DON'T PUT A CLINIC AT THE VA MEDICAL CENTER

Whoa, Nellie ... er ... Jeff Artis.

In reference to your March 7 commentary "Put the methadone clinic at
the VA Medical Center" ... whoa, Jeff!

What you are saying is "put the methadone clinic someplace other than
where I don't want it to be." I hear what you are saying, but don't
come here. Your reasoning for coming here isn't sound, so don't.

I don't think you studied your lesson as to what and who is where in
the Roanoke Valley. You say, "The VA is away from our schools and our
children." Your schools and your children maybe, but not ours. (But
then aren't they all ours? The little children, I mean.)

Permit me to share a bit of local geography. The Arnold R. Burton
Vocational School joins the Veterans Affairs property on the west
side, East Salem Elementary School is immediately across the street
from Burton less than a block away from the VA, Salem Montessori
School for children 6-weeks-old to third grade is about 100 yards to
the west, a Honeytree Early Learning Center is at the VA main
entrance. Calvary United Methodist Church one block north of the main
VA entrance operates a child day-care center.

I have 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild who come here to
visit and play and take walks with Grandma and Grandpa. You say, "The
VA is away from residential areas ... it's away from business areas."
Come sit with me on my front porch. I live across the street from the
VA.

I'll point out to you a well-known and professionally operated Salem
Health and Rehabilitation Center (formerly Camelot Nursing Center)
immediately across the Boulevard from the VA, the Virginia Veterans
Care Center (not affiliated with the VA) adjoining VA property on the
east, professionally managed and maintained Camelot Village apartments
and town houses across the street from the VA, Laurel Ridge apartment
complex in Roanoke due east of the VA main entrance, Salem Commons
apartments and town houses less than a mile north of the VA main
entrance, numerous homes in Roanoke and Salem and several businesses
within walking distance to the VA.

Right in the middle of all these schools, facilities, businesses and
residences lies the proud and strong Veterans Administration Medical
Center, serving our veterans and receiving their families and friends
and visitors from all over Central and Southwest Virginia as well as
West Virginia, North Carolina and other states.

The front lawn of the VA property is used regularly by recreation
departments of Salem, Roanoke, Roanoke College, Special Olympics,
etc., for baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball and lacrosse. This
ground likely gets as much or more activity than Victory Stadium.

I am in sympathy with residents of any area confronted with the
possibility of such a facility being housed close by. None of us wants
such at our door, front or back. But before we con such off onto any
area, hopefully we will be familiar with all that will be affected.