To the Editor:

Sunday morning in America (Father’s Day).

Politicians eat steak, plump and happy, while playing political games.

Immigrant children separated from parents, anxious and afraid.

A disgrace to America

Surely, we can do better than that.

Paul Strop

Waynesville

When you think of North Carolina hot sauces, the first one that comes to mind may not be Texas Pete®. The first time I saw Texas Pete® at a North Carolina food show I was perplexed and remember thinking, “Wait a minute, that’s a North Carolina company?”

Ingles in Candler, NC. 1572 Sand Hill Road. Thursday, June 14 • 3-6 p.m.

Kids wanting to earn their badge will have plenty of chances with a full slate of junior ranger programs offered this summer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

Cherokee’s new outdoors retailers will host a grand opening celebration 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 16, at their store on the corner of Big Cove and Acquoni roads. 

Key elements of the historic Palmer Barn in the Cataloochee area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are now restored, thanks to volunteer efforts from Asheville-based building contractor Sean Perry and his crew. 

The Waterrock Knob Visitor Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway will get new exhibits if the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is successful in raising $1.5 million toward its next round of Parkway improvement projects. 

Haywood County farmer Bill Holbrook has been inducted into the Western North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame for his tireless efforts as a community organizer and advocate for farmers in WNC, dedicating his career to preserve the rural way of life in the mountains. 

Trails are good and we could have more here.

— The board of the Nantahala Area Southern Off-Road Bicycling Association

Our primary thesis is this: trails are good for communities and their economies, and if the political will existed, we could have more in Western North Carolina. We have public lands owned by local town and county governments, amazing terrain, and the potential funding opportunities exist. As a chapter of a regional mountain biking advocacy organization (the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA)), we hear about the amazing things trails have done for towns across the Southeast. We realize this is not common knowledge, nor is there any reason for it to be common knowledge, so we wanted to talk about some of the things we hear about in our advocacy world in a more public forum.

To the Editor:

My wife and I are avid recreational bicyclists, having ridden for 30 and 15 years respectively. You may frequently see us and our friends out cycling the roads of Swain and Jackson County. I am a 69-year-old male and she is a beautiful 58-year-old as well as a 5-year survivor of stage 4 renal cell cancer. She is a “cheerful warrior” with many friends and loved ones in the community, all of whom want her to live a long(er) life. I do not say this for pity or admiration but just so all will realize those folks in helmets and colorful clothes are people of your community just like you. We are not some hostile interlopers trying to inconvenience you or take over your roads. We cycle for our health and happiness. We also drive cars to conduct our lives and business.

I write today to request that we all conduct ourselves legally and courteously on our roads. I have cycled for 30 years and there have always been a few motorists that will curse at us, occasionally throw things, drive too closely and generally drive in an antisocial manner. In this increasingly angry nation of ours, I have faced several incidents in the last week. Most ominously, an elderly man stopped to insist that we were in a risky sport (we know) and insist that it is illegal to ride on state roads (it is not). He became increasingly angry as we disagreed. Particularly when we pointed out that he had a young boy in his lap with no seat belt. We extricated ourselves from a no-win situation.

A few things for motorists to remember:

• Bicycles are perfectly legal on state roads and have all the rights and responsibilities of automobile. 
• Bicycles are entitled to the entire lane. However, if you do pass in a no passing zone, state law requires that you give the cyclist four feet of space and have enough line-of-sight to pass safely. Most cyclists will move to one side of the road to allow you to pass, but please be cautious.
• Please be patient. We know you’re behind us. Have you ever really been stuck behind a bicycler more than a minute or two?
• Cyclists can occasionally make unpredictable moves due to road hazards that you might not notice in a car. Did you know that railroad tracks are a particular hazard for cyclists? My tires are one inch wide. I try to adjust my route to cross tracks perpendicularly to avoid cracks and the resulting crashes.
• I know that some cyclists are foolish, violate rules, are unpredictable, etc., just like motorists. In fact, they may be the same people.
• Think you’re a safe driver? Try the other side of the coin ... stand by the side of the road and have a car pass within two to three feet of you at 30 to 40 mph. 

A few things for cyclists to remember:

• It may be legal, but laws can change. Act responsibly and courteously.
• If no other option is available, move aside and let motorists pass. Does it really take more than a moment or two? Certainly relieves my stress.
• Try to be predictable and use hand signals. 
• Remember who is most at risk and don’t respond to provocation. Being right is great, being in the hospital is not.

