Tag Archives: Atlantic Ocean

Celebrating Wildlife Conservation Through the Arts

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Students Invited to Enter Duck Stamp Contest

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge invites students K-12 attending public, private, or home schools to participate in the 2012 Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest.

“The competition is an art-based educational program that allows students to participate in a nationwide waterfowl arts competition. The process also exposes students to the nation’s wealth of migratory waterfowl and motivates students to take active roles in conserving these species,” said Virginia Junior Duck Stamp Program Coordinator, Aubrey Hall.

Ms. Hall also emphasized that “the program is meant to be a fun journey into the world of waterfowl. The artistic skill level of the students is not the focus of the contest. Not only do we want artwork from all children, we enjoy seeing the variety of pictures that the students produce”.

All students entering the state contest will receive a Certificate of Participation.  Entries may also receive prizes or honorable mention ribbons. The State Best of Show will represent Virginia in the national competition.  National awards include a complimentary trip to the First Day of Duck Stamp Sales Ceremony in Washington, DC and a monetary award.

Participants select a bird from a list of native North American waterfowl.  Other design guidelines include, but are not limited to: a size of 9”x12” not exceeding ¼” in total thickness; horizontal orientation; and the absence of lettering, words, or signatures on the front of the design. For more information contact refuge staff or explore the Federal Duck Stamp website (http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/).

Entries must be mailed to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box 62, Chincoteague, VA 23336 and postmarked by midnight, March 15, 2010.  Judging will occur Friday March 23, 2012.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.  We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals commitment to public service.  For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

Out & About

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By Evelyn Shotwell

Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce
February 2: Groundhog Day! Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow….. 6 more weeks of winter! 

February 4: Radiothon sponsored by WESR 103.3FM to benefit Riverside Shore Cancer Center–8:30 a.m. to Noon–Hear stories from patients and gain advice from healthcare professionals.  Contact Linda at 757-414-8051 r lmurphy@shs-inc.org for info.  

 February 4: Local Appreciation Day! Delmarva Discovery Center- Special savings :)

February 4: Winter Wonderland Gala- 1st Annual Fundraiser, Winter Wonderland Gala at Delmarva Discovery Center.  Call 410-957-9933 for info.

February 7: Pre-school Program at Island Library at 10:30 a.m. Theme is Ground Hog Day (Feb 2)

February 9: Scars on 45, Atlantic Records Recording Artist who has been featured on Grey’s Anatomy, performs LIVE at The Mar-Va Theater in Pocomoke City at 7 p.m.  www.mar-vatheater.org or 410-957-4230. 

February 11: Death By Chocolate–Join the sweet celebration on Main Street from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

February 11: Ballet Theater of MD presents Aladdin at 2 & 7 p.m. at the Mar-Va Theater in Pocomoke.   

February 14: VALENTINE’S DAY!  Remember the “sweethearts” in your life.  

February 14: Pre-school Program at Island Library for 2-5 year olds.  Theme is Valentine’s Day! 

 February 18: Twist & Shout–New York band will amaze you with a tribute to the music of the Beatles at The Chincoteague Center-7 p.m.  Visit www.ChincoteagueCenter.com for all details. 

February 18: Frozen Assets Ride sponsored by American Legion Riders to support our veterans & local children.  Contact Arnold at 757-336-1436 for more information.  

 What’s Up With You??????
This is your space to tell us your news. …..send short text to chincochamber@verizon.net by noon Wednesday.
Pony Tails–7011 Maddox Blvd.–We have what you need for the Super Bowl!  We have delicious dips, drink mixes and all of our candy is on sale, so you could make a delicious candy tray!  February 4th & 5th we will be having tastings of some of our dips.  Don’t forget we are open every day and a new item is Buy One Get One FREE every day!       
Carodan Farm Wool Shop has moved to 7151 Horseshoe Dr.  Feb. hours: W-F 10-5; Sat. 10-3.    
 Celebrate spring now through March 31 with this great Wedding Printing Package from Print & Ship.

