Daughter's rape changes many lives

Editor,

On July 1, 2006, something unspeakable and unthinkable happened to my beautiful 13-year-old daughter. This occurrence changed the course and dynamics of my entire family, our friends and business associates.

At 3 a.m. I was awakened by a telephone call from a stranger informing me that my 13-year-old daughter had been raped and was on her way to the local hospital. I was in a state of shock and denial until I saw her curled up in the fetal position on the Emergency Room Hospital bed.

As she and I were driven to Missoula by a detective, the accused boys were “sleeping it off.”

While the accused boys were giving their interviews, while accompanied by their parents, my 13-year-old daughter was experiencing the Rape Kit process. She was questioned, probed, swabbed, and videotaped. This was her first female exam, all done without the presence of her mother. She was not allowed to have her parent present during her interview.

Within the next few weeks a major decision was made on how to proceed in the justice system — not only to spare my daughter further victimization, but in thoughts of kindness and fairness, we did not want to ruin the lives that a court proceeding would surely cause the accused juveniles. This decision haunts me every day.

While the accused boys went about their daily lives, my daughter was afraid to answer the phone or step outside of our home by herself.

While the accused boys played sports after school, my daughter screamed in terror at night — needing all the doors locked, all the lights on and someone sleeping with her.

All the parties involved were advised to keep quiet as this was a criminal investigation. My family and friends honored this request with aching hearts and clinched teeth. Not so the other side.

When the time came to return to school, I was afraid for my daughter. She, on the other hand, was trusting and brave in believing in the system of “Justice.” She felt she knew the truth and could hold her head high. However, by this time stories had been told. My daughter, the victim, was accused and tried by a false jury of her peers.

And my 16-year-old daughter was harassed at school by the same group of storytellers. Students uttered obscenities while passing her in the hallways, spreading horrible stories about her little sister — untrue stories.

With my permission she withdrew from school. With much sadness it was decided that my 13-year-old daughter has been victimized enough and she would leave the Polson area. Being a single parent, self-employed and in the process of adopting two children, it was impossible for our entire family to move.

Leaving Polson meant not only trying to leave the memories of July but also leaving her family and friends. This continues to be an emotional, costly decision — the only decision that could be made to allow her a chance to live without fear and grow into the healthy, strong, beautiful person we hope she will become.

Although her face is not visible in this community, her presence will always be here with us.

Each person involved in this story should be aware of the truth and accept the responsibility for their actions — of the heartache and sorrow the rippling effect their actions will cause all of us for the rest of our lives.

Linda Moll

Polson

Freedom Day date should be changed

Editor,

Rick Skates and others have clearly put in a great deal of time and effort into planning the Memorial Day events in Polson. However, I would urge them to move their event forward 10 days, to the third Saturday in May. That’s the date reserved for “Armed Forces Day.”

Alternately, they could hold their events on the 4th of July, or Veteran’s Day.

As Jackie Ladner has correctly pointed out, Memorial Day is a time for solemn remembrance of those who have passed on, whether in combat or otherwise, in service to our country and communities. While the emerging plan does include a gathering at the Polson cemetery, this would be only one quiet moment during a weekend extravaganza. It would be drowned out and overrun by the jets, tanks, boats, and other noisy celebrations of military power.

Most vets I have known are not only courageous, but also humble and understated. Most who have seen combat do not view war as something to celebrate, but rather as a horror that should be avoided whenever possible and engaged in only when absolutely unavoidable.

In a recent opinion piece on the website www.military.com, Chris Michel, a Navy vet and the founder and chairman of Military Advantage, advises us to “Take Back Memorial Day.” Mr. Michel laments that “Memorial Day’s quiet reverence has slowly been lost to the noise of commerce and the American pursuit of recreation.” He further says that “since the Long War began more than four years ago … the solemnity once associated with this day should be closer to the surface.”

Mr. Michel’s reference to the Iraq war is telling. Memorial Day was first established a few years after the Civil War, when a group of women, including widows of veterans, sought to bring the nation back together by honoring the dead of both sides. So it seems particularly inappropriate that at a time when our nation is again divided by war — perhaps the most unnecessary and disastrously counterproductive war in American history — we may end up engaging in a Memorial Day spectacle that only further divides us. As both Mr. Michel and the website www.memorialday.org make clear, what we really need is the kind of quiet reflection and healing that brings people together — and doesn’t cost us a dime.