Folks, we know bicycling can be a risky sport. But so is football, kayaking, hiking and many others. Over the years, I have had several friends and acquaintances killed and injured. In a car/bicycle crash, the cyclist may be the biggest loser, but the motorist has to live with the consequences.

Rick Hane

Bryson City

To the Editor:

After reading all three letters to the editor in the latest Smoky Mountain News, I’m wondering how many people are suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome. 

Some side effects leave people who don’t have it scratching their heads, raising their blood pressure and mentally exhausted. All three letters were left-leaning and covered topics from propaganda by our local News 13, to EPA Secretary Scott Pruitt, to Andrew Jackson and Trump’s blatant pardon of Dinesh D’Souza. 

By the way, the president has complete power under the Constitution to do so and the rule of law was not broken! Who he pardons is of no consequence. Barack Obama pardoned transgender traitor Chelsea Manning and brought another traitor, Bowe Bergdahl, to the White House and traded five Taliban for him. According to judicial.gov, Obama pardoned hundreds of serious felons. 

Andrew Jackson’s picture hanging in the Oval Office infers that because Trump has it there, he is just like Andrew Jackson. That’s a very weak analogy. Andrew Jackson’s portrait has been in the White house for years. Guilt by association — is that in the liberal handbook? 

 About Trump denigrating the courts and the media. Is appointing conservative Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court degrading? Some of the top FBI agents have been fired, replaced, transferred, or forced to resign and Andrew McCabe who was fired for lying is facing jail time. Also the mainstream media has nothing but hatred for President Trump and he shouldn’t be faulted for pushing back. They are fake news!

Propaganda by WLOS is ludicrous! Just because they aired a segment that disagreed with your liberal thinking is hardly spewing propaganda. I have been watching WLOS for years and they are fair in my opinion. Just because you heard that Sinclair Broadcasting is wanting to start a new conservative cable news channel doesn’t mean that WLOS is now a propaganda machine. CNN and MSNBC are the real propaganda news channels. The Washington Post and The New York Times are just a small tip of the iceberg when we talk about fake news. Do you really believe Donald Trump beats the First Lady as reported by some supposed journalist? She had a major operation and was recovering, hence her absence.

The global warming hoax has spawned many unnecessary regulations that have crippled many companies. The Obama far left ideology has hurt the EPA and someone needed to reverse that. It’s a long stretch to say we are polluting the earth. Have you been to China lately without a gas mask?

The double standard against this president and conservative Republicans is ridiculous and profound. The reason so many Liberals have contracted Trump Derangement Syndrome is because they can’t stand people who go against the liberal ideology. 

Dennis Ford

Franklin

Recently an infographic appeared on social media showing a cube of cooked meat on the end of a fork next to a small floret of broccoli on the tines of an adjacent fork. The text questioning "Do you really need to eat meat to get protein?" and showing amount of protein in in 100 calories of beef vs 100 calories broccoli and that there is more protein in 100 calories of broccoli. This is not exactly the whole truth and definitely not an accurate visual representation.

To the Editor:

I am extremely uncomfortable knowing that our local television station, WLOS, continues to advance political content under the veil of news.

The most recent advocacy presentation by Sinclair Broadcasting Corporation on the legacy of one of President Trump’s administrators, Scott Pruitt, was aired this past week. Enough of this public relations media blitz from SBC! 

Any individual or group must realize this is pure propaganda. In light of their public relations move with a segment recommending audiences should be aware of “fake news,” this assault on reason seems ironically hypocritical. This station, WLOS, with its double-down support of this administration, clearly identifies itself with clandestine, if not nefarious, public manipulation strategies.

So, my question is simple. When will we see and hear the next assault on our democratic principles through the manipulative tactics of Sinclair Broadcasting Corporation and its mouthpiece in Western North Carolina, WLOS? Propaganda or news, it remains your choice.

Jon Jicha

Waynesville

To the Editor:

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is in violation of his oath of office. Our members of Congress are charged with oversight of this agency.

The Environmental Protection Agency, created by President Nixon’s Reorganization Plan No. 3 in 1970, is tasked with protecting the environment, the health of which is directly related to the health of all Americans. 

Under this GOP administration, the EPA is reducing staff and enabling polluters rather than regulating them, by allowing greater land, water, and air pollution. Not enforcing climate-related regulations, while firing bona-fide scientists and replacing them with industry shills, as well as drastically slowing down work at the agency, is calculated to reward those who profit from polluting.