Don’s Seafood Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner.  Come and get the free lunch card.  Buy 6 lunches and get one lunch special “FREE”.  Lunch starts at 11 a.m. with our last seating at 9 p.m.  Oysters are at their peak right now!
            
Museum of Chincoteague Island celebrates Cinco de Mayo (May 5) with a special 5×5 Art Show.  All artists are encouraged to donate a piece of artwork (must measure 5″ x 5″) to help with this unique fundraiser.  Contact the museum at 757-336-6117 or chincoteaguemuseum@verizon.net for more details.

Feather Fund Makes Another Dream Come True

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THE BOOMERANG COLT

By Sonora Hannah

I would like to dedicate this, my first published work, to God, my Heavenly Father, and to my mother, Genna, and my Aunt Laure… because without them, this story never could have happened.

“I believe that in the moment God created me, He put in my soul a love and a passion for horses. It is something I was born with… a part of me that has always existed, even before I discovered it was there.”

Sonora Hannah

When I sent my application to the Feather Fund in the spring of 2010, I pretty much felt sick to my stomach. I thought that after I sent it, I’d finally be able to stop thinking about it and get some relief from the rollercoaster of emotions I’d been living with for months. That turned out to be wishful thinking because now that I didn’t have the application to work on, all I had were my thoughts.

 What made the waiting worse was that I had already applied to the Feather Fund the year before and remembered the pain of disappointment that had plagued me when I did not win. I was determined to shield myself from that kind of disappointment so to protect myself, I chose to believe in the improbability of my winning a foal. But despite everything, I kept hoping that the odds of my winning might not be so slim after all. I dreamed night and day about what it would be like to raise and train a wild Chincoteague Pony foal from the windswept island of Assateague.

 I had told the Feather Fund in my essay, “I look at all of the people around me who have their own horses; they have a chance to grow together and become permanently bonded in spirit. Sometimes I wonder if they realize just how blessed they are. My heart aches with the desire to have that strong bond of love, trust, and friendship that comes from having traveled a long road together; my heart yearns to start out on the road that will earn me the love, trust, and friendship of one special horse… my horse.”

Mid-May came… the time when I was to find out if I was or was not going to embark on that road. I checked the Feather Fund’s website daily and I tended to get rather nervous when the phone rang. But no news came either on the website or by phone. I was discouraged, but at the same time hopeful. If no winners had been posted, maybe that still meant I had a chance! Even though I tried to tell myself I very likely would not win a foal, I couldn’t seem to really believe it. There had to be a chance for me, especially because this was the last year I would be eligible to apply because of my age. I tried not to feel defeated by that thought; I knew that if I did not win, that it must mean that God had a different plan in mind for me. I wanted to have the strength of heart to trust Him that His plan was what was best for me, and that is something I had been learning to do since the first time I had applied for a foal. In my essay I had said:

“This whole Feather Fund experience has been a lesson for me in trusting God. I want it SO very badly that there are not enough words in this world to fully express the intensity of my desire. It is a feeling so deep and strong that it can only be felt, not spoken. This I can tell you: If I should be awarded a foal it would be the answer to my heart’s prayer of many years, and I would work for all I’m worth to keep that foal healthy and happy in body, mind, and spirit for all of its life. And in return, that foal would be giving me an ongoing purpose, a reason for working and living with all of my heart, and a chance for healing in my life.

“A foal of my own would mean the WORLD and beyond to me. It would be a priceless gift that I would work hard to ever deserve. I leave you in no doubt, I hope, of the sincerity of my heart’s prayer and desire and I want you to know that I would not take ownership of a foal lightly. I have waited most my whole life for the day that the miracle of my own horse would come. My heart is bursting with love to be given away to the one little horse I may call my own.”

I told Feather Fund board member Lois Szymanki, who is now one of my dearest friends, “The day you called is the day I gave up.”

