Letters to the Editor 11-11-2003
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Young Tiger Football - Welcome Home - Halloween Vandalism - Holiday Employment - U.S. Marine Band - Animal Cruelty? - Value Of Trees - Thanks To Bell Museum - CCS Meets Needs
Young Tiger Football
Editor, Times-Union:Each player is a link of chain. Alone a link is weak, but link players, coaches and parents together and the links make a chain and it becomes strong. It's true no matter how you say it when a group works together no matter what the goal, it's easier to succeed as a team. On Saturday I attended the awards banquet for Young Tiger Football. During the banquet it became more obvious just how strong the chain was and how truly successful this season had been. I don't just mean win/loss success, (strength), although each of the three teams had a winning record. I couldn't help but look around the room and see a big part of the future of the Warsaw Tiger Football program. It was very exciting! These boys practiced and played their tails off together, they traveled and played away for every game. They are all winners in their own way, they played with heart and passion and never gave up. It may be hard for some people to understand the feeling of pride that I had as a parent watching these 58 boys receive their awards, I guess knowing what they all accomplished throughout the year was part of it, but it was the feeling that these boys, coaches and parents had started of something big.
I would like to thank everyone involved in this program, my son is not only a stronger football player, he is a stronger person. This is a great football program! I would recommend it to anyone in the Warsaw School District that has a young player that strives to be the best son/student/athlete he can be.
These boys are Young Tigers, and they all know the meaning of "Tiger Pride."
Lisa Head
Warsaw
via e-mail
Welcome Home
Editor, Times Union:Alpha Company of the 1st Battalion of the 293rd Infantry Soldiers has returned. Their gear has been stowed and the weapons secured. With all personnel intact, the only deviation would be physical and mental. The armory north of Warsaw has seen another unit being deployed in a combat zone.
Company D (Airborne) Rangers were the only National Guard Unit to perform direct combat operations in the Republic of Vietnam. They were inserted by air into hostile areas, numbering 974 patrols. In only 12 months the units making up Co. D Rangers, were awarded 18 Silver Stars/1 Soldiers Medal/122 Bronze Stars (87 with "V" device for Valor)/101 Purple Hearts/111 Air Medals/184 Army Commendation (30 with "V" device for Valor). Because of the direct contact with the enemy, they also earned the right to wear the "Combat Infantry Badge." In doing so, their numbers dropped, by four. Four Rangers gave their all.
Vietnam was not a declared war, but it was a war that caused a lot of hard feelings of those who were involved directly. For the returning Vietnam veteran, there was no warm welcome home. The lack of public recognition in America inflicted a pain and cast a stigma upon the veteran of this unpopular war. ALL veterans and those especially who sacrificed their comfortable lifestyle to fight in a war and especially those who sacrificed their life to keep America a free Nation deserve the respect of all Americans.
Welcome back: Enlisted Men, Noncommissioned Officers and Officers of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion 293rd Inf. (Night Fighters).
Robert L. Reed
U.S. Army, Ret.
Vietnam Veteran
Warsaw
via e-mail
Halloween Vandalism
Editor, Times-Union:First of all, this message is twofold. I want you to know we live on East Effie Mae Street, North Webster. We wish to thank all the parents who brought their 250-plus children by Halloween evening to enjoy the evening. My husband decorates each year for all holidays, and this year was no exception. We had lights, pumpkins, tiki torches, big air-blown Halloween characters (8-foot parachute material ones), Halloween music and, of course, candy. Several of the parents, walking and driving, came up to us to thank us for having a safe and fun place for their children to go to. It made all the hard work worth it. We want to say, "You're welcome!"
Now for the good stuff! Sometime after midnight, some older teenagers came up and vandalized our Halloween characters! The way we know they were older is because these characters are more than 8 feet tall and they were slashed with a knife, the slashes were over 18 inches long and they tried to cut off one of the ghosts' head. Yeah, they destroyed them all right, but you know, that won't stop us from decorating again. I do, however, feel worry for them. I am sorry they obviously never had a happy childhood. To think their type of fun is to destroy other people's property is pretty sad. I am sorry that their parents never cared enough about them to make their lives happy or at least care enough to teach them right from wrong.
