Thank you again, students

Thank you again, students

For me, Veterans Day start- ed very early, with a wonderful Veterans Breakfast provided by student council at McDonald High School. Entertainment was by the school’s choral group.

In March the Historical Society needed flyers passed out to the entire village. Who stepped up and offered to help? Yes, the students from McDonald High School.

In July at the annual Homecoming, tent after tent was set up and sold items supporting the school. Yes, students worked in these tents.

And you only have to read the sports page to be proud of all the accomplishments of our sports programs. Once again students giving of their spare time to make McDonald “Ohio’s Finest Village.”

David A. Martin, McDonald

Thank you, lifesavers, everyone

Recently I spent a long peri- od of time in the hospital and a nursing home to deal with several serious health problems.

Many of the expenses connected with these stays were covered by Medicaid and Medicare. Oftentimes, people forget to thank the taxpayers who pay into Medicaid throughout Ohio. I would like to take this chance to thank all other taxpayers without whom my medical problems may have remained untreated. Thank you and God bless you.

John Colesante, Steubenville

Thanks for your ongoing support

Goodwill Industries is pleased to be able to serve our five-county area. The funds generated by our eight local Goodwill Stores enable us to provide vocational rehabilitation services and employment to people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. These funds also help us to provide Radio Reading Services and Vision Screening Services to preschool children. Overall, over 5,000 people benefited from our services in 2010 and we paid over $3 million in wages.

Goodwill is fortunate to operate in a very generous, supportive community.

I urge you to continue to donate your clothes, shoes and houseware items to Goodwill and/or some other local non-profit organizations. Many of the collection boxes placed locally do not benefit our local community. Some are profit-making organizations. Please donate wisely.

During this holiday season, I extend my thanks for your support and encourage your continued support.

On behalf of our staff, board, our employees and those served in our programs, I extend Happy Holidays to you.

Michael W. McBride, Youngstown

The writer is executive director of Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries, Inc.

Don’t leave home for treatment

I recently spent three days in the orthopedic surgery section of St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center. Everyone there was kind, efficient and caring, from the registration desk to the strong man who helped me into the car on discharge.

It makes me ask why anyone would go anywhere else — like Cleveland or Pittsburgh — when we have this great facility here.

Kudos to every one who took part in my care, including my very trusting surgeon, Dr. Thomas Boniface.

Janet Ashman, Boardman

Thanks to teachers, then and now

I wish to thank many people who have contributed to my life in many ways. It goes without saying that my family invested in me from day one. Mother, Father, grandparents, sisters and brothers and all their progeny.

I especially want to acknowledge a small but mighty group of teachers at Roosevelt Elementary School.

I attended kindergarten through sixth grades when Esther Joyce was the principal, and I remember Ms. Ball, Mrs. Prescott, Ms. Huffman, Ms. Manning, Ms. Funk, Ms. Kragel and Mr. Toti as my classroom teachers, with Ms. McKinley and Ms. McSweeny for homemaking and art. Those are the names as I remember them.

These people helped me develop my mind and I always wanted to say thank you. In this day when teachers are being castigated and thrown away, I want to thank the many others like them who help children dream and grow.

You inspired me to become a teacher, and in my retirement I think often of what you meant to me.

Elizabeth Armstead Grant, Greensboro, N.C.

Veterans continue to give

The Newton Falls Commu- nity Food Pantry would like to thank the Newton Falls American Legion, Post 236, for their continued support of the pantry and their recent donation of $1,000 toward holiday food for the needy.

The men of the Legion not only served their country, but have continued to do good community service work, helping many charities with the fund raisers.

If you see an American Legion member, say thank you for all he and his organization have done for so many years.

Doug Herlinger, Newton Falls.

The writer is manager of the Newton Falls Community Food Pantry.

Eternally grateful to St. E’s

St. Elizabeth Hospital on Bel- mont Avenue saved my life.

I went to the emergency room because both my arms felt numb. My wife, who has some medical training, listened to my chest and said it did not sound right, so we went in.

When we arrived, they checked my heart right away and told me I was having a heart attack and that I would need bypass surgery, which they performed.

Before this, I was having shortness of breath and had been to other doctors, but they never checked my lungs. The heart surgeon, Dr. Hunter, saw my lungs during surgery and found that I have fibrosis, for which there is no cure.

I am receiving my heart medication and it is working well. I am also seeing a very good pulmonary doctor, Dr. Barreiro at St. Elizabeth.

St. Elizabeth did all of this for free because I was unemployed and on unemployment benefits.

I am now on permanent disability and St. Elizabeth still takes good care of me. I am eternally grateful to everyone there. And a special thanks to the nurses on the fifth floor, who are great. Please keep up the good work.

Raymond W. Cody, Campbell

Thanks for remembering

I would like to publicly thank Atty. Joseph Moro and everyone at Heller, Maas, Moro & Magill law firm for their support of working-class people throughout Ohio, especially in the Mahoning and Trumbull County area.

They were able to see the injustices of Senate Bill 5 and the devastation it would have on the unions and middle class people of our state and they helped us defeat this anti-union bill. It is amazing how some people forget the terrible times our fathers and grandfathers had before unions were formed. I am thankful that these professionals at this law firm have not forgotten where they came from.

James P. Cerimele Sr., Youngstown