April 01, 2007 12:05 am
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Hyte needs positive input for progress
My heart is heavy with the burden of our community’s welfare. It seems that our community is divided while the needs and dreams of our citizens are being overlooked. Has everyone decided that the best philosophy is “every man for himself?” Do we believe that our community can thrive without the cooperation of its active, concerned members?
In the Wabash Valley, there is so much to be proud of both past and present; yet so much remains to be done both in the present and in the future. Something is broken in our community and the time has come to fix it.
There seems to be a lot of unfavorable press about the Hyte Center. Without the positive programs provided by community centers like the Hyte Center our future could be overshadowed by negative influences. The Hyte Center must continue to function and provide quality programs that will benefit us all.
After 65 years at the Hyte Center, playing there as a child in the 1940s and now volunteering as an adult in the new millennium, I hope that church leaders, groups, lodges, business owners and teachers will work in cooperation to encourage their supporters to become more involved in the fate and success of the Hyte Center. This will give the community a voice of strength and power to be heard once again. It will no longer be acceptable for programs that are beneficial to the community to be victimized or “kicked to the curb” because different factions will not compromise for the good of the community.
Please do not let your voice go unheard due to apathy — lack of concern for the outcome of the Hyte Center; fear — of reprisals from some factions or groups; or naiveté. Do the interests of big business outweigh creating a stronger community?
I hope that those with creative ideas for solutions to improve the programs offered by the Hyte Center are only rivaled by their own enthusiasm of rolling up their sleeves and getting busy. So instead of tearing things down, come volunteer your time and services to build friendships and associations while building a stronger community center to service the citizens of the Wabash Valley. This will open the door to create a more positive environment in which we can celebrate growth and learning.
— Margaret Taylor
Terre Haute
Thanks for support of Literacy Fair
On Saturday, March 17, the Wabash Valley Council of the International Reading Association held its annual Literacy Fair at the Meadows Shopping Center.
Wow! What a fabulous time we had! The schools in Vigo County had worked very hard getting ready for this day and it showed. Teachers from all of the local elementary schools and two of our middle schools set up displays of literary works of their students. Both students and their families came out to look at what wonderful things had been happening at these schools. And, people in the community visited the booths to see the work of the students.
It was a wonderful show of hard work by all. We would like to give a big thank you to the following who helped make the day a success: Ragle and Co. for letting us hold our fair at the Meadows Shopping Center; Alvin Stinnett and ISU for loaning us the tables for the day; Lucky Favre and crew for delivering the tables; the Ambassadors from West Vigo High School who helped to set up and take down the tables; Judy Martin, Ann and the staff at the VCSC machine room for making the fliers for the event; the Vigo County Public Library and P.A.L.S for participating with us; and most importantly the staff and students of the schools that participated. You are the best.
— Amy Papinchock
Terre Town Elementary
— Vicki Thiede and Lauri Reed
Cigarette tax hike can help a healthy cause
When it comes to the current debate involving Indiana’s cigarette tax, there is one clear, undistinguishable fact — smoking is killing Indiana.
Beyond the 27 lives everyday that are extinguished because of smoking, it is killing Indiana socially, as evidenced by the fact that Indiana has the second highest rate of smoking in the country. What’s more, some 10,000 youth start smoking on an annual basis.
It is laying waste to Indiana, driving away jobs and other potentially huge economic opportunities because of the costs that come from smoking. By the current count, the figure stands at roughly $2 billion a year.
And, finally, it’s knocking off Indiana medically to the tune of $7.50 for every pack sold in the state.
What you won’t hear is that with a $1 increase in the cigarette tax, 89,000 fewer youth and 52,000 fewer adults won’t start smoking. You may have to turn up the volume and pay attention to the fact that twice as many children under the age of 2 will receive the immunizations they need and aren’t currently receiving, much to the detriment of their overall health; and, finally, you’ll miss the news that some 400,000 Hoosiers will receive health insurance who are currently not insured.