Our congressmen and senators must perform their duty under their oath of office. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is a clear and present danger to America’s health. His ethical transgressions are obvious and egregious, but his regulatory actions will lead to real damage to Americans every day. Please tell your representatives to act as though their constituents are their first concern. They have an obligation to not allow this to go unchecked and unbalanced.

Bil Aylor

Bryson City

To the Editor:

By the year 1808, the eastern Cherokee had adopted a written legal code. In 1820, they established judicial districts and appointed judges for these districts. By 1822 the Cherokee had established a Supreme Court, and in 1827 had drawn up a Constitution, based on the United States Constitution. 

It all came to an end in July 1829 when gold was found on Ward’s Creek in Lumpkin County, Georgia. The Georgia Legislature passed laws confiscating Indian lands, nullifying Cherokee law, and forbidding assembly of the Cherokee people. They were aided in this by the then President of the United States, Andrew Jackson.

The Cherokee fought back by turning to the U. S. court system. The final verdict was rendered on March 3 of 1832. The Supreme Court of the U. S. ruled in the case of Worcester v. Georgia that Georgia’s laws against the Cherokee were unconstitutional. 

The decision was handed down by Chief Justice John Marshall. President Jackson’s reply to this was: “John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it.” Andrew Jackson believed himself to be above the court system and the law and ignored the ruling.

Next time you view a TV news report concerning President Trump in the Oval Office, please note the presidential portrait he has chosen to hang in that space. It is the portrait of Andrew Jackson, whom Mr. Trump seems to emulate. I fear we have not seen the last president that seems to disregard the court system and the rule of law. 

Richard Nixon was once asked in an interview by David Frost if the President could give an illegal order.  Nixon’s reply was that if the order was given by the President, then it could not be illegal. We see where that led. Yet even Nixon did not defy the Supreme Court when ordered to turn over the Watergate tapes, though there did seem to be a convenient 18-minute gap in the recording.

Mr. Trump seems to be attempting a concerted effort to denigrate the courts, the legal system, and the news media. It is an effort to convince the people of this country that these institutions are not to be trusted, that trust and loyalty should only be given to Mr. Trump and to those to whom he delegates power. We need to remember that the reason that we have laws is to protect those that do not have the power to protect themselves. 

Our current president has shown his disregard for the rule of law by pardoning Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was convicted in federal court of defying the federal law, and Dinesh D’Souza for pleading guilty to campaign finance violations. Both men were found guilty by the court system. Both men have not shown any signs of regret for their transgressions on society and the law. Both men have been pardoned by a president that has little regard for the rule of law. Do we really want or need another Andrew Jackson? 

Luther Jones

Sylva

Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park is still closed due to storm damage, but Chimney Rock Village and Old Rock Café are now open for business. 

A $21,500 grant from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy will help Mainspring Conservation trust conserve a 504-acre property in Graham County. 

Lucas Cody of Bethel Middle School won this year’s Haywood Waterways Association Kids in the Creek T-shirt design contest. 

The second annual Cold Mountain Music Festival will return June 8-9 to the Lake Logan Conference Center. 

The festival will feature top-notch musical talent. Friday’s schedule will be The Kenny George Band (4:30 p.m.), The Broadcast (5:45 p.m.), Jon Stickley Trio (7 p.m.) and Mandolin Orange (8:45 p.m.). Saturday’s schedule will be The Broadcast (1 p.m.), Dangermuffin (2:15 p.m.), Tyler Ramsey (3:45 p.m.), The Steel Wheels (5 p.m.), River Whyless (7 p.m.) and Shovels & Rope (9 p.m.). The event will raise funds and awareness for Lake Logan and Camp Henry.

Jackson County Sheriff Chip Hall was recently recognized by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Committee as a “Patriotic Employer.” 

A special presentation to Haywood Habitat for Humanity will be given at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 9, at Belk in Waynesville.

Western Carolina University has launched a new online information tool designed to provide easy access to recent economic trends in the counties of Western North Carolina and across the entire state to everyone from community-minded residents and college students conducting research to industry and business executives exploring possible locations for expansion. 

The Western Carolina University Board of Trustees has endorsed a slate of three finalists for the position of chancellor to be considered by University of North Carolina System President Margaret Spellings.

Justus Leighton Bailey and Abbey Cecilia Siek are the 2018 winners of the Arts Council of Macon County’s $1,000 Arts Scholarship. 

