Letters to the Editor
Where were the voters?
Dear Independent,
As we approach Memorial Day the weekend following our annual town elections I would like to share some statistics with you.
This is how many Americans died in each of the wars: American Revolution, 25,324; War of 1812, 2,260; Mexican War, 13,283; Civil War, 863,153; Spanish-American War, 2,446; World War I, 116,516; World War II, 405,339; Korean War, 54,246; Vietnam War, 58,148; Panama Invasion, 23; Gulf War, 148; War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, 3,422 - as of May 19, 2007.
Now there are 10,194 registered voters in the town of York; 2,568 voted on May 20: 25 percent.
Shame on the 75 percent of people who did not vote! What was your excuse - the weather? You couldn't be bothered with all of the questions? You couldn't get to Town Hall and pick up a ballot a month before the election?
Here are tips for next time: call the Town Clerk's Office at 363-1003; they will send a ballot to your house. Walk into Town Hall and get a ballot; they are available by law one month before every election - that should be enough time for you to read all of the questions.
As we remember our fallen heroes this coming Memorial Day, I hope you think of them in the desert, in the snow, in the rain, dying for us and our freedom. I hope you realize being an American is not always easy; America is work, you must know what is going on; being an American is not only putting yellow ribbons and flags on your cars - it's voting! It's being educated about what you are voting on. Being an American is wonderful; please do not take it for granted. Please vote next time.
Lynn Osgood
Cape Neddick
Kinley Gregg thanks voters
Dear Independent,
To the voters of York: I am honored by your support at the polls, and will make every effort to reward the trust you have placed in me.
Likewise, I look forward to working with my fellow selectmen as we strive to resolve the challenges facing our town.
Thank you.
Kinley Gregg
York
Vote was majority of a minority
Dear Independent,
First of all, I thank the people of York for the honor and privilege of having served them for the past two years. It was a time where civility and studied discourse permeated the Board of Selectmen, a new effective Town Manager Rob Yandow was hired, and taxes were constrained based on reason and analysis. One must hope this trend will continue.
Saturday, the 19th, the "majority of a minority" of York voters expressed their views on a myriad of topics and spending. Unfortunately, nearly 75 percent of York's voters decided not to take a position on the future of their town, which they profess to cherish. Most disappointing was the "participating" electorate deciding not to move forward and build a needed new town hall. I predict that after "more study" the new design (whenever that occurs) will closely resemble the 2007 effort that the "nay-sayers" concluded "was too big, too expensive."
Second, I appreciate the position my supporters and friends took when they stood with me and encouraged me to stay in the race despite the negative press. They were not "fair weather" friends. For their support I will always be thankful.
Finally, the lesson we should take from the election is that a "determined few always defeat the apathetic many." York should be ashamed that three out of four of its citizens did not take the time nor expend the effort to vote. My father told me - "You get in return what your effort merits!"
Len Dorrian
York
Thanks from Ted Little
Dear Independent,
Thank you to all who took the time to vote on Saturday, and for the confidence entrusted in me to fulfill an active and compassionate role on the Board of Selectmen as we move forward with the town's agenda items. There are certainly many issues needing our continued attention, and I promise to do everything I can for what I envision to be in the best interest of the citizens as a whole.
Many thanks to all who allowed me to place my signs on their properties and to Helen Rollins Lord and Cliff Estes for managing the "strategic" locations of my signs.
Although I did not have the pleasure of meeting Mr. Adams, who was running for the same seat, I did spend some time with Mike Ehrenborg as we stood at the polls. He is a very dedicated and personable man, and I would have had no reservation as to his ability to be an effective member of the board, had he won the seat.
I praise Len Dorrian for all his hard work. I had looked forward to working with him on the board. I welcome Kinley as a fellow new member and hope we will continue the good work of those people whose seats we are filling.
Sincerely,
Ted Little
York
Welcome back to Shelton's
Dear Independent,
I work at Shelton's of York. I love to say that! Shelton's is a very special place, not just a store, but rather some kind of fraternal institution, and a centerpiece at York Beach. It has been held in high regard for many years, and people come from long distances every year, just to shop in our store. Shelton's has a reputation for having lovely and unique gifts and clothing, and our customers are very devoted.
As many of the old-timers know, Frank Shelton owned and operated the business for 30 years, and built a fine reputation, which has been carried on faithfully by the Anderson family. There are no more honorable, kind and generous people than the Andersons, and I take great pride in being associated with them, as do all the other employees, some of whom have been there for many years, and are well known to our customers. Shelton's, and the Andersons, have had a difficult year, as everyone in the area knows, but we are ready for a wonderful season, and eager to see all of our old friends, and lots of new ones, come through the door.
Each and every one of us who work at Shelton's is delighted that Kate O'Brien has returned for her third season as store manager. This is a remarkable young woman, bright, talented and knowledgeable for her tender years. She is a glowing example of dedication, loyalty, diligence, honesty and great respect for her employer, her staff and, most importantly, for the customer. We all feel most fortunate to have her there, and are always inspired by her dedication to purpose. She is not only our manager, she is our friend, and we care deeply for her.
