a holiday in the North Island.