Dear Editor:

This is not only to reiterate all the accolades recently written in a letter to the editor of the Register by Mr. Hallstorm about St. Andrews Hospital, but also to add our praises to the entire personnel for the outstanding care we experienced during Don's two recent hospitalizations. After serious invasive surgery followed by complications and spending ten days at Maine Medical Center, St. A's was definitely our choice for rehab.

Two "gung-ho" ladies from Boothbay Region Ambulance Service arrived at Don's bedside and gave him royal treatment transporting him back home to St. A's! It deserves repeating that from the time of his arrival, the entire staff beginning with Ron and his maintenance crew, and Marie, "Jack of all trades" at the front desk, plus the capable ladies working all hours at the nurses station, the cheery cleaning people who keep the facility spotless, and the excellent soul warming manna prepared and served by the dining staff, all made us feel that they truly cared and were doing everything possible to make Don's illness more tolerable.

Also, we appreciated the expertise of the entire professional medical staff: the doctors and nurses in the emergency room who were needed prior to surgery, as well as the radiologists, the phlebotomists and lab personnel who were frequently called on for X-rays and multiple tests and reports. We will be forever grateful to the wonderful nurses and nurse assistants who not only provided expertise in their care, but also showed genuine concern for Don's multiple needs. On the third day when Don's medical problems escalated, we credit Dr. Barker with diagnosing and ordering immediate emergency procedures deftly provided by the nurses which literally saved Don's life. Unfortunately, because his needs included medical services not available at St. A's, it was necessary for Don to be transported, not as happily, back to Maine Med. by those "angels" of the rescue service.

The surgeon at Maine Med agreed that he had discharged Don too soon. He complimented St. A's personnel for their expertise in taking care of Don's emergencies. After six more days of a less satisfactory experience, we were overjoyed to be arranging the preparations for returning to St. A's! Although we missed making our final transport with the "angels" we want to thank the Wiscasset Ambulance Service, that was on standby, for coming to our rescue when all of the Boothbay teams were busy.

Upon returning to our very own hospital in the Boothbay region, nobody could appreciate more than we the St. Andrews slogan, "It's Better Here at Home!" We were greeted by all with a happy welcoming back. In contrast, St. A's looked more "spic and span" than ever. Our view of the harbor from Don's room had truly healing effects and a recliner quickly appeared from somewhere for Fran. We do believe that the staff maintains a "thoughtful and kindness closet" where things are kept to bring out when people are down and out. The food tasted better than ever. How many hospitals can you name that actually give patients a menu from which to select their choices of home-cooked meals that included a lobster roll and lobster stew with dining trays also available to family?

During the return hospitalization Don actually experienced rehab services. The nurses were solicitous making certain that they followed all the medical directives necessary for his recovery. In just a few days the occupational and physical therapists waved what seemed to us like magic wands and had Don ambulatory and providing his own self-help skills. Lab tests and X-rays showed positive results. There was no reason to stay at St. A's. Like Mr. Hallstrom, we were sad when Dr. Alas told us on the fifth day that Don was to be discharged.

We have shared the above experiences because we want all the people in the region to know how fortunate we are to have our own hospital that provides excellent care. Further, that we have doctors who realize St. A's limitations and when it is necessary for them to refer patients to a larger facility with comprehensive services. IN order to maintain our "little hospital with the big heart," we need to avail ourselves of its services. We recall hearing a report given to St. Andrews Hospital Auxiliary by Peggy Pinkham, CEO of St. A's, that, "If all the people residing on the peninsula utilized the services of our Family Care Center and St. Andrews Hospital, there would be no major financial concerns and that St. A's would be self supporting." Not only from our recent experience, but on several occasions throughout the years when we have made extensive use of the Family Care Center and the Emergency Room and St. Andrews Hospital for major and minor surgery and hospitalizations we can truly attest that " It's Better Here at Home !"

With sincerest thanks to all those people who work to Make St. Andrews a remarkable hospital,

Don and Fran Hale

Boothbay Harbor

Dear Editor:

Congratulations to young equestrienne Brooke Alley, who recently returned from her spectacular wins in Oklahoma City. I was probably the last to know as I'm in Portland, but luckily I have sources in Boothbay who let me know.

