Linemen deserve special praise

To the editor:I would like to express my gratitude to all the electrical crews that have been working so hard getting power turned on for so many thousands of people in our surrounding area. I was one of those people, and I was fortunate to have my power turned back on after two days. There are some who still do not have power after five days. The linemen are still working hard. My father retired as a lineman from AmerenUE. I can remember him being away from home for days, sometimes weeks, because of damage from bad weather either in our area or hundreds of miles away. These workers risk there lives every day. I spent two days without electricity, and I can only imagine what it would be like to be working in these conditions for hours. I have always seen my father as a strong and brave man. Those linemen you see out there right now working so hard have those same characteristics. Next time you see one of them, do me a favor. Give them a big pat on the back for me.

CYNTHIA L. KEESEE, Jackson