The Town Talk from Alexandria, Louisiana • Page 2

A-2 Town Talk, Alexandria-Pineville, Sunday, August 28, 1983 'We Still Have a Dream' 7 a and all flesh shall see it together." "We still have a dream" that's what Coretta Scott King, widow of the civil rights leader, said in a warmup speech as the crowd assembled at the Washington Monument for the short march along Constitution Avenue to the Lincoln MemoriaL And that's what the big blue-and-white buttons said that most of the marchers wore. Their placards said such things as: "No more MX missiles," "Alabama marches for jobs, peace and freedom," U.S. Out of Chad," "Deaf and blind need stronger federal support" and "Money for jobs, not bombs." The president was on vacation in California and none of his associates was invited to address the rally. But in a written statement issued Friday, Reagan said that while much progress has occurred in 20 years, much remains to be done. He called King's dream one "that all men of women of good will, black and white alike, share with all their hearts." King, the Atlanta minister who led civil rights demonstrations throughout the South and often went to jaiL won the Nobel peace prize in 1964.

He was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis, Term. Reagan has opposed a longstanding proposal to make King's Jan. 15 birthday a national holiday, but there are indications his opposition has softened since the House passed the bill by a overwhelming majority earlier this month and sent it to an uncertain fate in the Republican-controlled Senate. Among the speakers at the rally was Owen Bieber, president of the United Auto Workers and heir to the mantle worn by the late UAW leader, Walter Reuth-er, who helped organize the 1963 march. "We're back on the Mall today because the dream remains unfulfilled," said Bieber, deploring high unemployment among both whites and blacks.

(Continued from Page 1) down Constitution Avenue, the army of demonstrators chanted: "Ronald Reagan, he's no good; send him back to Hollywood." But Benjamin Hooks, executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, caught the tone of the day's rhetoric with his sharp condemnation of President Reagan's budget-cutting and human rights policies. "We serve notice on you, Mr. Reagan, that we are not here to live in the past and to leave simply singing, 'We Shall Hooks said. "We are here because we are committed to the elimination of Reaganism from the face of the earth," Hooks declared. "We've had enough of it Reagan no more in '84 Some waved their placards at the White House as they marched by, but Reagan was out of town.

The line of marchera stopped so supporters could greet, wave at and try to touch Mrs. King. In a day of oratory promoting virtually every liberal cause, more than four dozen speakers urged that King's birthday be made a national holiday and supported a long list of proposals, all of which Reagan opposes. They included a nuclear weapons freeze, ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, reversal of U.S. involvement in Central America and enactment of costly legislation to put people back to work rebuilding deteriorating American cities.

Almost every speaker recalled Kings words in biblical rhythm 20 years ago which mobilized public opinion behind enactment of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. "I have a dream," he cried out that day, "that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed Shriner Tom Coffman shares a moment with cerebral palsy victim Joshua O'Neal and his aunt, 14-year-old Christy Rayner, a former born victim. Both have been treated in Shrine hospitals, and Christy's parents credit the Shriners with saving her life. She will be queen of the Mid-state Shrine Club Circus here Sept. 10.

(Town Talk Photo by Leandro Huebner). Shriners Saved His Daughter's Life Christy, who wants to work with handicapped children when she gets older, said of the Shriners "I'm glad they've come along." (Continued from Page 1) the Shriners "I didn't have to pay a dime." Today, Christy is only missing the digits on her right and left hands, but she's alive and well, said Rayner. He was told earlier that she would lose both her hands and her feet, but the doctors at the Shriner hospital performed "miracles." What's more, shell officially be crowned the queen of the Shriner's annual Mid-state Shrine Club Circus at 2 p.m. Sept 10, said Tom Coffman, circus chairman for the Habibi Mid-state Shrine Club. According to Coffman, the circus and other Shriner-sponsored fund-raisings help generate about $95 million a year to operate the 18 Shriner's hospitals and three burn centers in the U.S.

Coffman said those treated in Shriner hospitals are given free medical care, with the Shriner clubs footing the bill. If it were any other way, he said, most of those in the hospitals could not afford proper medical care. The Shriners "care about children. We care about all children, but especially the crippled children," said Coffman. Malpractice Lawsuit Against Cabrini Hospital Recessed "Our slogan is this: A man never stood too tall that he couldn't reach down and help a crippled child," said Coffman.

