This note is long overdue. I want to thank you, officially, in writing for including our walk in the newspaper. I cannot tell you how many people mentioned to me that they saw the article (Local, September 18). We achieved our goal of awareness of the Cure Autism Now Foundation’s walk and the problem in general.

The walk was first conceived of as, literally, a stroll in the park for about 500 people and evolved over 10 months into a major event including 2000 people. We raised about $400,000 which is amazing for a first time event. We never anticipated all the wonderful support we all received from family, friends, therapists, volunteers and many others.

Robbie has a chance of being directly affected by the research that is being done by Cure Autism Now (C.A.N.) which is receiving the $400,000. One project being funded is a Neural Retraining Initiative which will look at ways to retrain the brain through educational non-pharmaceutical means. They will look at how the brain will rewire around damaged areas and re-regulate the way it deals with sensory input.

Another project will look at the all important environmental issues specifically the mercury recently in vaccines. This has been a hot topic of research with opinions coming out on both sides. C.A.N. has awarded three grants to try to answer the question of whether or not mercury is responsible for some aspects of autism.

Other grants relate to ongoing genome studies because finding the root of autism not only might help future generations but will be part of a road map to a “cure” for our kids today. If you are interested, check the following web site address: http://216.52.213.251/research/index/initiative/jsp or you can go to www.cureautismnow.org and click on “research.”

This is why we parents put our hearts and souls into this walk. One can only do so much through educational and nutritional intervention. After that, it is up to the researchers to further the cause. The Local helped us make this possible with its press coverage and it was greatly appreciated by all involved.
Cynthia Orr Day
Wyndmoor

Inexcusable

Re: 10/30/03 — “Germantown Bridge Opening Ceremony”

Like most people who live in Chestnut Hill and nearby areas, I was relieved that the Germantown Avenue bridge construction has finally been completed and the bridge opened for traffic. However, I was disappointed to see the total absence of conversation about the incredible length of time to get this project to completion, and the unnecessary inconvenience and hardship endured by thousands of people every day for many years who had to wade through slow moving traffic jams on their daily commutes to work, school or whatever.

I would think also that the neighbors living near Stenton Avenue have suffered because of the traffic congestion. I forget how long this bridge had been partially or fully out of service. Has it been as long as ten years? Or maybe it’s “only” been seven years. It was tremendously ironic that those very people who were directly responsible for this inexcusable delay were out there congratulating themselves at the opening celebration on October 26. Were there any apologies or expressions of regret for the tremendous inconvenience that they were responsible for? Certainly, the Local article didn’t record any. This was certainly an example of how not to run local government. A relatively small number of people arguing and bickering amongst themselves, combined with a near total lack of political leadership resulted in a ten year project instead of one lasting two years.

The whole situation reminds me of a famous moment in history. During the early years of World War II, Winston Churchill praised the actions of the RAF pilots who successfully defended against the German Luftwaffe, and saved Britain from invasion by Adolph Hitler’s forces, with the words (or similar words at least), “Never before in history have so many owed so much to so few.” I would modify Churchill’s words in regard to our bridge and say, “Never before in the history of Chestnut Hill have so many been inconvenienced for so long by so few.”

Throughout the years I tried to follow the discussions of the various groups involved with the rebuilding of the bridge through the accounts in the Local. There appeared to be a lot of talk about the historical significance of the bridge and the aesthetics of the bridge. Well, for those people that succeeded in inconveniencing the thousands of people over the years, I offer an opinion that probably speaks for the vast majority of us. We basically don’t care about that stuff. It’s just a bridge — a two-lane bridge over the creek. It’s not the Golden Gate or the Brooklyn Bridge, or even the old railroad bridge over Main Street in Manayunk. We can’t see the underside of the bridge from the road as we drive by. Unless we stop and park our car and walk through the brush down to the creek’s edge, we’re not going to even see it. And as for its historical significance, it’s a moot point, for once it’s replaced it is no longer the original bridge — it is gone, forever.

And as for the discussions of traffic flow and speed, these were legitimate concerns, but certainly not ones to cause a seven-year or longer delay. When self-centered, uncompromising people can’t find agreement, it’s time for a “grown-up” to come in and take charge, as Mayor Street claims that he did in 2000. But for all of those years before then, what were our elected local officials doing? Apparently, the answer is not enough.
James R. Aleo
Chestnut Hill