Thanks for the support

A thank you letter to the Sequim community from Sequim Community Warming Center (SCWC) Support Committee following the “Cool Talent for Warm Nights” event on Oct. 25:

A thank you to the event supporters, including: sponsors Sound Community Bank, Thrivent Financial, Moon Palace, Olympic Peninsula Surveying & Drafting, Edward Jones, Sun Taxi and Delivery and Pedego Bike; host Trinity United Methodist Church; state managers Christy Rutherford, Robin Hall, Victoria Hall and Joshua Wolfley; donors of pies, cakes and cookies; donors of warm items for the cold ones; the volunteers who helped to set up, served in the kitchen, took tickets, the hosts cleaned up and with advertising; the wonderful talented acts of singers, storytellers and instrumentalists — music of the highest quality and beautiful variety of Sequim’s talent.

Thank you to the monetary donors who raised about $9,000 for the warming center openings.

Thank you to Clallam County Commissioners to grant the Warming Center $10,000 for this year, next year and some in 2021.

Thank you to Over the Fence store on Washington Street and Sequim Avenue, who hosted our banner for almost a month.

Thanks to the Sequim Gazette and Peninsula Daily News newspapers, KSQM, and senior newspaper for helping to advertise our event, and the numerous stores in Sequim that allowed flyers to hang in their windows.

To donate to Sequim Community Warming Center, call 360-385-2571, see www.olycap.org or write to: Sequim Community Warming Center, 823 Commerce Loop, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

Jean Pratschner

Sequim

Circular services

According to a recent, one-half page advertisement in the Peninsula Daily News and Sequim Gazette, the Jamestown Tribe plans to bring health and healing to out rural community taking the form of a MAT (medicine-assisted treatment) clinic.

The same tribe operates a casino which fosters alcohol, nicotine and gambling addictions. Now, with the opening of the new cannabis facility, a “gateway” drug is also added to the mix.

The tribe’s idea to build a healing center for addiction is a brilliant strategy. Their casino encourages addictions that take a huge personal and financial toll on individuals and their community.

The tribe purposes to establish a “Health and Healing” campus to provide a solution to these created problems.

This mentality would be similar to a fast food restaurant promoting super-sized burgers, fries and milkshakes; then generously offer Sequim a “Health and Healing” clinic to treat obesity and diabetes.

Stelle Knauff

Sequim

Classroom perspective

I have noticed over the last few years reports of elementary classes doing exciting hands-on work in the classroom, like in 4-H.

What does the word “classroom” mean? All the children get to participate? Or just a small group of the same kids who always get chosen?

Joan Ritchie

Sequim

Tribe should give back to community

I compliment the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe for its Thanksgiving

holiday spirit in taking out the full-page advertisement in the Nov. 27 Sequim Gazette describing its monetary contributions to various peninsula communities over the past 10 years.

Since in my opinion the tribe’s economic growth and prosperity has largely been due to U.S. taxpayers through various state and federal grants from its inception, I also feel it is quite appropriate that the tribe acknowledge that support by “giving back” a portion of its considerable wealth to the Olympic Peninsula area in which it resides.

Bob Bilow

Sequim

MAT wisdom is suspect

Addiction is the only disease where not only is the addict is affected, their family, and the community they live in suffer. Because addiction requires a lot, and the disease is selfish doing whatever it takes, stealing, dealing, lying to feed itself.

Is a pill, another highly addictive substance really the cure? Or is it a way to control the addicts while putting profits in the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies, and the “healing campuses”?

We heard nonprofit. Do we believe there are no loop holes and “administration fees”? Not really. Healing means free from all addiction, not just profitable ones.

As for the homeless crisis? It’s not a homeless crisis, it’s a culture of drugs and violence. Homeless people by and large are victims of circumstances and should be helped. Addicts through their disease are not functioning properly and need intense treatment, not just another addictive substance.

As for this town, I have lived here all my life and seen many changes. The wisdom of dividing a community for an as yet to be determined successful medicine-assisted treatment (MAT) clinic when we see what they have introduced into other communities, without the vote of the very people paying for it via taxpayer dollars, is the reason people are upset.

I wish you much success, Ron Allen. I sincerely hope your clinic is the one that sets the standard and proves us all wrong. Because if it doesn’t, that’s your legacy.

Patricia Erickson

Sequim

Socialism in Sequim

My definition of socialism is quite simple. Too much of a good thing! Promise the free lunch. Rob from Peter to pay Paul. Create class and ethic division. Divide and conquer or divide and control. Pit neighbor against neighbor.

It’s the oldest play in the book, but still the most effective way governments can manipulate their populace to serve their own interests!

And when the government can selectively disperse wealth in ways which further enhances their political power we can clearly see the influence and corruption it purchases.

The MAT, I believe, will be our local lesson in socialism!

Government seizing on the opportunity to create yet another bureaucratic boondoggle. Empowering multitudes of well funded and well paid salivating bureaucrats to take part in the futile fight against drug addiction. Funneling monies to municipalities through federally funded 8(a)-entitled native tribes, thus subjugating and indenturing the downstream recipient. Think “quid pro quo”! And they call this a “partnership”! Born of what? Certainly not equality or mutual respect. More like friends with “benefits”!

We see in our own city council the servile unwillingness to resist or even question the business proposal as it relates to, not only our municipal code, but the manner in which we, in essence, will be exploited.

Gary Miller

Sequim

Keep down those drug prices

Please don’t make us choose between eating or our medicine!

Make prescription drugs affordable to all who need it!

Jeri Gray

Port Angeles