Editor, Times Union: This is in response to the school bus safety article you published recently.
I am a school bus driver and I have from one to five people a week run my stop arm. The public needs to be reminded they are violating the law and how dangerous this is.
How can you not see a huge yellow bus with its yellow and red flashers on stopped? I see people reading maps, putting on make up, talking on their cell phone, etc. This is how accidents happen. I have had several close calls. One day a car ran into a yard to avoid hitting the bus and almost hit a child.
Why won't the prosecuting attorney do something about violators? Seems like a license plate number isn't enough to press charges. If some one violated the law while driving my car I would sure want to know. It doesn't seem like a license plate is enough evidence according to the prosecuting office. Why do we have license plates? For tax purposes to pay his salary?
I pray every day that nobody hits or kills one of my "Precious Cargo" as they enter my bus.
Hopefully this letter will let the public be reminded how important it is not to violate the stop arm of a school bus. You can't bring back a life after it has been taken by a violator's mistake.
Ann Engle Leesburg
Kosciusko Foundation
Editor, Times Union: A little over a week ago media mogul Ted Turner announced that he was donating one billion dollars to United Nations charities. And as he did so, he challenged other members of the fraternity of the super-rich to do likewise.
The billion dollars given by Turner is the largest philanthropic donation in history, in terms of dollars and cents, dwarfing previous high gifts of $600 million by Kathryn Albertson and $500 million by Walter Annenberg. At least 20 other gifts of $15 million or more have also been recorded thus far in 1997.
American are at times greedy and self-absorbed. But when it comes to charitable giving, we are noted throughout the world for our generosity. For, though these large gifts make the headlines, over 75 percent of all charitable donations come not from corporations or foundations, but from individuals. We give to education, the environment, social services, the arts, and public society benefits. But far more than any other, we give to religion.
Nearly 70 percent of all American households gave to charity last year. And those families averaged over a thousand dollars in gifts for the year.
We give to our churches and synagogues, to our public and private schools, service clubs, boys' and girls' organizations, hospitals and other health care organizations, colleges and universities. We support orphans in other countries and children's homes in our own. We give to organizations to fight cancer, heart disease, diabetes and numerous other diseases. Indeed, Americans are a generous people.
We also give generously through foundations. Giant foundations, such as the Ford Foundation and Lilly Endowment, give away hundreds of millions of dollars annually. But local foundations, such as the Kosciusko County Foundation, present a great opportunity for charitable giving on a local level as well. Kosciusko County Foundation is one of more than 80 community foundations serving Indiana.
Community (or public) foundations differ from private foundations because, rather than serving the philanthropic interest of one donor, they combine the resources and serve the interest of many donors across the community. By pooling their resources, community foundations offer donors significant tax advantages and low administration costs as well as the opportunity to make a difference.
Established in 1968, Kosciusko County Foundation builds and maintains an endowment, the earnings of which are used for charitable purposes within our county to meet ever-changing needs. The Foundation now has assets of over $6 million. Grants to nonprofit organizations and for scholarship purposes this past year totaled over $500,000.
Kosciusko County Foundation offers donors of all means the most effective ways to make gifts to their communities in all segments of philanthropy: civic, culture, human services, environment, health, education and religion. One does not have to be a Ted Turner, Ford Foundation or a Lilly Endowment to make a difference in one's world or community.
For further information on the Kosciusko County Foundation call 267-1901 or visit the office at 117 W. Center St. in Warsaw.
Suzie Light Executive Director
Heritage Corridor
Editor, Times Union: On Oct. 1st the Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission will vote to apply for nomination of the Wabash River as an American Heritage River. By their vote, two-thirds of Indiana will come under the authority of 12 federal agencies with all their "current" regulations and enforcement powers. At this time, no process exists to get out. The power to get out rests with the "community" making the application, the unelected group of people appointed by the county commissioners of 19 counties. Ten of these counties have already signed letters of nonsupport and told their appointed person to vote "No." However, these appointees have made it clear that they are not answerable to their county commissioners. Neither are they answerable at this time to the state legislature.
This is our "new" form of government: the president will empower volunteers like those on the Corridor Commission to make proposals, send agencies like the "federal twelve" to regulate and enforce, and we people will be relegated to the position of serfs in medieval times.
Right-thinking people should be incensed at the idea of losing their right to elected representation, but no outcry has been made. What is being taken happens because someone allows it. Are people too busy to watch, to pay attention? Do people believe someone "out there" is watching for them? If liberty is to be preserved and our rights under the Constitution kept for our children, citizens must ensure that the right to have elected officials answerable for their decisions is never lost. Look to the rivers; look to the lands about the rivers. The battleground is there; the time is now. The American Heritage Rivers Initiative with its "new" form of government by unelected person must not take over our rivers, our counties, or our state.
Marilyn Riggle Battle Ground, Ind.
A Few Bad Apples
Editor, Times Union: This letter is to inform all parents of Lakeview Middle School students of a problem that they may not be aware of. There are a lot of good kids out there and they shouldn't pay the price for the few that are not. Our kids need respect and their privacy. The bathroom stall doors have been removed and only a few remain without locks. The principal has informed them that they will stay that way because of a few kids that choose to conceal drugs and obscenities. I feel this is hurting the others who choose not to do those things. They should have supervision if necessary but our kids need privacy and respect as adults do. Maybe if we all speak up this will change. It is causing a lot of problems.
Noreen Courson Winona Lake
Library Parking
Editor, Times-Union: What a disappointment to see the signs posted in the library that Revco does not want library patrons parking in their parking lot. This was such an excellent opportunity for this company to demonstrate community spirit by sharing its ample space with our library - which, due to its renovations, has virtually no parking places.
While I realize that patrons parking at Revco may have cost Revco space, I think it is interesting to note what else it may have cost them. Upon reading the signs in the library, the comments I heard from others were, "If that's their attitude, I don't need to buy anything there," and "I usually try to stop in at Revco and buy something in appreciation for the parking space but I don't plan to go in there now." Plus, "What kind of community spirit is that?"
I agree with these people. I think it is a shame that Revco couldn't donate that space to patrons until the renovations are completed next spring. It may have cost some space but this may likely cost them customers.