It was June 7 and I had hung onto hope for several weeks past the time when I had thought the winners would be announced. But that day something inside me snapped. My pet rabbit had gone into labor and we rushed her to the emergency room when it became apparent that she was having trouble. The vet gave me a long list of procedures they might have to perform to save Jane and any unborn babies… and it wasn’t going to be cheap. The only money I had to spend on such a big vet bill was what I had been saving back for my pony. I told the vet we’d do whatever it took to save Jane. What else could I do? I said to my mom, “I’m not getting a pony anyway.”

I was pretty shocked to hear myself admitting to it, but I figured I’d better get used to the fact that it was true… I wasn’t getting a pony.

I was in pretty low spirits when I came home that evening with a stillborn baby bunny to be buried and my dream of winning a Feather Fund foal to be buried with it. I dug a grave and lined it with ferns and other spring greenery and then came up to the house to invite my mother to come for the burial. My mom was squinting at the phone when I came in. She asked me to read the missed call for her, because she couldn’t see it very well. I took the phone and read the name on the screen. My mouth dropped and I looked up at my mom, speechless. Mom says she’ll never forget my face; she knew as soon as she looked at me who the missed caller must have been.

And so it was I went to Chincoteague Island, Virginia for Pony Penning, an event I had only ever dreamed of attending! I saw the wild ponies swim the channel from their home on Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island where the foals would be auctioned off to the public to maintain a healthy number of ponies on the wildlife refuge and to benefit the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company who care for the ponies all year round. The days before the swim were spent meeting my new Feather Fund family and searching the pens on Assateague for my top favorite foals to bid on at the auction. I found three I decided to keep in mind, but I really didn’t know which of them my favorite was. I had decided I wanted a filly rather than a colt, so I chose a tall liver chestnut paint filly as my number one to bid on. But nothing really felt definite in my heart, even though I had decided it in my mind.

Auction day arrived. My calm exterior belied the intensity of my nervousness. Joy and relief consumed me when my fellow 2010 Feather Fund winner placed the winning bid on the pony of her dreams. And I realized, it would be my turn next. When the liver chestnut filly I had chosen as my favorite came out into the ring, I felt a flurry of excitement, but something about it didn’t feel real, didn’t feel right. Then it was announced that this foal was to be auctioned off as a buyback, a foal which would be sold for a high price to benefit the fire company or a charity, but would be returned to Assateague Island to live wild for the rest of its days. My Feather Fund family and my mom sympathized with me when the news came over the loudspeakers. But strangely, I didn’t feel much disappointment. Instead I felt that it was a message from God saying that this filly wasn’t the one for me. There must be another one out there with my name on it, I thought.

There were only 57 foals to be sold at the 2010 auction. By foal number 52 I was beginning to fear that I wouldn’t be getting a foal at all. I looked at each foal to come out. I watched their mannerisms; I looked into their eyes, searching for some glimmer of a connection between us. I almost bid once or twice out of fear of not getting the chance to bid at all… but I couldn’t do it. Something felt empty. It felt wrong. None of the foals spoke to my heart; none felt like they could be the pony of my dreams. Then I saw him.

He was rearing, plunging against the weight of the wranglers who held him. He was lost to sight as he dragged them along, trying to escape the prison of their arms and bodies. But I had already recognized him! He was on my list of top favorites, the first of my favorites I had seen since the paint filly early on in the auction.

The flashy pinto markings against his dark red/brown coat made him easy to identify. The boomerang marking at the top of his neck on his right side were why I had dubbed him the Boomerang Colt. Excitement welled up in my heart as he was finally escorted into the ring. Before I knew it I was in a bidding war for him. Somebody else had taken a fancy to him, too. I knew in my heart I couldn’t lose him. This was it! He was the one! I only wondered why I hadn’t seen it before. The price on his head went up and up, but I was encouraged to keep bidding. I raised my feather high and finally stood up in desperation.

“Please!! Please,” I said.

The bidding slowed. Then it stopped. It was the longest few seconds of my life before the auctioneer bellowed, “SOLD!” and pointed to me.

