LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- January 8, 2008
Dear Editor:
Wake Up, Princeton!
I didn't know this town was such a big gambling town! I like gambling, too - a few $$$ here and there is fun and it doesn't hurt normally - once in a while you even win! But if you put all your money on four horses - let's call them Doctor #1, Doctor #2, Doctor #3 and Doctor #4 than you better be sure one of them wins! In our case it looks pretty grim because horses #1 and #2 are retiring and horses #3 and #4 won't be part of our community anymore in the very near future.
Now that is more than a rumour and one no one can ignore!
The end of March we all could be without a doctor in this town! No one can expect for a doctor or any person for that matter, to put in one overtime after another without a break. It's about time the government knows that there are small towns in BC that need just as much medical help than any other place in and around Vancouver. What I don't understand is that how it can be cheaper for the BC Government to let a few towns like Princeton totally down with healthcare personnel if already one dead person or heavily insured person a year on Highways 3 or 5A can cost ICBC millions in damages?
Every single life saved - because of proper facilities and available doctors - especially in rural areas, will save the government huge money down the road. Another 400 or so people will move here shortly with the mine opening. If they find a place to live they certainly need a doctor and there are already none! Imagine the new doctor coming in April reading the paper today or hearing the news about how many patients he will have - let's hope he won't bail out!
Someone has to get the news across to the government that without the hospital Princeton will not exist. Why can't we have some kind of special surgery like we had ten years ago? All babies should be born here - not in Penticton or Spokane...there should be no need to consider shutting this hospital down or downsizing it any further...we have to get the message across that only a bigger hospital with more doctors will help this community to grow in a healthy way.
The government has to know that they put this whole town on hold without the hospital or lousy service at the hospital because of no doctors and/or nurses.
They are able to ship RCMP members all over the place without asking and airline pilots cannot choose where they want to fly in the first years - so why can't there be an arrangement that younger doctors or even some more experienced older ones have to work for a year or two in a rural area? What I hear is that the two younger doctors who left actually loved the area and the town but working all year round without support from the government by providing more support staff (doctors) wears them out. So I hope Mr. Lali and us can produce a little fire in Victoria that wakes them up!
If we get plenty of TV time for our dead people it should be possible to get Mr. Lali TV time to fight for this since we are all still alive!
Please send your opinions to abetterprinceton@hotmail.com.
The hospital is important to this town and we can't trade it off for a heli pad!
Everybody who owns a place here will feel it if there is no hospital up and running!
A town in this location will not attract more people without a hospital!
A lot of support work can be provided by all of us living here!
See it out of the eyes of a doctor...coming here...can't find a nice place to live...lots of eyesores in town...4,000+ possible patients 24/7...we have to make this town spotless - like when we invite friends over...I guarantee you it will be a place people will want to come, visit and stay!
We have something other towns don't have - the best people!!!
As long as we don't get sick.
A doctor doesn't want a free burger a day - a doctor wants a nice work environment, regular work hours, things to do in town...a nice cool town with people who care and have pride in their town.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
- Stefan Dietz, Princeton
To The Editor;
A couple friends of mine contacted me on December 29th to let me know they were concerned about three rabbits at a neighbour's house.
The rabbits had been left without food or water in sub-zero conditions.
I found them covered up in a 3-foot by 2-foot cage with no daylight and an unimaginable amount of their own waste.
The owner had apparently left for the coast with her children on December 20th. These poor rabbits had been in this condition for nine days!
My friend had been in contact with the owners who indicated they would not be home until January 7th. That would be a total of 17 days these rabbits would have stayed in this condition, so I chose to take the poor starving animals home with me.
I called the SPCA and they said they could not do anything unless I put them back and they (the SPCA) could see the conditions themselves.
I didn't have the heart to do that, so nothing is being done. I think the lady who owns the rabbits should be charged.
She has a number of her own children and they are witnessing this kind of treatment to animals and thinking nothing of it. What are the chances that they will grow up and treat animals in the same way?
This was a disgusting and horrifying sight and people have to come to the realization that all animals have feelings and enjoyable experiences.
I am writing this letter on January 4th and the family has still not returned from the coast.
The rabbits would have suffered and died an awful and inhumane death if they had been left in the conditions they were in.
- R. Brown, Princeton
Letter to The Editor;
This letter is directed to all residents of the Electoral Areas in the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen.
Since November 2007, the Three Regional Districts in the Okanagan and Similkameen have been taking part in a Governance Review. At this time we have grave concerns that this review may ultimately end up with one Regional District serving the entire area. If this is the case it would significantly diminish rural representation. Decisions would be made at a centralized level without consideration for local goals, needs or desires.
We have grave concerns that our voices are not being heard during this process. If this is to continue, the fate of the Electoral Areas will not be in our hands, but in those of others.
There will always be a need to review governance and how services are delivered and we are always open to this type of discussion. However at this time we feel that our Regional District is functioning well. We are pro-active and provide good solid governance to our constituents.
In the New Year a website will be activated that will provide information on the process of the Governance Review. The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen will provide a link to this site on its webpage, www.rdos.bc.ca.
We will do our utmost to represent you as equal shareholders in this Governance Review and we will strive to have our voices heard.
Sincerely;
Gerri Logan, George Hansen, Tom Chapman, Ron Perrie, Bill Schwarz, Allan Patton, Joe Nitsch, Mark Pendergraft
To The Editor;
Once again the Christmas spirit is evident in Princeton, with donations as generous as ever. For Crisis Assistance this is a particularly busy time of year, delivering in excess of 100 Christmas Hampers and food vouchers.
We have been doing this since 1988, and are proud of our record. Hamper recipients are carefully screened to ensure need, and we liaison with Keremeos and Penticton food hampers to ensure nobody takes advantage of the generosity of this community. We encourage anyone who knows of a family in need to fill in an application form.
However, each year someone or organization will decide to make up and distribute food hampers for the community. We at Crisis Assistance really appreciate the thought and effort these people put into making up these hampers, no one knows better just how much work goes into this, but without checking with Crisis Assistance (as we do with Keremeos) double hamper delivery is not only likely, but probable.
We always require between 20 and 30 volunteers from December 18 to 23 each year to make up and deliver the hampers, and each year this community comes through with flying colours, so give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.
From personal experience, however, it is discouraging to deliver a hamper to some one in apparent need and be told to "just put it there with the other hampers." This is one more reason for the existence of Crisis Assistance.
In 1988 our founder, Ted Worthington, invited service organizations, local churches and any interested individuals to participate in Crisis Assistance, an invitation that has been repeated numerous times over the years.
Our current board members consist of all local churches and members of local business and service clubs. These are dedicated people unwavering with their effort to make Crisis Assistance successful.
Hampers are only one aspect of the Crisis Assistance mandate. We also help accident victims, stranded travelers and burn out/flood victims with short-term accommodation and food. Any organization that feels the need to participate with Crisis Assistance activities would be more than welcome to join our organization. We meet every third Thursday of each month at Noon at the Elks Hall.
Thank you, Princeton for your support!
- Corry Oerlemans, Treasurer, Princeton Crisis Assistance
