To the Editor:

As a past president, board member and volunteer of Thermal Belt Outreach I am very disturbed and concerned about the heartless action taken by the present Board of Directors in firing Eloise Thwing.

Church Women United was responsible for the formation of a church- and community-based organization to provide services to people in need. This organization was called the Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry. The Columbus United Methodist Church donated the use of one of its rooms for the operation of the new organization.

Fran Ruethvan Bridges was the director for a very short time before she moved out of state. Eloise was elected to become the new director and she devoted her life to constantly enlarging the scope of outreach in the community.

I once introduced her at a general meeting as our own Mother Teresa. She saw a need and immediately sought the necessary funding to attain a solution. She worked closely with other service organizations and made Outreach a vital and necessary part of serving the elderly, single parents, children, anyone in need of food and those in dire circumstances.

I am not privy to the underlying problems that forced the issue, but couldnt they have been handled in a more humane way?

Eloise deserves plaudits and thanks by everyone in this area. How are you planning to recognize her years of tireless service, devotion and many, many accomplishments?

Petie Kaericher