Worst feeling ever… you’re in the middle of cooking dinner and realize you’re missing an ingredient or have run out of something.

Environmental groups in Haywood, Buncombe and Madison counties recently received a total of $217,010 to improve water quality, wildlife habitat and water-based recreation thanks to this spring’s round of grants from The Pigeon River Fund of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. 

The Cheoah and Tusquitee Ranger Districts of the Nantahala National Forest have a new district ranger following the May 29 hire of Andy Gaston. 

The pool at Lake Junaluska will likely open this week following renovations that began in March. 

The Highlands Biological Foundation has a new executive director with the hire of Charlotte Muir. 

A celebration of the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System Act will kick off at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, at the Cradle of Forestry in America near Brevard. 

Memorial Day Weekend signals the beginning visitor season on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with all facilities now reopen after winter closures. 

A collapsed retaining wall at Chimney Rock State Park has caused the park to be closed since the collapse occurred Saturday, May 26. 

To the Editor:

A gun rights rally was held on the historic courthouse lawn in Waynesville on May 19. Jeremy Davis is quoted as saying, “I’m 44 years old and never in my life have I seen somebody march to take rights away. We’re seeing that now, where you’ve got a bunch of misguided youth out marching, begging the government to limit their rights.” 

I hope the entire Second Amendment to which Mr. Davis refers was read and displayed: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” 

Few people attempt to support the entire Second Amendment. Many merely want the right to bear arms. Some insist the right has no limits. Some choose to ignore the need for “A well regulated Militia.” Both clauses of the amendment make it the complete law.

Being one of five military veterans in my immediate family, I am grateful for the right to own firearms. However, I do not believe the constitutional writers meant for civilians to sport modern-day assault weapons. We must do all we can to protect innocent civilians while at the same time defending people’s right to own and use conventional firearms.

Dave Waldrop

Webster

To the Editor:

In a recent Smoky Mountain News article, the writer confirmed the Waynesville Town Board overwhelmingly reached a decision last week on the apartment complex proposed for Plott Creek Road. The board chose to side with the developer despite overwhelming opposition to the project, citing a major shortage of rental housing throughout the county as a prime factor in their decision.  

My experience with these town meetings has been the same — they appear to listen but typically side with growth regardless of opposition from the existing county residents. I understand the position they are in and realize that they are likely to side with growth every time unless there is some existing law/statute that prohibits it.  

Those of us who live near the proposed building site have known for years that some sort of multi-family development would occur there since the property sellers were demanding such a high price for the land. Our biggest concern is the scale of the proposed complex. Our hope was that voicing our concerns openly would prompt some sort of compromise in development scale to be more in line with the Plott Creek community as a whole. 

Considering a smaller complex such as less units or even less profile (one-story versus three-story units) or both would not only serve the needs of the town (additional housing) but also show the local residents that their concerns are considered as well. What I see from this town board decision is that there was no indication alternative proposals were even considered. Basically the board members seemed to say “suck it up neighbors, we know better than you what you need.”  

I realize the developer would not unilaterally offer alternate plans as his goal is to maximize profits. I look to the town leaders to consider all sides of the proposal when making decisions of this magnitude. I look to the town leaders to help us all meet in the middle. On that, they appear to have failed. Please push the developer to offer alternate, less-invasive proposals to better align with the existing community.

Steven Winchester

Waynesville

To the Editor:

“A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes,” Mark Twain once said. Twain never really said this, but most people believe he did. Attributing this quote to him has become an alternative fact. If you tell a lie often enough it becomes the “truth.”

Dictators, advertisers, phony religious leaders, and politicians have all known that the truth is what they want it to be. All they have to do is keep repeating their alternative fact loud and often enough and it will fly around the world long before the truth ever catches up. We now live in a world of alternative facts.

Donald Trump has spent his whole professional life mastering the art of alternative facts, and he is a master at it. Through his many divorces, adulteries, bankruptcies, failed businesses, and hundreds of lawsuits against him, he always proclaims himself a winner. He calls this twisting of facts “truthful hyperbole.” The real truth never seems to catch up with him.

Here are just a few examples of the truth by Donald Trump: Obama bugged Trump Tower; I had the biggest inauguration crowd; Hillary Clinton won the popular vote because of fraud; Michael Flynn did not do anything wrong; Americans pay the most in taxes; tax reform will cost me a fortune; there is substantial evidence of voter fraud; the FBI spied on my campaign; and I have signed more legislation than any president. Even though every one of these claims have been disproven by actual facts, no one noticed.