I don't care if you do or don't believe in having good, clean fun, but why ruin other people's fun? It really makes me sick to think that in our neighborhood we have such a person living. I do, however, want to thank you for at least waiting to destroy our stuff until after the kids got to enjoy the evening.
In closing, I just wonder how many parents knew where their children were after midnight. If you don't know, guess what? We do!
Bob and Cyndee Ulmer
North Webster
Holiday Employment
Editor, Times-Union:It seems some local retailers would rather be open this Thanksgiving than let their employees be with family - why is that?
If a business is "family oriented," they would not be open on a holiday. I bet some employees would appreciate not having to work and to be with family.
Darrell Miller
Warsaw
U.S. Marine Band
Editor, Times-Union:I want to thank John Elliott and those who assisted him in bringing the U.S. Marine Band to Warsaw. They have been described as the best band in the land. I dare say they may be the best in any land!
The musical precision and the expertise of the instrumentalists and the director(s) were as good as it gets. I have heard concerts by many bands, large and small, and many orchestras from, cities large and small, and I would put this group up against any of them in competition. The marches were stirring, the symphonic numbers were beautifully played and with great emotion and clarity.
I can think of no better way to have spent a Sunday afternoon and I am deeply grateful to the band for coming here and to those local citizens who cared enough to do the leg work necessary to bring such a treat to our fair city. The crowd was large and they received the music with great enthusiasm! And why not? Perhaps we'll never again have the opportunity to listen to live music of this quality in our small midwestern town.
One very grateful citizen.
Ronnie Sams
Warsaw
via e-mail
Animal Cruelty?
Editor, Times-Union:I see letters to the editor all the time about people who let their dogs run loose and people who let their cats roam and get in other people's garbage. What about people who let their horses roam out in the road or on other people's property? I was involved in an accident on South County Farm Road on Oct. 12. No, not with another vehicle but with six horses!
Needless to say, I hit three horses and one of them had to be hurt pretty bad. There was lots of damage to my vehicle and I had to go to the hospital for pulled muscles in my neck and back.
When I called the owner of the horses to re-verify his insurance, his intelligent reply was: My insurance has expired - what's the difference between you hitting a deer and a horse? (In other words my automobile insurance should take care of it so he doesn't have to.) I told him in no uncertain terms that deer is wildlife and horses need to be contained. He does have a fence, but neglects to make sure that the gates are kept closed! In talking with law enforcement and other officials, I find this is an ongoing problem. Just ask his neighbors, they would be more than happy to tell you. Don't you think this is animal cruelty? I certainly do!
Aimee Hamilton
North Manchester
via e-mail
Value Of Trees
Editor, Times-Union:After reading Reg Henry's blistering article, "When Leaves Turn Colors, I See Red" (Oct. 29) in the Times-Union, I saw red! Reg Henry is the only mortal that I have any perception of, who practically curses one of God's loveliest and most valued creations, the indomitable tree.
Now, Mr. Henry, what would we do without trees? And what would we do without shade? I'm afraid that without trees and the shade they give during the hot, parched summer weather, all of us (including Mr. Reg Henry) would burn to a crisp. You, Mr. Henry, state that you want no trees in your backyard. Well, what do you want? Totem poles? They garner very little shade.
Much of Mr. Henry's hatred for trees seems to stem from the fact that he loathes the idea of raking. Most individuals don't hate to get behind a rake. They just simply realize that it's only natural for trees to shed their leaves in the fall; therefore, each autumn, most folks take on the task of raking without throwing a whingding fit over the ordeal as Mr. Henry seems to find pleasure in doing. It is sad that Reg Henry's loathing for trees is so strong that he attempts to bring down the good name of Joyce Kilmer, the famous poet who composed those immortal lines:
"I think that I shall never see
a poem lovely as a tree ..."
