America needs public option

To the editor:

I am writing in regards to health care reform and the Public Option. The time for catering to special interest groups over Americans needs to end.

I have Multiple Sclerosis and lost my lucrative job two years ago due to exhausting my Family and Medical Leave act time and no part-time positions were available to accommodate me until medications were adjusted during this exacerbation of my illness.

Not only did I lose more than half of our family's income, but I lost our family insurance also.

MS is a very expensive disease, and I have gone two years without my medications or the ability to see my doctors.

I've put hundreds of resumes out there with no luck. I worked with vocational rehabilitation in December and we found what we thought was a company that would train, mentor, and provide employment for disabled Americans and veterans in a work from home scenario. We found out five months later that they did not provide what they advertised, as well as not paying their employees.

Obviously I am no longer working for that company, but again I lost hope of getting a job that would provide insurance.

My family is now just another statistic of the unin-sured/under-insured American. We are not alone, and each American must realize that you are one accident or serious illness away from catastrophe.

No one thinks it will happen to them, until it does and by then it is too late.

We need health care reform and the Public Option. No pre-existing clauses, no more status quo. We need affordable, quality choices for health care. There is no real reform without the Public Option! The Public Option is the only way to guarantee competition and affordable, high quality health care to all Americans.

We need to take a strong stand and demand the change that we elected our officials to accomplish.

Candy Martin

Redkey

Stock shelves

To the editor:

"Trick or Treat for the Food Bank" and help fill the shelves of our community food bank this holiday season!

You can help our community by collecting food items from your friends and neighbors. Helping is easy. While you are trick or treating, simply ask for a donation of a can of food.

Everyone can participate. Dress up, have fun, and benefit your community.

Please help stock the shelves. Bring your donations to the Community Resource Center, 118 S. Meridian St., Portland, from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday during Portland Merchant Trick or Treat or from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Ghosts and goblins of all ages, visit your friends and neighbors, donate your bounty on Halloween night and receive a special treat!

If you have questions or donations, please call me at 260-726-7999.

Thanks for making our community stronger!

Alex Dunn

Portland[[In-content Ad]]