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Letters to the Editor

Published Thursday, 29-Apr-2010 in issue 1166

“The misrepresentation of figures was done with no malice intended.”

Dear Editor,

With regard to Rick Braatz’s article on Auntie Helen’s the following is my response:

“No good deed goes unpunished”, is the only thought that comes to mind after reading your indictment of my performance as Executive Director of Auntie Helen’s. The author, Rick Braatz contacted me numerous times requesting people’s phone numbers who could speak on my behalf. Out of at least five only one was contacted.

What the article fails to point out is that I put my personal money and house on the line in June of 1990 when Gary Cheatham and I signed the lease on the building we currently occupy. I came here in 1989 after serving 21 years as a senior officer in the Navy. I worked for years as a volunteer before becoming Executive Director upon the death of our founder and my dearest friend Gary Cheatham in 1995.

Rather than give to foundations I prefer, despite the lack of an IRS deduction to give directly and anonymously to our clients when I see a need. This includes cash, gift certificates for groceries and new sneakers bought at full retail price. I do it privately without fanfare and only bring it up here in defense of being tarred and feathered as a Simon Legree or non caring person.

I happen to collect antique pens as a hobby/investment and I can assure you that they are purchased with my personal money. Also I take great umbrage at including this in the article as it is a thinly veiled innuendo that somehow AH money was used for this purpose. Regardless of what I buy with my personal money “it ain’t nobody’s business but my own”. I would have no idea how to do otherwise as there are checks and balances in place making it impossible to abscond with funds.

I can assure you of several things. The misrepresentation of figures was done with no malice intended. Our service is not self referring. Referrals are made by case managers only. Appointments have been made with all case management agencies to try to boost the numbers of clients served. If the AIDS numbers aren’t there, AH will strive to assist terminally ill patients such as people with cancer or heart problems.

Respectfully,

Bob Stanley

Executive Director

“If you add up all the different facets of giving, the clients do add up to at least 400.”

Dear Editor,

I was real upset after your writer called me, listened to what I had to say and in the end all he put in the article was that I said “no comment”. Not True! The following is what I told your writer:

The faces of A.I.D.S. have changed over the years and so must the services. We still do laundry and at times the number increases and decreases as the needs apply. We used to keep a track record of the clothing vouchers we had for clients, but we stopped keeping the records with all the staff changes we have had over the last 2 years.

Auntie Helen’s still serves the needs as they come in and ask. If you add up all the different facets of giving, the clients do add up to at least 400.

When an individual comes in and is homeless and asks for a change of clothing and a sleeping bag we comply without any questions.

For example, a man recently came in to our store and told me that he had A.I.D.S. and was fresh out of prison and asked if Auntie Helen’s could help? I gave him clothing right down to his shoes and some bedding. This is not an uncommon occurrence at Auntie Helen’s.

We are proud and open to serving the needs of our community and we see the needs changing.

Sincerely,

Ronn Mathieu President of the board/ Auntie Helen’s and volunteer

Editor’s note: For the record, Mathieu was asked to comment on Auntie Helen’s loss of revenue and he told our reporter that he had “no comment” on the issue.

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