Steamboat Museum director says thank you



The Howard Steamboat Museum would like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank the outgoing members of the Board of Directors and introduce and welcome new members brought on this year.

We also have a set of challenges for the community.

Outgoing members this year are: Joann Galligan, who served willingly, capably and dependably as secretary for 10 years; Diane Stawar, whose creative talents produced “Aunt Nannie’s Crafts” for Chautauqua and also served as exhibits chair and chair for the celebrated annual Fall Into Art exhibit — on display through Sunday. Though not a board member, Diane’s husband, Terry, must be thanked for his roles as Chautauqua emcee, facilitator for the Strategic Plan Committee and PowerPoint guru.

Also, stepping off the board at this time are Wayne Gossman, who served as president for several years, and Bill Halter.

We welcomed new members this year: Charles “Butch” Miller, auctioneer and Jim Grahn, publisher of The Evening News. Beginning Jan. 1, Melissa Wilson and Peggy Duffy join.

A special thank you and recognition goes to 24-year-old volunteer and Census Bureau employee, Jay Sowers, who, for the past two years has kept the lawn in tip-top shape. We wish him well as he begins his own first home ownership adventure.

As many of your readers are now aware, the Clark County Historical Society/Howard Steamboat Museum Inc. is in the final stages of a $1 million capital campaign. The funds will be used to protect, improve and preserve the Howard Mansion and the priceless collection it houses.

We are now within $25,000 of the matching $500,000 challenge grant generously offered by the Paul Ogle Foundation. Funds must be in place by Dec. 31 in order to qualify for the match.

We are asking everyone in the community to join the effort to thank the Ogle Foundation — and preserve the museum — by not only meeting their challenge but by surpassing it.

Anyone and everyone can be a part of preserving this American treasure, from saving pennies — we ask school children to rise to this challenge — to major corporate contributions — joining ACL, Brown-Forman, Clark Memorial Hospital, George Pfau’s Sons Co. Inc., Woodbine Construction and Your Community Bank.

Many foundations and individuals, as well as the above mentioned companies, have brought us this far. We look to the community to bring us Millions of Lincolns — with 1 million pennies, we can reduce the shortfall by $10,000.

One million $5 bills will not only push us over the top, but will take us well into phase II of the capital campaign, which will focus on the adaptive restoration of the Carriage House.

Now is the time! Protect, improve and preserve the Howard Steamboat Museum.

— Yvonne Knight, administrator, Howard Steamboat Museum, Jeffersonville



Former resident recalls father

I’m writing this letter to bring back some old memories of my father, R. Graham Snelling, pastor and founder of Faith Evangel Tabernacle.

My father was a real Christian and he preached The Word for all he was worth. He preached many sermons. Oh my, he could preach The Word.

My father died on a Sunday evening, June 6, 1989, but he was not alone, because Jesus was at his bedside to take him to his throne.

My Dad’s up in heaven. He’s standing by the throne. He’s singing and he’s shouting, though his victory has been won, “Son, repent of your sins and claim your reward. Join me in heaven and shake hands with the Lord.”

— Ron Snelling, Poolea, Ga.



Rep. Hill disservicing constituents by making misleading statements



Politicians are known to be a bit fast and loose with the facts now and then.

But Rep. Baron Hill is taking this to a new level in his claim that the so-called “Affordable Health Care for America Act” that he voted for will not reduce Medicare benefits for senior citizens.

Rep. Hill is surely aware that the non-partisan and independent Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency which runs Medicare, sent a detailed critique to Congress that flatly refutes his claim.

The CMMS report estimates that more than 8 million senior citizens would be removed from the Medicare Advantage health insurance program by the year 2014. This program allows seniors to purchase an additional level of health care coverage through private insurers.

There is an obvious reason that supporters of this bill want to force seniors out of Medicare Advantage. They would then be subject to the same rationing of care that will apply to all other senior citizens covered by Medicare.

The CMMS report also warns that the bill’s forced cuts in Medicare spending would result in drastically reduced fees paid to hospitals and doctors, and that in turn could result in some Medicare providers refusing to serve Medicare patients.

Rep. Hill is doing a disservice to his constituents by making such misleading statements.

— Todd Young, Bloomington