A Township You Should Know About
My name is Bill Kaufman, I moved to an apartment in Schaumburg after my divorce in 1985. At the time I knew something was wrong with me but I didn't know what. So I went to the Veterans Hospital were I stayed for a month and a half. The doctors told me I had multiple sclerosis. I didn't have any money and my rent was due. I couldn't work anymore. If it wasn't for the help of the Schaumburg Township and Gerry Bartnicke in Disabled Services and the people in her office, I would have never made it. I would be dead by now.
They have helped me out so many times that I will never be able to repay them for all the help they have given me over the past 26 years. I'm still in the same apartment after all these years.
They have helped me get my Social Security Disability and Sec 8 to pay for my housing, I use the food pantry once in a while when my doctor bills start piling up and I don't have enough money for food. They helped me get into Adult Day Care center when I first got out of the hospital. I was all alone and I needed help with my depression. I stayed at the day care center for 4 years. The township even helped me get an electric scooter so that I could get around in. The Schaumburg Township has helped me with LIHEAP and since my hearing is bad they got me a phone for the hearing impaired.
Then when the State of Illinois pass the law for Mandatory car insurance, they got Rep. Kay Wojcik to sponsor a House Bill 4214 to help disabled people that couldn't afford car insurance.
After I got out of the adult Day Care Center Gerry Bartnicke of Disabled Services started up a support group for the disabled. It was held at the old township school building on Illinois Blvd in Hoffman Estates. That's when I started going to every meeting. Now they have a new township building and they still hold the disabled meeting once a week on Tuesday which I still attend.
I went to the Larry King Show that was held in a Bowling Alley in Schaumburg immediately following the speech by President Clinton on Health Care Reform in September of 1993. I found out about the Show from the Schaumburg Township. So I went and they let me in and I submitted my question to Larry King so he could ask his guests.
Question to Larry King
"If the government can't afford to provide Health Care for all the Veterans as we were promised when we joined the military, how can the government provide Heath Care for ALL Americans?"
William Kaufman
PS And the Veterans Health Care is rated poor in my opinion.
In 1995 I had a heart attack. When I got out of the hospital they came over and opened my bottle of pills. I couldn't open it because my rid cage was still sawed in half because of the open heart surgery they did on me. They told me how to get help from the hospital in order to pay my bills. Gerry found someone who donated a hospital bed. Well guess who brought it over to my apartment? Yes, it was Gerry Bartnicke and her husband. It was there day off. That's what kind of people we have at the Schaumburg Township
Schaumburg Township always makes sure that I don't go hungry on Thanksgiving or Christmas.
As I get older my teeth started falling out. So I went over to Gerry Bartnicke at the Schaumburg Township and she referred me to this organization that helps disabled people get the proper dental care. I got new teeth. Then my hearing got worse so I talked to Gerry at the Schuamburg Township and she got a hold of the Lions Club and they got me a hearing aid.
That kind of gives you an idea how much help the Schaumburg Township has given me. But I'm not the only person they help out. They work tirelessly helping others. I really can't imagine the Schaumburg Township not being there. It would be one of the worst things that could ever happen.
William Kaufman