Sold! The Feather Fund had purchased him for me for $2,500!!!

My eyes welled up with tears of joy. In disbelief I realized that my dream had just come true. In one little fleeting moment, my dream had been fulfilled for a lifetime.

Even before the Boomerang Colt had come into sight, Lois had leaned over and said to me, “I don’t know why, but I think you are going to get the Boomerang Colt.”

More than once she said it, saying she didn’t understand why, but she felt that it was so.

I wondered at it, but I was so caught up in the auction and searching over the foals that I didn’t give it too much thought. I kept thinking about the little bay and white foal with the butterfly marking on its rump.

 Interesting story: foal number 52 was this foal, but I did not recognize it. I believe that God shielded me from recognizing it because He knew that if I had, I was feeling so desperate that I very well might have taken the plunge and jumped in on the bidding. How thankful I am that I did not get either one of those foals I had chosen for myself! What God had chosen for me was better than anything I could have imagined or dreamed of. Here’s more proof that the Boomerang Colt is God’s gift to me: one of his flashy pinto markings is in the shape of my profile!! No kidding!

The Boomerang Colt’s name is now Mincaye (Min-KY-yee). People are usually pretty curious as to where that name came from and the significance of it to me. To save time explaining, I usually just tell them it is a name that comes from a tribe in Ecuador. Truth is, there is a lot more to it than that. But that is another story…

Sonora Hannah is a high school graduate with dreams of becoming a writer, artist, and horse trainer. She resides in Washington State where she cares for her menagerie of animals which include a Chincoteague pony, a Shetland sheepdog, and a Bengal-mix cat.

A Better Life Now for Rescued Chincoteague Ponies

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By Robert Boswell
Publisher, Wild Pony Tales

The three Chincoteague ponies who were rescued by Debbie Ober and her husband, Tom, from an auction barn in Pennsylvania in September are nearly back to full health. As a result of our stories some donations have come in and so have requests for adoption.

More donations are needed though. See the information at the end of the story.

The moment the three Chincoteague ponies she had rescued from near slaughter came out of the trailer Debbie had sent to get them is not a time she will ever forget. She still can’t talk about it without her voice breaking up.

Saturday, November 5, with our writer/photographers Misty Thornton and Kate White, we traveled the two hours from near Chincoteague to the Ober’s Hawkeye Stables in Ridgely, Maryland. There was more to the story, we knew, of what goes on at the Ober horse farm where Debbie cares for 20 ponies. Some of them are Misty of Chincoteague descendants and most are closely connected to the famous Chincoteague wild ponies.
The three rescues were all bought at the 2001 Chincoteague pony auction but little is known about where they spent their years until now. All three are registered Chincoteague ponies, sired by island stallions.

Debbie had earlier described what confronted her when the rescued ponies arrived at her place. There was Clipper, a small bay gelding, who had no hair from under his jaw to his chin with pus oozing from a dozen sores. When he came out of the trailer he laid down, unable to get up.

Ginger, a big chestnut mare, was very thin and weak from starvation and parasites. And Captain, a bay pinto gelding, was very thin too. He had the worst parasite problem of the three, so bad he had stopped eating.

From communicating with Debbie, we knew they were much better but we didn’t really know what to expect. Because they had all come down with strangles, a pneumonia-like illness the rescue ponies had been quarantined in their own pasture and shelter.

Upon arrival we followed Debbie from the barn area to the rescues’ pasture with her pulling a small wagon with hay, grain buckets, brushes and, if needed, halters.

As we neared the fence she asked, “Are you ready?” In a minute we had climbed through the fence and set up cameras. The ponies, however, were nowhere in sight. But with a call from Debbie, three specks in a distance, actually three pastures away, began moving toward us at a gallop. It was the three rescues, who did not slow up until they reached us.

Two things were obvious. They were ready to eat and they were glad to see Debbie.