Brooke you don't know me, but I used to ride at Sea-Vu Morgans before the new barn was even put up, long ago! I have to say how happy I am for your victory in Oklahoma, what a fantastic dream come true. What's even more fantastic is how Boothbay welcomed you home! It's about time the equestrians of Boothbay were recognized. Equine sports require just as much physical work and dedication as any of the traditional sports acknowledged through the school system and for so long it has gone completely unnoticed!

The World Championships at Oklahoma City is truly a spectacular and glamorous week and certainly to beat out the money and politics of the big names out there is a huge event. Kudos to everyone at Sea-Vu Farm and the Alley family, as well as the Boothbay region for getting Brooke there. Here's to another win in 2008!

Dear Editor:

As I recently wrote MDOT, "I think a bypass which runs through town, instead of completely around it, is considerably worse than no bypass at all."

The Physician's Cardinal Rule comes to mind… First, do no harm.

MDOT says that to begin a bypass in Woolwich, or Montsweag, or around Norm's would be far too costly. Fine - but not nearly as costly as running one past the school, and rumbling through tranquil neighborhoods day and night… where the price paid is a way of life, forever changed.

Ugly, smelly, air horn-honking 18-wheelers should never be routed past families, children and pets. Absolutely never. Yet this is precisely what MDOT wants to do!

As far as we're concerned - and we're very, very concerned - MDOT should take those elaborate bypass plans for their three odious routes… and deep-six them in some dark, abysmal, abyssal abyss.

(Sorry I couldn't resist using three words of different meanings which appear next to one another in the dictionary… next to one another in a sentence! Oh, the word games we writers will play!)

John VanOrsdell

Boothbay

Dear Editor:

As our town, state, and country prepare for the holidays, let's begin with Veterans Day. Without observing Veterans Day, how can we possibly enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas, for it is these holidays, and others, that past and present veterans have fought to preserve for all of us.

There were no holidays for many of these veterans. They were and are on the job 24/7; for them, these numbers have real meaning. Heat, cold, rain, snow, no food or water, no dry boots. For those who saw action, a mailman's worst day would be like a day at the beach.

From Japan to Germany, Pearl Harbor to Vietnam, Korea to Iraq and all the war zones in between, we owe everything we have to our veterans.

May all of you enjoy the upcoming holidays and never ever forget the veterans who gave up their holidays so we could enjoy ours.

God bless our vets and God bless America.

Munro Dodge

Boothbay Harbor

Dear Editor:

When I think of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens' Garden of the Five Senses, Southport's Mollie and Wells Moore, always and immediately come to mind.

Ever since Mollie unexpectedly went blind, she and Wells have passionately dedicated their focus, energy, time and their resources to the vision and creation of a special garden at CMBG especially for those impaired with one or more of our human senses. In the process they have also raised almost $200,000, primarily through their production of a beautiful CMBG calendar - earmarked for the Garden of the Five Senses.

I am shocked and disappointed to learn that after an incredibly generous monetary gift from Lyn and Dan Lerner, the Garden of the Five Senses is named after these two extraordinarily generous benefactors, with no mention of the Moores.

The recognition of Mollie and Wells Moore for their insight, dedication, energies and devotion to the CMBG since its inception should and can still be memorialized somewhere in the Garden of the Five Senses: first of all in its name, and secondly, with some kind of tribute within the garden to this extraordinary couple that even Mollie can see.

Polly Steadman,

Charter Member, volunteer,

and cheerleader for CMBG

Damariscotta

Dear Editor:

As we approach Veterans Day, we want to honor and thank the veterans in our midst, though our words are paltry offerings in light of the immeasurable sacrifices they have made for us.

Several years ago we were privileged to interview Al Sherman and son Barry Sherman, both proud Marines, who served this nation in World War II and Vietnam respectively. As they recalled the horrors of war we all became emotional, and it was an unforgettable lesson in the heavy price paid by our armed forces to keep America secure. It is true heroism to place country and freedom above family, friends and self for a season. We humbly express deepest gratitude to them and to all veterans.

Recently a young man from this area who is in the Army Rangers' special forces lost three close buddies on a dangerous mission in the Middle East. We can't imagine the horrors he saw and the grief he bears, but we owe him our total support and gratitude.