In closing, I just want to say, Mr. Henry, I dare you to walk through the country in autumn without a feeling of prejudice or contempt toward trees and try to appreciate all of God's beautiful handiwork - then perhaps you no longer will "see red" whenever you observe a tree. Of course, if you take that walk in the country during the autumn season, you will see red, and in great abundance. You will see brilliant, dynamic colors of red, orange and yellow foliage beneath a bright blue sky, scattered with fluffy white clouds drifting by, a dazzling scenic wonder that should take your breath away, as well as your prejudice and contempt.
Don Kaiser
Warsaw
Thanks To Bell Museum
Editor, Times-Union:We would like to take this opportunity to pay our deep gratitude to the Bell Museum (Gerald Romine, president) and to Orabelle Merideth, who had the dream and the drive of bringing the Vietnam Wall to this small community.
What an honor this was! It was such a wonderful feeling, working together in those four days; it brought a lot of closeness to all of us who had the honor and privilege to help Orie and the Bell Museum put this all together.
To all the chairmen and their helpers (you each know who you are!), thank you so much! Thank you, Orie, for helping this small community realize more thoroughly the price of freedom!
Jeannine Nellans
President, Mentone Legion Auxiliary Unit No. 425 and members
CCS Meets Needs
Editor, Times-Union:Combined Community Services meets needs in Kosciusko County that are not met by any other organization. It seeks to enable those who do not have the skills to help themselves, offering various programs that further education, job hunting skills and home ownership.
CCS makes home ownership possible for its clients through a partnership of the government and local banks and businesses. A government account called an individual development account allows a client to invest as little as $300 toward his/her down payment. This money is multiplied 9:1 as it is matched with money invested by local banks, businesses and government.
CCS works hard to keep its expenses down and to be a good steward of the resources it is given. For every dollar donated, only 18 cents goes for overhead. For every dollar donated, 82 cents goes to meet the needs of the people in this community. I would encourage citizens of Kosciusko County to remember Combined Community Services and the good it brings to our county.
Sally King
Marion
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- Young Tiger Football - Welcome Home - Halloween Vandalism - Holiday Employment - U.S. Marine Band - Animal Cruelty? - Value Of Trees - Thanks To Bell Museum - CCS Meets Needs
Young Tiger Football
Editor, Times-Union:Each player is a link of chain. Alone a link is weak, but link players, coaches and parents together and the links make a chain and it becomes strong. It's true no matter how you say it when a group works together no matter what the goal, it's easier to succeed as a team. On Saturday I attended the awards banquet for Young Tiger Football. During the banquet it became more obvious just how strong the chain was and how truly successful this season had been. I don't just mean win/loss success, (strength), although each of the three teams had a winning record. I couldn't help but look around the room and see a big part of the future of the Warsaw Tiger Football program. It was very exciting! These boys practiced and played their tails off together, they traveled and played away for every game. They are all winners in their own way, they played with heart and passion and never gave up. It may be hard for some people to understand the feeling of pride that I had as a parent watching these 58 boys receive their awards, I guess knowing what they all accomplished throughout the year was part of it, but it was the feeling that these boys, coaches and parents had started of something big.
I would like to thank everyone involved in this program, my son is not only a stronger football player, he is a stronger person. This is a great football program! I would recommend it to anyone in the Warsaw School District that has a young player that strives to be the best son/student/athlete he can be.
These boys are Young Tigers, and they all know the meaning of "Tiger Pride."
Lisa Head
Warsaw
via e-mail
Welcome Home
Editor, Times Union:Alpha Company of the 1st Battalion of the 293rd Infantry Soldiers has returned. Their gear has been stowed and the weapons secured. With all personnel intact, the only deviation would be physical and mental. The armory north of Warsaw has seen another unit being deployed in a combat zone.
