COMMUNITY FORUM

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caring people who are not afraid to risk themselves to help another.

I guess I'm just writing this to let the world know. I hope my letter makes a difference somewhere... even if it only makes people realize that it can happen to them. Next time there might not be someone around to help, and that realization has made me decide to press charges. If I can get up the courage.

Someone who has discovered much

Cleveland

Independent caucus

To the Editors:

Just wanted to thank you for your excellent article on Mandy Carter's visit. However, there is an error in the text. The AfricanAmerican Gay-Lesbian Caucus is not a program or activity of the Lesbian-Gay Community Service Center of Cleveland. The Center supports the goals and activities of the Caucus and provides the Caucus with mail box space, as we do for many community organizations that are independent of the Center. Berteena Rollins serves as the Center's liaison to the Caucus, but the Caucus itself is totally independent of the Center.

Judith Rainbrook, Executive Director

Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center Berteena Rollins, Liaison African-American Lesbian-Gay Caucus

Hold hands and stick together

To the Editors:

For those of you who don't already know, I am leaving the Five-Cent Decision. And to dispel any rumors, let me be the first to welcome Tracy and wish her well in her new venture as Patti's new business partner in the Nickel.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank a few people who have made the past seven years possible.

To my family-Mom and Dad, John, Cheri, Cindy and Rick-thank you for loving me enough to accept me and support me in my venture. And thanks for the countless hours of help when we needed it.

To all of my employees, past and presentthank you for your excellent and consistent service to our customers. Thank you for your loyalty and for always doing the right thing instead of what was popular.

To Christine Hahn-without you there would never have been a Five-Cent ad. I can't thank you enough.

Thank you to all the customers who ever came forward and volunteered their time for whatever was needed. It couldn't have been done without you. And to all of our customers at the Nickel, I hope the service has been good and the space in which you gather here comfortable.

To all my friends who "Protect and Serve," and especially to Billy, thank you for your sensitivity, respect, and most of all, your friendship. And thank you to Andy and Barney, for what you know and more.

Patti, Tracy, Cheri, Kris and Onie, Juanita and Barb, and Deb-my truest friends. Thank you for being there, for listening, making me laugh, laughing with me, helping, putting up with, playing with, forgiving me, and for being my friends through it all. I love you more than you will ever know, and thank God for bringing you to me.

Patti-the woman who makes dreams come true. Because of you there is a lifetime

The Gay 90's with Buck Harris on WHK 1420AM has moved to Sunday night from 10:00 to 11:00

of memories for me to carry with me, and experiences to draw from as I go on from here. Thank you for everything, and especially your indomitable spirit, because without it this would never have been. You are the woman people will be reading about in their history books because you make things happen. I wish you the best.

Lastly, to quote the famous author Robert Fulghum, "It is still true, no matter how old you are when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together." Thank you all very much.

Connie Takach Cleveland

What will you do?

The following was sent to State Rep. Madeline Cain of Lakewood:

Dear Ms. Cain,

In your own words on today's invitation [to a March 11 gathering to kick off her campaign for mayor of Lakewood], you state, "Living in Lakewood all my adult life has taught me what the word community really means." You also go on to say, “We must restore our sense of community...our sense of community pride. We must protect our neighborhoods, our services, and our city's finances to build a better future."

However, since you have been in state office, you have avoided me, given me the run-around, and done nothing on the issues of AIDS, AIDS housing (even though you were on the State House Committee of Housing and Aging), and the current Medicaid needs standard of $395 per month, which means that the state of Ohio expects terminally ill persons making more than $395 a month to pay a premium, like insurance, before they are able to get needed treatment or life-sustaining medications.

How can someone expect you to do a better job than the person who holds the Lakewood mayoral position now if you have done nothing to improve the AIDS epidemic in your own community, which currently holds the highest infection rate in the county of Cuyahoga, and one of the highest infection'rates in the entire state of Ohio?

My question is a simple one, which needs your immediate response and essential commitment, and that is: What are you going to do? Will you support and stand by AIDS Housing? Will you support improved AIDS services through FACT (Facing the AIDS Challenge Together)? And finally, will you support and demand immediate increase and change in the Medicaid needs standards to inflated 1995 levels while you currently hold your position of state representative?

By the way, only Ohio and the state of Florida have Medicaid spindown in place. The rest of the country has representatives who have done something about it. It's time for you once to represent your community, and do something. I voted for you once, and you made me regret it.

Promises are not needed, long term immediate solutions are. That is your challenge! Michael Philp Lakewood

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