Dear Editor,
I agree with Ms. Piché’s letter which suggests that if the prison IS a done deal, however I don’t think shovels are in the ground as yet, then the citizens of North Grenville, and in particular the town of Kemptville, show compassion and understanding of the situation incarcerated people find themselves. Not every child is born into a loving home, not every child goes to school or bed with a full belly, not every child is safe from violence and abuse of all kinds in their own home. While reading this letter, I was reminded of an incident I encountered while manning a Christmas kettle for the Salvation Army. I happened to be in the lobby of The Independent Grocers here in Kemptville, when a man approached me and stated, “what’s wrong with these people, why don’t they get a job”. My response to him was “there but for the grace of God, goes YOU”. I am quite sure none of the incarcerated people grew up with the idea that their life’s ambition was to become a criminal, but “circumstances and choices” in a person’s life path causes them to live on the wrong side of the laws. That is why associations such as Elizabeth Fry Society and the John Howard Society are made available to the inmates. I only hope that these Societies will be made available to the incarcerated souls in Kemptville.
Josephine Herman
