Help United Way meet its goal

Thank you for your recent articles keeping the community informed about the progress of the local United Way campaign.

With only a few days remaining, we can still make the goal if people will step forward and make a pledge to help their friends and neighbors during 2016.

Local United Way dollars help 16 Rowan County non-profit agencies to serve children, youth, adults, older adults and families in need in our community. Everyone doing a little turns into accomplishing a lot for folks in need.

Please consider being a part of this effort. Your community needs you.

— Rick Eldridge

Salisbury

Eldridge is director of Rufty-Holmes Senior Center, a United Way agency.

Vets’ families deserve honor

Veterans’ Day is approaching and plans are being made to honor vets. This is a great idea, but I think we also need to stand ready to recognize and  honor  their family members. They are the ones who handle the family, keep the house, care for the children and lie awake nights praying for their  loved one to come home safely and whole.

Family members go to rehab when limbs are lost, deal with PTSD behavior and sometimes go to the funeral which will change their lives.  They might go through lonely, painful times and deserve our respect, our help and our support.

— John Whitfield

Salisbury

Parents’ love gave us a good start

Love is the key that holds all of us together. I feel very blessed that love and encouragement were given to me when I was born and remain strong and in effect.

My mother, Naomi Forney, and my father, James Forney, gave me and my sisters and brothers love, encouragement and support. When we did wrong, they let us know for sure. But what they gave us was a part of themselves. They loved each other; they loved us.

They both worked hard all their lives and always tried to take their five kids on a trip somewhere for fun. But those trips also made me think that I could experience new things and learn from them.

Love is an emotion that is so strong, it will carry you from the starting line to the finish line.

— Patricia Forney

Salisbury