Letters to the EditorFriday, September 5, 2008
One cool week When I was growing up in the 1930s and 1940s, there was a saying in Charleston that the Lord always sends one cool week in August for the poor folks who couldn't afford to go to the mountains. These days the Lord still sends a cool week for those who can't afford their air conditioning bills. Another old saying from the Great Depression was that many Charlestonians were to poor to paint and too proud to whitewash. The newer generations probably don't know what whitewash is. They just go ahead, paint and put it on their credit cards. Times do have a way of changing. WILLIAM D. HILTON Keep dream alive On July 12, my life changed forever. My beautiful 27-year-old daughter died as a result of an automobile accident. She worked as a counselor for Charleston Dorchester Mental Health. She was en route to a client's house when the tragic accident occurred on Ashley Phosphate. She had applied for the Master Gardeners program at Clemson and had been set up for an interview prior to her accident. She had made such a difference in the lives of her clients. She loved gardening and got such pleasure with her flowers. She had a very stressful job and gardening helped alleviate the stress. She had planned on doing gardening with her clients as therapy. We are planning a memorial garden in her honor at the West Ashley Mental Health Clinic. I do not want her dream to die. Her accident occurred on July 10. On July 12 we made the decision to remove her from life support. It's the hardest decision any parent ever has to make. I want to personally thank the Ashley River Fire Department, the Dorchester County EMS and MUSC emergency staff. The chaplains were wonderful. The nurses in the surgical trauma intensive care unit were the best. To my Trident ER family, I thank you so much for your support. I love each and every one of you. I know my daughter received excellent care, but Jesus called her home. Contributions can be made to the Rebecca Hall Memorial Fund at Wachovia Bank. Help me keep her dream alive. JOAN AMBURGEY Trash or treasure We have heard the saying, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." On Aug. 28, I stepped out of my house to get the newspaper, thinking that I would have a few minutes to read before going to work. Instead, I spent those precious few minutes picking up trash that had been thrown all over the street and in my yard. Well, if you look through my trash or anyone else's to find your treasure, would you please put the "unwanted" treasure back in the container or pile it where you found it? ROBIN E. CERCOPELY Hurricane kits On Aug. 23, we gave away 500 free hurricane kits to the public at our annual Hurricane Expo at the Custom Home + Remodel Show. The kits contained about 20 essential items, including flashlights, glow sticks, first-aid kits, rain ponchos, work gloves, safety whistles, handsanitizer and more. Each kit had a retail value of just under $30 and all were quickly snapped up. Charleston Home + Design Magazine provided a $2,500 donation to purchase many of the items. There were other organizations and sponsors who also donated items, and we are grateful for their help. A special thanks to WCBD-TV's Storm Team 2 and 94.3 WSC-FM for their media support as well. We are already planning the 2009 Hurricane Expo and plan to increase the number of free hurricane kits we give away from 500 to 600. If any organizations would like to donate items, we encourage them to contact us at (843) 577-7652. TIM BARKLEY Pie in the sky This is in response to a recent letter to the editor in which the writer wrote that he wanted to vote for someone who knows about mortgage payments and living on a budget. It would take a very thorough search of the Democratic field to find such a candidate. They know nothing about staying within a budget and throw more taxpayers' money at problems and go deeper into debt. History proves socialism doesn't work and government-run projects are always more expensive than privately run projects in same field. Obama's orations promise pie in the sky without any concept of the impossibility of what he promises. WILLIAM A. PEASE JR. Not exactly right Speaking before the attendees of the 2008 Republican National Convention, Rudy Giuliani wasn't exactly right when he asserted that Barack Obama has never led anything. Unfortunately, Rudy overlooked the obvious: Barack Obama has deftly led something — a three-ring media circus. Sure, he's only been in this position of leadership for a few months. But Barack sure is "big time, baby!" MICHAEL S. SMITH II |
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