So, Shelton's is ready for the season! Lots of beautiful stock awaits, and we look forward to the love and support that our customers have always displayed, and having them see "What's New at Shelton's!"
Sincerely,
Barbara L. Smith
York Beach
Mark Twain is alive and well
Dear Independent,
Well, actually, we're pretty sure he isn't really all that "A-OK," but we are sure that the Herne Schools in York IS. Twain sought to remind us that "reports of his demise were a bit premature," and, like Twain, the Herne Schools might seek to repeat that refrain right now. The pre-K to second grade school located at 117 Woodbridge Road, a local nonprofit, has seen some small changes to the physical entity this year, but the school, its mission and quality of education, remains steadfast and sure. Unfortunately, the "word on the street" seems to be a bit contradictory to that. The school has been a fixture in the York area for nearly a decade, but lately the school has heard rumors and comments that perhaps have cast doubts in the community about their future.
The school's board and administration would like to address those rumors directly, as the school is a 501c3 nonprofit and a member of the local chamber of commerce, and, as such, feels the community has a vested interest in the school's direction and plans. State-approved nonprofits are a bit different than a private business, in that the communities that they reside and operate in, and whom they serve, deserve to be officially informed of any change of services. Many non profits receive donations and assistance from their communities and organizations, thus we feel a responsibility to "report to our vested partners."
It's come to our attention that there are some rumors, doubts and questions about the school and its plans for the future and we'd like to reassure the community that the school remains committed to its mission and to the continued quality of service it has provided to children and families for the past several years. The school did sell property this year, but the school has a five-year self/automatically renewing lease for 117 Woodbridge Road, and local bank Sanford Institution for Savings was instrumental in financing the transaction and is a very supportive business partner for the school. The school's long-range plans may eventually include a move to a larger, more centrally located Route 1 facility, but they are very comfortable in their current location and have an open-ended lease to remain there for many more years.
It's understandable that people may think certain things about the school; after all, nonprofits will never be confused with a Donald Trump-like enterprise financially, but the best ones find ways to utilize every dollar efficiently and grow themselves smartly and comfortably. Nonprofits are generally very open financially, there's not a lot of secrecy when discussing finances, transactions and such. It's been a busy year of organization for the school, interrupted by water damage issues earlier in the year, and I think people may take some of that as a sign of some other difficulty. Really, I have been greatly impressed by our staff's ability to be flexible and professional despite building repairs and such. I could not ask for a greater group of people to be associated with, both administratively and personally. Our school community has been tremendous this year; I guess that's why hearing some of the current rumors was a bit jarring. There is no way the school's board, administration or staff would wish for any reduction of service to this local community. We love what we do and there are too many smiling faces that count on us. We're going to just keep getting better, stronger, and our commitment to quality care and education just goes right along with it. We're looking forward to a great 2007-2008 school year with new adventures in learning.
We encourage any member of the local community to call the school and speak with our Executive Director Cherie Herne or Board Chairman Doug Bowie, if they have any questions about the school.
Like Twain, who felt he might just be the best source to discuss his status among the living and breathing, the school might just want to invoke some of his folksy wisdom about their own heart and soul.
The Herne Schools
York
Honor our fallen heroes
Dear Independent,
On this Memorial Day let us all remember our fallen American heroes past and present. Our Veterans have given their all. They fought with pride, honor, dignity, bravery and courage. So on this day we pay tribute to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice.
They where men of different ages, backgrounds, color and religion, but they were all brothers. They all had dreams, plans and hopes. They shared the same ideals. That is, they chose this life not for any awards or to be heroes. They chose to guard the flag, defend freedom and to protect us; to keep America safe.
We need to honor them not only on this day, but everyday. Keep every one of our fallen heroes in your prayers, thoughts and heart. Never forget the price they paid to keep us free. Because of our veterans, past and present, we enjoy so many freedoms that so many take for granted. They are far more deserving of our respect, gratitude and all the thank-yous we can ever give them. It never seems enough, especially for all they have done for every last one of us.
So, on this Memorial Day, I thank you with all my heart. I will never forget all that you have done. You are truly missed - never forgotten.
Semper Fi,
Jacqueline Gorman
York
YEF thanks supporters
Dear Independent,
The York Education Foundation wishes to extend a huge thank you to the participants and sponsors in the Coastal Fitness Cardio for Kids event! YEF was successful in meeting its fundraising goal of $1,000. This qualifies our organization for a generous matching award of $1,000 from Coastal Fitness.
Our appreciation goes to Mark DellaPasqua, owner of Coastal Fitness and York parent, for developing this event to help raise money for area school groups. YEF was invited along with Kittery, Eliot and Portsmouth, N.H., schools to solicit pledges to sponsor exercisers for the May 19 Cardio for Kids event.
