Since Neil Rudel mentioned the STEP program in one of his articles, let me give one person's opinion.
Last Saturday, I felt like a visitor in a foreign land at Beaver Stadium.
We have had our seats for 34 years with the same people to the left and in front of us for those years and the same people behind us for the last five.
You got to know the individuals, and maybe they were only seasonal friends, but it was reassuring to have them there.
If someone missed even one game, there were inquiries as to the health status or to their whereabouts - made out of concern, not nosiness.
The guys that used to sit in front of us for all those years were from Hamburg. We knew they would always be late; it was their routine. If they came in before kickoff, we would warn them that it was a bad omen. The people who sat to our left came from York Springs, Frank and his wife Melanie.
We called Frank "Coach" because of his mannerisms during the game.
Melanie was deaf, but she reacted to the vibrations of the stadium and cheered as rabidly as any other fan. Knowing that she was deaf, you made sure to face her and speak slower so she could read your lips.
You listened carefully when she spoke because of her speech patterns, but we enjoyed tremendously communicating with her. She was a great fan and a great person.
I know we may get to know the new people. But at my age, I probably don't have another 34 years, unless I live to be 99.
Rose Kupchinsky, State College
