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Piqua boys cruise to win in opener Page 9
The Usual Eccentric Page 4
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Volume 130, Number 238
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‘Guardian angels’ providing support for 30 years Sharon Semanie
For the Daily Call pdceditorial@civitasmedia.com
CASSTOWN — This Thanksgiving season has special meaning for 61-year-old Jeanetta Combs who, despite suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema, is surrounded by a group of “guardian angels” who routinely monitor her terminal illness and ensure that her medical and personal needs are being met. Nearly one year ago, the Casstown woman was hospitalized for breathing problems and sent home after being told by her physician that nothing else could be done to improve her quality of life. Functioning with a 15 percent lung capacity,
the widowed Combs was immediately placed under the care of Hospice of Miami County, a vital hospice organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people and families facing life limiting illnesses. By the time the ambulance pulled into her driveway, Combs was impressed to find Hospice had already assembled a hospital bed, oxygen machine and other medical equipment on the premises. “It (Hospice) scared me initially,” reminisced Combs.” My thought was when they come it doesn’t happen until you’re about gone.” Hospice, she quickly adds, has been” terrific” in providing her care since her hospital discharge. Nowadays Combs’ sole restriction is an oxygen tank,
an appendage she has worn for the past decade following years of exposure to what she attributes as workplace “hazards” and smoking. Attractively coiffed with a pixieish haircut and well manicured nails, the great-grandmother admits she becomes easily fatigued but has found immeasurable comfort from Tammy, her primary nurse, who together with a team of Hospice staff and volunteers, visit her several times per week to check her vital signs, ensure she has adequate medications and/or refills, attend to her personal hygiene needs and provide her with loving emotional support. She routinely meets with a Hospice physician “face to face” when See ANGELS | 2
Sharon Semanie | For the Daily Call
Hospice Volunteer Cathy Brown of Troy, standing, and Jeanetta Combs of Casstown, seated.
Donation begins series look into career center
Working the holidays
Bethany J. Royer Staff Writer broyer@civitasmedia.com
Mike Ullery | Daily Call
Dispatch supervisor Jack Staudt works at his console at the Miami County 911 Center on Thanksgiving afternoon. Staudt is one of a number of public safety officials to whom Thanksgiving, and other holidays, is “just another day at work.”
Stockings for Soldiers are on their way PIQUA —A brisk Friday morning greeted the partners MelcherSowers Funeral Home and Gover Harley-Davidson as they prepared to ship stockings to soldiers as part of an initiative originally begun by the funeral home in 2010. In the first year Melcher-Sowers facilitated the Stockings for Soldiers program which included promotion within the community, collec-
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tion of the donations, preparing the packages and shipping. Gover HarleyDavidson came into the picture during the annual Hero Day when MelcherSowers visited so as to encourage people to take a stocking to fill and return. In 2011, MelcherSowers then approached Gover to ask if they wanted to become full partners in the stockings for soldiers effort, with an immediate response of “Yes!” Now both businesses are pick-up and drop off points for the stockings. The collaborative pair reached out other organizations such as the American Legion, Kiwanis, Rotary, and other businesses to help pay for the shipping expense which is usually over $1,000 depending on how many boxes are sent. One year the students of Piqua Catholic school made Christmas cards to put in each stocking. Another year See STOCKINGS | 2
Provided photo
Greg Foughty, of Troy, and from Gover Harley-Davidson, unloads stockings from Gover H-D’s trailer.
PIQUA — A good deed often has a rolling ball effect and this one begins with long-time Piqua resident, Stu Shear, donating his 1997 Chevy Monte Carlo to the Upper Valley Career Center automotive department. “I got the car new,” said Shear of the vehicle with 190,000 miles that was still in good shape and had given him, “many good years of travel for work and play.” The decision to donate the car to the school as a project to potentially reward a student proved to be a simple occasion. Shear approached Donald Wawsczyk, auto services instructor, about the process that consisted of little more than signing over the title. After 5 minutes to complete the paperwork that will go before the school board for approval, a letter will be sent thanking him for the donation. For Shear, however, giving the car to the school proved there’s more to the story. “When I dropped the car off, I was amazed at the interior of the facility,” said Shear as he explained how some of the students came out to check on the Monte Carlo and were impressed to find the nearly 17 year old
car in such good working condition. An impression for Shear was expressed in return by the cleanliness and orderliness of the educational environment at the Career Center. “Students learn far more automotive repair skills than when I went to school in the late 1960’s,” said Shear. In fact, a large variety of programs are offered at Upper Valley Career Center, including design and digital print technologies, horticulture and landscape management, pre-engineering and design technologies, to name a few. With donations such as Shear’s an important key factor to the success behind many of them. Thanks to Terry Krogman, instructional supervisor, who works closely with all kinds of donations made to the school, the Daily Call was given an opportunity to see many of the rewarding opportunities and other donations, such as Shear’s Monte Carlo. An impending project the former owner hopes to see to conclusion. “It would be kind of neat if they rehab the car and then they go to give it to a student,” said Shear. “I’d kind of like to see it when they get done with it.” Stay tuned …
Provided photo
Stu Shear recently donated his 1997 Chevy Monte Carlo to the Upper Valley Career Center automotive department. Pictured is Shear, far right, with Donald Wawsczyk, auto services instructor.
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