‘Caring angels’
Dear Editor:
Angels come in all sizes, shapes, and forms. Over the last few weeks, I have come across a whole multitude of them. I was quite ill, in Groves hospital from March 25 to April 4. I had very slight symptoms in the morning, but by noon, I knew I had a serious problem.
Thank you to my wonderful neighbour, Joyce Culp, for getting me to the ER so quickly and for the ride home and the wonderful Easter supper she made for us. Also, for everything else she has done for me.
Next, the ER staff were very caring and compassionate to my situation. They do a great job. Thank you.
Next, was the trip upstairs to a room. I can’t say enough about the nursing staff. They were absolutely amazing. Despite the situation with COVID-19, they were always smiling, laughing and doing everything to make their patients as comfortable as possible.
Also, by the way, Groves food doesn’t live up to the terrible food stories. It was fantastic.
The many phone calls while in and since returning home has been great. They break up the day and cheer you up when you’re having a bad day.
My church family, friends and neighbours are next. They have brought meals and visited. Thanks, guys.
Thanks to Donna Jamieson. She finished up and delivered my Easter packages to my Saturday volunteer buddies at Arthur 2nd Look. I miss you guys. Also for everything else she did.
I would also like to thank Pastor Ed Charlton for his phone calls, words of encouragement and prayers.
Next time you’re in a hospital, be sure to give all frontline workers a high five.
If I missed anyone, I’m sorry, but I greatly appreciated everything.
Each and everyone mentioned above are all true “caring angels”. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart!
Janice Wilson,
Arthur
Okay with paid parking
Dear Editor:
RE: Paid parking panned, April 29.
I personally do not have a problem with paying $3 to park at the new Trailside Medical Centre on Beatty Line. Someone has to pay for the landscaping company to cut the grass all summer and plow the snow all winter; they do not usually provide that service free of charge – and if you find one that does, please let me know.
My wife and I are also retired and we do not expect those services to be free, it is very rare that you can park at a hospital or medical centre and not have to pay. Over the years we have heard the term from a lot of seniors – “we are on a fixed income” – well, so are most people who have normal jobs; same amount of pay for a week’s work. You do not have to be a senior to fall into that category.
If you think you have it bad here, go to the U.S. where you can’t to go to the doctor without getting out your wallet. If you think the price of food and gas are high now, get your head up, the worst is yet to come. Just be thankful you don’t have a mortgage, car payment and two small children to feed.
I feel strongly that we are going to have to adjust our lifestyles to the current economic realty, whether we like it or not.
Dennis Ransome,
Mount Forest
Get vaccinated
Dear Editor:
Why do you need to be vaccinated?
As a child I remember that people had a note pinned on their door to warn you that there was dangerous disease inside! This disease was called cow pox or chicken pox; it was at first only a rash, but was deadly.
When a vaccination was announced , people ran to get it. Every child going to school was also vaccinated.
Outside of Europe and America, the disease still killed people in the poor areas of the other continents. It was only in 1980 that the World Health Organization said that the disease was gone everywhere!
Now we can eradicate this new disease early if we all get our needle!
Remember the life you save may possibly be your very own.
So rush out and be vaccinated.
Sytske Drijber,
Rockwood
More coffee needed?
Dear Editor:
On behalf of myself and other homeowners residing on York Street East in Elora, we would like to question the recent decision to relocate street parking.
As of this past week, street parking has been moved from the south side to the north side of the street. If you are taking the time to read this, you’re probably already asking “what’s the big deal?”
The issue is simple logic seems to be missing from the decision making process. I’m told this decision was made for continuity between York East, West and the new development of houses connecting the two. Here is the rub: on York West all of the residential buildings are located on the north side of the street, with ample open space for street parking on the south side in front of the Polycorp building.
On York East, residential homes line both sides of the street, with the south side being predominantly semi-detached homes. These homes rely heavily on street parking, and for the past 20-plus years they’ve enjoyed parking in front of their homes. Semi-detached homes are routinely owned by young families, and now you are asking them to cross the street repeatedly every time they leave home.
Previously these families could simply cross their front yard and load up for that day trip. Oh did I mention York Street is only days away from becoming a thru street to Wellington Road 7? The amount of traffic using our street is set to increase immensely, yet you have these families playing “Frogger” for “Continuity” (sorry for the 80’s video game reference).
It is only a matter of time until one of these small kids escape their parent’s grasp and this decision becomes life altering. Not to mention, all of the fire hydrants are located on the north side of York East. So not only have you made it more dangerous for those home owners on a daily bases, you’ve also reduced the amount of available parking. Perhaps a second cup of coffee was required before making this decision.
Tom Dickinson,
Elora
Carbon tax required
Dear Editor:
RE: Carbon tax ineffective, April 29.
Henry Brunsveld is correct about the emissions in British Columbia rising between 2007 and 2018. However, what he doesn’t point out, is that the population of B.C. increased much more in the same time period – more people mean more cars, more homes to heat and more electricity used.
So, taking the population increase into account, the emissions per person in B.C. dropped from 14.6 tonnes CO2 equivalent per person in 2007 to 13.1 tonnes per person in 2018, a decrease of 10 per cent.
In the same period, Ontario emissions dropped by 27 per cent to 11.4 tonnes per person, mostly because of closing coal-fired electricity plants.
Between 2007 and 2018, Canadian emissions dropped by 14 per cent but we have a long way to go! Of the G7 countries in 2018, Canada and the U.S. had the highest emissions at 16.1 tonnes per person, while Sweden, which is further north than Canada, emitted only 4.5 tonnes per person. Even China emitted less than us at 8.0 tonnes per person.
If we are going to avoid the looming climate catastrophe, we absolutely have to stop burning fossil fuels. The carbon tax must continue to increase, gradually but predictably (to give us time to change our habits) to more than $100 per tonne CO2 equivalent.
Ron Moore,
Hillsburgh
‘Reckless abuse of power’
Dear Editor:
I feel that I should call out the police officer that was driving behind me on Highway 6 between Guelph and Fergus the evening of May 2.
It seemed like he was trying to catch up with his co-worker that was now a few kilometres ahead of me.
I thought it must be pretty important (not enough for lights) when he used the passing lane to speed by me at over 120km/h, which he held until reaching Fergus. I guess he was just craving McDonald’s, as this was where he went.
Am I missing something? It seemed to me like a reckless abuse of power; enlighten me if I’m wrong please.
Shannon Lichty,
Guelph
Rainbow ahead
Dear Editor:
I wrote this little poem to make us think.
Colours
I am feeling rather blue today
And my eyes are red.
The grey clouds look down on me
And this is what she said.
The virus is a black cloud
All around your bed
Don’t forget the promise
Of a rainbow up ahead.
Mabel Barkman,
Eden House Care Facility,
Guelph/Eramosa