Letters to the Editor

Family grateful for those who remember veterans

My husband, James T. Cooper, has been a resident of the Dorn V.A. nursing home, on the Three South Wing, in Columbia for 13 months. He was in the Third Infantry Division in World War II and a prisoner of war in Germany.

I won’t try to top all of the good things Mr. Ernest Stroud writes in The Lancaster News about the good people of Lancaster County and all over for the support of our veterans. We can’t thank all the different organizations who bring gifts for every patient there enough.

My husband had a big surprise when Linda Blackmon, the veterans affairs service officer, came with the quilters from Lancaster, and brought a beautiful patriotic quilt. About two weeks later the Kershaw County Quilters brought another quilt. The Presbyterian churches brought a hand made shawl for every patient. The D.A.V., V.F.W. and American Legion auxiliaries from all over the state bring gifts. The Wives of the Order of the Purple Heart organization presented him with a purple teddy bear.

I can’t leave out the soldiers from the different forts. The ones at Fort Jackson have cook outs on the front lawn. They also visit every room and shake the hands of the patients and thank them for making it possible for us to have the life we now have. They come from Shaw Air Force Base and Fort Stewart in Georgia. The ROTC’s and children from all over the state give out cards.

We can’t say enough about the treatment in the nursing home. It has a great staff of nurses and nurse’s assistants along with the volunteers. These volunteers read to the patients, have prayer with them, and feed the patients who are not able to feed themselves, even if the patient is in the dining room. The nurse practitioner calls me if there are any changes in my husband’s condition or he if his medicine is changed.

We thank the nursing home staff for their care and those who don’t forget the veterans.

The James Cooper family

Lancaster

Replace Happy Holidays flags with Merry Christmas

As I was traveling down South Main Street, I noticed the pretty green and red flags on each side of the road. I was appalled at what was on the flags – Happy Holidays. Give me a break. What is wrong with our society today? Last year, Wal-Mart told employees they could not say Merry Christmas to customers. Now we’re wishing people Happy Holidays on Main Street in Lancaster.Take the flags down and put up the right thing. It’s Christmas and what does Christmas mean and whom do we celebrate Christmas for – your family? It is the birth of Jesus Christ. To me, Merry Christmas says Happy Birthday Jesus. Happy Holidays just doesn’t do it for me. I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Claire M. Quinton

Lancaster

For more letters to the editor, pick up Wednesday's edition of The Lancaster News.