CAP must return items donated to Belmont seniors

To The Daily Sun,

The representatives from CAP in the Concord office have again perpetrated an offense against the seniors of Belmont. They in their meeting with attendees and town representatives as well as a reporter from this paper had publicly stated that they had no intention of taking anything other than the food they provided and the office equipment and office furniture ... those are yours to take even though we don’t know if they are yours. Well, I am here to say that what you have said is not what has come to pass. Now you feel free to strip whatever you wish to from the center, cherrypicking the best of our belongings, like chairs, table coverings, pots and pans, water pitchers, glasses, utensils, etc. Are you taking our Christmas decorations, too, leaving us with what you consider unwanted trash? And you have already removed things, claiming ownership of donated items. I know this because you took some of my donated items ... whatever you feel you can use, I would imagine, in the new center you have in the works.

Why should the seniors of Belmont supply our things for use in another town’s center? We have our own needs. These items were not provided by nor paid for by CAP. They were in fact donations from townspeople to the seniors, not CAP. You do not have any right to remove anything that we do not agree you can take. You have not in any way asked us; you have just unilaterally decided you want it and you’re taking it.

We will not forget this. You said one thing and did the opposite. In a public setting. Is it time to reach out to our elected officials? Say, the governor? I think so, Wednesday.

CAP, you thought we were were going to roll over and play dead. WRONG. CAP, it’s not up to the seniors of Belmont and the center you have abandoned to supply your other centers with our donated things. Ask or go buy your own things. Go get a grant if that’s what you need. Stop stripping our belongings from us whatever you wish or need elsewhere. Go find it some other place than here. Those things you’re taking belong to BELMONT and its new senior group, NOT you. We have plans and uses for the items you’re taking. We are charting our own path now. We want your hands off our belongings.

What’s next, the bus, appliances, puzzles, games, books, art, plants, toaster, coffee pot, blender, mixer, etc., to name a few?

There are other organizations, such as the American Legion, utilizing all of these items and space. You seem to have not considered this.

We want our belongings back that you loaded up into your vehicle on Tuesday. Our last day with CAP is Thursday. Thank you!

Kristina Benoit

Belmont