News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Letters

February 5, 2010

Readers' forum: Feb. 6, 2010

A creative way to care for planet



The next time you wash your favorite pair of Levi’s, think twice about the impact you’re having on the environment. Goodwill has partnered with Levi Strauss & Co. to launch “A Care Tag for Our Planet.” This initiative was created to help divert the approximately 23.8 billion pounds of clothing and textiles from U.S. landfills every year.

Starting this month, Levi’s jeans now feature a clothing care tag that encourages owners to wash jeans in cold water, line dry, and donate to Goodwill Industries when no longer needed — steps that will help reduce your environmental footprint.

In addition to saving energy, your donation helps Wabash Valley Goodwill Industries provide job-training programs and other important community-based programs for people with disabilities, those who lack education or job experience, and those facing other employment challenges.

Goodwill is committed to helping people achieve greater economic independence, strengthening our communities, and preserving and protecting our environment.

When you donate to Wabash Valley Goodwill Industries, you are caring for the planet and helping the people who need it most in your community. After you’ve decided you no longer need that pair of jeans, remember to do good and donate.

To learn more about “A Care Tag for Our Planet”, go to donate.goodwill.org/care.

To learn more about Wabash Valley Goodwill Industries or to find your local Goodwill store, visit www.wvgoodwill.org or call (812) 235-1827.

— Bill Tennis

Executive director

Wabash Valley Goodwill

Industries, Inc.

Terre Haute



Not surprised by ‘hateful’ response



I read the rebuttal of Mr. Norris about my opinion of Sen. Bayh and my taking to task Dr. Stephens. I have waited several days to respond as I had to check the meaning of “witless” and discovered it is a nice way of saying I am stupid. When a person writes his or her opinion in the Tribune-Star, one can expect some rebuttal and some down-right hateful replies. Every time I write an opinion, I leave myself open to this, so I wasn’t surprised at the response.

I did not attack Dr. Stephens personally, I attacked his view on health care reform. I did make a sarcastic remark regarding his leaving the medical profession. I did ask questions about any service he has offered to the poor, uninsured, and the unemployed. His service (this means without receiving any payment) to the community was also questioned. If you can criticize an attempt to help over 30 million people obtain adequate health care then you should be able to offer an alternative plan, which he did not.

Yes, I am indeed “elderly” (I didn’t realize this until Mr. Norris made it seem that being elderly is an affliction) but that doesn’t mean I am stupid or witless. Just a reminder, Brooks, you too will be elderly one of these days so don’t be so quick to judge someone because of their age.

I fully realize that health care reform is politically charged. Most of your rebuttal points are taken line for line from the Republican Party’s propaganda. Unfortunately for the 30 million without any health care, the reform is all but dead with the election of a Republican to replace Ted Kennedy. I have been a Democrat all of my adult life and I still support President Obama. We need change in this country and I had such high hopes he would be the one to achieve it. I still support Sen. Bayh’s vote. Come election day, I will still vote for him, not because he is a Democrat, but because he truly serves all the people of our district, even Mr. Norris.

As for Medicare and their reimbursement schedule, I am curious as to how you know what is paid for each claim. Medicare has saved me years of pain and suffering because I needed to have knee replacement surgery. Without Medicare, I couldn’t afford to do this and private insurance would be far too expensive on a limited income. Before you downgrade a system, perhaps you might try using it. From your somewhat rude letter, I can only assume you are too young to know any better so I will forgive your ignorance. As for paying only pennies on a dollar of each charge, perhaps the charge is too high to begin with. Without limitations on charges, fees could continue to rise until an individual would have to sell his home to pay them.

Lest the readers of the Tribune-Star think I feel the same way about all doctors, I want to point out that my primary care physician is one of the best doctors I know. Dr. R. Puchalapalli of the Regional Family Medical Center is a credit to the medical community. I have been going to him for over 20 years. He cares about his patients’ well-being. He has made my older years less stressful through his kindness and consideration. His current office staff is a joy to deal with and I haven’t sat in his office for hours waiting to see him. No matter what his opinion of health care reform, I would continue to see him, but he is a wise man and keeps his own counsel, something Dr. Stephens did not care to do. Putting fear into his patients serves no objective other than to get people to support his view point.

I contribute my opinions on a variety of subjects and will continue to do so. As my high school civics teacher always said, “Stand up for what you believe is right.” Thank you, Dr. Englland, for instilling in me this important principle of a free democracy. The right to an opinion is guaranteed to each of us so stand up for what you believe in even at the risk of being called witless and elderly.

— Shirley A. Thomas

Brazil



Kind folks helped rescue family cat



We were moving on Jan. 6, all day. Our cat escaped late at night across the street and up in a tree. The snow storm started that night and continued that day.

We tried everything to get it down. We thought it had died since it was up there 12 hours. We stopped anyone we could to see if they could help. A lady in a truck (did not get her name) went to find us help. She returned with a man (did not get his name) and he climbed the tree and got our cat down. Not only did he take the chance of falling 30 feet high, it was also snowing.

I just want to thank them both for caring enough to help. Thanks, again!

— Eileen Nardi

Terre Haute

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