Responce to Governor Wolf's interview

Governor Wolf was wrong when he said the people at the Centers are “warehoused” on TV it’s simply not true.

The residents living there are loved and well taken care of. Living amongst people like themselves in apartment like cottages. Everyone has their own space and personal belongings. Kitchens, dinning rooms, living rooms, bedrooms, all decorated to make a homey feel. They have all the supports they need, they have been there for years thriving, and some who already exhausted the “group home” option.

Why is it so wrong to be with people like you?

The campus is beautiful and so are the buildings. Everything they need and everything they are used to could be gone. Apparently disrupting 300 elderly fragile individuals to maybe help 244 people in the community and that’s a big MAYBE is a good decision? To me that makes absolutely no sense. Governor Wolf a man who is supposed to work for the people has all but ignored the plea from family and residents. He has never stepped foot on the Polk Center grounds, very rude and unprofessional.

What he should be doing is opening the doors to the last remaining 4 Centers. Imagine utilizing what we have to help the people waiting in crisis? A Temporary place to call home untill those “community “ group homes are available, because u know what? They aren’t available!

I lived in Polk Borough all my life. The Center has been a big part of my life as a child I’d go swimming in the pool every Tuesday, most of my neighbors worked there. I have fond memories of individuals enjoying community events and we also went to the Center for fireworks and carnivals. It’s a shame the governor and the special interest groups advocating for closure can’t see the community and commitment at the state centers. I have many friends living there and ever since they were told they’d have to leave in 3 years they are worried, and stressed, some scared.

If only DHS would believe the Polk Center mission statement after all aren’t they the ones who came up with our plan for serving the ones we love? No one should be comparing the Centers of today with the horrors of the past Penshurst disaster. The times have changed. The Centers have evolved. A life with dignity. governor Wolf you are wrong and you are throwing away valuable resources our future children will need. Your not saving money and in the long run you won’t help lower that wait list. But you are hurting our most vulnerable. I believe the process of closure without the consent of these people and their families is infringing on their civil rights. Way to go governor. If you actually cared about your citizens you’d be a gentleman and head on down to Polk borough and visit the most vulnerable citizens the commonwealth vowed to protect.

Katie McVay