Coffman said he and other Shriners have dedicated their lives and their time to making children happy. "I'm doing it because I love children. I love to help children," he said. The Shrine circus will be Sept. 10-11 in the Rapides Parish Coliseum, Louisiana Highway 28 West, said Coffman.

The Habibi Mid-state Shrine Club currently sponsors ten patients, four of them in Grant Parish, said Coffman. The Rayner family said they will always praise the Shriners for "unselfish" action in saving Christy's life. The Shriners give people "a wonderful feeling. It really is," said Kaye Rayner, Christy's mother. When one visits a Shriner hospital, said Mrs.

Rayner, "it's fascinating. It's the most fascinating thing youH ever see. You won't see one person who isn't really interested in the kids they're helping." more than four months and became infected and created a hole in his stomach. All parties except the hospital paid a total of $226,000 to settle Simon's claims in an arrangement made by the Louisiana Patient Compensation Fund and a private insurance firm. Simon claims the hospital is liable because its nurses and aides were responsible to make sure all surgical materials were taken out of his wound.

The hospital maintains it is not liable. It claims that if it is found liable, it is jointly liable with the parties which have already settled. If the jury finds the hospital jointly liable with other parties, the hospital's share of any judgment against it would be reduced. Employment Training Act and is "much, much more effective." "It will put tax dollars to work, unlike the wasteful CETA program," he said. The Emergency Veterans' Job Training Act signed by Reagan earlier this month will provide about 50,000 training opportunities for unemployed veterans, Donovan said.

"This program is specifically designed for the Vietnam veteran, and sinks almost $300 million over the next two years into private enterprise so they can train the veteran," he said. Alexandria Daily Town TaLc (USPS 013-100) August 28, 1983 No. 165 Published every morning, except Christmas Day by McCormick and Compony, Inc. 1201 Third P.O. Box 7558, Alexandria, touisiana 71306.

Second Class Postage paid at Alexandria, touisiana. Subscription rate $6.00 per month by carrier; $6.00 per month by mail delivery. The trial of a $1.5 million malpractice lawsuit against St Frances Cabrini Hospital will resume at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Ninth District Judge Lloyd Tee-kell recessed the trial at 8:30 p.m.

Saturday after five full days of testimony. He said lawyers for the plaintiff, Virgil A. Simon of Tioga, and for the hospital have completed their cases. When the trial resumes, Simon's lawyer will put on his rebuttal and then both sides will give closing arguments. Teekell expects the jury to decide the case Tuesday night Simon originally sued four doctors, their medical firms or clinics and the hospital over complications he maintains after a gauze pad was left in his abdomen during surgery to repair an artery in 1978.

He claims the pad was left in him Donovan: Reagan Helps Vietnam Vets Get Jobs At Security 1st National Bank we're JSw' VC 3 'jKm! excited about our growth and what it 5r tf feP means for Central Louisiana. It's great to I be a part ot a healthy developing community. We have expanded to six convenient offices serving the -I H2 -f AlexandriaPineville vicinity. fcstl-W' "TS Security 1st National Bank is proud tv "rjw1fe) of our special people. They are working jti t.rr for you.

People who live in your 311 neighborhood and who understand the TV kind of service you expect from your mumh iyr'Sl bank. At Security 1st National, our I "ffTrP dedication shows in p. TP v. our smiles and more fel Ji importantly in our Itf'" fo tCT I service. Our people A.

ifV If really do make the fei Si If difference! And it IJkj w-Ajrl I VV-Z-v After all 4V there's no place f-ft'ttJ9 r- 7 qUitel'ke1St' w8 jff Security pa National Bank AlexandriaPineville Member FDIC There's no place quite like lot! NEW ORLEANS (UPI) The Reagan administration is committed to helping resolve "tragic" unemployment problems among Vietnam veterans. Labor Secretary Raymond Donovan said. The administration is moving slowly but effectively toward its goal of combating underemployment among Vietnam veterans, he said "Vietnam-era veterans have unemployment problems that are tragically higher than most other groups," he said. Donovan said the Reagan administration is more aware of the needs of the Vietnam war veteran than past administrations. The new job-training partnership act that goes into effect Oct 1 is one way President Reagan is trying to help younger veterans, Donovan told the 39th annual convention of American Veterans Friday night "The job training act will provide training for veterans, and not just in dead-end jobs," he said.

"They'll be trained for useful, viable work." Donovan said the job training act replaces the Comprehensive.