| October 15, 2009
Editorial
The culture of hard work is still alive and thriving
Jim Blow/Valley Journal
Hard work does have its rewards. Sometimes those rewards include a little fishing trip along the way to the next job. By Jim Blow
Editor
Two weeks ago I was sitting in the middle of the finest office environment any worker could hope for. And I knew it had to be the envy of every person I know who makes five times as much as I do.
It wasn't at my usual spot in our nice office at the corner of Fourth and Main in Ronan. I love my desk in the back office of our building, but it doesn't exactly blow away my son's nice office back in Virginia.
But that spot I claimed two weeks ago, a temporary shift of my office for a few days, had to beat any other that I could imagine.
I was sitting on my backside on a sandbar in the middle of the Madison River, just northeast of Red Bluff. I'd been on the river for about an hour and decided to sit down and enjoy a sandwich while watching the river pass along.
It was one of those beautiful early fall days. With the temperature around 50 degrees and the sun warming me, I hardly noticed the stiff breeze blowing downstream. Now as I chewed on my sandwich, I noticed the geese flying overhead, banking in the wind gracefully.
I'd already caught one medium-sized rainbow trout within 10 minutes of putting on my waders. On the drive down I'd worried that I didn't have any caddis flies in my box, but that good-old standby, a bead head pheasant tail nymph worked well to tempt a 12-inch rainbow onto the end of my line.
I'm always so pleased that I caught one fish that I forget my natural greed to catch 50 more. Oh, I do want to catch more but I never lose that elation of hauling in one fish and knowing that I didn't get skunked. To me, everything else is gravy.
So, there I was in the middle of the beautiful Madison River, taking in all the glory of our Montana outdoors. It struck me that this was a working day for me — I was in the neighborhood to photograph a volleyball match that night in Harrison — yet how many men and women would pay a pretty penny to work in such a beautiful locale.
I admit, too, that I didn't feel the slightest bit guilty for goofing off on the river for a few hours before photographing a volleyball game. To me, it's all part of working hard and banking up some fun time.
Recently I was accused of being a hard-worker by a fellow media guy. You have to take that with a grain of salt, though — you know how those media guys exaggerate.
Still, I sure took that as a huge compliment from a quintessential pot calling the kettle black. Rich Forbis of Anderson Broadcasting greeted me a couple of weeks ago with "There goes the hardest-working newspaper reporter in the valley." I could say, without a doubt, Rich is definitely the hardest-working radio guy I've ever known, let alone in the valley.
That's great company to be in. Maybe a lot of you feel the same way. I was raised to work hard and take pride in a full day's effort. I've never claimed to be all that good at what I do, but I do work hard at it. So, to me, being recognized for the effort I put in is the ultimate compliment.
I was reminded of that last week when I came in early and left work a little late. I took solace in knowing that I sure wasn't alone working beyond an eight-hour day. Farmers and ranchers certainly understand that lifestyle. So does Kim Aipperspach, the manager of Arnie's Gas & Tire in Ronan. Each morning that I'm in town early, I can see him having coffee at the Ronan Cafe at around 6:30 a.m. before opening up the gas station by 7. Those same days when I come back to town for a meeting or an errand, there's Kim running the dipstick down into his gas storage tanks, measuring out his inventory before calling it a day ... after 7 p.m.
The same attitude goes for most of the firefighters I've known. They'll joke about the long hours after the fire is out, but you'd never take it as a complaint. Rather, there's a consistent sense of responsibility to work hard at your job and taking pride in getting it done right.
Dana Brown does the same thing at her homegrown job of baking all things good and wholesome from her farm kitchen. Dana, a working mom if there ever was one, pours her heart and soul into everything she makes and it shows in everything she produces from her Farmer Brown's kitchen. And she didn't blink an eye when we asked her to bake a pan full of cinnamon rolls for a very early staff meeting last week.
It's almost a fashion nowadays for us to bash this generation or that for not being as committed workers as those before them. But, the truth is that I'm not sure we're fully aware of all the good examples we have around us.
Though we have lots of reminders of how lazy people can be, I still believe the heart and soul of America is firmly shouldered by hard-working men and women who don't expect success to be handed to them as if it's their right. They work hard, each and every day to build their own success, not wait for one to show up or for it to be handed to them.
And I just happen to be the lucky guy who calls sitting on a sandbar in the middle of the river, eating my lunch while the clouds roll over my head part of a day's work.
The truth is it's a hard job, but somebody's got to do it.
