A blossom to my neighbor, Tim Klar.> I started milking at 9 a.m. Thursday, but the milk truck couldn't get through the road to pick it up after the snowstorm Wednesday. Tim helped me dig out one-half to three-quarters of Shanghi Road south of Juda. He started at one end and I started at the other, until we met in the middle. The drifts were so high we couldn't see each other. The only way I could tell he was there was by the headlights shining over the snow. We worked from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. using skid loaders. Another of our neighbors, shoveling by hand, came to help. That's when you know what a neighbor is. Without him, I probably would have had to dump milk. - Brian Zettle, Juda>
A blossom to John Bauman> for his involvement with dachshund rescue, but a barb for his naive and uninformed thinking >that the present GCHS serves and saves needy animals in Green and Lafayette counties. The GCHS is now run as a business serving "customers," which is not the purpose of a humane society. A humane society with principles, integrity and compassion serves the needs of the animals first and not "customers" who may or may not provide a good home for the animals. I can't imagine that Mr. Bauman ties his dachshunds to a dog house in below-zero temperatures. Why, then, is that acceptable for less fortunate shelter dogs? So far this board has shown less compassion and less competence than any other board. It looks as if "the rudderless ship" has now stranded and hit rock bottom. Where are the business plans, the minutes on the Web site, the financial statements? They don't even keep good programs running like the one at PetsMart, which has provided an outlet for adoptions as well as generous donations and grants since 1999. - Gunhild Marcher>
A blossom to Pastor Matthew Spoonhour, his son and a friend >for shoveling out my driveway. - Diane West, Monroe>
A blossom to Dick Gratz.> Thank you for digging out our mailboxes. - Neighbors on 11th Avenue.>
A blossom to the Maintenance Department at Monroe Clinic >for cleaning off and around cars in the parking lot for visitors and employees during the recent snowstorm. I didn't go home Tuesday night, stayed in town with my sister, and brought a shovel back with me expecting to have to dig myself out to go home. When I went out to my car, I found out the maintenance department had shoveled me out. The maintenance department personnel were in the parking lot helping everyone, staff and visitors, alike. - Barb Alston, a Monroe Clinic employee>
I would like to give a big blossom to the highway departments and the sheriff's department >for the outstanding job they did Wednesday. My husband and I were stranded at home and we were listening to the scanner and I sure wouldn't want to be in their shoes. A barb to the people who didn't need to be out there (on the roads) and just made more work for the departments. If the weather is bad, stay home and make less work for everybody. - Brenda Knouse, Monroe>
A blossom for the efforts of highway crews and rescue-law enforcement>, which were above the board on Wednesday. I wonder how many times situations like this have to happen before people get a brain and stay home. I have a hard time feeling sorry for people who go out in a storm that was of no surprise to anyone, get into a bad situation, and then complain when no one can come to their aid. It's one day out of the year, what is so important that people can't just stay home? A huge barb to any employers, public or private, who did not give their people the option to be safe and stay home. - G. Evans, Monroe>
A huge blossom to the police officers, sheriff's deputies, and let's not forget the dispatchers, >who worked overtime answering several calls and assisting so many people during the never ending snowstorm. Lets also not forget the city and highway workers who worked endless hours trying to do their best with the terrible conditions they faced. It's hard to stop here when so many others are to thank, but to all who helped out, your dedication should be complemented. - Joan Wolfe, Monroe>
A blossom to John Bauman> for his involvement with dachshund rescue, but a barb for his naive and uninformed thinking >that the present GCHS serves and saves needy animals in Green and Lafayette counties. The GCHS is now run as a business serving "customers," which is not the purpose of a humane society. A humane society with principles, integrity and compassion serves the needs of the animals first and not "customers" who may or may not provide a good home for the animals. I can't imagine that Mr. Bauman ties his dachshunds to a dog house in below-zero temperatures. Why, then, is that acceptable for less fortunate shelter dogs? So far this board has shown less compassion and less competence than any other board. It looks as if "the rudderless ship" has now stranded and hit rock bottom. Where are the business plans, the minutes on the Web site, the financial statements? They don't even keep good programs running like the one at PetsMart, which has provided an outlet for adoptions as well as generous donations and grants since 1999. - Gunhild Marcher>
A blossom to Pastor Matthew Spoonhour, his son and a friend >for shoveling out my driveway. - Diane West, Monroe>
A blossom to Dick Gratz.> Thank you for digging out our mailboxes. - Neighbors on 11th Avenue.>
A blossom to the Maintenance Department at Monroe Clinic >for cleaning off and around cars in the parking lot for visitors and employees during the recent snowstorm. I didn't go home Tuesday night, stayed in town with my sister, and brought a shovel back with me expecting to have to dig myself out to go home. When I went out to my car, I found out the maintenance department had shoveled me out. The maintenance department personnel were in the parking lot helping everyone, staff and visitors, alike. - Barb Alston, a Monroe Clinic employee>
I would like to give a big blossom to the highway departments and the sheriff's department >for the outstanding job they did Wednesday. My husband and I were stranded at home and we were listening to the scanner and I sure wouldn't want to be in their shoes. A barb to the people who didn't need to be out there (on the roads) and just made more work for the departments. If the weather is bad, stay home and make less work for everybody. - Brenda Knouse, Monroe>
A blossom for the efforts of highway crews and rescue-law enforcement>, which were above the board on Wednesday. I wonder how many times situations like this have to happen before people get a brain and stay home. I have a hard time feeling sorry for people who go out in a storm that was of no surprise to anyone, get into a bad situation, and then complain when no one can come to their aid. It's one day out of the year, what is so important that people can't just stay home? A huge barb to any employers, public or private, who did not give their people the option to be safe and stay home. - G. Evans, Monroe>
A huge blossom to the police officers, sheriff's deputies, and let's not forget the dispatchers, >who worked overtime answering several calls and assisting so many people during the never ending snowstorm. Lets also not forget the city and highway workers who worked endless hours trying to do their best with the terrible conditions they faced. It's hard to stop here when so many others are to thank, but to all who helped out, your dedication should be complemented. - Joan Wolfe, Monroe>
