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Thursday, June 23, 2016
Insight - A nod to technology - By Michelle Libby
Never before have we been so connected to our families,
friends and community members. Of course, they may be superficial connections,
we still know what is happening in their lives and can reach out to them at a
moment’s notice.
A fire truck rushes by and people are online to find out
what’s happening.
Back in the old days I used to go to parties and have to
make small talk with people I saw once a year. Now, thanks to Facebook, I know
what’s happening in their lives and can ask questions about their children’s
dance classes or the college their son attends. It makes the world smaller.
In the old days, when our parents dropped us off for
summer camp, they left and the only time they heard from us was when we wrote
them letters (hehe, right mom). They wrote letters to me at camp and I’ve wrote
letters to my kids at camp, but now when we drop them off, they take out their
phones to say, “hey, forgot my allergy medication and a broom to kill the
spiders in my bunk.” Before, I would have gotten that letter in three or four
days and then had to wrap up the items and ship them. Now I ran up to camp and
dropped off the things that were forgotten and he knew when we arrived because
we texted him and he was able to call us to pin point our location.
Technology is also great when it comes to letting us know
what’s happening in the world and to connect with people all over the country
and all over the world. Hosting an event? Put out an email or post it to social
media and they will come. No longer are we at the whim of the postal service or
the corded phone.
I am not for all technology. There is a time and a place.
I like to get handwritten letters and mail, especially when it’s not Christmas.
I like to keep notes with pen and paper. I love to read paperback books. However,
I also love that my son, while away at camp can text me to say “Good night,
Mom.”
Friday, June 17, 2016
Dear Editor - From Nancy Gleason and family
Dear Editor,
I know this is a little late, had to
have knee replaced after Tommy’s funeral. I just wanted to thank you for the
very touching tribute you gave to Tommy and our family in The Windham Eagle.
The pictures were such a nice personal touch and probably gave everyone insight
into what his younger life was like. He was such a special man, we’ll miss him
deeply.
I just wanted to thank the paper and the
town for all the love and respect that was given to him during this period of
loss, everyone has been wonderful and very comforting. Windham had such a
special place in his heart and ours. Thank you all again.
Nancy Gleason and family.
Dear Editor - From Windham VFW Post 10643
Dear Editor,
As
Veterans of Foreign Wars from Windham Post 10643, we often are asked where the
money goes that is donated to us during our Buddy Poppy campaigns on Memorial
Day and Veterans Day. So, to the little girl who donated her change, the Korean
War Veteran, widow, and the high school student who placed money in our jar we
say thank you. Thank you, because without you and the hundreds of others who
help support your veterans and families, our programs would be nearly
non-existent.
In
answer to your questions, your Buddy Poppy donation is used primarily to
support local veterans, disabled veterans, and families with rides to hospital
appointments, fuel support, living expenses, gas, yard help, building handicap
ramps, etc. Your money also goes to support our efforts to teach and foster
patriotism, which we find deficient in our schools.
Each
year for nearly 18 years we have been giving a presentation on Freedom is Not
Free at the Manchester School, and we also annually sponsor the Voice of
Democracy, Patriot's Pen, and Teacher of The Year programs. However, none of
these is possible without your support of our bean suppers, chili cook-offs,
silent auctions, and Buddy Poppy Program; we are humbled by your affection and
support. We cannot thank you enough.
The
members of Windham VFW Post 10643
Insight - When decisions affecting many are made by some - By Michelle Libby
Tuesday was Flag Day, but it also was a day for voting. There wasn’t a lot on the ballots in Windham or in Raymond, but there were some important issues that did deserve to be considered by all registered voters in the community. In Windham, out of approximately 11,000 eligible voters only a little over 500 turned out to cast their vote (some voted absentee making the totals around 600).
I find this a disgrace and a little disheartening that
our community cares so little that it can’t be bothered to find a time from
early in the morning to late at night to spend a couple of minutes voting.
There weren’t any lines I saw and I was there three hours in the evening.
It’s a yearly call for people to care enough to turn off
the TV and go to the polls to vote yes or no on a multi-million dollar school
budget. It takes no time and it’s your right.
A couple of weeks ago, I attended a Naturalization
Ceremony at our Veteran’s center. The new citizens were so excited and the
first thing they wanted to do was vote. Why is it that we take it for granted
as citizens who have been born with this rite?
In November, I expect to see the lines out the door. The
high school has cancelled school for that day expecting that they will need the
parking for the voters. Is voting in a presidential election like going to
church only on Christmas or Easter?
The other side of the discussion is do we want uninformed
voters making decisions for us? Someone who shows up and writes in a name or
votes for which ever name they like the best, does this help the community,
state or nation? What will it take for people to wake up to the freedom, the
democracy in action? I hope it’s not that it disappears before we realize we
have a say now.
Friday, June 10, 2016
Dear Editor - From Fred Collins
Dear Editor,
Voice of the People
“Crossroads of America”
Why do we bother to shoulder a rifle? In these areas that
constantly disregard (human rights) or value human life. Wars are not won by
soldiers or Generals who believe their job is to capture the enemy. Their duty
is to defeat the enemy, which often involves removing them from their
existence.
Let us be thankful that there are warriors that are
willing to front for us, against brutality and barbarism. Iran as we know has
been feeding these insurgents from outlying gterroirist swamps. By Iran’s
actions she makes herself the next logical target in the global war on
terrorism – or we must pack-up in Iraq and come home.
We must not only hold our own – we must drain the entire
swamp!
We have stepped into the breach. Let us fulfill our
mission of justice and freedome for an oppressed people, and the security of the world!
“We are at the crossroads of freedom.”
Fred Collins
The American
Westbrook
Iwo Jima
From those who stayed
Tell them of us and say,
For your tomorrows-
We gave our today.
Fred Collins
5th Marine Division,
1945
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