Letters and comments for April 28, 2011

Editor’s note: Readers are reminded that the letters to the editor column is not intended for thank-yous. Letters to the editor can describe positive actions that people do for others, but simple thank-yous and lists of names will not be published as letters. The classified section includes a “Card of Thanks’’ classification, and display ad space is also available.

Close to family, friends

To the Editor:

I am writing to let Wallowa County know how much I feel about making sure the residential care facility measure passes the election on May 17. I urge people to go to a public meeting about the residential care facility and ask questions that need answered to better help them understand the real need to have this pass. I know from the very deepest part of my soul that passing the health care district levy, 32-33, is the right thing to do.

Our family had to put my grandmother into the care center where she lived for four years. My grandmother took my mother and five kids into her two-bedroom home for two years. I love her so much that I made a point after we had to put her in the care center to go up and see her all the time, and to do her hair. We had to put my mother into the care center after she had several strokes. She couldn’t walk, and my dad, almost 90, wasn’t able to take care of her. I loved my mother, and would go to see her at least four times a week. I felt we were blessed to have the care center here where we could go and see her as often as we could. With Dad losing his eyesight, he couldn’t drive anymore. He could not have been able to go and see her every day if she was in a care center outside of Wallowa County.

I want you to now consider yourself, at an elderly age, not being able to stay in your home to care for yourself, and your family wasn’t able to take you in to care for you — where do you want to be? I, myself, want to stay here in the county, where I have lived all my life. I want to be close to friends and family.

Our country is in the mindset of making cuts by hurting us where it really hurts, and that is by attacking the young, and by attacking the old. I urge you now not to follow in the same mindset.

We need to care for our young and our elderly, and Wallowa County can come to the aid of the elderly by passing the levy. Please, really think positive, and vote yes to pass Measure 32-33.

Kathy Jenkins

Enterprise