To the editor:

A geologist may spend an entire career spanning the globe in search of precious metals, ore bodies, and never discover one. Here in the Keweenaw ore bodies were abundant, many of them being mined out. Sometimes the discovery is made by accident, right under our feet. My family and I discovered such a precious commodity in the Canal View Houghton County (formerly Houghton County Medical Care) a few years back when our father was admitted there for 10 days following an auto accident. He was again a patient at the Canal View this year from May into October and is now again living on his own (with care).

It seems as though most residents in this area are “aware” of the Canal View, it’s location, it’s important function in our area offering rehabilitation services as well as long term stays, as I was. Many, many of our friends and family have had loved ones staying at the Canal View over the years. After spending months visiting my Dad there, we witnessed the high level of care afforded him by rehab professionals, both physical and occupational, the nurses, the kitchen staff, aids, maintenance, nutritionists, all of them and it was as if a precious ore body in our area was again discovered.

We sat in progress meetings with a round table of caregivers displaying more patience and kindness than most towards a sometimes irritable and impatient patient and family. We sincerely thank the entire staff at Canal View for their caring concern during a very stressful period of our father’s life as well as ours. I got the sense during my many visits to the Canal View that ALL employees there viewed their respective tasks not simply as a job, but more of a privilege to properly serve the patients under their care. Canal View truly is a much needed and valuable resource to the community so when you see the line item– “Co Medical Care” on your property tax bill, please don’t complain about it. Like a geologist who spends an entire career searching for precious ores, never finding them, we may be fortunate to not ever need the Canal View, but just know, it is right under our feet, ready to serve, if we do.