Letters to the Editor

Loves TCR E-edition

Dear Tri-City Record,

I love your new web subscription option. I loved the printed one too. It gave me access to the TCR features I wanted to see, but added to the heavy pile of papers I had to recycle every week or so.

Jean Christensen

Giving back

Coloma Schools community,

Coloma Community Schools is proud to support students on their educational journey, which for many includes service to the community. No matter how young, we encourage our students to think of others and how supporting peers, family and neighbors, is essential to being a good citizen. Whether an in-class activity or initiative that positively impacts Coloma, we give back when and how we can. As it’s the holiday season, I wanted to share some ways in which our students have risen to the challenge of community service and volunteerism.

To recognize Veterans Day, we opened our doors to Coloma veterans for a free breakfast. Talented members of our district choir and band performed for the brave women and men of our community who served our country.

The Coloma High School National Honor Society recently “Raked A Difference” by cleaning up the yards of senior citizens in the community to help them get ready for winter.

Finally, we are currently holding our 10th annual Kindness and Compassion Drive. This initiative helps our elementary and intermediate students learn more about empathy. During this time, students collect goods for donation. Join us in celebrating the work our youngest learners are putting in to support our community.

It has been an eventful month at Coloma Community Schools, and we look forward to extending our service to others in December.

To learn more about Coloma Community Schools, or to enroll your child, please visit ccs.coloma.org.

Superintendent Dave Ehlers

Berrien County veterans need specialty services

Editor,

Berrien County veterans are not getting their medical needs met at the new clinic. There was a big article with pictures about the new clinic with big shots pictures cutting the ribbon who aren’t veterans just to try to pat themselves on their backs so they can get votes.

It appears the employees working there are the real benefactors of the establishment. Their service is some lab work and doctor visit. You don’t beautify the wagon if you don’t have the horse to pull it. Veterans are grateful for the facility, its appearance is outstanding and in our area there are over 12,000 veterans that could seek help.

They did accomplish their goal of giving us a bigger facility but failed in giving us the professionals needed to offer services to these veterans. They have served their time and now need someone to serve them in specialized areas such as gastrology, neurology, podiatry, ophthalmology, physical therapy, and dermatologists.

There is also a need for psychological and social services provider that can treat those in despair, with suicidal tendencies and physical injuries from their time in the service. There are twenty veterans each day that commits suicide from depression.

I’ve worn out two cars, the miles add up when you drive back and forth to Battle Creek, Ann Arbor, Detroit and Chicago hospitals to get those services. Many veterans are complaining how rudely they are treated. There is no reason why they do not treat a veteran with respect - they wouldn’t have a job if it wasn’t for the veteran. Veterans give people thousands of jobs around the world.

I was designated by the DAV Chapter 17 officers to write this letter. We are losing veterans to the V.A. Clinic of Mishawaka, Indiana named after U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Walorski who was killed in a car accident. She had a heart for the veterans and she and her staff put a wonderful facility together. More importantly they have medical doctors who are specialized in areas that are important to the care for the veteran. Big question, why don’t Michigan politicians of Berrien County put in a facility with specialized services?

There is no Urgent Care for veterans. When veterans get sick they have to drive a long distance to one of the big cities for care, on weekends the Clinic is closed; veterans get sick on weekends also!

There is a V.A. Clinic in the Twin Cities because about 40 years ago, I and a group of veterans organized at the V.F.W. on Napier Avenue. We had a group of officers come from Battle Creek and Ann Arbor hospitals; it was a big victory getting the clinic here for the Berrien County veterans.

Yours truly,

Former SP/ E5

From 7th Army Corp of Engineers

Chaplain of Lest We Forget and

DAV Chapter 17

Norman C. Crawford