Opinions

To the editor:

On Monday, May 28, the nation will observe Memorial Day to remember and honor those who have served our country in uniform and are no longer with us. Since 1868, this has been a day designated to remember them and to decorate their graves with flowers. I hope you will be a part of these important ceremonies.

There will be a short parade down Main Street, but that is not the important part. I urge you to be present in the cemetery for the full ceremony to hear the keynote speaker, to learn the names of those who have fallen since last year and to hear the music, the rifle salute and the mournful notes of taps.

Those who served gave the best years of their young lives to protect our freedoms, and many lost their lives while doing so.

The ceremony in Clintonville Graceland Cemetery will begin at 10 a.m. and will last about 45 minutes.

Certainly, we can take that little portion of our lives to honor them and do the cookout later.

To the editor:

The older I get, the more I realize the awful things that are happening. What is this bullying all about?

You know, if the shoe was on the other foot, you wouldn’t like it. Time to make friends with all of the people. Remember, God created all of us, and that means all colors. We all have hearts and souls, so come on. Get real.

Parents, you should be behind this and everyone that’s trying to help.

Sally Raddant,

Shawano

Amanda, my grandson Jeff’s wife, is a beautiful dark-haired, dark-eyed, devoted wife and mother of four. Her smile lights up a room. If you met this vibrant woman, you would never know she is living with a progressive autoimmune disorder, a disease that affects 2.5 million people around the world.

Amanda recalled: “I can remember looking over at my husband and mother and seeing their faces as the doctor gave me the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. It was March 2009, one month after our wedding. We had three small children and our world was about to change.”

Amanda explained: “The first sign I had that something was wrong was when I began to lose vision in my right eye. I put off seeing a doctor, hoping my sight would improve, but my vision worsened and I knew I needed to have it checked out.”

To the editor:

During the week of May 6, we take the time to recognize and applaud the dedication, self-sacrifice, professionalism and hard work corrections employees commit to, reliably every day 24/7. Corrections Employee Week was created by a proclamation from President Ronald Reagan on May 5, 1984.

The role of correctional employees is ever changing. Recent trends of drug dependency and opioid abuse have ravaged even our small community of Shawano. Mental health and drug dependent inmates make a jail, difficult and at times a dangerous place to work. Our staff responds tirelessly to protect each other, protect inmates and above all protect the public. Separating those who wish to do harm from the rest of the public is a task most have not had, or needed to experience.

To the editor:

Our recent historic 33-inch snowstorm was one that I’ll not soon forget.

Those of us in Menominee County should be, and are, very appreciative of the efforts put forth by our highway department in keeping our roads open.

While the snow on my driveway prevented me from getting to the road, it was very reassuring that, had I been able to, I could have driven someplace.

Thank you for your hard work.

Steve Zaleski,

Keshena

To the editor:

To all the snow plowers in the county and city and law officers, you did a great job on keeping our roads clear of snow and ice during the big snowstorm, risking their lives to help all the citizens of the county and city be safe.

I think the snow plowers did a great, great job for 24 hours a day. I thank you all.

Then neighbors helped neighbors get shoveled out. I had four different people who helped me to get plowed out and shoveled out, so thank you for helping me.

Duaine Gast,

Shawano

To the editor:

I was going for a ride, and I was talking about all the gun killings. I was reminded, it’s not the guns, but the people who have the guns. It’s the people that are the killers, and they are using the guns to do it — and I might say, the wrong way.

Just remember the soldiers and the police officers. These people know what they are doing and when to use them. It’s sad that guns get in the wrong hands and people don’t use them correctly.

Please stop and think about others and not yourself. Something’s got to be done about our laws.

Sally Raddant,

Shawano

King Whitney Jr. said, “Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful, it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.”

I recently overheard some individuals comment that older people are set in their ways and are negative toward change. I doubt if the younger generation really understands the changes that older people have gone through and embraced over the years.

For example, folks of my generation have gone from a wall phone with a party line to cellphones/smart phones. When you are out and about, take a notice of how many older people are using them. It’s surprising.

My hubby, Don, the son of Clarence and Irene Marquardt, grew up on the south side of Shawano. He lived at the end of Washington Street.

A large part of what is now Kuckuk Park was the city dump when he was a boy. Charles Langhoff was the caretaker, and he was also in charge of the dog pound located in the area.

The dump was a busy place. Money was tight, and the dump was visited frequently by pickers with large metal hooks. They scratched through the debris looking for iron, copper or other objects of value.

Caretaker Langhoff also picked items out of the dump and used them to make interesting displays. One of the most memorable things he made was a train. He put the train cars on a nearby hill, giving the appearance of the train circling the hill. My hubby said it was very unique and as a young boy, he enjoyed sitting on his bike watching Langhoff build it.

To the editor:

It has been heartening to witness and hear stories of neighbors helping neighbors and strangers helping strangers during and after the recent gigantic snowstorm. I would like to share another heartening story of SAM’s House emergency shelter during that snowstorm.

Normally open from 5 p.m. until 8 a.m. each night of the winter season, the full-to-capacity shelter stayed open from 5 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Tuesday thanks to the generosity and caring of so many. With nowhere to go during the day, staff and volunteers worked together around the clock so that guests could remain at the shelter during the storm. Those that could reach the shelter took extra shifts, covered for one another, and took turns sleeping and working.