Letters to the editor
Neighbors lend a hand
Editor,
Last week's record-setting low temperatures created a situation where we would lose a substantial percentage of our potato crop.
We didn't have enough days to harvest before the hard freeze was forecast to hit.
Tim, Pat, Dave and Dan Lake, and Steve and Dave Tobol, along with their crews and equipment came to our aid. They finished their harvests on Wednesday and worked for the next three days alongside our crew harvesting as much of our remaining acreage as possible.
Words cannot express our gratitude.
We are truly blessed to have these people as neighbors.
Roger and Kathy Starkel
Ronan
Lapse in judgment doesn’t deserve suspension
Editor,
I feel the need to present the facts and clear the air regarding a situation involving my son and nephew which happened last week. These two sixteen-year-olds are in a computer class at Arlee High School, which is responsible for developing programs for school events.
Arlee had a volleyball game scheduled with Two Eagle River School on Friday, Oct. 2 and received the TERS roster on Thursday. No managers were listed. The boys, with their adolescent sense of humor, added in the names Squanto, Geronimo, Victor Joseph, Thomas Builds the Fire, Sacajawea, Sitting Bull.
As I understand the process, a separate class votes on the best program format, the teacher proofs it and the teacher’s aide makes the copies. In this particular case, the boys’ version was selected, evidently step two was omitted and someone — not the teachers aide, made the copies apparently because of the last minute nature of the job.
Arlee is on a four-day school week and does not have class on Fridays. The program was printed and distributed at the volleyball game with the fictitious manager’s names.
Monday morning a complaint was filed to the Arlee administrators and the boys were reprimanded. Since then, several rumors have circulated, one in the form of a rude text message. All of this has transpired without everyone knowing the facts.
The facts I would like everyone to know are that these young men are respectful of their culture, school and peers, as everyone who knows them could attest to. The family culture they were raised in both values and appreciates humor.
This temporary lapse in judgment was just that, in fact typed in that spirit of humor and never meant to offend anyone. I can just imagine my son thinking he would get a good laugh out of the teacher, she’d make him change it and life would go on.
When he called me that Monday to tell me what had happened and that he’d been suspended, first of all I laughed because his family nickname is Thomas Builds the Fire, after the Sherman Alexie character.
But secondly, I asked him “You do understand how people could take offense to it, right?”
He said “Mom, I didn’t think my version would get picked.”
That tells me someone did not proof the program before printing it, and whoever copied it didn’t catch it either.
If the adult in this instance had been truthful and admitted to a mistake in her rush to complete the job, then this whole malicious aftermath could have been avoided. And no, these boys are not sneaky and did not change the program after she proofed it as she alleged.
They were not raised to be devious and in fact, tried to protect the teacher from getting in trouble after the program had been printed and distributed.
My message to those people out there trying to promote hatred within our nation is please check out the facts before you start pointing fingers. What goes around comes around.
Shelly Fyant
Ronan
We need to hear more from economic developer
Editor,
In today’s challenging economy, small business development is extremely difficulty particular when applying for a small business loan which is critical to success or failure.
What if you could learn directly from an expert? Think of the time you could save and the mistakes you could avoid. This may be the one simple action one can take that would dramatically increase the chances of securing economical development opportunities.
As an economic developer, one would suspect that this individual would strategically identify appropriate funding sources and economic opportunities.
An economic developer plans and recommends strategies to attract new businesses and encourage expansion and retention of existing business to promote a stronger economic base which entails entrepreneurial development and labor force development. They provide expertise and leadership to the business development and to identify and generate leads, contacts and projects for attraction of high quality jobs and business investment into the region.
Is this what Jerry Lamb is hired to do for the tribes? Who is Jerry Lamb? People are asking. Who initially enacted contracting with Jerry Lamb? What does he actually do?
Was he hired to develop a comprehensive economic plan? Was he hired to find the best funding sources, creating innovative employment business programs, and planning for funding sustainability?
Who is Jerry Lamb again? Oh he is an economic developer for the Tribal Council I heard. Well then how much time and utilization of tribal resources — including salary, has been redistributed and spent for Jerry Lamb’s expertise?
Have more jobs have been created for tribal people since hiring of Jerry Lamb? Was there a separate budget to hire Jerry Lamb for his expertise? If there was a special fund, why didn‘t Council hire a tribal member?
Why doesn’t the Tribal Council take the opportunity to update the membership on the progress of the Economic Developer, Jerry Lamb?
