ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 28, 1996 TAG: 9611290034
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C7 EDITION: HOLIDAY
COLUMN: Good Neighbors Fund
SOURCE: By BETSY BIESENBACH STAFF WRITER
Every moment of every day of their lives, Joan and her husband, George (not their real names), live with excruciating pain.
They both have back problems that make it difficult, if not impossible, to work, they said. This fall, Joan quit the job she has held for the past three years.
"All the things I used to do and took for granted, I can't do anymore," she said. Even making a bed is too much for her now.
But George, who is on disability, still does enough odd jobs to keep some money coming into the household.
His entire monthly check goes toward paying for Joan's medical insurance because her employer no longer pays the premium, she said.
"It's our top priority."
George is on Medicaid, but Joan said he has lost his faith in his doctors, anyway, and refuses to receive any more treatment. Sometimes, when he comes home, he is in so much pain he can barely walk.
Joan, 49, is recovering from an operation and is waiting to find out whether she can return to work. Her job requires her to sit at a machine for 8 to 10 hours a day while using her feet.
"I'd like to go back to work," she said, "But the doctor doesn't want to discuss it."
While she is waiting for her back to heal, she is taking sign language classes in the hope that she can someday retrain for a new job, possibly working with the deaf.
In the months before she went into the hospital, she and George had come very close to paying off all of their debts.
"We had just about got them caught up," she said. "We were starting to breathe like normal people again."
But her illness set them back, so she went to the Presbyterian Community Center when she couldn't pay her electric bill and the power was about to be shut off.
Five years ago, when George first went on disability, the couple had declared bankruptcy. They came to the center then for groceries before they were approved for food stamps, and for medicines before George went on Medicaid.
This time, she was given assistance from the Good Neighbors Fund, which is sponsored by the Roanoke Times and distributed through Roanoke Area Ministries.
Both times they came in "we never felt like we were begging for help," she said.
In spite of their troubles, "we seem to be pretty well satisfied," Joan said.
Wednesday's contributors included:
Edwin and Frankie Scott
E. Robert and Shirley Biggs
James Addison White
Arla J. Hilgert
William D. Hart
Monday Night Bridge Game
Wednesday Night Bridge Game
Caryl G. Solomon, in memory of Dr. Arthur C. Solomon
Mary Frye, in memory of John P. Frye
Fellowship Class of Central United Methodist Church
Shirley Rehfield
M.L. and R.S. Jamison
Rebecca Jones, in memory of Charles Jones and Demona Kirk Jones; and in honor of Vera Smith and Elizabeth Stout
Mrs. Albert E. Echols, in memory of Albert Echols
Mickey Wirt, in memory of Tony Wirt
Mary H. Reynolds, in memory of David Reynolds
Gene A. Hylton, in memory of Walter and Essie Hylton
Jan David Wright
Marjorie and Bill Dunbar, in memory of their parents
Edna H. Wade
Elizabeth P. Stephenson, in honor of Virginia C. White and Dolly and Bill Hall
Jerry McConaghie, in memory of Ken, Ken Jr. and Sandy McConaghie
Rhea C. Garst, in memory of T.C. Garst
Mindy, Graci and Josh Burgin, in honor of God and Jesus; and in memory of Pap-Pap
Claudia Ramsey, in memory of Ken Ramsey and Marion Bond
Margie Collin Rett and Cameron Peel, in honor of Belva Hicks
Nancy E.R. Tyler, in memory of Emmett C. Rankin and Robert E. Tyler
Ron and Judy East, in memory of Pearl S. Beasley and Richard R. Beasley; Glenie S. Smith, Susie S. Lann and Wanda Hannon
Paul and Frances Buford, in memory of Leo Van Howard
Colonial Club at Colonial Presbyterian Church
Keith Kellogg Hunt Jr., in memory of Keith and Mary Louise Hunt
Kathleen S. Pitman, in memory of Richard S. Pitman
Don and Betty Graham, in memory of Pat Fuller
ANONYMOUS DONATIONS $ 270.00
SUBTOTAL $ 3,563.10
TOTAL AS OF 11/27/96 $ 3,563.10
Checks made payable to the Good Neighbors Fund should be mailed to The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 1951, Roanoke, VA 24008.
Names - but not donation amounts - of contributing businesses, individuals and organizations, as well as memorial and honorific designations, will be listed in the newspaper. Those requesting that their names not be used will remain anonymous. If no preference is stated, the donor's name will be listed.
LENGTH: Long : 104 linesby CNB