Debbie spends several hours each day hugging and caring for her horses. She is devoted to them, spending more time with them than she does with people, more time outside with them, she says, than inside her house.

She has a routine.

“I check all of them daily from head to tail. Making sure there are no kicks, cuts, etc. Also, I make sure they eat their grain in a reasonable time. If they don’t eat, I know I have a problem. I always check noses, especially this time of year. The foals tend to get a runny nose, but unless they run a fever, my vet suggests that I let it run its course without interference to build immunity. I always check halters on the young stock. They can be fine one day and too tight the next as they seem to grow in spurts.”

Imagine this and she left out mucking stalls, driving two hours for hay every few weeks, and of course her house work.

When Captain, Ginger and Clipper arrived they were in poor shape. Debbie spent most of the next three nights with these Chincoteagues, making a bed for herself under the shelter and wrapping up in a horse blanket to stay warm. Debbie changed her clothes several times a day to keep strangles from spreading to her other horses.

Who knows what the three ponies think has happened to them, but they have to know someone now cares. Since coming to the Ober home they have not been a day without proper food, medications, and lots of hugs and kindness. They can thank Debbie and Tom, but also others who helped put up money for their rescue, including Debbie Elliott-Fisk and other members of the Buyback Babes, friends and family.

While our time with the rescues has its special memories, they were not the only ones we brought back from the Ober farm.

One pony rehabilitated by Debbie is the majestic Tornado which has sired many foals born on Assateague Island. Tornado is the sire of Prince, bought by the Buyback Babes in 2007 for $17,500, the most ever paid for a pony at the Chincoteague auction.

In 2008 Tornado was injured while on the Assateague range and the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which owns the Virginia herd, decided to remove him from the herd and arranged with the Obers to care for him the rest of his life. In an article that ran in the Caroline Review in July 2010 the Obers wrote, “Though he inhabited the sandy beaches of Assateague made famous by “Misty of Chincoteague” Tornado became a legend of his own. He is one of the most photographed stallions on the island.”

Tornado is a buckskin pinto stallion born in 1988. He might have been a wild stallion for 20 years, but around us he was just another friendly head to pat, nose to rub. Or maybe he just wanted Kate to take his picture again. She was clearly his favorite visitor on this day.

The other memory we will have forever was provided by Tornado’s newest offspring, one of four now with the Obers. She is a nine day old filly Debbie calls Freckles due to her red leopard coloring. We have video of this baby making her second trip outside her stall, trying to make up her mind how far to venture. It is precious and we will share it with you soon.

Meanwhile, Debbie is in need of financial help for these rescues and future ones. “We would be grateful for donations to go toward feed and care,” Debbie said. She said if anyone knows of a Chincoteague pony in need, she can be reached at hawkeye@goeaston.net. Her cell is 410-829-3026 and messages may be left on her Facebook page. The mailing address is P.O. Box 125, Ridgely, MD 21660.

The Obers are looking for personal and corporate sponsorships for the ponies and the rescue organization. Corporate sponsors will be listed on the horse trailer and elsewhere, she said. A new website will be chincoteagueponyrescue.org and it is expected to be up and running soon.

The writer is publisher of www.wildponytales.info, a web magazine that covers Chincoteague and Assateague Islands in Virginia. 

Editor’s note: A photo gallery and video clips will be posted with this story soon.
 





Beach Parking Plan, Camp Ground Purchase Wrong Way to Go

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This article appeared as a Letter to the Editor in the Eastern Shore News and Chincoteague Beacon, newspapers published in Accomack County, Virginia.

Dear Editor,

As a concerned citizen, business owner, member of the Chincoteague Vol Fire Company and a  recreational beach-goer I know that I can no longer remain silent and behind the scenes on this whole beach parking issue.  I represent the fire company on the Town’s Beach Access Committee and on the Citizens Beach Access Committee and there have been many hours of meetings and lots of work being done on this issue.  I have only been a small part of this due to my work responsibilities and I appreciate all the work being done by these two committees to help save our way of life as we know it.  But this letter is written by me, from my heart and does not in any way reflect on any organization or committee that I belong to.  These are my thoughts and my opinions only.