No, instead, what happens is the tobacco industry writes a check to the tune of $475 million to market its products. It lures, deceives and hooks you anyway it can. And judging by the latest campaign from one cigarette company, Camel, its “No. 9” product is light and luscious. Please. The next thing you’ll tell us is that these cigarettes are a great fashion accessory. No, wait, that line is in the ad, too.
Most important of all, for those who say it’s unfair to place the burden of higher taxes on those who can least afford it, consider the fact that 49 percent of those who are uninsured in Indiana are smokers. We’re already subsidizing these smokers’ habit with the state and federal taxes paid by all of us.
However, if we do something positive about changing this disturbing fact, we’ll improve the situation for all of us and lower the amount all of us pay for health care.
If we do all of this, the situation will improve. But we can’t do it without doing one more thing, and that is to help people quit. Without adequate funding to help people stop smoking, no one can be expected to have a fair shot at quitting what is, by all accounts, a powerful addiction.
No one denies the fact that it’s difficult to stop using tobacco. Yet, 86 percent of people report they want to quit. Let’s stop ignoring the facts, let’s stop ignoring the science, and let’s clear the air for all Hoosiers and see if it works. Then we can figure out who’s to blame because there will be more of us around to debate the issue.
— Tina Elliott
Assistant director
Indiana Rural Health Association
Terre Haute
Useful tool in fight against smoking
Wake up, Indiana!
Tobacco products kill! As a former smoker, I can say that smoking is a tough habit to break, but not impossible. I say raise the tax high enough that it is almost impossible for people to buy them. Smoking impacts us all in a negative way. Let the tax increase work to offset that negative impact.
We need to give our loved ones an incentive to stop committing suicide. Let’s face the truth, smoking kills. It does so slowly, but it kills nonetheless.
As I mentioned earlier, the addiction to nicotine is very tough to overcome. But, the bottom line is that it can be done, and there is life after smoking.
Smokers who want to quit need a great deal of support from friends, family members and, in some cases, the family doctor. I believe that a cigarette tax increase may provide the necessary push needed to allow many people to seriously consider the need to quit.
Let’s stop hoping for good things to happen and start working to insure that they do.
— Carlton Glenn Dunaway
Terre Haute
Alliance programs help community
The Vigo County School Corp. provides all teachers time to discuss and receive information about topics related to their content areas during several professional development experiences throughout the academic year.
Some of these experiences are school-based, and some are planned at the district level. The most recent in-service for all middle and high school teachers took place on Jan. 31. Students were dismissed at 12:45 p.m., which allowed all secondary teachers an opportunity to work with their colleagues throughout the district who teach in the same content area.
Under the leadership of Dr. John Conant, chairperson of the Economics Department at ISU, a panel discussion was planned for all social studies teachers during the in-service. The panel included Dr. John Conant, Dr. Dan Clark, Dr. Jay Gatrell, and Dr. Tom Steiger. The members of this panel provided teachers with the most up-to-date information in their field of study, in addition to providing information that may be taken back to the students.
Kent Waggoner, director of the Career Center at ISU, assisted teachers with ways the Career Center may be utilized as a resource for not only students and teachers, but the community as well. Richard Toomey, director of the Office of Admissions, was also present to speak to the teachers. Together, Mr. Waggoner and Mr. Toomey provided the snacks and coordinated parking arrangements for the afternoon, which were both greatly appreciated.
The Wabash Valley Education Alliance (WVEA) provides numerous resources and support to community members in the Wabash Valley. The purpose of the Alliance is to develop collaborative efforts with other organizations and programs that serve the Wabash Valley’s need for educational and economical assistance, and to improve the quality of life in the Wabash Valley.
The support of community partners is an invaluable resource, as the Vigo County School Corp. and other members of WVEA plan educational experiences for the students, faculty, and staff throughout the year.
— Holly Pies
Curriculum coordinator
Vigo County School Corp.
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