On Nov. 11, Veterans Day, my wife and I attended the parade and ceremonies in Johnstown. Having served in the Marine Corps many years ago, I was proudly wearing a shirt sporting the Marine Corps name.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, my wife and I went to a Richland Township restaurant.

We finished our meal, but the waitress could not find our check and went to find out what had happened.

She returned with the hostess, who informed us that someone had noted my shirt and, in honor of Veterans Day, and to say thank you, paid our bill along with theirs and left.

No name was given.

In all my 75-plus years, I have never had anyone do this for me before. It touched me deeply.

I have always been proud of my active duty as a Marine, and this act was deeply appreciated.

To add some icing to this cake, the hostess came to me as we were leaving and said, “I would like to add my personal thank you and gratitude for your service as a Marine.”

Again, thank you for making this old Marine’s day. God bless America.

Semper fi.

Lynn Thomas

Windber



Repercussions from senior citizens

If the government thinks the economy is bad now, what will happen if senior citizens don’t get a raise in their Social Security?

They will have to quit giving Christmas gifts, or spend less for Christmas. They won’t be able to help their children or grandchildren by buying them things they want or need.

I will probably have to cut some of my cable-TV use. That means fewer channels for me to watch.

What I spend for food and basic normal use, such as soap, toilet paper and other personal needs, has doubled. What I spend now for one person used to be enough for two people.

After reading Ellen Goodman’s column (“This is a $250 moment,” Nov. 3), it shows she has never had to depend on financial help from her parents. There are two sides to every argument.

Maybe there should be a raise for people who get only a smaller amount of money or Social Security. I know there are people who have income other than Social Security. But, people such as me who have only one source of income need a raise every year.

To Goodman, $250 may not be much, but it means a lot to me.

Evelyn M. Budash

Johnstown



City leaders will never understand

Ken Gates’ interesting article on Oct. 8, “Past decisions, privileges have crippled Johnstown,” had one glaring omission.

That is: Johnstown is rapidly turning into a city of miscegenation.

This is a situation of economics.

Not to disparage, but too often we have a single man and a single woman living on public doles such as welfare or Supplemental Security Income, and they avoid connubial bliss and turn to co-habitation, thus receiving two checks rather than one.

While they are bedding down together, Mother Nature kicks in and conjugal visits will occur. This brings on procreation.

Food and sex are strong drives.

On the economics side of the spectrum, the problem is jobs, or the lack of jobs, in Johnstown.

The city fathers have been saying for decades that Johnstown is coming back.

How?

Its population has dwindled from 55,000 to fewer than 25,000. And its retail section is fewer than a handful of stores.

I’ll now set the scene to 2050: The headline reads, “City voters wade through grass on the streets to go to the polls.” 

Further down in the body of the story it reads:

“While grass grows ablaze on the streets of Johnstown, city leaders vote themselves a pay raise.”

Don Bufagna

Richland Township



Did Murtha know, or just didn’t care?

When I spoke to U.S. Rep. John Murtha’s staff before the vote on the House health-care reform bill, staffers said Murtha wanted the payment for abortion taken out and he would vote yes.

I asked if they were aware that the proposal would abolish the advantage program or that Pennsylvania’s CHIPS program would be eliminated for the same reason.

They had no clue.

On Nov. 7, the vote was cast and Murtha voted yes. I can only guess that he did not read the entire bill or any of the 900 amendments except for funding of abortion.

Funding for the $1.3 trillion health-care system is obtained by closing certain programs deemed as wasteful and by raising taxes and fees on others. This means Murtha believes that taxing Band-Aids, false teeth, wheelchairs and thousands of other medical needs is a way not to tax the people.

The plan would create some 175 new bureaucracies and a czar who would say what life-saving operations you can receive.

The Congressional Budget Office states that there would still be 27 million uninsured Americans. Why destroy the entire system, which creates life-saving drugs and procedures, for one similar to the Communist-run health-care plans, in which research is too expensive and the hospitals are broke?

Yes, Congressman, all these items are in the bill you voted for. I’m sure you were aware of them because I spoke with your staff to make sure you knew.

Thank you, Congressman Murtha.

Ed McGarvey

Hooversville



Home care staffers deserve recognition

November is National Home Care Month, which is a time to pay tribute to those nurses, therapists and aides who provide high quality care to patients in their homes. Most patients prefer to receive care in their homes rather than in a facility.

Home care staffers deserve special recognition for their dedication to serving patients in their homes. These staff members travel to the patient’s home in all kinds of weather and provide patients with the highest level of care.

It also is during this time of the year that our attention shifts to home and family. As we enter the holiday season, many of us will spend time with parents, grandparents and other family members. If you see that your loved ones may seem a bit different, maybe less vigor or their memory is not what it used to be, remember that you have options for your loved one. Nursing homes do not have to be your loved one’s last resort. If you see a decline in your loved one, help and support is available through a home care agency.

You should know that the home care professionals we are honoring this month are ready to help you. I encourage our community to thank these dedicated individuals and consider the “gift of home care” for your loved ones.

Janet Hetherington

Administrator, Medi Home Health Agency, Pittsburgh



Weather eases heating woes

I would like to comment on fuel assistance. There are people who are worse off than me financially. I receive partial Supplemental Security Income and Social Security. It is barely enough to get by each month.

So when I got my grant from Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, it still wasn’t enough to get the minimum 150 gallons required to get delivered from my fuel company. I got help from The Compassion House in Windber, but it still isn’t enough.

My question is: Why doesn’t LIHEAP give enough to get the minimum? It’s a good thing the weather isn’t as cold as it should be or I would be out of fuel.

What are people supposed to do? I guess living below the poverty level isn’t enough; the government will break my spirt this winter because I have to figure out what to do to keep warm when I have to set my thermostat at 60 to conserve fuel.

Tina Smith

Cairnbrook



Time for change in health insurance

My son-in-law lost his job, leaving my grandkids without health insurance. It took my daughter more than two months to complete the Children’s Health Insurance Program application.

My grandson is allergic to bees; he needs a shot monthly, which costs almost $200 per shot My son-in-law needs two shots a month.

Because there was a long waiting list for the adult CHIP program, I had to pay the bill for almost four months before he could receive employer-provided health insurance from his new job.

Everyone needs affordable health care.

You shouldn’t have to be without insurance if you lose your job or change jobs.

You shouldn’t have to wait to get insurance for young children, which can take months for the paperwork to go through.

It is time for a change.

Cathy Drass

Hastings