Published: November 02, 2009 07:58 pm         

Reader's Forum: Nov. 3, 2009

Kiwanis Club Peanut Day a success one again



The Kiwanis Club of Terre Haute has completed another successful Annual Peanut Day. This event is one of our fundraisers that provide the means to make a difference in the lives of kids in our community and beyond.

Some of the programs that will benefit from Peanut Day include: Boy Scout camperships for youth who would not otherwise be able to gain from that experience; support of 14th and Chestnut Center; an annual Christmas party with Santa Claus, presents and good food for disadvantaged children; The BUG (Bringing Up Grades) program for Vigo elementary school students; Annual Geography Quiz Bowl for middle school students; Key Clubs at North and South high schools; children’s book donations to the Vigo County Public Library; and Teddy bears for small children who are treated at Union Hospital’s emergency room. Plus, with Kiwanians throughout the state, who have supported Riley Hospital for Children since the 1920s, there will be support for the Pediatric Diabetic Research Program at Riley.

Peanut Day would not be a success without the dedicated backing of these partners who join us in service to youth: Walmart South, Walmart East, Baesler’s Market, Duke Energy, Terre Haute Savings Bank, Newlin-Johnson, Sycamore Engineering, Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 157, ICE Rigging, Plant Brothers Excavating, 500 Express, Harris Funding Solutions, Wabash Valley Asphalt, Wright, Shagley, & Lowery, Lamar Advertising, George Miller, June Dunbar, George Bakker, Dexter Bolin, Joe Taylor, Tom Dinkel, Steve Butwin, Scott Liebermann and Joe Minnis. Also, AP Machine&Tool, Capital Planning Systems, Cox, Zwerner, Gambill, & Sullivan, Embroidery Express, First Financial Bank, Forrest Sherer, Gribbins Insulation, Harris Bank, Hendrich Title Company, IBEW Local 725, Indiana-American Water Co., Overhead Door Company of Terre Haute, Sackrider & Co., TABCO, Valley Electric, Vigo Wade Abstract & Title Co., The Volkers Group, Vrabic Car Center, Central WV Building & Trades Council, Sunset Harbor lnc., Earl Rodgers & Associates and WV Animal Hospital.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. If that is a goal that you would like to support, come to our meeting at noon, every Thursday at MCL.

— James Stolt, 2008-09 president, Terre Haute



Community can help put thieves out of business



Do you know someone who, in the last week or so, came up with an Iowa Hawkeye jacket and/or an Iowa Hawkeye football jersey, and perhaps a Garmin GPS, an XM Radio and a digital camera?

If so, please call the Terre Haute Police Department, because there’s a good chance they didn’t buy it like you or I would — they likely stole it from my son’s car.

On Oct. 20, my son’s car was broken into, in our driveway, while we slept. Various electronics, cash and clothing items were taken, but I see the Iowa Hawkeye clothing as something that could trigger an “aha” moment for someone, and assist in catching the thieves. For the life of me I can’t understand why some people think they can just help themselves to things that belong to other people — those who actually work to earn what they have. Such a pitiful and dishonorable existence is that of these parasites, and we as a community need to work together to put them out of business.

— Kelli Miller, Terre Haute



My, how things have changed without Bush



Last Monday evening when I gassed up our car the price was $2.54 per gallon. The next morning I noticed that the price had jumped to $2.80 per gallon. There were no comments in the media on the rising price of oil, to which we were daily treated when George Bush — “the big oil man” — was president, and no insinuations that Barack Obama might have his hand in the same pocket. In fact, the media has had little to say about our heading back to $3 per gallon for gasoline. Curious, isn’t it?

It is interesting also that oil companies have not been given the go-ahead to begin tapping into the vast oil resources that we have, though Mr. Obama has provided $2 billion of our money to an oil company in Brazil to begin drilling off the shores of Rio De Janeiro. Of course, I can understand the president’s generosity toward the Brazilian company, whose largest stockholder is George Soros. Debts need to be repaid. Curiously, this too I did not find broadcast in the media.

We did read about volunteers telephoning people to urge them to support the public option being pushed by Nancy Pelosi and far left advocates. On the other hand, there has been very little, if any, information being circulated about what is happening in Tennessee, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, states that have initiated the kind of health care Mr. Obama is trumpeting. I did read that Vermont is asking the federal government for a rather significant loan to handle the large deficit that was not supposed to be incurred. Interesting.

Things have really changed since George Bush is not around to blame; but then, this is probably a “racist” observation.

— Bill Coker, Terre Haute