Letters to the Editor
A special light
To the Editor:
This is a copy of a letter to David Crohan.
My thanks to you and your friends who performed at the Tabernacle last Monday night. My thanks can barely match the gift of heartfelt friendship you gave everyone that very special evening.
"From the Heart" was the theme of your concert, songs about caring and love and flying was your offer. You and your friends, Merrily Fenner, Katie Mayhew, Tom Billitto, Hugh Taylor, John Zeizman, Susan and Stephen McGhee all did just that for us. Your friendships, history of making music together, and the performance of a first class show were nourishment for our souls and hearts. I offer a very happy birthday to you this 65th year and many blessings on you, your family and friends.
Please know that Hospice of Martha's Vineyard and Compassionate Care ALS will hold your gift of music in a very special light.
Terre D. Young
Executive Director
Hospice of Martha's Vineyard
A long-time friend
To the Editor:
Sail Martha's Vineyard sadly lost a long-time friend and supporter last weekend. Our flags fly at half mast in his honor. Walter Cronkite, our honorary chairman, earned his title by being part of a group that longed to perpetuate the Island's maritime history and offer free sailing for Island kids. With Joe Hall, Ralph Packer, Nancy Hoffmann and others, they thought that bringing some of the Tall Ships to the Vineyard would bring an awareness of our maritime heritage.
Just three years ago, he was the honorary commodore for our first Vineyard Cup Regatta and sailed in the regatta. He attended our annual Seafood Buffet and Auction until two years ago. He was always there for us.
As a historian and long-time sailor he would have been pleased to see how successful our fourth Vineyard Cup Regatta was. To see all the sailboats gathered in the harbor and the community spirit at Owen Park afterwards was certainly a tribute to him.
We will miss him, but he will continue to inspire us.
Peggy Schwier
President
Sail Martha's Vineyard
Exemplary
To the Editor:
I joined 100-plus others in Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs Saturday evening at Operafest 2009, to be entertained by 12 talented and attractive young artists from the Claudette Peterson Vocal Studio. The singing and acting was exemplary, the costumes and stage settings professional, and the accompanist supportive and sensitive. Mark your calendar for "Operafest 2010 on Martha's Vineyard."
Joseph Sequeira Vera
Oak Bluffs and Cambridge
Needed: real health insurance reform
To the Editor:
While it is encouraging that Senate and House committees are beginning to seriously consider health care reform legislation, it is critical that the U.S. Congress takes action and passes real health care reform in the next few months.
America is facing a health care crisis caused by a combination of skyrocketing costs and an insurance system that leaves 47 million of us without any coverage. The current health care system is endangering both our economy and our health, and voters have made it clear that they want change. According to a study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, 70 percent of Americans surveyed believe the health care system needs major changes, if not a complete overhaul.
Health care reform legislation must guarantee quality, affordable health care to all U.S. residents. It is universal coverage that will determine the humanity of our system, and all Americans must have health care coverage, including the choice of a quality, affordable public insurance plan. In addition, it is essential that comparative data on treatments, benefits packages and medical outcomes be made publicly available so that individuals can make informed health decisions.
Congress needs to take additional strong action to reduce the costs of health care for individuals, businesses and communities. As a nation, we are spending $1 out of every $6 we produce on health care. Legislation must provide effective cost controls, equitable distribution of services and allow for efficient and economical delivery of care. Offering everyone a government administered health insurance plan like Medicare that would compete with private health insurance plans will be key.
Achieving this kind of comprehensive, system-wide reform will take a shared effort by citizens and Congress. Senators Kennedy and Kerry and Representative Delahunt need to support real health care reform.
Barbara P. Peckham
League of Women Voters of Martha's Vineyard
Bad SSA behavior
To the Editor:
This past Saturday our family concluded its annual week-long visit to Martha's Vineyard. We have been vacationing on the Island since 1996 and have only missed a couple of summers during that time.
Once again we enjoyed everything that we love about the Vineyard; the Farmer's Market, concerts at the Old Whaling Church, the fine cuisine, cycling, and most importantly, the up-Island beach surf.
This year, however, a pall was cast on our trip by the extremely rude and unabashedly hostile treatment meted out by the SSA ground personnel at both the Woods Hole and Vineyard Haven ports.
At the Woods Hole port, on July 11, my wife and I were screamed at in front of our two pre-teen children by the booth attendant and his equally unhinged "manager" for having shown up five minutes before our scheduled sailing time. While I appreciate that we should have been on time to comply with the SSA process, our questions about how to get through to the SSA phone number provided to us (always busy) and catch a later ferry were greeted with abusive and over-the-top behavior that was completely unwarranted.
Similarly, on our departure from Vineyard Haven on July 18 in the morning, an innocent question from my wife concerning the scheduled loading time of the ferry was responded to by the on-duty booth attendant in a manner that would have made USSR Aeroflot personnel proud.
Mind you, we live in New Jersey, so we are used to, and know something about, the East Coast "edge." And while we have never held any illusions about SSA personnel being warm and fuzzy, the behavior of three individuals in particular was appalling.
The bottom line is that we, and other visitors to the Island, continue to go there and spend our money by choice. As such, I would think that the Island businesses and Chamber of Commerce would have an interest in seeing the gatekeepers to the Island be a little more civil.
And anticipating the "Yankee go home" response from some of the native Islanders, I would say two things to you. First, you should demand better treatment from the SSA, as these folks are your life line, and I doubt that only New Jersey natives are afforded such treatment. Second, our tourist dollars do benefit the Island economy, even if we do occasionally, and unintentionally, get in your way.
Hopefully, in a few weeks I will have forgotten about the abysmal treatment from the SSA ground personnel and can go back to fonder memories of our Martha's Vineyard visit. Until then, here's hoping for change.
William Stump
Essex Fells, New Jersey
Deeply grateful
To the Editor:
From down here in Nicaragua, I want to say a huge thankyou to the US Navy and to all the military who come here on medical missions. You are making a beautiful difference in the lives of so many people in Central America by giving free medical and surgical care to the poor.
Right now, five miles off Puerto Corinto, is the US Naval vessel USNS Comfort , a hospital ship, which will be here for 14 days, doing open heart surgery, repair of cleft palates, dental care etc. I see the US military personnel showing the utmost in kindness and respect to their patients. More than 20,000 patients will be treated.
A very smart move by the military was to bring reporters from Nicaraguan TV and radio out to the ship by helicopter to give them a tour and to make video of how the patients were being treated. We can see a huge spotless ship, white with a red cross, efficient triage procedures, many operating rooms and recovery rooms in use, all with the latest and most modern technology, and as a US retired nurse, it was to me a thing of beauty.
At the same time, a team of Seabees replaced more than 8,000 square feet of new roofing on the village school in the town of Villa Nueva, Nicaragua.
From down here I see what looks like a terrible waste of your tax dollars occurring in most of the government in the United States. But the tax dollars spent on these medical missions is worth every penny you are spending. It is good for public relations and good for the poor, who could never afford such care.
As a US citizen, living in a foreign country, I am deeply grateful for all the US military is doing to help the people of Nicaragua and other poor countries.
Muriel Laverty
Masaya, Nicaragua
Just the dish
To the Editor:
A huge thanks from the Supportive Day Program to Ben & Bill's for their generous donation of a big tub of ice cream. We so appreciate your kind gift. What a treat to serve a nice cold dish of ice cream on a hot summer day. We thank you.
Wendy Benedetto
The Supportive Day Program
Martha's Vineyard Center for Living
