Letter to the Editor: Thanks to Manchester!

December 28, 2018

A heart felt THANK YOU to the wonderful people in the small hamlet of Manchester. My youngest son was involved in the horrific auto accident on Dec 19th at U.S. 127 near Floyd Avenue.

His mom and I immediately left our home in Williamsport, PA to be with him at Henry Ford Allegiance in Jackson. Both hips and legs were fractured, a shattered pelvis in six places and a broken bone in his back; his surgery was very successful. For nine days we stayed with him until his transfer to a rehab facility on the 28th of December.

My son is John-Joseph (J.J.) Farley; he and his wife, Jesse, live atop the Manchester post office. We would stay at his apartment in the evening before heading back out to Jackson every morning.

We frequented the Marathon corner mart, and the the people there ‘required’ an update on his condition every evening and untold people coming and going from the establishment were quick with a promise of prayer and well wishes for our family. The people at Kellie’s could not have been nicer and assisted us with a situation, and we thank them for it. The town’s people were quick to offer a ‘hello,’ and a smile in spite of us being visitors.

Returning Christmas Eve to the apartment we were in awe to see Manchester celebrating
‘Luminaria Night,’ which I have not seen since my early childhood when a neighbor family outlined their property with luminary lights.

While it may not seem fair to use a single name when we encountered so many lovely people, Rose of the Manchester Pharmacy supplied us with a complete Christmas dinner to enjoy at the hospital.

Upon JJ’s release from rehab, I will be returning to help him continue in his recovery, and to the fine people of Manchester I say, “I shall return.”

Hebrews 13:2, NIV: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some
people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” While we are no angels, it is apparent that the pastors of Manchester are doing God’s work indeed.

Joe Farley
Williamsport, PA

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.