Women attest that overcoming poverty is possible
Sir: Oct. 17 is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Traditionally, the Poverty Reduction Network of Sarnia-Lambton has held a ‘Stand Up Against Poverty’ rally at City Hall. That event has been postponed this year by the pandemic, making it all the more important to hear from people who have experienced poverty.
Jessica Plain and Candace King are both Leaders at Lambton Circles, a transformative community program committed to eliminating poverty by harnessing the power of a caring community working together.
Jessica Plain was born into generational poverty to parents struggling with addiction, so she knows only too well how difficult it is to move forward out of poverty.
As a teen, she faced her own difficulties – substance abuse, teen pregnancy, harmful relationships and incarceration. After years of struggle, Jessica entered the House of Sophrosyne, a women’s addiction centre, and began her journey of recovery. Shortly after treatment, Jessica started in the Circles program and with its encouragement finished her Grade 12. She is currently enrolled at Lambton College in the Pre-community Services program and plans to become a Social Service Worker.
A single mom and full-time student, Jessica also cared for her sick mother before she passed this year, and continues to support her father in his sobriety.
“It takes hard work and dedication to change your future story,” she said.
Candace King struggled for years with addiction. After entering a rehab program, she realized she needed ongoing support to change her life.
She reached out to Circles and received education and resources to assist with her goals and ongoing sobriety.
She has regained custody of her son, is attending college in the Addiction and Mental Health Worker program, and is working in the North Lambton Community Health Centre Harm Reduction Team.
Candace says her new coping skills and community support have been life changing for her and her family.
To learn more visit www.lambtoncircles.com.
Kim Godin
National Circles®Canada & Lambton Circles Coordinator
Homelessness Prevention and Children's Services
County of Lambton
Research shows COVID immunity powerful
Sir: People keep using the word science when referring to COVID-19, but I don’t think it means what many think it means.
You see, real science doesn’t ignore emerging data or silence those who question it. Science looks at all the data and needs to be questioned in order to stand up to scrutiny and be proven. Corporate science ignores data — especially data that lowers profit margins.
If people were truly following the science they wouldn’t dismiss natural immunity, or the fact that natural immunity is more effective than vaccine-induced immunity.
In fact, forcing people who have already recovered from COVID to get vaccinated means we’ve wasted scarce vaccine supplies on those who don’t need it. Imagine how many more doses could have been distributed, and quickly, had those with natural immunity not been jabbed.
Marty Makary is a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is also the editor-in-chief of Medpage Today.
In a recent article in the Washington Post, Makary noted more than 15 studies have demonstrated the power of immunity acquired by those who previously had the virus.
The latest, from Israel, studied 700,000 people. It concluded those who had recovered naturally from COVID were 27 times less likely to get a second symptomatic infection than those who were vaccinated.
Yet, this data is ignored. Why?
It’s time to really follow the science, instead of just repeating the word. Stop alienating friends and family and causing irreparable harm to our family structures.
Vaccinated or unvaccinated - it doesn’t matter.
Stop pretending that one choice makes someone better than someone else. It is time to stop the insanity, and stop acting like people are threats to society. Enough of the vaccine supremacy.
No matter the choice, if it was right for you, that is all that matters.
Jon Maillet
Sarnia
Theft of daughter’s special bike a sad lesson
Sir: I’m writing to you about my daughter’s bike being stolen.
She has a disability that makes finding a bike for her difficult. Her grandmother gave her that bike, so it was special to her.
The thieves not only stole her independence, they have made her question the decency of some people - a sad lesson for a 15-year-old girl.
I suspect a known drug dealer and their “customers.” The police were called within 30 minutes of the bike being stolen but, unfortunately, they never came. It certainly seems like a missed opportunity for our police officers.
I’m well aware that there’s nothing they can really do. But our city has gotten so bad in regards to drugs and theft.
Parents are tired of nothing being done, while the criminals seem able to continue their activities with little consequence.
Enough is enough. Our city needs to be cleaned up.
Sincerely, a very angry momma bear.
Veronica Ferreira
Sarnia