In Praise of bette dewing Letter

To the Editor:

I have always been an admirer of Bette Dewing, our community conscience for decades. Her last two articles on churches (and others) dying resounded fully with me. It is so sad to read about so much more than religious services expiring; with the death of a church or community facility come life-long commitments that are abruptly ended, often without any alternatives. I’m thinking of my fellow seniors who are suddenly cast adrift in a world where face-to-face conversations just don’t happen and technology is overwhelming (I can attest to the latter).

My occupation as comptroller at Jan Hus makes me doubly grateful: first because I have a job at all (employment being so precious today) and also because I work in a place where our community services are actually expanding. The more I see churches closing or merging or community centers truncating hours or programs, the more I marvel at the oasis in our urban desert. But I feel sorrow pangs for those who have no other joy in life but to get together with their peers.

We are blessed to have Bette as our beacon, shedding light on many sad circumstances as she has done for so many years. When a small business closes and then a whole block lies fallow, she grabs us emotionally as if a close friend has died. Her insight and compassion are so much appreciated, and I am grateful that she is published regularly.

Carol Schachter