Company D (Airborne) Rangers were the only National Guard Unit to perform direct combat operations in the Republic of Vietnam. They were inserted by air into hostile areas, numbering 974 patrols. In only 12 months the units making up Co. D Rangers, were awarded 18 Silver Stars/1 Soldiers Medal/122 Bronze Stars (87 with "V" device for Valor)/101 Purple Hearts/111 Air Medals/184 Army Commendation (30 with "V" device for Valor). Because of the direct contact with the enemy, they also earned the right to wear the "Combat Infantry Badge." In doing so, their numbers dropped, by four. Four Rangers gave their all.
Vietnam was not a declared war, but it was a war that caused a lot of hard feelings of those who were involved directly. For the returning Vietnam veteran, there was no warm welcome home. The lack of public recognition in America inflicted a pain and cast a stigma upon the veteran of this unpopular war. ALL veterans and those especially who sacrificed their comfortable lifestyle to fight in a war and especially those who sacrificed their life to keep America a free Nation deserve the respect of all Americans.
Welcome back: Enlisted Men, Noncommissioned Officers and Officers of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion 293rd Inf. (Night Fighters).
Robert L. Reed
U.S. Army, Ret.
Vietnam Veteran
Warsaw
via e-mail
Halloween Vandalism
Editor, Times-Union:First of all, this message is twofold. I want you to know we live on East Effie Mae Street, North Webster. We wish to thank all the parents who brought their 250-plus children by Halloween evening to enjoy the evening. My husband decorates each year for all holidays, and this year was no exception. We had lights, pumpkins, tiki torches, big air-blown Halloween characters (8-foot parachute material ones), Halloween music and, of course, candy. Several of the parents, walking and driving, came up to us to thank us for having a safe and fun place for their children to go to. It made all the hard work worth it. We want to say, "You're welcome!"
Now for the good stuff! Sometime after midnight, some older teenagers came up and vandalized our Halloween characters! The way we know they were older is because these characters are more than 8 feet tall and they were slashed with a knife, the slashes were over 18 inches long and they tried to cut off one of the ghosts' head. Yeah, they destroyed them all right, but you know, that won't stop us from decorating again. I do, however, feel worry for them. I am sorry they obviously never had a happy childhood. To think their type of fun is to destroy other people's property is pretty sad. I am sorry that their parents never cared enough about them to make their lives happy or at least care enough to teach them right from wrong.
I don't care if you do or don't believe in having good, clean fun, but why ruin other people's fun? It really makes me sick to think that in our neighborhood we have such a person living. I do, however, want to thank you for at least waiting to destroy our stuff until after the kids got to enjoy the evening.
In closing, I just wonder how many parents knew where their children were after midnight. If you don't know, guess what? We do!
Bob and Cyndee Ulmer
North Webster
Holiday Employment
Editor, Times-Union:It seems some local retailers would rather be open this Thanksgiving than let their employees be with family - why is that?
If a business is "family oriented," they would not be open on a holiday. I bet some employees would appreciate not having to work and to be with family.
Darrell Miller
Warsaw
U.S. Marine Band
Editor, Times-Union:I want to thank John Elliott and those who assisted him in bringing the U.S. Marine Band to Warsaw. They have been described as the best band in the land. I dare say they may be the best in any land!
The musical precision and the expertise of the instrumentalists and the director(s) were as good as it gets. I have heard concerts by many bands, large and small, and many orchestras from, cities large and small, and I would put this group up against any of them in competition. The marches were stirring, the symphonic numbers were beautifully played and with great emotion and clarity.
I can think of no better way to have spent a Sunday afternoon and I am deeply grateful to the band for coming here and to those local citizens who cared enough to do the leg work necessary to bring such a treat to our fair city. The crowd was large and they received the music with great enthusiasm! And why not? Perhaps we'll never again have the opportunity to listen to live music of this quality in our small midwestern town.
One very grateful citizen.
Ronnie Sams
Warsaw
via e-mail
Animal Cruelty?
Editor, Times-Union:I see letters to the editor all the time about people who let their dogs run loose and people who let their cats roam and get in other people's garbage. What about people who let their horses roam out in the road or on other people's property? I was involved in an accident on South County Farm Road on Oct. 12. No, not with another vehicle but with six horses!
