LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- May 27, 2008
Dear Editor;
This is a letter not by but about people of Princeton. I would appreciate very much if you decide it publishable.
Please do not throw this letter away before you finish reading the whole thing because of my writing skill. I need your gracious patience because I did not grow up in an English-speaking environment.
This is a thank you letter to two Princeton residents and the lovely town they live in and represent. I encountered them when I was passing the town in March of 2008.
It all started with Razz, a 9 year old Iguana.
It's a shame that I did not even have the address of Razz's home - I lost the business card I took with me when I last time left. But I do remember the location whereabouts.
Razz's home is inside a store with a sign of Otter Co-op outside. They sell pet food, plants, and gardening stuff and lots more other things. It is on the street at the corner right across Best Western Hotel.
On the March 26th, 2008, we were on the way back from Ainsworth Hot Spring to our home in North Vancouver when we passed Princeton.
I never like any cold blood animal before.
Yet, thinking to add some fun and joyful moments and memory for my son Jerry, an 11 year old boy. I decided to stop and say hi to Razz, so we did.
It turned out to be a very pleasant experience.
Razz is a good-looking guy, quite handsome indeed. He impressed me most with his temperament and diet. He appears a very patient, calm and serene personality. And he is a vegetarian!
For the first time in my life, I stroked and touched a reptile.
A reptile can be gentle and sweet. That is quite educational for me too. It opened my mind towards other beings, who co-live with us on earth harmlessly and harmoniously. Life is an endless wonder. I was too judgmental and ignorant about some other species before I met Razz. I felt shameful of myself, but pleased to be enlightened in this fun way.
It's a fun and inspirational experience. Both my son and I enjoy very much the short visit with Razz.
The gentle man in the store, graciously told us about Razz's life and let us get closer to Razz, touch him and take pictures with him. Later on, I learn about his name Keith Olsen.
Anything in life, happy or sad, has an end. So did the merry time with Razz.
As a traveler, I know it's time to say good-bye. So we left. I also left my purse there.
I must have been very tired. There were two nights before that day I did not get enough sleep, plus the blood disease I have been struggling with.
With all the IDs and personal things in it, one can imagine how stressful I was when I realized yet already back to lower mainland.
Want to know the rest of the story? Please let me tell you briefly though not least important.
Keith and Dawn (a dear loving lady who works there) took a very good care of my purse and kept it safe there until I went back to pick it up the next day. All my IDs, personal stuff and a few hundred cash were safe and well in it when I came back for it.
And they don't accept any cent of my offering 100 or 200 as a token of thanks.
Dawn said with a naughty smile, "We are a small town. But we people here are pretty cool."
Aren't they?
So is Razz.
So is Princeton, I thought.
I am not good at telling story. But I want to tell as many people as possible about the story of my experience of this town with cool people like Dawn and Keith, and cool pet like Razz living in. It's as real as beautiful Princeton is.
At this moment of my writing to you, the fish swimming quietly and happily in the aquarium we brought back from that store, keep reminding us of the fond memory. Princeton is not that far as I used to feel any more.
I will come back.
Meanwhile, I have the best wishes for this town with its wonderful people and their beautiful spirits. And I pray for the people, animals, mountains, land, rivers and all other natural resources there continually being blessed with joy and prospect.
- Shuren Ji, North Vancouver
To The Editor;
We first would like to say thank you to all of you that are there when we and others need help. We find that with the rising cost of fuel, food, utilities, etc. we have had an overabundance of requests for help and because of this our Food Cupboard is getting very low on supplies. We realize that there is only so much that we can ask of the people of Princeton, but we nevertheless have to reach out to you at this time. We are being told by the people that we are helping that their money just isn't covering the costs of living. We have also become aware that some of these people needing help have been victimized by others who are also in a desperate situation.
What Crisis Assistance can do about this is just to be there for those that are in need. I am sure you are probably saying that some of the ones that we help don't need help, but let me tell you we screen those that are asking for help and if we feel that they do not need it or if we feel that they just keep coming back each month thinking that we are a Food Bank we explain to them that we are not a Food Bank, but just a Food Cupboard.
There is a great difference between the two and the Food Cupboard depends solely on the generosity of others in this town.
So Princeton, we are asking if anyone has anything to contribute to our Food Cupboard please contact us at the following numbers: (250) 295-6881 or 295-7891.
The donation of a Healthy Harvest Box would be an added bonus for a family in need.
We want to thank you in advance for anything that you can do to help us in our current situation.
- Carol Ruoss, Crisis Assistance Interim President
To The Editor;
Princeton Attainable Housing Society has received permission to use that name as a registered non-profit society thanks to a generous donation from Princeton District Teachers Union. This is the first step to becoming a registered society. The housing committee has approached several other organizations for funding assistance to facilitate the rest of the process. Replies have not yet been received but are eagerly awaited.
Once the full process is completed the next funding drive will be for monies to do feasibility studies on several different projects to improve the availability of safe and affordable housing for all in Princeton.
On May 3rd the Teachers Union and Princeton Attainable Housing members braved the rain to put on a demonstration at the cenotaph to draw attention to the need for housing for all throughout BC. This was simultaneous with similar demonstrations throughout BC for the same cause.
During the demonstration two different people stopped to say that they needed housing. Other comments were, "I worked for 30 years so I don't need any housing." The implication we inferred in those types of comments were that the homeless were lazy.
We take exception to that and want to emphasize to people who have the same misconception that there are many reasons why some people find themselves in dire straits and it is not just being too lazy to work. Some people are unable to work due to physical or mental illnesses, age-related issues, injuries, etc.
The plans are for another demonstration sometime in June when summer comes and at that time there will be hot dogs and pop available for donations to the Society. Please come out and show your support at that time.
It has come to the attention of the Housing Committee that there are people living in the bush around Princeton because they do not have the financial means to live in town. One of our committee members was told recently that one such group was robbed of the meagre supplies that they did have and went two days with no food until they could find help!
Could you survive two days without food? I know that I could not! Does this mean that there was someone else out there cold and hungry enough to steal food and sleeping bags and other gear?
It is despicable that such things should happen in our town and our country! What has happened to Canada the land of milk and honey that so many of our ancestors flocked to in years past - where people were always willing to offer a helping hand to those less fortunate than themselves?
One of the dreams of the Housing Committee is to eventually have a small hostel so that people who become stranded in our town can at least have a roof over their heads until they can find work or move on to where they can find work or family to help them.
Whatever reasons are that people are homeless needs to be addressed after their homelessness is rectified. Everyone needs safe warm housing, food, water and clean air before they can become a productive member of contributing to society. We would welcome new and enthusiastic members, can you help this committee?
If so, please call (250) 295-7337.
- Sylvia Bailey, Princeton