We have all heard Trump say that the Russia investigation is a witch hunt, so what are the facts? “In the nine months since Robert S. Mueller III was appointed to oversee the investigation into possible links between the Trump campaign and Russian officials, he has issued more than 100 criminal counts against 19 people and three companies. Of the 19 people, five — including three Trump associates — have pleaded guilty. Thirteen are Russians accused of meddling in the 2016 presidential election.” (nytimes.com/2018/02/23/). If the investigaton is a witch hunt, then there are a lot of witches who speak Russian.

If you are host of “The Apprentice” or a circus ringmaster,  you are expected to create an entertaining world of unreality. If you are the President of the United States, your words have power and consequences.  

The president’s need to create his own truth has alarmed our allies and encouraged dictators around the world. I have to believe that his most ardent followers have decided that the end justifies the means and that the truth no longer matters. 

Louis Vitale

Franklin

Over the last couple months, there have been some grants made for home repairs to enable veterans, senior citizens, and disabled North Carolinians with very low incomes to continue safely in their homes. 

The Haywood County Sheriff’s Office has received several calls from concerned citizens regarding a phone scam that is very specific in nature when it comes to the name of the party soliciting money.

The Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen is now taking applications for appointments for both the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Adjustments from both Maggie Valley residents and residents within the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). 

The Town of Waynesville Board of Aldermen is accepting applications to fill the following vacancies on various community boards and commissions. Applications should be submitted no later than June 15 for consideration. Applications are kept on file for one year. Unless indicated, applicants must be a resident of Waynesville to qualify.    

Vacancies are available of the ABC Board, Historic Preservation Commission, Planning Board, Public Art Commission, Recreation Advisory Board, Waynesville Housing Authority and Zoning Board of Adjustment.

The terms for these boards are three years will begin on July 1 and run through June 30, 2021; except for the Waynesville Housing Authority, which carries a five-year term. 

Applications are available online at www.waynesvillenc.gov/current-vacancies or can be obtained at the Municipal Building, 16 South Main Street, Waynesville.

Our Summerhouse Pottery, LLC  opened its doors in a very familiar location in downtown Waynesville. The former studio of Dane and Mary Etta Burr is now home to Amy Butler Dapore, a children’s art teacher and potter. 

Do you have grass-finished beef at Ingles and does that mean that it is organic? What’s the difference Do you have grass-finished beef at Ingles and does that mean that it is organic? What’s the difference between grass-finished and other beef?

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is celebrating 20 years of conducting biodiversity inventories, with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory and its nonprofit partner Discover Life in America both created in 1998.

A mobile recreation program offering outdoor recreation opportunities in communities throughout Haywood County will begin June 18, and a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 29, at the Waynesville Recreation Center will gather community members interested in helping make the program a success. 

To the Editor:

It would seem that Haywood County has a new growing pain, at least for my small neighborhood. The relative new rental phenomenon of Air B&B’s has landed in our county. 

It is true that we have become a very popular destination for visitors and relocation for many but suffer a lack of rental accommodations. Asheville has already attempted to tackle this touchy issue, but get ready Haywood, it’s here, too. 

As I write this, there are no county or city ordinances in place to protect us homeowners who cherish our unique mountain lifestyle. I, among others, value my right to peace and quiet by purchasing a home in a private small neighborhood, only to discover that my neighbor has turned his home into a mini motel with no regard for the rest of us. We have a self-maintained private road that is being abused and ruined due to extreme traffic from his guests. No neighborhood association was needed in the past, so now it’s too late. We are being held hostage to intrusive, destructive traffic, loud late-night parties and simple rudeness. Yet, these “Air B&B” hosts advertise themselves as the perfect zen-like dwelling for their guests. 

Something has to be done before this gets completely out of hand. As a taxpayer, I should be entitled to some property rights without having to spend a fortune on lawyers and legal costs to enjoy my own backyard. I have researched many avenues so far only to be advised to get a lawyer. 

I would like to thank the many nice county personnel and city staff including Mayor Gavin Brown for giving me what they could. But sadly there is very little to protect us homeowners. Wake up Haywood! This is not fair for us that live here full time, work hard and pay taxes. If you are experiencing the same or similar, please speak up and be heard. Our elected politicians need to bone up on this issue soon.

