Letters To The Editor

‘TIS THE SEASON

Tree of Sharing givers, you’re great

The executive committee of the Tree of Sharing thanks the people of Spokane for their unselfish generosity. The many volunteers who coordinate The Tree of Sharing have just completed a successful campaign to help those in need this holiday season.

Planning for this event starts the beginning of September and culminates in the distribution of gifts the week before Christmas. This could not be accomplished without the generous people who visit Tree of Sharing locations at NorthTown Mall, River Park Square and the Valley Mall, pick up a request tag, purchase a gift and return that gift to the tree location.

This is truly a group effort. This success would not be possible without the efforts of hundreds of volunteers who assemble the gift requests, man the tree locations, transport gifts to the sorting area and sort the gifts for each agency. All the behind-the-scenes work could not accomplish our goal for those in need without the tremendous community support in purchasing gifts. Our hearts continue to be filled with joy each year as we all work together to accomplish this gigantic task.

Thank you, neighbors and friends who continue to care about others! You have again brought smiles to the faces of nearly 6,000 of your neighbors. I suspect that means there are many thousands of us smiling this holiday season, since the joy and happiness is shared by all. Dru Powers co-coordinator The Tree of Sharing, Spokane

East Valley Choir terrific

While shopping recently at NorthTown Mall, we were entertained by the East Valley Choir under the direction of Laurie Wittrock. Anyone who walked by and didn’t take the time to stop and listen, even for a few minutes, missed a tremendous show. The sounds of the choir and soloists were absolutely wonderful.

Thank you, East Valley, for the joy you bring to the whole community during this holiday season. Jim and Marietta Lynn Coeur d’Alene

Tavern’s charitable effort laudable

For the past several years the Happy Time Tavern, its customers and suppliers have sponsored an auction in support of COPS West. This year’s auction, held Dec. 10, raised more than $2,300 and several hundred pounds of food and clothing. All proceeds will be used to assist various families in the West Central section of the city during the holiday season.

A big thank you is due Karen Jones, Happy Time Tavern owner, and all who participated in this worthwhile event. Ed McAlpin Spokane

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Thanks for helping conserve energy

Late last week the Regional Emergency Response Team placed the Pacific Northwest in a stage 2 power shortage warning. That warning was called off as temperatures around the region moderated.

We at Avista thank you, our customers, for your energy-saving efforts and we praise the cooperation and leadership of regional agencies and utilities in helping to avert an energy shortfall.

But the cold season has just begun. Regional energy supplies continue to be stretched and our spirit of cooperation will again be tested. At Avista Utilities we’re committed to meeting the energy needs of our 310,000 electric customers and 180,000 natural gas customers here in the Inland Northwest. And we’re redoubling our efforts to help our customers learn more about conserving energy.

At Avista, we are working to increase our power supply and decrease demand. Balancing power supply for the entire Pacific Northwest will continue over the next several months. Energy conservation efforts by our customers and continued cooperation by the entire region will play a key role in the region’s ability to keep up with demand.

Thanks again to all our customers for your cooperation and for your energy-saving efforts. Scott Morris, president Avista Utilities, Spokane

Consumers are being manipulated

Re: “Let a `Christmas Carol’ brighten your season?” (Dec. 17).

Unfortunately, our world seems to be returning to the conditions Charles Dickens wrote of long ago. And perhaps nothing guarantees a Dickensian future for us as much as handing power generation over to the business community.

Kaiser’s involvement in the current power crunch is a good example of what will become commonplace as the reality of power as a commodity sets in. If anyone believes the power shortage today is the result of a perfect storm, pack a few cans of salmon and camp in the top of a redwood tree. From there you will have a good view of MBA’s tallying their profits while writing press releases recommending the poor and elderly stop whining about high prices, and turn their thermostats to 68 degrees so industry can continue to operate.

One thing I learned working as an electrician for 20 years is that electrical generation and distribution is a very precise operation. Very little is unexpected, and the unexpected is planned for. Twenty-five percent of power generators off line for maintenance in California in this winter of no El Nino or La Nina? Yeah, right!

So here’s a tip from my dad, who grew up during the Great Depression. When you finish reading this newspaper, wrap it around your body and then put your clothing on over it. It will keep you toasty warm all day! Margaret Larive Spokane

Turn neon lights off overnight

I am curious. Do businesses have to have their neon lights on all night? These neon lights are very distracting to my night view and I would think turning them off would cut down on our energy crisis. Margaret A. Wold Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

Remember to say, `I love you’

Parents. Who could live without them? I know I couldn’t. I love my parents so much.

I am lucky. I can tell my parents I love them every day and they tell me they love me back.

But some teenagers my age don’t ever get told they are loved. I’ll be talking to someone about my weekend and telling them how I stayed home and watched a movie or played a game with my family, and they tell me, “Wow, you are really lucky. I wish I could do that.”

When they tell me how they spend their weekends it’s kind of sad. They tell me, “My parents told me to get out of the house and leave them alone.” How sad is that? I couldn’t bear the thought of my parents always yelling at me. Their parents don’t even care about what they do or where they go.

I think it would be so hard to even function day after day without being told you are loved. So I ask you to go out today and tell your mom, dad, brother, sister or friend, “I love you.” Erin K. Paulson, age 15 Spokane

Winter photos are keepers

I thank Spokesman-Review photographers Brian Plonka, Shawn Jacobson and especially Chris Anderson for their wonderful snowy-frosty winter photos. They capture what I, too, see when dog and I go out in the freezing pre-dawn morning to fetch the paper. I clip out the best pictures and keep them, and notice that I have two of Anderson’s from last year and now one from this year.

Good going, guys, and please keep up the great work! Donna Potter Phillips Spokane

Try harder to ensure pets’ future

In a society that often disregards women’s and children’s welfare, is it any surprise that our animals don’t get better treatment? I refer to the Dec. 2 article, “Catastrophe.” It is estimated that one in 10 animals born in the United States will find a home.

Before you take your pet to the shelter in hopes that someone out there will adopt it, think again and look at the statistics. Couldn’t you try a little harder for the animal you chose to be your pet by finding it another home, rather than giving it a death sentence? Leslie E. Kaehn Spokane

Leave ethnicity out of it

To use headlines such as “Gypsies fined” or “Deputy sues four Gypsies” is the same as saying “Blacks fined” or “Deputy sues four Jews.” Using ethnic or cultural identification in this manner can help to instill or increase stereotypical beliefs about groups of people. Stereotypes, whether positive or negative, are damaging and could also cause personal harm to members of the group.

I hope that The Spokesman-Review will be more aware of what it prints. Nancy J. Nelson Cheney

Fluoridation drive not understood

Re: “Give gift of fluoride for Christmas” (Letters, Dec. 20).

What a noble gesture suggested by Philip Zammit. I know that he is willing to volunteer and visit each of these children’s homes to monitor and make sure they use and benefit from this great gift of fluoride.

Didn’t you get the message, sir? These children do not have the benefit of parents who can take the time to make sure proper brushing takes place, that a fluoride rinse is properly used. This is not an issue concerning poor children alone. This is an issue about the elderly, the working adult, the children in school.

There are residents in long-term care facilities who don’t know simple things like the names of their children. How about trying to get them to drink your fluoride rinse?

Yes, my dear misguided man, you missed the point. Joyce McNamee Spokane