Veterans Services Office is not an easy mission
Regarding the April 8 article about Veterans Services and Elaine Howle, who staffs the Rufty-Holmes office:
Sergeant Howle served two tours in the Middle East prior to receiving her position as representative for veterans helping resolve their problems.
I attend classes at Rufty-Holmes and pass Sergeant Howle’s office quite often. She works in a small office, with no help, surrounded by file cabinets. She is constantly serving clients and appears involved with their problems. Sometimes I wave as I pass, and she doesn’t react. When I see her eating lunch, I will knock on the door and enter, but if the phone rings I have to leave. We both belong to the same civic club; during lunch we have discussed the administrative problems of being a one-woman operation. She often looks tired but seems to regenerate when she reports a success.
Unfortunately, the Post has not studied the situation thoroughly. The article speaks of one person answering all the calls, the number of calls, and the abundant amount of paper work generated by one person to serve the veterans in Rowan County. Hers is not an easy job.
The veterans mentioned in the article have two choices: First, complain to the government about the lack of funds to assist Sergeant Howle or, secondly, understand her problem and work with her in a time when service is no longer instant.
— Arthur Steinberg
Salisbury
The art of generosity
Editor’s note: Artist Jeffrey Hargrave, who grew up in Salisbury, wrote this as a tribute to former Salisbury Post publisher Jim Hurley, who died last week.
I was so excited: I had just been accepted into the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, as a student in the high school visual arts program.
But there was one problem. How would I pay for it?
I love and respect my family with all my heart, but we were in financial need at the time, and that was the reality of our situation.
I spoke with my aunt Betty and explained my dilemma (as tears formed in my eyes). I was a junior at Salisbury High at the time, and she told me of a man by the name of James F. Hurley III, whose family owned the Salisbury Post.
She said he was a friend of our family and that if I asked him, he might make a donation to my cause.
When “Jimmy” walked into the room that day, my life changed forever and has not been the same. God shined his light on me that day. The world will never be the same.
Thanks, Jimmy.
Love and admiration always.
— Jeffrey S. Hargrave
New York