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Vol. LXV, No. 19
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Wednesday, May 11, 2011
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Vol. LXV, No. 19
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Wednesday, May 11, 2011
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Mary A. Bundy
The Great Road
Harry Levine
Crestview Drive
Casey Lambert, Caren Sturges
Princeton
To the Editor:
Since “Secure@Home” has once again come to my rescue with immediate and immeasurable help, I want to tell the elderly of the Princeton community who are not members what a marvelous organization this is. Joining before the accident or health incident strikes is well worth the money it costs annually for a single person or couple.
When you join the first thing they do is to get all the information that could become necessary for you or your family in an emergency. That includes names of family members, their telephone numbers, your various doctors names and telephones numbers, your living will, your long term health insurance and other health insurance card numbers, the drugs you take, names and numbers of several close friends and neighbors, etc. All of this is reviewed every year to give Secure@Home the most up-to-date information about its members so that should a health crisis occur, they are ready to take action. When there is an emergency and they get the call that you are in need at home they come. If you are taken to the ER they come there, and do whatever is needed.
In addition, they have developed partnerships with businesses and individuals providing services such as care giving, snow plowing, gutter cleaning, computer help, plumbing, etc. They will also come and talk with you if you have a problem that you can’t seem to resolve, be it physical or practical. There is a chore corps too that will provide a given number of hours periodically, doing things around the house like changing difficult light fixtures, or smoke detector batteries, hanging pictures etc.
Throughout the year Secure@Home has cultural and wellness lectures, exercise programs, tax help, and the like, for its members. This organization is run very professionally, with a caring staff, and helps, enormously, in providing the support one needs to remain in one’s own house as long as possible. It is a very important addition to our community.
Mary A. Bundy
The Great Road
To the Editor:
Phyllis Teitelbaum and Anthony Lunn recently expressed concern that consolidation would mean a loss of the “borough perspective” which is “what distinguishes Princeton from a New Jersey suburb.” As an example, they cite the decision to keep the Princeton Public Library at its downtown location, despite pressure from Township residents to move it to the shopping center where parking is more accessible.
Let me remind Ms. Teitelbaum and Mr. Lunn that the decision about where to locate the library was jointly determined after almost ten years of wrangling between the two governing bodies during which time construction costs escalated from $12 to $18 million. This hidden cost of separate governments should be taken into consideration by those now studying the impact of consolidation.
As for fear that the library would locate to the shopping center, the real issue was not which municipality would be home to this “jewel in the crown” but rather the provision of adequate access for users of the library. Studies at the time showed that automobiles were the dominant means of getting to the library (and coincidentally, also getting downtown to shop). So providing adequate parking was a key requirement. Once the borough agreed to build a garage with enough parking for library users, the issue of where to locate was quickly resolved, to the benefit of all.
I cannot believe that protecting what some are calling “boroughness” needs the continuation of duplicative governing bodies with all their inefficiencies. Our downtown does indeed distinguish Princeton and we are all interested in supporting its health and vitality, regardless of whether we drive or walk.
Harry Levine
Crestview Drive
To The Editor:
As Co-Chairs of the 22nd Annual Spring Benefit for the Planned Parenthood Association of the Mercer Area, we wish to thank the hundreds of enthusiastic supporters who attended the luncheon at the Hyatt, as well as our Benefit Committee and the Planned Parenthood staff. It was our most successful fundraiser, setting records in both attendance and contributions.
Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and U.S. Representative Rush Holt sent messages of thanks to attendees. Everyone was gratified to note the record number of men at the event, signaling a new awareness of the importance of women’s reproductive health issues.
Planned Parenthood serves more than 1 in 5 women in the country. Over 97 percent of its services focus on preventive care, including mammogram referrals and cancer screenings, family planning counseling, and pregnancy prevention. Planned Parenthood is dedicated to providing access to reproductive health care for both men and women. The funds raised at the lunch will help ensure that our local affiliate can continue its vital work.
We urge the people of Mercer County who believe that every woman has a right to reproductive health counseling and family planning, regardless of income, to support Planned Parenthood. These rights are being threatened as never before. We thank our State Senators Barbara Buono and Linda Greenstein and State Assemblyman Reed Gusciora for being with us at the luncheon. And we thank Rep. Holt for his continuing fight for the future of Planned Parenthood on behalf of women everywhere.
Casey Lambert, Caren Sturges
Princeton