Needless to say, I hit three horses and one of them had to be hurt pretty bad. There was lots of damage to my vehicle and I had to go to the hospital for pulled muscles in my neck and back.
When I called the owner of the horses to re-verify his insurance, his intelligent reply was: My insurance has expired - what's the difference between you hitting a deer and a horse? (In other words my automobile insurance should take care of it so he doesn't have to.) I told him in no uncertain terms that deer is wildlife and horses need to be contained. He does have a fence, but neglects to make sure that the gates are kept closed! In talking with law enforcement and other officials, I find this is an ongoing problem. Just ask his neighbors, they would be more than happy to tell you. Don't you think this is animal cruelty? I certainly do!
Aimee Hamilton
North Manchester
via e-mail
Value Of Trees
Editor, Times-Union:After reading Reg Henry's blistering article, "When Leaves Turn Colors, I See Red" (Oct. 29) in the Times-Union, I saw red! Reg Henry is the only mortal that I have any perception of, who practically curses one of God's loveliest and most valued creations, the indomitable tree.
Now, Mr. Henry, what would we do without trees? And what would we do without shade? I'm afraid that without trees and the shade they give during the hot, parched summer weather, all of us (including Mr. Reg Henry) would burn to a crisp. You, Mr. Henry, state that you want no trees in your backyard. Well, what do you want? Totem poles? They garner very little shade.
Much of Mr. Henry's hatred for trees seems to stem from the fact that he loathes the idea of raking. Most individuals don't hate to get behind a rake. They just simply realize that it's only natural for trees to shed their leaves in the fall; therefore, each autumn, most folks take on the task of raking without throwing a whingding fit over the ordeal as Mr. Henry seems to find pleasure in doing. It is sad that Reg Henry's loathing for trees is so strong that he attempts to bring down the good name of Joyce Kilmer, the famous poet who composed those immortal lines:
"I think that I shall never see
a poem lovely as a tree ..."
In closing, I just want to say, Mr. Henry, I dare you to walk through the country in autumn without a feeling of prejudice or contempt toward trees and try to appreciate all of God's beautiful handiwork - then perhaps you no longer will "see red" whenever you observe a tree. Of course, if you take that walk in the country during the autumn season, you will see red, and in great abundance. You will see brilliant, dynamic colors of red, orange and yellow foliage beneath a bright blue sky, scattered with fluffy white clouds drifting by, a dazzling scenic wonder that should take your breath away, as well as your prejudice and contempt.
Don Kaiser
Warsaw
Thanks To Bell Museum
Editor, Times-Union:We would like to take this opportunity to pay our deep gratitude to the Bell Museum (Gerald Romine, president) and to Orabelle Merideth, who had the dream and the drive of bringing the Vietnam Wall to this small community.
What an honor this was! It was such a wonderful feeling, working together in those four days; it brought a lot of closeness to all of us who had the honor and privilege to help Orie and the Bell Museum put this all together.
To all the chairmen and their helpers (you each know who you are!), thank you so much! Thank you, Orie, for helping this small community realize more thoroughly the price of freedom!
Jeannine Nellans
President, Mentone Legion Auxiliary Unit No. 425 and members
CCS Meets Needs
Editor, Times-Union:Combined Community Services meets needs in Kosciusko County that are not met by any other organization. It seeks to enable those who do not have the skills to help themselves, offering various programs that further education, job hunting skills and home ownership.
CCS makes home ownership possible for its clients through a partnership of the government and local banks and businesses. A government account called an individual development account allows a client to invest as little as $300 toward his/her down payment. This money is multiplied 9:1 as it is matched with money invested by local banks, businesses and government.
CCS works hard to keep its expenses down and to be a good steward of the resources it is given. For every dollar donated, only 18 cents goes for overhead. For every dollar donated, 82 cents goes to meet the needs of the people in this community. I would encourage citizens of Kosciusko County to remember Combined Community Services and the good it brings to our county.
Sally King
Marion
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