To the editor:

We heartily support Mary Siegrist in her recent letter to the editor titled “The right thing.” She recommended that a refurbished Carnegie building be used to meet the needs of homeless people of Lawrence.

Opponents within the city government raise various objections, but if the city commission decided to do it, it could be done. Where there is a will, there is a way!

Some years ago when we were touring New Zealand, we stayed for some time in Christ Church, the largest city on the South Island. Right next to our housekeeping motel was a well-run government home for the homeless. This government facility not only provided good food and shelter but also job counselling and job training.

As we recall, New Zealand also provided hostels for youth to sleep at when the young people were touring their own country on bicycle. Our Christ Church tour guide showed us an area of the city with many small individual homes built by the New Zealand government for the working poor. The government has learned that if these modest homes were sold to the working poor instead of being rented to them, they were much better cared for.

Andrew Carnegie served society by providing libraries. Now his building should provide shelter for the homeless poor.

John Bond and Alice Bond,

Lawrence