Some Americans question the current military effort in that part of the world. Some have even gone so far as to viciously attack our own American commander Gen. David H. Petraeus by calling him "General Betray-us" in a full-page ad in a national newspaper or, like Sen. Hilary Clinton (D-N.Y.), to essentially call him a liar before he even began his report to Congress on Sept. 10 and 11. This outrageous assault on the integrity of a distinguished four-star general - a man approved by that same Congress to lead U.S. and multinational forces in Iraq, a Princeton Ph.D. in international relations as well as decorated soldier who was recognized in 2005 as one of the 25 Best Leaders in the U.S. (U.S. News and World Report) - was one of the most shameful moments in American history.

There is real evil in the world. Radical Islamic extremists want not only to blow up our buildings, they feel called to cut off the heads of "infidels"; they have done so and they will continue to do so. The unspeakable barbarism they inflict worldwide goes beyond, if possible, the horror of war - in war there are rules; terrorists have no rules. The perfect storm is brewing, and although we have not seen another attack here since 9/11/01 we still face a formidable threat - both without and within our borders.

As President Franklin D. Roosevelt said in his Dec. 29, 1940 fireside chat, "No man can tame a tiger into a kitten by stroking it. There can be no appeasement with ruthlessness. There can be no reasoning with an incendiary bomb." FDR frequently talked about the terror and fear inflicted by the German Nazis and said, "You seek to throw our children… into your form of terrorism… You shall go no further." Somehow we recognized evil in the 1940s.

Michael O'Shea wrote recently in "The American Thinker," "Terrorists don't play fair; neither do Congressional leaders who, when it comes to Iraq, could teach jihadists tricks on sighing to the heavens while slitting throats… Any Congressional leader who can't see that Iraqis are dying to live free, that Iraqi security forces are killed serving their country, that Iraq's politicians need help and American politicians could give it, and that the world has looked to America because America has honored its word and stood by its allies no matter what, has a jihad of his own."

As whirlwinds of evil buffet us and knock us off-balance, there is all the more reason to look back at our history, grab the anchor that is the fundamental basis for our existence as a free nation, and honor the legacy of veterans who paved the way with their selfless heroism. If we do not hold fast to principles of the dignity and worth of every human being, if we do not continue to fight for ideals of freedom, if we do not defend our nation against attack, if we do not root out evil and stop it in its tracks, we will have thrown away the precious sacrifices of previous generations.

Robin Beck

Boothbay

Dear Editor:

The annual Student Aid Fund drive mailings have just arrived. This year there is a new Named Scholarship Award that doesn't appear on the printed list, but contributions can be made to that fund by enclosing a note or writing on your check's memo line, 'Ruth Hartford Memorial Scholarship Fund.'

This fund was originally established by my sister Ruthie's classmates shortly after she was killed in 1982. The Class of 1963 held fund-raisers, and her friends and relatives donated annually to the Student Aid Fund in her memory.

Several awards were given to aspiring music students in those early years, but until recently there have not been enough contributions to qualify the fund for a Named Scholarship Award. Our mother, Lee Hartford, has generously donated the required amount to finally establish a named fund, and she hopes to see an award presented to a local music or art student this spring.

Kitty Hartford

East Boothbay

Dear Editor:

During this 2007 football season, we have watched as a group of hard working and dedicated young men have come together and shown what a team can accomplish. Before the start of the season, the experts did not think the Boothbay Region High School Seahawk football team would even make the playoffs. Instead they will be playing in the Western Maine Class C championship game. They will face our rival, the Winthrop Ramblers, Saturday afternoon, November 10 at Winthrop.

This is a team that never gives up. This was evident Friday night in one of the most exciting contests that we have witnessed at Sherman Field when the Seahawks came back to win against a strong Jay Tigers team.

We hope to see all Seahawk fans in Winthrop on Saturday to support this group of young men in their quest to make it to the state Class C championship game.

Best of luck 2007 Seahawk football team!

Dear Editor:

In this week's (Oct. 25) Register, a letter from Dik Bracket appeared. I read the letter seven times, but had trouble understanding the contents. It seemed as if Mr. Brackett was saying, "I've been a good guy a lot longer than I've been a bad guy."

I couldn't help but think that this was a shining example of the "Peter Principle" at work. For many years, Mr. Brackett operated at a level of competency but suddenly was elevated to a level of incompetency. At his level of incompetency, the wheels fell off the wagon and his life has become a very trying situation.

Mr. Brackett might find some solace in reading the Peter Principle book(s); there are three or four, all dealing with competency vs. incompetency. Could it be that Mr. Brackett is saying, "I didn't do it and I'll never do it again?" Only time will tell.

George Larrabee

Boothbay