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I wish to let you know of my heartfelt thanks to all the members of the Pinellas County School Board. I was one of many who had to seek shelter on Sept. 4 at Meadowlawn Middle School, 6050 16th St. N in St. Petersburg.
The entire staff of the shelter - the principal, cafeteria staff and the police and fire department - went way beyond the call of duty. These people were very courteous and helpful in every way possible. They made more than 500 people feel at home under the stress and strain of Frances. May God bless each and every one for the way they handled the entire situation. They are in my prayers daily for a job well done.
Let's give a big cheer for our county's emergency services workers.
I stayed at Meadowlawn Middle School after a mandatory evacuation order was given for Hurricane Charley and also for Frances. The emergency personnel at the school all did their work at a high level of professionalism. The principal registered arrivals, aided the kitchen staff and made frequent announcements over the public address system. Police and EMT personnel were attentive to the needs of the elderly and infirm.
I hope the county makes a record of all the workers' efforts and rewards them for their work.
I have read the letters sent by those who are frustrated by the hurricanes, and I'm disheartened.
The men and women repairing the damage have been working nonstop since the storms.
Some, such as my husband, had to work the whole weekend and then more overtime the following week.
They weren't able to be home with their families or take care of their homes.
Even city workers still have no power at home and work.
How much work do we expect them to do? They can't work all day and all night.
Remember, the heat index is above 100 degrees and everyone is interrupting them to complain. Be patient.
Don't forget how lucky we really are in this country. Thank God we have electricity - some countries don't.
We haven't always had all these luxuries.
Remember how many homes there are in our county and how everyone has had tree debris on top of usual garbage collection.
Be patient.
Have a heart.
Say something kind.
We wish to thank Progress Energy for the restoration of our electrical service as promptly as the safety of their employees made possible. Many times we forget to thank the many who risk their lives for the citizens of our state and we wish to be among the first to do so.
We live in a 55-and-older community. We love the mobile home park concept. I'm "trailer trash," and we use the term in humor. Progress Energy, however, takes it literally.
"Trailer trash" is a low priority in Pinellas County. After Frances, power was lost, then restored - around us, but not here. We have gone four days without electricity.
A 55-plus park has older people, many in their 90s without air conditioning. People, let's look at priorities. Are older people more important than businesses, maybe?
My husband and I would like to thank the couple that came to clear off our deck and ramp after Frances. You could not see the deck due to all the branches and leaves. We don't know many of our neighbors, since many people have moved out and new neighbors have moved in.
I am a paraplegic due to a car accident and have to rely on a ramp to enter my home. The couple had yellow T-shirts with the Scientology Ministries name on the back. We have lived in Clearwater for more than 36 years and have yet to have someone we don't even know come to help us. Yes, there are some caring people out there.
Hats off to Clearwater's Solid Waste Department for picking up tree debris from our neighborhoods after Frances in record-breaking time. They were out in full force well after 6 p.m. removing debris piled up at the end of driveways. Great job.
Also, thank you St. Petersburg Times carriers for getting that all-important newspaper to homes and corner vending boxes during heavy weather and, of course, to the U.S. Postal Service for living up to its motto. Great job everyone.
With only two months remaining before "we the people" decide to remove or re-elect our president, the St. Petersburg City Council continues to discuss and ponder, with assistance of their legal staff, how to craft a new ordinance. That is just what our citizens need right now. A way to halt the homeless from begging on our roadways.
Surely they will find a means to halt the annoyance suffered by motorists in our Christian community, by those homeless, who stand holding signs, asking for money. There they stand, the castoffs of our way of life, who have sought refuge among us until they can regain a small sense of their dignity. Perhaps passage of a no-begging ordinance will make them go away before the snowbirds return and put the Christmas lights on their trees.
And the ordinance must also be drafted to halt those wishing to communicate to their fellow citizens by means of leaflet distribution to motorists when they stop their autos at a traffic signal.
Doesn't our City Council know what an unbelievable affront to free speech is being proposed? Our Bill of Rights is alive and well, and our City Council would do us all a favor by not tampering with our First Amendment.