ELF DAY: We used to think our senior citizens were being taxed
out of their homes. That is so passe. Our elderly friends and
neighbors are now being forced out of their homes by skyrocketing
heating costs, gasoline prices, medical co-pays, food prices,
etc.

Taxes? They are way down the list.

That’s one of the sad lessons we learned this year when taking
applications for Christmas assistance through a program known as
the ELF Fund.

Those letters stand for “Era’s Less Fortunate” fund and for
nearly 25 years this newspaper has sponsored this program which
assists not just senior citizens but also needy children at
Christmas.

We’re mentioning it today because the 2007 ELF Fund kicks off
with a breakfast meeting at 8 a.m. at the DeSoto Holiday House.

Writing about the kickoff reminded us of this one application in
particular.

A couple lived in Bradford Township in their own home. He had
been seriously ill. She had been trying her best to keep up the
house and also take care of him.

Imagine trying to live on his Social Security (,1,084), her
disability (,622) and a small pension of ,300 a month. Total income
is about ,2,000 a month, actually a lot more than some have.

But allow us to run down expenses: mortgage, ,521; electric,
,50; gas, ,129; municipal utilities, ,58.50; telephone, ,50;
television, ,63.59; medication, ,400; vehicle, ,402; insurance
premiums, ,135.

Note, this bottom lines does not include taxes… or food.

We would like to think this case is a little extreme but,
honestly, our applications tell a different story. Many senior
citizens have long since given up their homes, and government
housing subsidies allow them to survive.

We always get a kick out of the seniors’ “gift wish.” It’s
usually something like, a pair of bedroom slippers. Or new socks,
or gloves. The really extravagant recipients wants a pair of
jeans.

If we had more space, we’d tell you about a family or two with
kids. (Perhaps it’s good that we don’t.)

We read frequently about the plight of the so-called “poor” and
who in government is doing what for (or against) them. But this
isn’t political. It just is. It’s reality in Bradford.

As always, The Era will be covering this year’s campaign. We
hope you read our stories, and decide to help. Information is also
available on the web at www.elffund.org