| December 3, 2009
Editorial
Just another great day, fed by wonderful folks
Jim Blow/Valley Journal
A Ronan Community Thanksgiving Dinner volunteer checks out the work schedule for the morning.
Editor
When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
And when there's a need to feed a bunch of neighbors, it's unbelievable how many cooks come forward to feed the hordes.
Every year I'm amazed at the dedicated and significant effort put forth by the several hundred volunteers who give up so much of themselves on a holiday. This year's Thanksgiving Dinners in Ronan and Polson were yet again a tremendous success that spread a lot of love, not to mention a few waistlines.
After trotting a few miles with more than 100 happy runners at the Turkey Trot in Polson, I spent a few hours at the Ronan Community Dinner, catching up with a number of friends before heading out for a big dinner at home. My wife makes a wonderful turkey dinner that I try to save ample room for — the Turkey Trot always removes any slight bit of guilt from overindulgence.
At the Community Dinner, the food was plentiful and the dessert table was, well, a heaping cornucopia of delectable delights that was hard to resist. My brother, John, would have thought he'd finally hit the mother load — more pies than a fella could possibly eat.
I resisted the temptation, turning away from all of it by cherishing the thought of what was to come. I also stayed busy visiting with folks, which reminded me of why I enjoy living here in the Mission Valley.
Denny Winter and I got to reminisce a bit about our days serving in the Navy. Now retired from active duty as a Captain, Denny and I served together on a staff in San Diego, which was my last enlisted tour before I received a commission. It's a small world, a small world indeed.
Though neither of us was raised in Montana, both Denny and I were drawn to the area by family who lived here. We also shared the same desire to settle down for some long-term shore duty in a rural area.
We both agreed that the Community Thanksgiving Dinner was a perfect example of why we enjoy living here, confirming our decision to relocate here after our days in the Navy ended. It's so much more meaningful to be a member of a community that is small enough to get to know. Living in big cities where you are just one more of the many anonymous faces in the crowd lacks the warmth or roots we routinely associate with living in Montana.
Big cities and even bigger urban areas that are conglomerates of one cookie-cutter suburb butted up against another is not my idea of a hometown. After living in so many metropolitan places and serving with so many other services, we both agreed that the Navy family and our individual professional communities within the Navy, provided us the sort of close-knit environment that helped make our work personally rewarding.
And so it is living here in the Mission Valley, where we have the opportunity to get to know so many neighbors separated by so many miles.
Seeing all those familiar faces on Thanksgiving reminded me of how many people give of themselves so willingly and how blessed I am to know them. They recognize their important role in improving the lot of others, as well as the leadership role they play in adding a stitch or two to the fabric that is our community.
Thanks so much to all of you who give so much to so many. You are truly an inspiration to us all.
Letters to the editor
Thank you for your generosity
Editor,
This letter is written with so much heartfelt gratitude.
On Oct. 31, I was injured in a horse accident and was taken to Harborview Hospital in Seattle, Wash. It was there that the love and generosity started. And since I've been home, it hasn't stopped.
We want to thank everyone for the flowers, cards and phone calls. Thank you for coming and staying with me so that Marty could work, for meals brought in and for house cleaning, etc. Thanks for transportation to my doctor's appointments in Kalispell. We have never felt so loved.
We live in such an awesome place. We just can't imagine living anywhere else.
We love you all. Everyday is a day of healing. So we thank you all so much for everything. Also for the up coming benefit, we thank you.
I can't wait to get up and going again.
May God bless you all.
Marty and Donna Perkins
Ronan
Hope lies within then next generation
Editor,
"We are defending our country." "It's an honor to serve." "He was given the highest honor our nation gives." "If we don't fight 'em over there, we'll be fighting them in our own neighborhoods."
These headlines and sometimes spoken words leap out at us year after year after year.
Six years in Iraq with maybe double-digit years in Afghanistan coming up and what has our nation come to?
The great glory of war with peaceful solutions is hardly mentioned. And we the people get so immune to this sort of media frenzy about war, killing, fear of attack, the mentality of attack or be attacked, that it even reaches down into the fascination of our young children with video games, TV shows and the like.
We have become a nation ruled by fear, greed and of a people making judgments and decisions based on headlines, sound bites, ranting talk show hosts, and wily politicians more concerned about holding their jobs than about healing a nation that is hurting.
What is it going to take to change this diabolical and destructive momentum to disaster?
There is hope as I see it, and it is coming with the younger generation now getting high school and college educations. Statistics show that with this new generation comes values and developing wisdom from seeing what's going on around them. This gives us great hope that those leaders of tomorrow will be well prepared to change the entire tone of our national leadership with values reaching down into the communities just like ours.
The media is powerful. The media directs minds. The media is profit oriented and spews out what sells. The media will be changing its tone, too, because that will be the new thinking of a generation of now young people who have seen just about enough of how their elders have messed things up.
Let's all help these young people in their quest for truth, for peace, for a world that works.
Bob McClellan
Polson
Veterans portrayed unfairly
Editor,
After reading the article in the Valley Journal, dated Nov. 19 by Berl Tiskus, regarding Melinda Lea's complaint of smokers causing her customers to be uncomfortable, I felt compelled to reply from a different perspective.
