Dear Editor:

There have been many times throughout history that there have been more people "without" than there were people "with" plenty; the Great Depression comes to mind as one of the most recent of these times. I only have my parent's generation to give me a hint of what it must have been like, until now. There are a few reasons why we are not quite as destitute now as we were then, but that discussion is for another time.

Today I want to make you as aware as I have become recently to the plight of our children. According to national statistics, one in four of our children go to bed hungry. Many don't have warm coats to wear nor boots to keep their feet dry. They have many other needs as well, but these are the most critical.

I know that in Pocahontas County we have many needs, but our children are our future. Let us come together during this time when we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ to honor Him by "giving to the least of these" - the children.

A note to the parents who are having a difficult time right now: Please accept our help. Any of us could need help sometime, and you could be the one to reach out of us.

God bless each of you who give and to each of you who receive. Remember this is the time of year to bring a little love to those you meet each day and to find someone to bless as God has blessed you.

Find out how you can help. Please contact Laura Young, 304-799-6657, at the Pocahontas County Family Resource Network. Let us be not only "Almost Heaven" in motto, but also in how we behave toward each other.

I'll close by wishing each of you a Christmas that brings love, peace and joy in your heart that spreads throughout our community and then spreads throughout our nation.

"Peace be unto you."

Dee Gett

Dunmore

Dear Editor:

The 30th U.S. Surgeon General's report on tobacco use, released December 9, demonstrated what the American Lung Association has long been fighting for - as it ultimately concluded that there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco, the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.

As our mission to save lives by preventing lung disease and improving lung health has allowed us to advocate for tougher tobacco control laws, prevention efforts, tobacco cessation programs and clean indoor air, the grip of tobacco addiction, as well as the exposure to secondhand smoke in many public places, has lessened.

However, with 443,000 smoking-attributable deaths every year in the U.S., including nearly 4,000 of those from West Virginia, many of the key findings of the report, such as tobacco's immediate damage to cardiovascular systems, increased risk of lung disease for long-term smokers, and the greater chance of healing the sooner a smoker quits, illustrate the urgency with which we need to act.

Our elected leaders should take every opportunity to implement proven policies that reduce tobacco use in West Virginia for our families, our friends and ourselves. Comprehensive clean indoor air legislation and adequately-funded and accessible tobacco cessation programs are a great start.

Sincerely,

Chantal Centofanti-Fields,

Vice President of Mission

American Lung Association in West Virginia