Regional needs trump school

THE ADULT DAY care program for frail seniors in the Tri-Valley is scheduled to be closed. On June 30, the lease for use of the Livermore school district's property on Sonoma Avenue in Livermore by the Friendship Center program expires. This program has been operated at the school site by the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District for the past 15 years.

The Livermore Charter School has determined that it needs the 2½ classrooms currently being used by the Friendship Center at the school site.

The charter school is within its rights under state law to use these classrooms. However, the charter school has been offered additional classrooms by the school district at another school site.

Additionally, students who would otherwise attend the charter school have the option of attending public schools.

Most of the seniors who attend the Friendship Center have no such options. The Friendship Center is the only adult day care program in the Tri-Valley.

Before the Friendship Center has to close, I would like the charter school board to consider allowing the Friendship Center to continue using the school site.

The needs of the entire Tri-Valley area, not just additional charter school students, should be taken into consideration. A final decision on the fate of the Friendship Center is scheduled to be made on Wednesday. I urge those who

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would like to keep the Friendship Center open to contact the charter school board by e-mail at bod@lclcboard.org.

Dennis Gambs,

Tri Valley Adult Day Care Program board memberLivermore

Center a godsend for family

MY 93-year-old mother, Rose, has been attending the Friendship Center for approximately five years. The center was a godsend to me as my mother has advancing dementia and could no longer be on her own during the day while I was at work. The thought of institutionalizing her is more than I can bear. The Friendship Center allows me to remain as the primary care giver for my mother and still keep my job.

The Friendship Center gives my mother something to look forward to each weekday. The varied activities, exercise time, music therapy, and basic socialization have helped to slow the mental decay and given her a more upbeat perspective.

I have visited many elder care facilities over this past month and I assure you that the sparkle seen in the eyes of Friendship Center attendees is not present in the eyes of those I have seen in these other facilities.

It would be a crime to deny these seniors the many benefits given by the Friendship Center. The young are important to us, but so are our senior citizens. I plead with all of you to find a way to save the Friendship Center. You are all individuals in the position to make good things happen. I pray that the Lord will give you the wisdom and courage to keep this center going.

Christine Smith

Pleasanton

Make the miracle happen

We all need to do something to save the Friendship Center, the adult day care program now lodged in three small rooms at the Livermore Charter School on Sonoma Avenue. As a senior living on a fixed income in Livermore, I feel so helpless in assisting to maintain this necessary and rare entity for the Tri-Valley area.

At the last meeting of the board of directors of the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District, an amazing number of area residents came to plead for the continuance of the program.

Some were interested persons who read about it in the newspapers, some were family and friends of the clients of the center, some were supporters of the program, financially and physically.

Come on Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin and San Ramon, get together and keep this program going because one day you are all going to need a place for someone in your family — you, your spouse, your parents, your aunt or uncle or grandparents — and there will be nowhere to make the last days of their lives more pleasant, as well as free up your family from 24/7 care of your loved one. Make that miracle happen.

Vivian Nathanson

Livermore