With that being said those of you who know me, know what comes up, generally comes out.  Some times to a fault!!    Here we are in the worst economic times that my generation has ever seen.  Our government is out of control from the state levels to the federal level.  Jobs, jobs, jobs are all every congressman and our president yaps about.  And that’s all it is, yapping.  Neither the island of Chincoteague nor the Eastern Shore ever received a big government bailout.  God knows we could have used one given that our two counties are two of the poorest ones in the state of Virginia.  But, we here on the Shore are resourceful, make our own way, don’t ask for hand-outs and try to earn a decent honest living.  And what do we get for that??  A big kick in the pants from the US Fish and Wildlife Service that’s what. 

How in the world can the federal government justify spending $7 million bucks on a campground, then spend thousands more to make it acceptable for parking, then spend even thousands more to out-fit trolley’s, gas, insurance for the trolley’s and payroll for the drivers, yet can’t find $200 thousand to replenish beach parking on the island of Assateague itself?  They can’t justify it all in the name of conservation. 

Mr. Hinds and several others have spoken about sea level rise.  That’s all we have heard for months and no doubt there has been sea level rise in some areas but there has been no rise in other places.  In fact, one study I’ve read that the Fish and Wildlife did about 20 years ago said that the current location of the parking lots now would be under water by the year 2000.  Well here it is folks, the summer of 2011 and it’s not under water.  That just proves to me that no one can predict what will happen.  

The town just recently proposed to increase the hotel tax by 1% much to the dislike of several hotel/motel owners, with thoughts of giving that money to the Fish and Wildlife to help repair the parking lots in case of storm damage.  Now, I’m no genius but giving the government any money for anything other than taxes is just plain crazy. For one, they probably would have to do some kind of study to see if they could accept it and then spend months if not years, telling us that they can’t accept it.  I appreciate the efforts of our town leaders for trying to come up with some kind of possible solution but another tax isn’t it.

Several of my friends and family work for the USFWS, in fact my Uncle worked there right out of high school until his retirement.  I have a great deal of respect for them and what they do.  Our natural resources must be protected; however they can also co-exist together as well.  Removing all beach parking or removing some beach parking will have a devastating impact on this town and the Eastern Shore as we know it.  And not just Virginia’s Eastern Shore either.  It will also impact Worcester and Somerset Counties in Maryland too.  The trickledown effect it will have on all businesses will be felt all around.  All those jobs the government is yapping about?  They will be gone.  The hotel house-keeping staff’s, the restaurant staffs, the bike shops, the front desk clerks, the mini golf course attendants, the store owners, the grocery store employees, the town employees, construction carpenters, the newspaper staff, nurses, the pharmacy staff, hair stylists, charter boat captains, marina dock hands, mechanics, landscapers, lawn care employees, seafood market staff, convenience store clerks, campgrounds staff, HVAC employees, house painters, bank tellers and yes, florist.  Have I made my point?  The surveys taken last year proved that if the parking at the beach is eliminated, people would stop coming to Chincoteague and find another place to enjoy the beach.  The trickledown effect is this:  If a restaurant doesn’t serve as many people as they did before, they will lay off employees.  Those laid off employees can’t afford to get their hair done or buy extra groceries or hire someone to cut their grass or paint their house or buy flowers for someone’s birthday.  And trust me folks, the trickledown effect doesn’t trickle, it pours down like a monsoon!!!

Anyone and everyone who has a stake in this, and lets’ face it if you are a resident, land owner, home owner, business owner, vacationer or what not; you have a stake in this.  Please, contact our congressmen.   There  is Lynn Lewis on the local level, Mark Warner and Jim Webb on the state level and Scott Rigell and Bob Northam on the district level.  You can Google their names and all the information you need to e-mail them, call them or write them is right there.  Please do it today!!!  It only takes a few minutes to do this to save our way of life as we know it.

