Dear Editor –
Maybe, things are good the way they are in Pocahontas County.
Maybe, we don’t need to “keep up with the times.”
I keep reading about the school getting WiFi or what to do about emergency services without cell towers.
You know what I think? I think what we have here is stronger and better than any WiFi can ever be – we have community.
If my car breaks down on the side of the road, people always stop to help. I can tell you, because I’ve seen in my second home, a large city, what happens when you put WiFi in schools. Little kids in kindergarten are given iPads. Kids develop habits of spending more time on devices than interacting with others.
Today, I observed my daughter being delighted by a red cardinal feasting in our bird feeder. This is a moment I may have missed if my nose was in my cell phone. This is a moment she would have missed if I would have occupied her with a tablet.
Instead of wanting to be like everyone else, I hope Pocahontas County remains as unique as it is. I hope we don’t feel like we are missing out – because we are certainly not. Neighbors talk with neighbors and strangers help strangers. Of course, every community has its problems – but more WiFi and more technology will not make problems better – they bring more and bigger problems and, most of all, they start deteriorating the fabric of the community.
In a world that’s so fast and only getting faster, let us rejoice in the oasis of peace we have here in these beautiful mountains. In a world where everyone can be reached at all times, let us celebrate that there are times when we can’t be reached. The place we have here is unique. Let’s not race to change it. Let’s appreciate and be thankful for the oasis of tranquility that is Pocahontas County.
Sincerely,
Miriam Weber
Green Bank
Dear Editor;
I would like to extend my congratulations to the PMH Pharmacy staff for their success in providing a much-needed liaison between our local hospital and a proximate and viable pharmacy. Also, I would like to thank the PMH Pharmacy staff for their assistance in providing their services to my wife and me
They have been professional, courteous and accommodating. (And they sell a great bold blend of coffee there.)
My best wishes for their continued success!
Richard G. Bird
Marlinton