Tough times hurt program

Friday, November 25, 2011

The people who are trying to raise the $8,500 needed to implement Bedford’s “Are You Okay?” program are still $3,500 short, and that’s a pity.

This program could make daily health and wellness checks on local people who might need constant lifelines at their fingertips, as our Maryalice Gill wrote last week, and providing such lifelines is something every town should do.

Of course, therein lies the rub: If it is, as we say, something every town should do, why do people like Kathy Benuck have to go out and try to raise funds to get it started?

That is, of course, the operative question, and we, of course, have the answer:

They shouldn’t have to. Programs like this should be taxpayer-funded because they benefit members of the community and could, someday, benefit the people who might not need them now but whose taxes will make sure the program is in place when they do.

None of us can be sure of our physical infallibility. Those of us who are capable of getting around just fine now could be in different circumstances five, 10 or 20 years from now and might be grateful for a program like “Are You Okay?”

Because we might not be OK. And wouldn’t it be nice if someone found out that we weren’t and sent help?

The idea that people should have to try to scratch up money for programs that would benefit their neighbors seems counter to every instinct of compassion we are supposed to have as a people. Oh, we have lots of compassion after the fact: That poor person. If only someone had helped.

Right. But it makes more sense to be compassionate in advance, don’t you think? You can send donations to the Bedford Police Association, 55 Constitution Drive.

Please do.