Letters to the editor, June 17
Soup’s On thanks
“Soup’s On” at the Wander Inn would like to thank the community for contributing to our free food program during the Feinstein Challenge. Between March 1 and April 31, the Alan Shaw Feinstein Foundation matched your donations, and added one dollar per pound for any gift of food that we received.
With your help we were able to raise $6,600. The money will be used to make improvements in the kitchen.
A special thank you to the people in Polson, Pablo and Ronan who have stepped up to participate in this project. Most of you not only contribute your time and money to Soup’s On, but volunteer for other critical projects in the valley. It is this kind of humanitarianism that builds our regard for each other and thus, strengthens our community.
Sandy Farrell
Polson resident
Tar sands awareness
I was reminded recently while attending a discussion at CSKT that our letters can help bring powerful awareness to folks where there is a genuine concern that affects us here in Montana. Complaining and not doing anything doesn’t prove productive, yet acting and communicating these important issues is the start to making positive changes.
While I was not aware of this topic of “tar sands” before attending this panel discussion held last Saturday monitored by Winona LaDuke, I left realizing the power of our voices. While our opinions may differ, our actions can prevent something devastating from happening.
The tar sands issue definitely affects our home front. This was addressed by the panel: Francis Auld, CSKT addressing cultural preservation, Eriel Deranger, Athabascan Chipewyan, First Nations of Canada, addressing tar sands in her area, Gail Small, North Cheyenne Reservation, addressing her community’s struggles to prevent coal development and Rich Janssen, CSKT Natural Resource Department, addressing concerns for Flathead Reservation.
Tar sands are being produced all over the world to create another version of oil to meet oil economy needs. As quoted at this event “tar sands are the crack cocaine version of our oil addiction.”
The production of this oil is not only destroying the surrounding earth, animals and humans with the toxins produced, but the delivery of these oils through western Montana fall 2010 (specifically Lochsa River, along Lolo Creek, through Missoula, up adjacent the Blackfoot River to Great Falls) through pipelines and massive equipment on our roads is something to seriously be prevented.
Now’s our chance with writing a letter to the editor.
Nelson Mandela said to us to be mindful of “criticizing before understanding.”
Lynn Peters
Polson resident
Graduation memories
Graduating from high school is a major accomplishment. A few days ago I attended a party celebrating Christa Red Crow’s graduation from Polson High School.
Not only did I enjoy being with her family, I enjoyed hearing Christa’s expressions of excitement at having achieved her goal, high school graduation; that brought back lots of memories of my own graduation from PHS in 1951.
The class of ‘51 was the first class to have their graduation ceremony in the new Linderman gym; how excited we were too, to hold our signed diplomas from Polson High School.
I recall Coach Nelson’s words to me as we were being greeted by family and teachers after the ceremony, “Well, Harv, you’ve just completed the best years of your life.” Looking back after nearly sixty years since graduation, I’d have to agree with Coach; high school years have to be among the most exciting years of our lives.
For the first time in our lives we became aware of the satisfaction that comes from hard work and personal achievement, a signed diploma, which I still treasure today; we learned the benefits of working together in harmony in band and in men’s glee club with our teacher, Mrs. Wolf.
We celebrated our individual contribution to speech club and to the football team when a pass and a run turned into a first down; we had our first experience of learning another language in the very attractive Miss Vines’ Spanish class; in Mr. Bond’s shop class we made lamps and end tables, the end table we still use. Mr. Erkila taught us Math, Mr. Millhouse taught us Biology and Sociology, now that I think about it.
I recall enjoying the social aspect of high school about as much as anything; getting that first date, experiencing the first kiss and meeting the exciting cute girl from Ronan with whom I’ve spent by far, the most exciting fifty-five years of my life.
The graduates from the classes of ‘49, ‘50 and ‘51 will be getting together this year in Polson on Sept. 4 and 5, for their 60th anniversary celebration. We’ll share lots of memories of our wonderful days in PHS, we’ll talk about our most recent surgeries, compare notes about the outstanding achievements our kids, complain about the cost of our medications, and maybe pass around a few pictures of our great grandchildren.
Sixty years have come and gone. Quite a few of our classmates have gone too. I’m reminded of some of the lines from the song, “Through it All”, by Andre Crouch; “I thank God for the mountains, and I thank Him for the valleys, I thank Him for the storms He’s brought me through, for if I’d never had a problem, I wouldn’t know that He could solve them, I’d never know what faith in God could do. Through it all, through it all, Oh I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God. Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.”
In the words of the Psalmist, “Surely, goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life.” (Psalm 23:6a).
Harvey A. Town
Polson resident