He’s 82 and living it up

To the Journal editor:

I read about the 67-year-old man who’s dreading living in an assisted living facility. I suggest he wake up to the rest of his life. I’m 15 years older than him. I have no worries about old age. I just celebrated my 82nd birthday with a 7-mile jog.

Stay young! I participate heavily in civic activities. I’m with a singing group of “older” folks who give about 15 concerts a year. I have friends that meet every week for table games. I participate heavily in church activities.

The writer should look for activities that keep him young. I wake every morning with thanks to God for this wonderful world, and I go to bed with a smile on my face. I have old-age insurance,and I’ll use it when the time comes. When my group goes to assisted-living facilities to sing, I see lots of smiles and happy faces.

There are people in this world who live on bare floors, no TV, unsure where their next meal is coming from. Be grateful for every day, friend. Live!

JOHN NUNN

Jacksonville Beach, Florida

Block party was great time

To the Journal editor:

Is there a better way to celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year than with a block party for the whole community? That’s what Silver Creek Church has been doing each August for the past 13 years through the Silver Creek Neighborhood Block Party.

The Block Party is our opportunity to bless children from across the county with much needed backpacks, school supplies and clothing. This year, through the support of our community and the efforts of 133 volunteers, 518 children received these items. In addition, because of the generosity of the Michigan Dental Association, each child also received a toothbrush and toothpaste!

We are thankful for not only the volunteers and the donations but for the non-profit and service agencies who joined us and provided information and resources to all the families who came. These groups included the Chocolay Township Police, who provided bike helmets, Care Clinic, Gwinn Teen Clinic, Head Start/Early Head Start, MARESA, MC2, Superiorland Pet Partners, UPCAP 2-1-1 and the Women’s Center.

We are also very grateful to the sponsors and supporters whose donations helped us make this community outreach possible. We would like to thank Breakfast Rotary, Beehive Beauty Lounge, Community Foundation of Marquette County, Double Trouble DJ, Holiday Station Store of Harvey, Kiwanis Club of Marquette, Marquette Community Federal Credit Union, McDonald’s of Harvey, North Country Disposal, Snyder Pharmacy, Thomas Theatre Group, Todd Noordyk and TOPS.

Whether donations came in the form of backpacks or school supplies, time, or dollars, every moment and dollar donated helped children and their family enjoy the end of summer and make the start of a new school year a little bit better for those who may have otherwise struggled to have the back-to-school items they needed.

Thank you to everyone who participated in making this year’s Silver Creek Neighborhood Block Party an overwhelming success! We appreciate each of you!

KAY BAMMERT, administrative assistant

Silver Creek Church

Coordinator, Block Party

Doesn’t have to be red vs. blue

To the Journal editor:

In the 1956 science fiction horror film “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” pod-grown replicas would identify humans by pointing and letting out a high pitch screech. Other replicas would then mass and swarm their next victim.

The far-right media seem to practice the same behavior, pointing, screeching and wailing “liberals,” “democrats,” and even “socialists,” in the hope to energize their fellow conservatives.

Labeling us a red conservative or a blue liberal is just an agenda to divide and conquer. A scenario of us-vs-them, or not-our-kind, is made possible due to those who are easily managed and directed, with narrow, short sighted thinking.

The necessity to receive a livable wage in return for a full-day’s work is not restricted to those identifying themselves as blue or red. I don’t believe that disease, illness, or injury is particular to what color you identify with. Nor do I see preference of color given to those who need and desire clean air, pure water, or access to a natural, undeveloped environment.

A family which gives one sibling 80 percent of its resources while the other siblings share in the remaining 20 percent is warped. A society that willingly allows a small minority of its citizens the vast majority of its wealth is no less perverted.

Providing health care for the 30 million without it, is a must. Updating our educational system to free K-14 not only relieves some of the student debt burden, but opens a path out of poverty for millions. Repairing infrastructure provides jobs, while facilitating trade and commerce. Reducing the national debt reduces the burden for generations to come.

Funding is available! We only need to return the top tax bracket rate for long-term capital gains and dividends back to 28 percent (1986 rate). It currently sits at 20 percent. Then set the top income tax bracket rate to 45 percent, less than it was from 1932-1986. Today it sits at 37 percent. For the vast majority of us, this will not cost a single dime more.

Under capitalism, financial reward and return does not have to allow for greed. Insuring social justice does not mean we have to tolerate a sloth. We don’t have to choose to be just blue or red.

We can all be Americans, living under a social democracy, accommodating capitalism while promoting social justice.

MAX GRAVES

Marquette

Rummage sale a success

To the Journal editor:

A big thank you goes out to all of our volunteers who put many hours of hard work into making our annual rummage sale a huge success. The community came out and supported us with so many generous donations.

We are so lucky to live in such a giving and caring community. Your generosity helps to support our children and youth programs.

Thank you again and we hope to see you next year at our rummage sale.

ANN WOOD

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 44

Marquette