Readers’ forum: June 26, 2009

June 25, 2009 10:19 pm

Beware of coal industry PR campaign

If you watch television at all, you have been seeing the scare ads about your energy bill going up by $50 a month. You ought to go to the House of Representatives Web site and see what the coal companies want us to vote against. Considering all the telephone calls Ellsworth’s office has been receiving, I sent him the following e-mail reminding him what he would be doing to the future.
Dear Rep. Ellsworth:
I support HR 2454 (cap and trade).
There is a well financed campaign (television ads and telephone calls) warning /scaring people about their energy bills going up by $50 dollars a month.
If HR 2454 is the bill that the (I suspect) the coal companies are wanting you to vote against, they are not telling the people what you would be voting against. The legislation is not in the coal companies’ best interest, but it is necessary for the long-term survival of mankind. If the people who are calling you (because of the well-financed campaign), knew what they would be doing to their children and grandchildren, they wouldn’t be asking you to vote against the bill.
— Mike Somerville
Terre Haute


Saved by the care of local business

I love the letters you print regarding compliments to someone in the community for coming to one’s rescue. People who step up to help someone in need should be complimented and it should be shared with the community to let people know that there are people out there that truly care about one another.
I recently ordered what I thought were custom-made cabinets for my pre-school building. A local distributor came to our facility to measure for the cabinets. When the order came in the distributor delivered them to me in sections that were unloaded and left sitting in the middle of my floor. The counter top was also just laid in the middle of the floor. My children were present and I asked them if they would carry them to the wall where they were to be placed and put the counter top on the cabinets for me. They replied “no” and left.
I was, needless to say, astounded. My teacher and I started placing each piece along the wall where they were to be placed. We picked up the counter top to put it on top of the cabinets and, lo and behold, it was too long to fit on the cabinets. I called the distributor and was told they never make mistakes and refused to come out to look at the situation. I did not know what to do so I called a cabinet-maker listed in the telephone directory and explained my situation. They came right out and stated the counter top was extremely too long to fit between the walls.
They measured the area, loaded the counter top in their truck, took it to their shop, then cut it to fit perfectly. They barely took enough money from me to cover their gas out to our facility. They did not charge for their services and did this for me because they knew I had been “had”.
They also explained to me that the distributor had no means to fix the problem and would have been stuck with the countertop and that it could not have been returned. I was blessed by the owners of Lami-Craft in Terre Haute. I would strongly recommend searching deep in your bottom drawer for references and recommendations before contacting someone for any remodeling projects. Not everyone in business is cracked up to be what they advertise.
— Ann Brooks
Raggedy Ann Child
Care & Preschool


Terre Haute Parents help staff at Woodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson is so very fortunate to have a cadre of parent volunteers who spend countless hours supporting students and staff each day at Wilson. Our parent volunteers work in the media center, classrooms, sporting and academic events, music contests, help at the annual fish fry, chaperone field trips and fun clubs, prepare newsletter mailings, etc. The parent volunteers are organized by the Executive Board of Parent Boosters.
Our Parent Boosters financially support our Academic Reception, Science Fair, Academic Teams, the Attendance Breakfast, the printing and mailing of our newsletter, team celebrations and awards, and various other student activities throughout the school year.
Parents serve on our School Improvement Committee which meets regularly throughout the school year. These parents provide valuable input as we set goals and strategies for improving student learning and improving the educational climate at Woodrow Wilson.
The parents provide a delicious luncheon for out staff to thank them for all they do for their students throughout the school year during Teacher Appreciation Week.
It would be impossible for us to provide all the extra activities as well as plan for educational improvements at Wilson without the support and input from our parents. A special thanks goes to the Executive Committee of the Parent Boosters who coordinates the Parent Volunteers Corps. Members of the Executive Committee are president, George Richards; vice-president, Chris Newton; secretary, Kim Tanner; treasurer, Marcie Higham, committee chairs, Terri Potter, Kathy Mellor, Amanda Moore, and Elizabeth Harris.
Woodrow Wilson staff and students extend our sincere gratitude for the invaluable support we receive from our parents and our Parent Boosters.
— Sharon Pitts, principal
Woodrow Wilson Middle School
Terre Haute

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