WORTHINGTON DAILY GLOBE: "VIETNAM VET WILL SUPPORT WALZ"
Disabled veterans activist Jim Sursely sent a letter to the Worthington Daily Globe:
I am a Vietnam veteran, a graduate of Lourdes High School and a former resident of Rochester. I joined the Army in 1966 and subsequently lost both my legs and one arm in a landmine explosion. As the election approaches, I’d like to let my fellow veterans know where I stand. In this election I am supporting Command Sgt. Major (Ret.) Tim Walz.
I am highly engaged at the national level in trying to secure veterans the benefits they were promised, and my experience tells me that it is crucial that we elect CSM Walz. Walz not only possesses extensive leadership experience in the military, but he has also demonstrated his commitment to helping our brothers and sisters in arms since his retirement. Walz is unwavering in his commitment to protect and defend those who served our country.
Tim Walz is more than just an advocate for veterans. As someone who has taught in our public schools for nearly two decades, he is the kind of person our children deserve to have at the table when No Child Left Behind comes up for renewal next year.
I appreciate Tim’s efforts to engage his opponent in a discussion about Iraq, and I hope that voters will listen to his common-sense approach. But beyond that, I hope that the voters of the 1st District will realize that Walz is not only good for today’s soldiers; he will be an advocate for future soldiers, their families and the millions of American veterans.
Some readers may be familiar with Sursely's name; he is a former National Commander of Disabled American Veterans (DAV). His 2005 statement before the Senate and House Committees on Veterans Affairs is found here in a 23-page pdf file. If I am not mistaken, the DAV as an organization does not make endorsements, although it does issue ratings of U.S. senators and representatives that are based on key votes in legislative sessions.
First District Congressman Gil Gutknecht received 20% rating from the DAV in 2005.
WORTHINGTON DAILY GLOBE: NEWS
Today's Worthington Daily Globe reports on Tim Walz's tour of a local nonprofit that assists disabled people:
by Kari Lucin
WORTHINGTON — U.S. House of Representatives candidate Tim Walz visited with local disabled residents at their workplace and their homes Monday afternoon, touring The Achievement Center, Ridgewood and a group home, all three managed by the nonprofit Client Community Services Inc.
“We get in front of a lot of groups that can vote or give us money,” Walz said, adding he’d made plenty of stops like the CCSI visit that weren’t meant to garner support from voters.
Instead, Walz said, he wanted to learn about the costs and benefits of CCSI’s mission to employ and house disabled people.
“It doesn’t come from having a liberal bleeding heart,” Walz said. “Everybody’s better off if we do this.”
Walz’s interest in group homes and long-term care may have been sparked by his mother’s 25-year career as a licensed practical nurse in a nursing home. She began working in the field when she was in her 50s and retired at the age of 73, said Walz, and earned very little money.
One of the long-standing difficulties in assisted-living environments is staffing, Walz learned from CCSI representatives. CCSI Executive Director Marty Rickers referred to the wages that providers get as a “Burger King rate” and told Walz how difficult it was to attract and keep staff for $9 an hour.
Before he left, Walz asked several executives what they’d ask for in an ideal world.
Rickers gave him a simple answer: reduce government regulations to streamline operations and reduce costs.
“More money would be nice, but regulations really, really stifle us,” Rickers said, giving an example of the duplication of some services from the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health.
Throughout the tour, Walz stressed his belief that disabled people need to live their lives with dignity and purpose, and that helping them do that would improve their health, longevity and quality of life — all to the benefit of the community.
Between 40 and 60 disabled people work daily cleaning laundry, making commercial-grade lathes and stakes and gluing envelopes at The Achievement Center. Many more are contracted out through the center to do laundry, clean, restock shelves or work in many other capacities at businesses throughout the community.
“They work,” Walz said. “They add dignity to life. They’re a smart investment.”
He praised the CCSI’s work in Worthington and added, “We need to do everything in our power to make sure it stays that way.”
"people with disabilities"
see this writing tips/guide:
http://www.courage.org/media/677.pdf
Posted by: EB | September 26, 2006 at 12:44 PM