To the editor:

I'd like to share the experience that I had this week using the Prime Time Office on Aging.

My father needed outpatient eye surgery in Pittsburgh. I live in San Francisco and took three days off from work to come back, drive him to Pittsburgh and help him during his recovery. I flew in the day before his surgery but due to bad weather, missed my Denver connection to Pittsburgh and had to be re-routed through Chicago.

I called my father, who was understandably concerned that I might not make it in time for his 8 a.m. surgery the following morning. After having canceled his ride to Pittsburgh through Prime Time, he called them back and asked if he could re-book transportation for the following morning.

Prime Time came through. They had a driver at our door at 6 a.m. the next day. I had made it in by 11:00 p.m. the previous night.

The driver, Frank Mancano, was punctual, courteous, and personable. We felt like a friend was taking us to Pittsburgh. I grew up in Steubenville, but I haven't lived here in over 35 years and I don't have much experience driving in Pittsburgh. I was grateful to have someone who knew how to get to the surgery center. After the surgery, my father was hungry and needed to eat - he has diabetes and meals have to stay on a schedule - and Frank took us to a restaurant for lunch. There was no rush, and we had door-to-door service, thanks to Prime Time. Frank refused to accept a tip, and the service is free to seniors.

The Prime Time Office on Aging delivers about 700 meals to homebound seniors every day. Another 200 meals are served daily at 10 locations throughout Jefferson County. They provide door-to-door transportation within the county and, as in my father's case, long-distance transportation for medical visits. They provide legal assistance and health education, including age-appropriate exercise programs throughout the county. This valuable service is priceless to the seniors who benefit from it, and its continuation depends on the passage of the senior services levy. I urge the citizens of Jefferson County to support Prime Time by voting for the senior services levy on Tuesday.

Debbie Frantz Corazzelli

San Francisco

(formerly of Steubenville)