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Letters to the Editor
11/03/99
A worthwhile cause
Two weeks ago, one of Madison County's best friends for the poor and destitute celebrated its 50th year of existence with a banquet at the Marriott.
I am talking about Christmas Charities Year Round. Founded in 1949 by the late Huntsville civic leader Milton Cummings, this agency has literally helped untold thousands of families in a number of areas: Providing clothing for school-aged children.
Furnishing needy families with toys and food through a Christmas program.
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Maintaining records and a screening system on clients served with and coordinated with other agencies providing welfare services.
Participating in time of emergency by collecting and distributing clothes, food and household items.
Paying emergency money for rent, doctor bills and utilities for many clients.
Buying school uniforms for those can not afford it.
The keynote speaker at this banquet was Melvin Allen, former director of the Boys and Girls Club in Huntsville. Allen gladly told how much Christmas Charities did for him and his family as a youngster growing up on a small farm in Madison County.
Today, a grateful Allen has gone on to greater heights with the Boys and Girls Club in Atlanta. I frankly do not think that most of the public realize how much Christmas Charities has done to enhance the quality of life for so many families in this area.
Congratulations to Christmas Charities on the great service it has provided for a half century. - Bob Molenda, Huntsville Veterans information
Are veterans aware that those with an honorable discharge may obtain free or almost free prescription drugs through the local Veterans Affairs Outpatient clinic, regardless of income?
An honorably discharged veteran with a service-connected disability may obtain free prescription drugs needed to treat this disability. One with service-connected disabilities rated at 50 percent or more may obtain free drugs for any medical condition. Almost any other honorably discharged veteran pays only a $2 fee for each drug, each month.
To obtain the drugs, they must make an appointment with a VA physician at the Huntsville VA Outpatient clinic. The physician will send the prescription to the Birmingham VA pharmacy by their daily courier.
The pharmacy will mail the drugs directly to the veteran. If the drugs are needed immediately, a two-week supply will be furnished by the University of Alabama at Birmingham clinic pharmacy located in the same building as the VA clinic.
For additional information, or for an appointment, write or call: VA Outpatient Clinic, 201 Governors Drive SW, Huntsville 35801, 535-3100. - Ed Marsh, Huntsville Street-sign blues
Why are all the street signs for the Memorial Parkway abbreviated?
With one or two exceptions they all read either Mem'l Parkway (the most common), Mem'l Pkwy or Mem Parkway. I think there is one that spells out the complete name.
Memorial Parkway is the main north-south artery and is a U.S. highway and should be recognizable as such.
Surely the city can spell out Memorial Pkwy on street signs just as well as it can for streets such as Whitesburg Dr., Bailey Cove Rd., Oakwood Ave., Four Mile Post, University Dr., etc., ad infinitum.
I have even seen a small neighborhood street, Shannonhouse Rd. which has many more letters than Memorial Pkwy. - Rich Brayton, Huntsville More myth-making
Talk about truth in advertising. On Oct. 31, Mike Rogillio's letter (''The real myths'') included a description of himself as an "intolerant, homophobic, self-righteous bigot" that was very perceptive.
I thought he could have included at least one other derogatory adjective, but upon reading the letter again I realized that it would have been redundant.
One of the myths he professes to believe is that "guns came into school when we took God out of school." I assume Rogillio refers to teacher-led prayer.
His statement is equivalent to saying that 100 percent of the alcoholics in this country started out by drinking milk. - Connie Mack Thomason, Somerville A winning cheer
I sort of felt like Bill "Impeached" Clinton would have offered some encouragement to Hillary's Yankees as they played the World Series. Something like, "Win One for the Zipper!" - Armond "Si" Simmons, Pell City Letters policy
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