As far as Maddox Campground being sold…………..sigh, I can understand they want to sell.  Who wouldn’t want $7 million bucks?  The Maddox’s have worked and worked hard all their lives.  I know them personally.  They are good customers of mine.  My dad used to ride horses with their family up where the Piney Island housing development is now.  Wyle Maddox is the guy who made it possible in the first place to be able to drive cars over to Assateague.  The road leading to Assateague is named after them.  And now the possibility of that beautiful piece of land where many families have camped for generations could fall into the hands of the federal government is just hard to handle.  I hope that the Maddox family will have a change of heart.  I hope they will realize what will come of Chincoteague and the Eastern Shore if their campground is used for a parking lot, a parking lot that I feel will be very empty because no one in their right mind will gather up coolers, umbrellas, beach toys, boogie boards, beach bags not to mention little Johnny who is screaming his head off because his sister has taken his beach toy and lug all that to the beach on a trolley.  Oh yeah, I can picture the excitement of that right now.

Folk’s this country has gotten way out of line.  We are sending billions of dollars overseas to countries who want nothing but to attack and kill us.  Billions in aid to other’s because their government could care less if their people starve or not.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t recall other countries coming to our aid when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf States.  In the meantime, our seniors are choosing between buying medicine or food.  Our military personnel are coming home in flagged draped boxes and those lucky enough to survive have to come home and fight again to get the benefits entitled to them and their families.  A one term congressman gets benefits for the rest of his life.  Full retirement and pension and all that good stuff.  Our military personnel doesn’t, they only get a portion.  A portion!!  For protecting us and keeping us free!!    But no, we sent millions of dollars to Pakistan so they can keep Bin Laden comfy. How long do you think they laughed at us over that?  But leave it to the American Soldier to take care of it.  He or she doesn’t see dollar signs, they only see a murderer through the scope of that rifle and with two shots took care of what billions sent to them didn’t.  Disgusting isn’t it?

You know, I’m not very political.  I’m certainly not politically correct by no means.  I don’t like to tip-toe around issues.  It’s either black or white, right or wrong with me.  I’ve been known to vote Democrat and Republican and probably will continue to do so until someone gets it right, which I may never live long enough to see.  This country needs help.  We need to get off our butts, get out and vote and push for term limits so these yapping people of government know they only have a certain amount of time to do it and do it right.  We’ve become too lazy and too politically correct.  Just because someone out there doesn’t believe in God doesn’t mean you have to punish me for wanting to pray or have a nativity scene at Christmas.  I don’t try to tell anyone out there they can’t practice their religion.  You don’t like what I’m doing?  Don’t look. 

Our schools in this country are in a sad state.  No Child Left Behind Law?  Worthless.  A kid can be passed on to the next grade without even knowing the essentials of the last grade he was in.  When is the last time you heard of kid failing a grade and having to repeat it?  These days and times, it doesn’t matter if you can’t read well.  Our teachers are not permitted to take a lot of time with the students these days.  What our teachers are teaching on Monday, teacher s in that same grade everywhere are teaching the same thing.  Now that is a group of people who deserve every cent and more of their pay.  If you think their job is 8-3 everyday with summers off then try it for yourself.  It’s a 24/7 all the time.  And the politics of school are just as bad.  God has certainly been left behind in school; we threw him out and let all the bad stuff in.  All in the name of not wanting to offend anyone.  Don’t mind offending God though do we?

I’m sorry I’m on a roll with all this, I just had to get it out that we are a country in distress.  Both financially and emotionally.  We may not be able to fix the world or even the rest of the country but we can start here and we can start today.   This beach parking issue is not going away and we just can’t rely on a couple of committees to come and save us.  It’s got to be a collective effort on all our parts.  Please, contact, write or e-mail anyone in our government to let them know our concerns so we may be able to keep what little is left of the Great American way of life.

Thank you for listening.

Denise Bowden