Thanks for supporting donor drives
To the editor:
The Community Service Committee of Saint Jude Parish would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the donors and volunteers who gave their time to make our recent combined American Red Cross blood and Be The Match Registry bone marrow typing drives a great success.
While the weather was not the best — actually it was pretty nasty for most of the day — many brave souls came out to donate, as well as our many dedicated volunteers who baked, cooked or came in to volunteer.
After all was said and done, we had the following results: 112 donors presented to donate blood for the Red Cross. Including our donors for "double red" collection, we collected a grand total of 102 pints — a great success!
Now an apology: For many various reasons, we had delays in getting the donors processed and some waited an unusually long time to donate. Thank you for your patience. Please accept our apology for this delay and know that we are working with the Red Cross to work out these issues. This is not usual for our drive and we want you back as a donor.
For the Be The Match Registry, we had another eight donors who completed the paperwork and cheek swab to be added to the international database in hopes of finding a match for Gerry Shuck of Londonderry, or one of the many patients waiting for a bone marrow transplant. A special thank you to Kelcie, Jackie and Kelsey for their volunteer efforts — they are great!
If you would still like to join the registry and be typed, there is still time.
Thank you to the Derry News team for such a wonderful job spreading the word about our drives with your articles before the event and follow up articles after the event. Without your help, our drives would not be as successful as they are.
Vincent Curro
Londonderry
New trail markers are appreciated
To the editor:
I had been a frequent visitor to the Musquash Conservation Area over the years but for a variety of reasons I had not been there in a while.
I entered the trail off of Hickory Hill Road the other day with my dog, Willow, and was surprised and pleased to find the new trail markers. The information on the markers was so useful and very educational.
I read that two Boy Scouts, David Roberts and Zack Richards, placed the markers throughout the Musquash as their Eagle Scout project. I want to thank them for coming up with the idea, raising the funds and seeing the project through.
Bonnie McSpiritt
Londonderry
Republicans should support bargaining
To the editor:
I have read with interest the articles about certain Republican legislators and senators attempting to strip public employee unions of collective bargaining rights.
I am well aware of union inefficiencies and corruption; I am just as aware of three years of management unfairness towards the American worker. Much of what is considered common and appropriate in the modern workplace exists only because of union efforts.
I will admit the effort commonly known as "right-to-work" is part of the state Republican platform. It remains controversial among Republicans, was never a major issue in the last election and commonly acknowledged that it was a mistake by House leadership to make it some sort of litmus test upon which to judge Republican "loyalty."
That said, nowhere in the Republican platform or Republican philosophy is there support for the idea of taking from public employees the right of collective bargaining.
I am not sure the legislators who have proposed such a law even realize that public union employees cannot strike and have no other way to protect their rights; that both state and local public employees have agreed to new contracts that recognize current economic realities and that most public and non-public union members subscribe to core Republican principles and must be considered an important part of our constituency.
This legislation will not pass and should have never been submitted.
Jim Foley
Chairman
Derry Republican Town Committee
Marriage is for one man, one woman
To the editor:
Homosexuals deserve to be treated with respect and tolerance. However, by according to them the privilege of marriage, we, as a society, are thereby showing approval of their sexual conduct, which is considered immoral according to the Judeo-Christian tradition.
Their behavior is unnatural, unhealthy and fruitless for procreation. Yet, it is normal for a married couple to want offspring. Therefore, many gays have children by artificial means or by adopting. These kids must grow up in a home without the benefit of both a mother and father as role models.
It is evident that, in these cases, the wishes of adults take precedence over the basic needs of children. We ask that New Hampshire restore the original law governing the issuance of marriage licenses only to one man and one woman.
Norm and Diane Ducas
Londonderry
