My father, a disabled World War II and Korean War veteran, was at the Richland Town Centre Wal-Mart on Sept. 10.
Since he stumbles easily, he borrowed a scooter to do his shopping. When he left the store, he failed to take his cane. When he returned to retrieve it, it was gone, and had not been taken to lost and found.
I was having surgery that day in a Pittsburgh hospital and when he called to check on me, he was so distraught over losing his cane that I couldn’t console him.
On Sept. 12, Dad fell and sprained a foot, compounding the pain of his loss.
This unique, blond cane is made from a sapling, naturally twisted by a honeysuckle vine. It has enormous sentimental value to Dad.
My oldest brother cut the sapling on his property in Tennessee, and my second brother lovingly crafted the cane, sanding it to a smooth finish and carving it to fit Dad’s hand.
A wood-burner was used to carve in “J. Romanchock” and it was presented to Dad on his 70th birthday. It is the most treasured gift he has ever received.
I am pleading with the person who took the cane to return it. Wal-Mart has Dad’s name and phone number.
If anyone sees this cane, please contact us. You will make a hurting, elderly man very happy.
Kathleen Krestar
Sidman
President continues to apologize for U.S.
We know he’s not a lover of America’s ideals, capitalism or the Constitution. In his nine months as president, Barack Obama has apologized numerous times for many faults he has found with America.
His “redistribution of wealth” policy is Marxist and his statement, “The Constitution is a set of negative articles,” shows his disdain for capitalism and our Constitution.
We do know for fact that Obama’s grandmother, who lives in Kenya, says she was present at Barack’s birth.
Jerome Corsi, author of “The Obama Nation, Cult of Personality,” interviewed the grandmother in Kenya. Obama, as a young child, grew up in Indonesia and was taught Wahhabism, the radical Islam of 19 terrorists from Saudi Arabia.
As a teenager, Barack was mentored by Frank Marshall Davis, a self-proclaimed, hard-line communist, and a pedophile.
Upon coming to America, Obama sought out men of like ideology. William Ayres, a communist; the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, black liberation theology, Marxist; and many others such as his Columbia University professors.
Obama’s own words on a video, “I sought out as many Marxist professors that I could,” has led him as president to install many communists, Marxists and fascists as “czars.”
His statement five days before taking the office of president says it all, “I’ll fundamentally transform America” as we know it.
Dennis Mottin
Ebensburg
Keep government out of health-care update
I disagree with Jim Scofield’s opinion piece on Sept. 7, “Lies, scare tactics skew health-care debate.”
Then again, coming from a liberal, former college professor, that’s not too hard to understand.
How can he say our medical standards are not superior to other countries? Hasn’t he heard of Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and even our own Windber Medical Center and Conemaugh Health System?
The uninsured are not turned away from getting health care in the United States. They get it, but it’s at the expense of the taxpayers.
Depending on your plan, you have a choice of doctors. You can select one in the network, or one out of the network, in which case your co-pay will be more.
One of the most upsetting parts of the Obama health plan is the killing of the unborn. How can you call this a health plan? I call it murder.
Abortion is part of a plan. Not funding abortions has to be spelled out in any bill.
We do need changes in our health system, but we don’t need the government running it. The feds can’t even run the post office.
For Scofield’s homework, I would give him one week of Fox News.
In that way, he would have both sides of the health plan, not just what the liberal media want him to hear.
And maybe he can go to Canada and stand in line for health care.
Joseph T. Torchia Sr.
Johnstown
Thanks to everyone who helped with fire
On the evening of Sept. 19, I received a phone call telling me of a fire at Rosewood Assisted Living in Richland Township.
Since my mother is a resident there, I was very concerned. I drove to Rosewood, where a fireman informed me that all was under control and that the residents had been taken to Mount Calvary church.
I drove there and found Mom and all of the other residents and staff safe.
Members of the church had arrived to make coffee and pass out snacks, while the staff members from Rosewood were making phone calls and keeping the residents informed and calm.
I would like to say a big thank you to the devoted staff from Rosewood. The fire drills that they have on a regular basis paid off.
Thank you also to the volunteers who came to help, and the dear clown, Po-Purrie, who entertained.
Of course, major thanks to the Richland Fire Department and all other emergency personnel and the transport drivers.
The residents were able to go home that night.
I then visited there the next day and there was not a trace of a smoke smell.
Congratulations for a job well-done.
Mary Alice Mihalko
Windber
JSO Opera Festival's workers in harmony
Johnstown Symphony Orchestra’s 2009 Opera Festival is now only a memory. We want to express our sincere appreciation to the many benefactors, patrons, silent and live auction donors and audience for supporting our largest fundraiser.
We publicly thank all the corporate and individual sponsors for their support, with special thanks to UPMC and UPMC Health Plan for underwriting the orchestra for the 13th year, and Mark Pasquerilla and his sister, Leah, for underwriting the guest artists.
This event’s proceeds provide about 20 percent of the JSO’s annual budget, including supporting our youth programs.
Our youth symphony and youth chorus include more than 125 young artists, instructed by the symphony staff.
We are grateful to honorary chairwoman Joyce Murtha for her continuing support of the arts, especially the JSO.
We expressly appreciate all the volunteers on the Opera Festival committee, auction committee chairwoman Dorothy Maravalli, JSO auxiliary and others. The evening’s festivities wouldn’t be possible without them.
We applaud the JS chorus, directed by Samuel Coco, for contributing its time and talents to enhance the Opera Festival performance.
The JSO has always held the conviction that orchestral music enriches the lives of citizens of all ages and backgrounds. This community is very fortunate to have the winning combination of Maestro Istvan Jaray and the excellent JSO musicians.
We sincerely thank you and invite you to the opening concert of JSO’s 81st concert season on Oct. 17. Your continued involvement is extremely important to the JSO’s future.
Karen Azer
Opera Festival chairwoman
Questions addressed on Save Westy site
This letter is in response to “Unanswered questions for Hilltop residents” letter written by Matt DiFrancesco on Sept. 24.
Unfortunately, I am not able to address all of DiFrancesco’s questions in the space allowed me here in the Readers’ Forum.
If he had been able to attend our Save Westy meeting on Sept. 23, I believe all of his questions on the rezoning issue would have been answered. I do, however, urge DiFrancesco and others with questions about this issue to visit our Web site at www.savewesty.com.
In addition, at this meeting we requested any questions regarding Attorney Michael Sahlaney’s presentation be written down.
These questions were collected after the meeting and are being addressed on our Web site.
Art Smith
President, Save Westy
Bandshell Bark a howling success
Hats off to chairwoman Eileen Graham and all the volunteers who made the Sept. 19 Bandshell Bark a success.
What a great day it was – with the weather cooperating and all the people attending with their furry friends and all supporting the Roxbury Bandshell as well as the pet therapy program at Conemaugh hospital.
Hope to see you next year.
Sadie Graham
Johnstown