We would also like to thank our local participants, including Coastal Ridge staff Eileen Brault, Rich Johnston and Kathy Welch; Village Elementary staff Andy Gray and Carrie Stearns; York community members Margie Carley, Coleen Coughlin, Jim Cronin, Susan Cusack, Lynn DellaPasqua, Stephanie Saltzman , A.J. and Yvonne Steffenberg and Kaki Webb, and YEF Directors John Alexander, Jaime Bock and Kristen Gustavsen.
The York Education Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization of community volunteers. YEF provides funding for innovative and challenging projects in the York public schools. Our special thanks go out to all of you who share our commitment to providing York public school students with every opportunity to succeed.
For more information about YEF, log on to our website http://www.yorkeducationfoundation.org/.
Sincerely,
Board of Directors
York Education Foundation
Voices helping Croatia
Dear Independent,
At a time when it is difficult (not impossible, but difficult) to feel optimistic about world affairs, Voices from the Heart women's chorus, with members throughout the Seacoast area, will be traveling to sing in Croatia in July. We are going to share music from the American tradition as well as world music, to enjoy the beautiful Dalmatian Coast and its people and to raise money to clear land mines.
We invite you to come along with us in spirit by following our trip on our website, http://www.voicesfromtheheart.org/, and, if you can, by donating money to allow us to film this project. We believe that filming a documentary about the efforts of 130 American women, from the small Seacoast area, traveling thousands of miles to help a country barely known to us and to help the plight of people just like us suffering long after war's end, will move people to take their own personal action.\Please help us raise the $10,000 needed to film this project by sending donations to Friends of Voices from the Heart, P.O. Box 926, Portsmouth, NH 03801. Through the generosity of so many people and organizations in the Seacoast, we have raised more than $30,000, which will be enough to clear a mine field through "Adopt-a-Minefield Foundation." While in Croatia, we will sing at the site of a minefield. We will also participate in a telethon there to raise money for minefield clearing.
Hear our concert June 2, at 4 and 8 p.m. at South Church, State Street, Portsmouth, N.H., and even if you can't donate money to this cause, be with us in spirit on this trip.
Sincerely,
Dr. Patty Hymanson Locuratolo
York
Kudos to York Hospital
Dear Independent,
As a recent patient at York Hospital, I must publicly thank everyone who works at this great facility. The care, compassion and dedication of each person there is unmatched anywhere!
I'm grateful to everyone who made my stay so complete and inspiring. It was pure pleasure to interact on a daily basis with the staff, which does their job with great zeal, positive attitude, sense of humor and friendship. I truly appreciated everything done on my behalf.
This community should be very proud to have this institution amongst its residents.
Eugenia Bonci
South Berwick
Don't be scammed
Dear Independent,
Each year, many unsuspecting students and parents are defrauded by scholarship scams. As a result, millions of dollars are lost. I recently received an e-mail from a University of Maine colleague stating that her nephew (we'll call him Sam) recently received a call on his cell phone (that they purchased only one month ago), from a woman by the name of Thelma Smith, from American Standard Financial Processing at (866) 569-2573 and indicated to him that based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) he was eligible to receive a government grant of $4,500. She then proceeded to tell him that there was a $300 fee for gathering and processing the documents and that she needed, his bank account number to verify that he had $300 in his account. Sam told her he needed time to think about this and that he would call her back. After speaking with his relative, who happens to work in the UMaine Financial Aid office, they then called Thelma back to inquire more about the company. After her insistence that this was a federal grant and that Sam qualified, she was asked about where the company is located, and Thelma responded with Barbados.
Sam was savvy enough to check up on this inquiry, and as a result, saved himself from being scammed. Many scams ask for money up front, or require a fee, typically netting you zero dollars. Some may invite you to a free financial seminar only to pressure you into purchasing insurance. Others may match you to a guarantee service promising a scholarship for fees. Some may tell you that you have won a prize, or offer you a loan with fees to be paid before you receive the loan.
Don't be fooled by scam artists. Experts, from http://www.finaid.org/ suggest that by using good common sense, you can prevent from being defrauded: if you pay money to get free money, it may be a scam; if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is; spend time searching for scholarships, not money; legitimate scholarship donors don't charge; if you are suspicious of an offer, you probably have good reason.
May is Scholarship Month and college-bound students everywhere are looking for financial resources to help pay for college. There are many creditable resources available to help students find "free money to help pay for college. To help you get started on your way to potentially landing federal, state, foundation and/or agency scholarships, and other financial aid, we recommend these web resources: http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/, http://www.finaid.org/, http://www.collegeboard.com/, http://www.fastaid.com/, http://www.fastweb.com/ and http://www.famemaine.com/, under scholarship resources.
Last, but not least, if you feel you have been offered a scam, get a second opinion from your guidance counselor or financial aid office. You may be advised to report it, as there are federal and state laws against fraud and false advertising. If you are attending YCCC in the future, visit our financial aid office online at http://www.yccc.edu/ to seek out scholarships and other forms for financial aid, or contact us at 646-9282, ext. 312, or finaid@yccc.edu.
David Daigle
Financial Aid Director
York County Community College
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