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Letters, week of November 20

Picky doctor rejecting the elderly? Jim Clarkson I recently applied to become a patient of one of the new doctors in town. That was five weeks ago and nothing so far.

Picky doctor rejecting the elderly?

Jim Clarkson

I recently applied to become a patient of one of the new doctors in town. That was five weeks ago and nothing so far.

An elderly neighbour lady was called by the same doctor for an interview, was told she was accepted, but would have to wait a year for an appointment because she already had a doctor. If I eventually get my interview and am told the same thing I will say, "Thanks but no thanks."

How can a doctor fresh out of medical school get to be so picky? I would hate to think he has something against old people. Like most old folk we remember when doctors made house calls, some even on weekends. How times have changed.

Today if you want to see a new doctor, because of some stupid ethics code you may have to wait a year for an appointment

If I am still without a doctor the next time I get sick I may just sit by the side of the road and thumb a ride from the next ambulance to come by. Sarcasm is great to combat stupidity.

Years ago I took great pride in marching with other veterans in Sarnia's Remembrance Day Parade. Old age and ill health put a stop to that. The seniors’ park where I live holds a Remembrance Day service in our recreation hall, ably assisted by members of Branch 62 Royal Canadian Legion.

Thanks guys. Lest we forget.

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Club deserves thanks, not criticism

Kirk Hardy

Sir: This letter is in response to Ms. Jean Laidlaw's letter "Club showed lack of respect," Nov. 6, 2014.

I would firstly like to point out that Point Edward Ex-Servicemen’s Association is volunteer-run and driven, and as we in Canada have not had any significant wars lately, it unfortunately has a fading membership.

I find it particularly peculiar that Ms. Laidlaw took the time to document the lowering of, and the failure of lowering of flags around town. And rather than attend the Club, call the Club, or contact a member of the Club and suggest that they lower the flag, she did nothing. However, she did make the great effort to document the precise date and time, right down to a 15-minute period, and then she passed judgment.

I would like to suggest that if she had contacted the Club or a member it would've been done sooner. After all, it is all of our responsibility to remember and honour those who have and continue to protect us!

I never understood people that stand by, or in her case, lay-in-wait, documenting errors so they can pass negative judgment. If I noticed that the flag wasn't down at P.E.S.C., I would've contacted the Club and kindly suggested it be lowered.

Any volunteer driven and run organization that supports our service people, our veterans and/or their families should be thanked. These organizations lack new members, as we haven't had substantial wars, which is a very GOOD thing.

I personally would like to say thank-you to P.E.S.C. and all similar organizations for everything they voluntarily do to honour, remember, and aid those that have and continue to protect my freedoms!

Lest we forget.

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Not just another ‘watering hole’

G. Douglas Neely

Sir: Re: Jean Laidlaw’s letter of Nov. 6

As a past-president of the Point Edward Ex-Servicemen’s Association, I take offence to your attack on my club.

Perhaps you should drop in once in a while to see what we do for our community, including Sarnia-Lambton. Better yet, you could check with your husband, who is a life member.

Our efforts are too extensive to list in this letter. However, a few deserve mention. Just recently we decorated our hall and patio for Halloween and approximately 500 children came through and each received a large bag of treats. This is an annual affair.

At Christmas, we donate approximately two dozen turkeys to the Pipefitters, Local 663, for their Christmas hampers to the needy.

We host a “Red Shirt Friday” rally and participate with other local clubs, where we collect T-shirts and ball caps. These are sent to deployed troops around the world by “Hero to Hero” volunteers to let our troops know we are with them in heart and mind.

We participate in “Pennies for Patriotism,” which collects change, and with that amount matched by our club. These funds are used to assist our wounded veterans returning from conflicts around the globe.

We recently hosted a motorcycle rally run, with proceeds matched by our club and donated to Sarnia’s Hospice.

Hopefully, you can see that despite our dwindling number of veterans we who remain are striving to continue the mandate and goals that our veterans in 1926 intended.

As for our flag not being at half-mast, it was an oversight on our part, for which we apologize. However, it did go to half-mast at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23, not Saturday, Oct. 25 at 4:45 p.m.

G. Douglas Neely is a member of the Point Edward Ex-Servicemen’s Association.

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City wrong to pave over nature trail

Peter R. Smith

Sir: In an age where other cities are working hard to become more liveable by developing new walking, cycling and nature trails, Sarnia is still hell-bent on turning a section of the existing Nature Trail into a road.

By defining the “Nature Trail” as the three metre wide gravel path which currently runs down the centre of the 30 metre wide natural corridor, they have tried to convince us that the Nature Trail will still be intact. The fact is that the 30 m wide area, from just north of the 402 overpass to London Road, that we all think of as the Nature Trail today, will soon be a road with a gravel path off to one side. It will be busy and noisy with precious little “nature” remaining, and once the road is built, there is no turning back.

The claim is made that the city needs to sacrifice the Nature Trail and build this road in order to provide safe access for the traffic associated with the schools and houses to be built in that area, yet the city itself approved the housing density of that area and could have limited development to keep traffic within the limits of the other access points.

In fact, the Wiltshire subdivision is of similar size and it only has access from Murphy and Michigan, so why is this additional access needed at all?

The Nature Trail should be deemed untouchable, an irreplaceable asset with the highest level of protection, so it will always be there for future generations to enjoy.

Instead city council has decided to sacrifice it. Sarnia, the city that built a road over a Nature Trail – what a legacy to leave?

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Remembrance Day service overwhelming

Anne Tigwell Thackeray

Sir: When I arrived at the Sarnia Cenotaph for the Remembrance Day Service, I was approached by a wonderful lady named Betsy Hazen. She told me that when she was at the Cenotaph the previous week, that two poppies were growing in the gardens there.

She fortunately took a picture that you see attached. Her and I both commented on the recent death of two soldiers here at home, and the reference that these two poppies had to our country. Thank you Betsy.

That was only the start of the Remembrance Day Service. A huge crown had gathered to honour our soldiers past and present, to thank them for their service, for giving of the ultimate sacrifice so that we can have the freedoms that we enjoy on a daily basis.

Your attention, your listening to every name that was called out, every prayer and words that were spoken. The grounds were in silence with your attention. But, at the end of the service, the applause that you gave, touched each and every one that was there. There were many eyes that were weeping. The intensity of the emotion and pride in being Canadian, pride in our Soldiers was resonating around the cenotaph.

But after the parade had left the grounds, what you did was so heart-touching, it was very hard to keep taking pictures, as many of you came up to read the names on the cenotaph, to read the wreaths that were displayed, to speak to persons in uniform and to place poppies on the cenotaph.

No words can express the Sarnia Legion’s gratitude and appreciation for your participation in the Remembrance Day Service.

On behalf of the Veterans, our fallen Soldiers, and the Sarnia Legion, thank you for being a community that goes beyond what words can express. Lest we Forget. WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Anne Tigwell Thackeray is a public relations officer with the Royal Canadian Legion Sarnia Branch #62. 


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