Panhandler tale taps into problem with modern mindset
I loved Daniela Caride’s story, “A look of recognition: Inside the life of a Harvard Square panhandler” (First Person, April 17, 2008). It certainly came to me at an interesting time.
My grandmother, who lives in Hingham, was a journalism major at Michigan State University, which I attend. During my three years here, she has kept me updated on good journalistic information that has helped me for quite some time. She told me about your newspaper in a recent e-mail, and I thought I’d check to see if you had a Web site. This was the first story to catch my eye. And I’m glad it did.
What is also interesting is that the same day I read that story, in my philosophy class, my professor became very passionate about the discussion of being. (I’m taking a class on the German philosopher Martin Heidegger, whose entire ideology surrounded the rudimentary point in which a person “is.”) My professor described the result of today’s modern society — how, though we have so many forms of technology designed to keep us connected with the world, the hundreds of people we pass each day go unnoticed by us because of our “plugged-in” mentality. And so often we are missing out on meeting such wonderful people.
I’m glad that Ms. Caride didn’t miss out on meeting John. I’m also glad that she was able to write a story about it, opening the eyes of so many others. I don’t believe this story would have made it to some other newspapers — a sad truth, but a wonderful silver lining, that a weekly newspaper can fill this gap. I pray that such work continues to be placed into the papers like yours throughout the country. Thank you again for writing it.
Jonathan Wells
Via e-mail
A thank you to Hub volunteers
National Volunteer Week, which begins Sunday and runs through May 3, is one of the highlights of the year for The Fresh Air Fund, and I would like to use this opportunity to extend my deepest thanks to our dedicated Fresh Air hosts, volunteers and supporters in the Boston area. They truly embody the meaning of the 2008 National Volunteer Week theme, “Volunteer to Change the World.” Year after year, our volunteers demonstrate their commitment to helping New York City children by continuing the Fresh Air tradition in the community.
Our volunteers are our heroes. Caring host families open their homes and share the everyday joys of summertime with their Fresh Air guests. Our local volunteer leaders — many of whom are also hosts — give by serving on our local committees, planning summer activities, publicizing the program and interviewing prospective host families. I would also like to thank all of the individuals and businesses that have generously given their time and resources to make the host family program throughout this area a great success each and every summer.
The Fresh Air Fund has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children since 1877. For more information on how you can help to continue this tradition, call The Fresh Air Fund at 800-367-0003 or visit www.freshair.org.
Jenny Morgenthau
Executive Director
Fresh Air Fund
