Indiana Tech staying downtown

I commend the University of Saint Francis for the steps it is taking to move a portion of its campus to downtown Fort Wayne. This should have a positive effect on the downtown area, and we welcome them to “the neighborhood.”

As many long-term residents are aware, Indiana Tech has been in the downtown area for all of its 82 years of operation. Our original campus was located across from the YMCA at 221 E. Washington Blvd. In the late 1950s our campus was relocated about a mile from its original site to its current location on the east side of downtown Fort Wayne.

Many changes have occurred in Fort Wayne since our founding in 1930, but the one constant that has not changed is Indiana Tech’s commitment to making substantial investments in the downtown area. During the past five years we have made capital improvements to our downtown Fort Wayne campus in excess of $29 million. We anticipate investing an additional $33 million over the next few years as we complete our law school building and add a new academic center to our campus.

We have always known that there are many advantages to being downtown. Rest assured that our commitment to providing quality education to a diverse student body in the East Central neighborhood is as strong as it has ever been.

ARTHUR E. SNYDER President, Indiana Tech

Care packages for Taylor’s comrades

St. Michael Evangelical Lutheran Church and Scott’s Foods are teaming for Military Appreciation Day to assist in packing and sending care packages to military personnel. The event will be at Scott’s at Illinois and Scott roads from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Care packages typically include personal care items, snacks, etc. and can be purchased there.

Huntington Postmaster Dave Kuehnert will assist in paperwork requirements as well as provide boxes that have a flat-rate priority of $13.45. He’ll even take the packages and mail them.

Anyone wanting to support our troops can come to Scott’s and donate money or purchase items for care packages. Through AdoptaPlatoon, we are providing support to a chaplain who oversees hundreds of soldiers who desperately need assistance.

In a poignant turn of events, our packages will be going to where fallen soldier Army Specialist Nick Taylor of Berne served. Your support will touch soldiers who served alongside Taylor.

Please join us in thanking Scott’s for showing support for our troops by providing a venue and having care package items for sale.

MONICA KOLDYKE MILLER Decatur

Veterans deserve more attention

I recently had the honor of speaking with the Indiana American Legion at their convention.

Members of the Legion have formed the clearest of lines in the battle for democracy. For 237 years they have served our nation as the protectors of freedom. It is our responsibility to ensure that we provide the services support our veterans.

I am appalled to learn of the number of veterans’ claims now pending with the Department of Veterans Affairs. With more than 450,000 veterans in Indiana, the number of claims still pending is affecting more than 20,000 veterans. Bureaucratic delays in implementing efficiencies and processing claims have resulted in some veterans waiting more than four months to have their claims processed.

We will eliminate the backlog by hiring additional veterans service officers and by placing them directly under the supervision of a realigned staff until this backlog is eliminated. I also remain committed to being accessible to the needs of members of the military and their families.

I remain thankful for the service of our veterans and deeply appreciate the service of our men and women who have volunteered to answer the call to duty. They deserve a state government that responds to their needs not by rhetoric but by action.

JOHN GREGG Candidate for governor

Highland heritage spans centuries

The pictures of the Indiana Highland Games (July 1) were very interesting.

In the 1880s and 1890s Fort Wayne had a large population of Scottish heritage. The men had a club called the Caledonians who promoted these games. In the mid-1890s the Caledonians, from loss of membership and interest, joined forces with the St. Joe River Boat Club.

In 1899 these two clubs organized the St. Joe Athletic Club and promoted the Indiana Highland Games until 1904. The games were held at Centlivre Park, which now is called Vesey Park.

J. DICK BARFELL Fort Wayne