Thanks for community help for Mitten Trees

Dear Editor,
To all of the people who have, so far, generously donated to our Mitten Trees, the Clarkston Farm and Garden Club thanks you all so much for your generosity in donating mittens and hats to our Village Planter trees lining Main Street in downtown Clarkston.
To date we’ve donated almost 200 pairs of mittens and mitten/hat sets to Lighthouse Clarkston on Dixie Road.
We’d also like to thank all of the businesses along Main Street who are participating this winter. The signs are nicely displayed and we’re trying to keep the clothes pin baskets full so it’s easy to clip those mittens right on the the trees!
What started as a simple idea during one of our meetings has resulted in a wonderful way to express the kindness so many of us have in our hearts. The people of Clarkston have found many ways to donate including dropping off bags of mittens and hats at some of the participating businesses.
And as we brush away the snow and collect the mittens we’ve been overwhelmed at the thank you’s and appreciation people walking along Main Street have given us. We truly live in a wonderful place with that small town feeling of community that is not easy to find.
Given the enthusiasm of the response so far we’re excited to announce we are extending the Mitten Tree project through February. Michelle at Lighthouse Clarkston told us they get a lot of requests after the holidays for mittens and hats because as soon as the kids get back to school, somehow, their mittens get misplaced or lost.
So, with the almost 200 they already have from all of us, they’ll need more given this chilly winter season!
So please keep the generosity going, keep attaching the mittens to the trees and we’ll keep the clothes pins ready and mittens dry until our next donation.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you all again.
Beth, Diane, and Betsy, members, Clarkston Farm & Garden Club

A ‘no’ to more home equity interest deductions

Dear Editor,
No thanks to the rushed-through new Tax Reform Act, effective Jan. 1, we can no longer deduct the interest on home equity loans unless used for home improvements.
How is the loss of this very common deduction going to benefit middle and lower income Americans who relied of tapping into their home equity without having to incur the much higher expenses related to obtaining a mortgage?
Congress awarded already profitable corporations a permanent 40 percent reduction in the top tax rate which goes into effect immediately. The home equity deduction is gone in 2018 without notice or reasonable phase-in to pay off these credit lines while still deductible.
Forget trying to correct this problem by speaking with our vegetarian congressman, “No Meet” Mike Bishop. As is his practice, no public meetings have taken place or are scheduled. I called his office and could only leave a message. So much for being our representative.
Oakland County residents NEED and DESERVE better representation in Congress. Bishop is just a pawn of special interests.
Henry S. Woloson
Independence Township