Coat drive a very worthy cause in Jefferson County

To the editor:

Many, many thanks to the Jefferson County community.

On behalf of the entire staff of Jefferson County Schools, I want to express our sincere appreciation for the community’s longtime consistent support of our Jefferson County Shoe and Coat Fund. While the fund supplies children in need with a small variety of necessary items, the emphasis is on filling requests for winter clothing to keep them warm.

For more than 25 years, the generous donations of the community have been keeping our children warm. Your empathy for the more challenged members of our community, especially the children, continues to amaze me.

It is my own good fortune to be able to serve the community, to disperse funds directly and to witness the delight a new coat and new shoes bring to a youngster. Often, I hear “and they still have the tags on.” For quite a few children, it is a unique event to receive something new and just for them

Our country and community continues to be severely affected by the economic realities of the times. We have many children in need in Jefferson County.

Please don’t forget us this year.

Donations can be sent to Jefferson County Shoe and Coat Fund, c/o Lisa Carper, Jefferson County Board of Education, 110 Mordington Ave., Charles Town, WV 25414.

Lisa Carper
coordinator of student support and social services
Jefferson County Schools

Bartlett should put people ahead of politics

To the editor:

To U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett: You represent a large number of constituents in Western Maryland and have the duty to provide them with guaranteed health insurance, something they’ve never had before.

I understand you are supported by big business and now especially by the insurance industry. Your primary obligation is not to these industries, but to the people you represent. Big businesses can take care of themselves, your constituents can’t. That’s why you are in Congress.

You are putting politics ahead of people and should understand that although Republicans are a majority here, even they have problems with health care and health insurance.

So if you vote against HR 3962, you are voting against your own constituents. Maybe they’ll remember that in 2010.

Charles R. Gaush
Hagerstown

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