These types of issues need to be addressed because I haven’t seen any high performance or success of this position. I believe we have some staff (tribal members) that can perform these tasks. Why must we create a new organizational structure then hire a non-member for the position?
Gary M. Stevens
St. Ignatius
Writing influences in a peaceful manner
Editor,
What does it take for each of us to help alert America to our needs and to help wake up our elected leaders?
Can our letters to the editor, our articles, our phone calls, our emails, and our handwritten letters help? Does anyone read them and listen to them?
Look at climate control. Look at carbon emissions. Look at health care for all as a "right" and not a "privilege." Look at educating our young people about life.
Look at family break-ups, anger, despair and suicides. Look at our nation's infrastructure. Look at loss of American lives and tremendous expenditures of money to keep wars alive and thriving.
Look at the bailouts of financial institutions which have been poorly run for years at the expense of hard working Americans. Look at the overt resistance to any sort of sensible gun control. Look at our deteriorating standing in the world community because of selfish and bullying tactics.
Look at the glorification of sex and violence spewed out hour after hour on TV in the name of entertainment.
Tired of looking? I write many letters to the editor, as many of you know. I do it because I have found this a great way for me to focus my mind about things, to get straight within my own mind, and in the process to possibly influence others' thinking.
I realize how contemplating these things, in writing, have helped me over the years and just perhaps some of these reflections might help someone else. Actually, I know people do read letters to the editor. While they can be stimulating and thought-provoking, I feel it is best if they are not inflammatory.
I try to not attack others. I attempt to simply point out another way of looking at things. We are all free to think whatever we think and speak whatever we speak.
However, we should not feel free to attack others just because they don't think the same way we do. That habit has put this world right where it is today, in chaos, confusion, war, strife, unbalanced wealth, and ruled by fear.
There is an effective way. We simply need to experiment and find it.
Bob McClellan
Polson
Community support instills values
Editor,
Many thanks to the businesses who donated to our canned goods project at Ronan Homecoming.
We delivered 800 pounds of food to the Breadbasket this week. We appreciate your support and know that the community will be fed. Support for our projects instills the importance of community service to our students.
Thanks again.
Marlena Jensen
Shelly Buhr
Ronan High School
Student Council
Ronan
Take caution, slow down
Editor,
I have always had a saying, “If a dog is stupid enough to chase cars, it deserves the outcome.” Although, in my case, I have changed my tune.
My father, Alvin Sloan, has been complaining about the way people drive past his home on 5th Avenue East in Pablo for over 25 years.
On Thursday, Oct. 8, at approximately 11 a.m., my small dog, Little Bear, was struck by a car and the drivers whom can identify themselves, did not have the heart to stop. Now, this bothers me because this street has a posted 15 mph speed limit school zone. School zone mind you.?No, Little Bear is not a child, but she is my child. I am taking responsibility for my pet, but if there is ever another accidental chance, rest assured, I will get your plates, car made, model and you might get a warning from the police.
But, I promise you, you will get the vet bill and in this case, would pay your speeding ticket 10 times over.
Please, slow down.
Liberty Plouffe
Pablo
Visitor center thanks volunteers
Editor,
It was another successful season at the Ronan Mission Mountain Country Visitor’s Center. Thank you to all the dedicated volunteers and local businesses that helped over 600 visitors from 34 states and 14 foreign countries find their way to local and state attractions.
Thank you also to Wendy Sanders. She was not here to organize and run the center again this year, but her tireless efforts over the previous 12 summers ensured that the center would run smoothly with an all-volunteer staff.
The visitor's center building is a hand-hewn log structure that was built in the 1870s and was used at the Sloan Stage Stop on the Dixon to Polson stagecoach line in the latter quarter of the 19th century.
The building had fallen into disrepair and was relocated on property that was developed into the Mission Mountain Country Club in the 1980s. The cabin was moved off that site by Ronan State Bank and was eventually donated to the community for the purposes of being restored into a visitor’s information center.
The project was spearheaded by the Lake County Community Development Corporation which raised community support for the project and secured the assistance of the U.S. Forest Service who awarded a grant to further the project. The site is provided by Ronan State Bank, now Community Bank, and the building and improvements are owned by the Lake County Community Development Corporation.
The center is operated by volunteers organized by the Ronan Chamber of Commerce and is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
If you would like to volunteer for next summer, please call Patti Winter at 676-4925 or the chamber at 676-8300.
Patti Winter
Ronan Chamber of Commerce
Ronan
|
.jpg)
Oct. 8, 2009