Thompson Smith

Charlo

D’Aste Ladies say thanks for the help

Editor,

The D’Aste Ladies and all the little ones that enjoyed the Easter Egg hunt extend a great big thanks to Tiny’s, Connie’s Countryside Cafe, Mrs. Dick Erb and Ronan Harvest Foods for all they did to make it a success.

We ladies could not have done it alone.

Dorla Scott

Ronan

Willet responded

to concerns

Editor,

I read the article on Chuck Willet in last month’s Leader, and I have some questions to ask the Town of St. Ignatius.

1. When I need St. Ignatius police, how come it takes up to 45 minutes to get here? I live in town on Second Ave.

2. When my back door was almost broken and a screwdriver left in the door, and there were footprints in the snow, how come the (present) police couldn’t find the person who did this?

I have had trouble for the last four or five months with a prowler in my back yard. Everytime I call, it takes from 10 to 45 minutes for the police to get here. We are supposed to have an officer in town, or at least that’s what we are paying for.

A friend and neighbor was just getting off work when he saw something wrong. He told his wife something didn’t look right at my house, which is across from their home. We watch each other’s house when we’re out of town or get home late. He investigated when he heard someone at the back door. He called the police and me. Then he tried to see who it was, but the person got away before he could get back to my house.

My neighbor came out to Callie Scott’s to get me. Upon arriving at my house, we saw the screwdriver in my door, so I called county dispatch and told them what we found. Dispatch said that officers were looking for whoever it was. I told them to there was evidence sticking out of my door — a screwdriver. Dispatch said the message would be relayed.

About 20 minutes later, the police arrived, took pictures and took the screwdriver out of the door. They also photographed footprints leading from the alley to and from my back door. I heard nothing from the police for several weeks.

I saw our police chief at the Old Timers Cafe two or three weeks later and asked him about the situation. He told me that there was no attempt and would talk to me about it. Several weeks went by and I hadn’t heard from him. When I saw him again at the Old Timers, I asked for a police report. When told I could not have one, I said I needed it for my insurance company. He told me to have them call him.

I then told him I needed it for my attorney. He again told me to have him call him. I went to the counter and called my attorney. The chief came to where I was sitting and asked what I was doing the next day. I told him I’d be home after 2 p.m. He said to call him and we would meet at his office. I called the city attorney, Mr. Long, and he said he would get me a report on the case, which he did.

What I would like to know is why can’t they catch this person who is scaring the devil out of me? I am scared to leave my house after dark — or come home. My friends put four locks on my doors and a motion light outside the back door. But that hasn’t stopped him; now he waits until I’m asleep and wakes me up.

Why call anyone when they can’t catch whoever it is? At least when Chuck Willet was on duty, it didn’t take him forever and amen to get here. He was back in five minutes when kids were throwing snowballs at my back wall. He came over on his own time and put screws back in the siding.

But I don’t belong to the “Good Old Boys Club” nor do I brown nose the city fathers. St. Ignatius can’t keep a good chief or police officers. We are the laughing stock of Lake County.

I guess what you see is what you get.

Bernadine (Bernie) Lovell

St. Ignatius

Cheerful Heart

sale nets $5,000+

Editor,

The words “thank you” do not begin to convey our appreciation for the gift given Cheerful Heart and Lake County cancer patients last Saturday.

Residents of the county put their money, energy and stuff together to help Cheerful Heart, Inc. raise over $5,000 at the Treasure Fest Garage Sale, May 5. Our best total ever.

Thank you may be insignificant but that is all we can say. Several folks need a special thank you: Yvonne and Cheryl at Ace Hardware for the wonderful covered trailer; Dewey Dolezal for his big trailer and help with the heavy-lifting; Bud at United Tool Rental for the refrigerator dolly; Curt Martinson and Allied Waste Services; and, of course, the New Life Christian Center. The church generously opens the facility to Cheerful Heart for three days.

We had several first-time volunteers this year. One gave us a good quote: “As a first-time volunteer and participant in the Cheerful Heart annual garage sale to benefit non-medical help and support for our area’s cancer patients, I was truly amazed and gratified at the dedication, commitment and hard work a group of Cheerful Heart Angels can accomplish for a good cause and a good deal for the community.”

Thank you, Lake County, for supporting our cancer patients.

Marshall Bjork, chairperson

Cheerful Heart Board of Directors

Polson