I did notice the article seemed to pay unfair attention to the VFW and did not mention the many other businesses in town where the smokers congregate outside. It is necessary to state that the VFW and the two gentlemen standing outside smoking do many countless volunteer activities within and outside of this community, but I am sure this means little to you.
The article portrayed the VFW and the two men outside, who are merely obeying the law, in a negative light. This was unworthy of the VFW Post and the two men.
The article stated that the City of Polson needed yet another law to enforce. This will pose an interesting challenge aimed at our local law enforcement, currently stretched to their limits working with an already stressed budget. The article suggested the Police Department should have the time to organize an Anti-Smokers Task Force, which will target and fine smokers who are simply complying with the law which has forced them to smoke outside. As if paying taxes along with everyone else in addition to paying a substantial tobacco tax is not enough.
The VFW has been the same for 60 plus years. We are a Veterans Organization that is founded on the premises of preserving our individual freedoms. We pay taxes and employ people. A law has passed to protect non-smokers while inside buildings, now another law needs to be passes to protect non-smokers outside buildings?
At some point, individuals need to take responsibility for their own protection, and laws need to be created to aid the public, not further inhibit their freedoms. You put them on the sidewalks, now take the responsibility for your own self preservation and use common sense.
I myself do not smoke. I do not feel that a person smoking outside, abiding the law, needs yet another law to garner already narrowed rights. Let us remember that smoking is still legal.
The closure of the mill in Pablo has left many families without jobs. Every business in town is just barely getting by. Don't you think we should be focusing on more important matters at hand, then how many yards a smoker should be allowed to smoke from a building?
Our city council should be focusing on more necessary issues.Businesses who are offended by the smokers should have considered the location before opening their doors.
Who opens a heath fitness facility right next to a bar, then complains about the atmosphere the bar presents?
I think smart business planning would be more effective than passing another law.
Don Lilley
Polson
Aquatics group appreciates donations
Editor,
In an uncertain economy, Mission Valley Aquatics has been patiently waiting and preparing to begin a capital campaign to raise the additional funds needed to build an aquatic center. During that time, we were advised to table our grant writing and campaign movement until the economy rebounds. Meanwhile, we completed a positive audit, updated the Business Plan and developed campaign materials. MVA is very prepared and excited to begin a campaign in 2010. Despite the issues with the 2009 economy, MVA has had tremendous support from local individuals, businesses and foundations.
Our 2009 contributions include:
$250,000 - Anonymous Donation
$28,110 - Fred A. Barnowsky Estate
$5,000 - Dorrene Herreid Darlington Memorial
$3,027 - Polson Bay’s Water Daze
$2,250 - Live Locally Fun Run
$1,800 - Lower Flathead Valley Comm. Foundation
$1,757 - George W. Taber Foundation
$1,500 - Greater Polson Community Foundation
$900 - Polson’s “World’s Toughest Golf Course Tournament”
$735 - Rolfson Charitable Trust
$250 - Polson Running
$15,000 - Local pledged dollars
$310,329 - Total dollars received in 2009
A recent donation of $5,000 was made by the family of a local woman who had a passion for water safety and instruction. Dorrene Herreid Darlington spent countless hours teaching swimming lessons to hundreds of local children in the 50s.
Her sister, Shirley Rieben and brothers Lionel and Dale Herreid wanted her passion for water safety instruction to live on in the Mission Valley.
Mission Valley Aquatics looks forward to preserving Dorrene’s legacy through aquatic instruction for our entire community.
On behalf of MVA, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to those who supported us this year. Our fundraising efforts are at 36% and we are excited and ready to make this next year our springboard for completion. If you would like to become part of this project, or make a donation, please call MVA at 883-4567 or email us at mvaquatics@polson.net
Tana Seeley
Project Director of Mission Valley Aquatics
and board members Hu Beaver, Raina Stene, Co Carew, Marc Vergeront, David Waterman and Dick Silberman
Polson
Veterans have little time
Editor,
To Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2986, Polson who are and what we do for the betterment of mankind. One would believe after reading Melinda Leas complaint in the Valley Journal Nov. 19 issue that the only thing the Veterans of Foreign Wars do is smoke, pollute the air, drink and impede traffic to her Pilates Plus Gym.
The truth is, we help Veterans in distress, with transportation, food and shelter. We have hospital equipment to loan at no charge to anyone who needs it.
Our Patriot Guard Unit welcomes all troops home from War. We sponsor community dinners for the holidays. We collect food and warm clothing for the needy.
We help care for National Home for Orphan children of Veterans, sponsor Boy Scout and Cub Scout Troops. We let non-profit groups use our banquet facilities at no charge. We help Veterans file claims for disabilities and benefits. We put up flags on light posts for all holidays and our Honor Guard Services all military funerals, which were more than 150 last year alone.
We do flag presentations at public schools and retirement communities. We make sure that there is military representation in the parades.
Yes, sometimes we have time to have a drink or smoke a cigarette outside of our building with friends.
Jim Sivelle
Senior Vice Commander, Post 2986
Polson
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