Mylan Sessions 

Waynesville

To the Editor:

Draw a Venn diagram. Circle one is morality. Circle two is ethics. Number three is law. As most people know morality is basically voluntary. Morality is the substance of individual and group conscience. Ethics is basically guidelines for certain groups of people who adhere to them voluntarily. Most groups establish some penalty for failure to comply. Neither of the behavioral guidelines listed above permeates all behavior in America. The law does. We are a nation founded on laws. 

The president of the United States (whose election is heavily questioned as to its legality) has apparently ignored morality, ethics and the law for his entire lifetime. By virtue of his family’s wealth he has thumbed his nose at morality, ethics and the law with little total financial loss. Acquisition of money seems to be his only priority. 

This mode of operation has worked as long as he has been able to isolate “weaker” individuals and businesses. However, he has now entered into a legal disagreement with most Americans. Some will take his side because of party affiliation. Some want earthly power for their religious beliefs. The reality is, though, that most Americans want to see Donald Trump have to operate within the same legal framework as the rest of us. He is no more special than anyone else.

Since Trump should provide moral and ethical leadership befitting the office of the President of the United States but refuses/fails to do so, we may have to tolerate that for a while. We should not have to abide his overt mocking of the legal system that makes America a beacon of democracy, civility, hope and freedom for the rest of the world.

If he is above the law, why do the rest of us have to obey? We have to agree to obey or we might as well shred the Constitution of the United States of America. We will either continue to be a beacon or we will extinguish the flame that Lady Liberty holds for all the world to admire.

Deep down, do you want a president who wants to be above the law?

Dave Waldrop

Webster

To the Editor:

Thank you Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., for your public service, and thank you for your response to my letter requesting your support. I differ with your response, and ask you again to please co-sponsor, sign the discharge petition for, and vote for the resolution of disapproval, under the Congressional Review Act, against the FCC action of December 2017 “Restoring Internet Freedom.”

“… unnecessary control over an entity …” is not what I seek. I’m asking for a level playing field. If so-called “Restoring Internet Freedom” is not reversed by our members of Congress, the big telecom spenders are free to crush their smaller competitors and impose whatever charges they can get away with, with no recourse for any average customer.

Competition should provide success to the best quality effort, not the size of the purse. So-called “Restoring Internet Freedom” takes away the rules of the competition and paves the way for abuse. That would be a disservice to the vast majority of your constituents.

You might argue that it’s a disservice to people who are able to pay more, that they not be allowed to drink the cleanest water, breathe the cleanest air, use the fastest internet. I would not buy that argument. Where will we be in a few years — further along the road to equity, or taking this massive reversal to inequity?

Bil Aylor

Bryson City

To the Editor:

The Cherokee Cancer Support Group is in its 20th year. We couldn’t have progressed without donations from individuals, EBCI Tribal Council, local churches, and fund-raising events. We were fortunate to be a recipient for a grant from the Community Foundation of Western Region.

All proceeds go for the client’s care and needs, as each one differs due to age, gender, and diagnoses.

We offer assistance, but do not persist. On hearing a prognosis, we give clients time to absorb the information, respecting their privacy, resiliency and reservedness.

To justify clients served and show our accountability, assistance is given from information on a referral from Cherokee Indian Hospital or a signed doctor’s treatment plan. All information is kept confidential.

Monthly meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m., beginning with a pot luck dinner. We invite a guest speaker from a different profession such a health, finance, etc. Meetings are open to the public.

The executive board consists of 12 members, all volunteers, giving their time, knowledge, and skills to make this group what it is today. They are exceptional. Business meetings are held the last Monday of each month at 10 a.m.

As stated in our mission statement, we provide educational resources to prevent mortality through early detection, strengthen by action, and sustained by community, direct services provided to the clients.

We have overcome barriers that have kept us in our comfort zones by sharing experiences and giving empathy as well as receiving it.

Several clients have attended Camp Bluebird, a retreat in Hendersonville for cancer survivors from throughout the state. Those who have attended have found that to be a part of a communal life setting lessens feelings of social isolation.

Cherokee Cancer Support does not see you as a number, or a name on a piece of paper. Clients are special to us — personally, we are here for you, no matter how long the process. We encourage other support groups to give direct services to their clients because their needs are so great due to loss of job, financial burden and emotional support.

Flora Bradley

Cherokee Cancer Support 

Group Facilitator