THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 18, 1996 TAG: 9604170152
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 112 lines
This is a letter from the heart.
As a firefighter's wife and daughter, I want to thank everyone who said a prayer for the families of Frank Young and John Hudgins. We all thank you for the support you have given them and us by showing you care.
It makes it better, when we send them out the door to a job they love, to know that the people thank them for the risk to protect you and your property.
I would like to share another side of this story of giving - the dispatchers, the 911 operators:
Every time a call is made to the fire, police or rescue departments, a person is waiting, ready to send the aid that may be needed. Nobody moves until the dispatchers send them.
They listen to the pain, the screaming, the suffering that people have. They assess the problem, send the units and react to the need that always changes. They are the first line for us. So, with this in mind, let the people know that this loss was felt by another group on the front line, the dispatchers.
They heard the last words of the two heroes and reacted. These dispatchers know their firefighters and police, so the pain must have been unbelievable. Let's thank them for their work and let them know how much we care and depend on them.
God bless everyone again for showing that a city is made up of people, not numbers.
Linda Sykes Reynolds
Sportsmans Boulevard
Suffolk It's a good time to say thanks to volunteers
With April being National Volunteer Month for the first time in the nine-year history of our Suffolk Meals on Wheels Program, we would like to recognize the following individuals and agencies who help deliver meals to the homebound and those who are unable to prepare meals for various reasons. Without our volunteers, this program could not exist:
Dorothy Armistead, Gladys Bailey, Irie and Rillie Bailey, J. Irving Baines, Colette Ballard, Nebbie and Elizabeth Blow, Lynn Bonner, Jennifer Bradshaw, Jeff and Jo Bulluck of North Carolina, Marion Byrd, Inez Colbert, Marvin and Evelyn Collier, Sam and Jane Corbett, Margaret Croft, Eva Daniels, Dorothy Darden, Virginia Darden,
Ashby Dashiell, Simeon Diego, Shirley and Charlotte Duke, Deneen Evans, Lucille Farrell, Anna Fojtik, Roland Gates, Violet Gomer, Evelyne Graham, Robert and Elnora Grant, Leslie Hanan, Aubrey and Irene Brinkley Harrell, Cliff Harvell, Ed and Peggy Hazelette, Juanita Hicks, Esther Holland, Morris and Francis Holland,
Diana Horton, Jack Howell, Charles and Joan Hughes, Renate Joe, Carol Johnson, James Jones, Martha Jones of North Carolina, Grover Kennedy, Louise Keyes, Annie Kindred, Betty Knight, Grace Lancaster, Tom Lawson of Smithfield, Harry Leggett, Mary Mayberry, Charles Messinger, Jack Mitchell, Ruth Mitchell, Dot Montee, Margie Moore,
Dorothy Morgan, Sonica Murray, Della Myers, Annie Parker, Mary Sue Parker, Jim Pearce, Arlin Peoples, Rufus and Doris Powell, Jack Price, Peter D. Pruden Jr., Margaret Riddick, James Rogers, Vincent and Carolyn Ryan of Chesapeake, Al Saunders (1996 First Citizen), Dana Shaw (youngest volunteer), Karen Shaw, Hubert Swanner, Lyman Tripp, Bobby Trump, Mildred Wade, Bette Wenzler, Melva Rae West, Euell and Dorothy Williams, Harriet Wills, Wallace and Shirley Winslow, and Dick and Elizabeth Yenni.
Each of the following home health agencies is responsible for one week each month. Their employees deliver during their lunch hour approximately three days each week:
Commonwealth Health Care, Olsten-Kimberly Quality Care, In Home Health, First American Home Health, and Obici Home Health.
We welcome and appreciate the Suffolk Fire Department, which has recently joined forces by providing a service other than delivering meals.
Suffolk Meals on Wheels Board of Directors are:
Sherry Parker, chairperson; Faye Taylor, vice chairperson; Della Myers, secretary; Bertha Crocker, assistant secretary; Leroy Edwards, treasurer; Bobby Trump, assistant treasurer; Hattie West, historian; Etta Duck, AARP representative; Anna Fojtik, Junto representative;
Jack Howell, David Kelly, Grace Lancaster, Steve Pratt, Carolyn Ryan, Vincent Ryan, Ruth Saunders, John Seldon, Gin Staylor, Becky Umphlett, and Bee Norris, director.
As you can see by our list of volunteers, we not only have volunteers from out of town to help deliver meals, but also some from out of state.
We are always looking for volunteers who would be interested in helping out a couple days a month. The criteria we look for in a volunteer is to have transportation, a good driving record, be able to read and follow instructions, and be dependable. The return on this investment is the reward from helping those in need. Volunteers may some day need this service. We have already had some of our former volunteers who became recipients.
Suffolk Meals On Wheels last month celebrated its ninth anniversary. The program is self-pay and does not receive any city, state or federal funding. Therefore, we depend on fund-raisers and contributions to continue to serve nutritious meals to the homebound.
For more information on the program or how you can help, call the office at 934-4911.
Bee Norris, director
Suffolk Meals On Wheels Riddick for School Board
We, the citizens and members of the Westside Civic League, take this opportunity to announce our endorsement of Mr. John R. Riddick, a candidate for the School Board for the Nansemond Borough.
With previous school board experience, we feel that his serving on the board will be an asset to the educational system of Suffolk.
George W. Cargill, president
Westside Civic League by CNB