A huge blossom to Liz and her staff at Angelus Retirement. >They are the most caring and loving staff you will find. My mother has just passed away and had lived there for two years. She always commented how nice they were to her and how she enjoyed her time there. Thank you so much for your great care of mom. It was always a pleasure to come and see all of you. - Judy Keller>
A huge blossom of flowers goes out to all who made the 2009 Monroe Senior Class Baccalaureate >service a huge success with over 200 people attending. Thank you to the six Pastors from our community churches who participated in this service. We are so fortunate to have these wonderful spiritual leaders willing to give so much of their time for us. Thanks to Pastor Margo Peterson for her inspirational message. It brought several of us to tears. Thanks to Pastor Randy and the staff of the United Methodist Church for their work in hosting the service and donating the bulletins. And we cannot forget Jim Ruf and his staff at the Ludlow Bar and Dining for doing such a super job hosting our diner. The food and service was excellent! We couldn't have asked for anything better! - Melissa Hill, vice president, Monroe Senior Class of 2009 >
A huge blossom to the generous person >who purchased a gift certificate to be given to someone else less fortunate so they could have a meal. Thank you! It's nice to know that there are still caring people out there. - The Red Apple Inn Restaurant>
Many blossoms of gratitude to lead teacher Jeff Bakken, Brenda Davis and the entire staff at Monroe Charter School. >When we placed our son in your school because we wanted a smaller, "one on one" education for him, we had no idea you would exceed our expectations in every area. We are so impressed beyond belief with the way you genuinely care for your students as you go beyond the call of duty. The graduation ceremony and suburb PowerPoint presentation was the best and most personable we've ever seen. The relatives we had with us stated how they could see that the relationship between the staff and students sets the school apart. We are very proud of you! You 'got it goin' on! - Rick Wollin>
A blossom to everyone who helped with the Memorial Day program. >Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. No one has a clue about how much dedication is involved in planning the Memorial Day program. We wish to thank the parents and leaders, for getting the youth involved in learning about Americanism and doing this community service for putting together the wreaths for decorating the graves. It was really a big help. Thank you to all of the Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, leaders, parents of the Scouts, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2312 members, American Legion Unit 84 members and any other resident of Green County who helped with the early-morning shift, decorating the graves, Avenue of Flags, and participants in the parade and service. Thanks go to the committee that put together the program, to all of our speakers, the Monroe High School band and the firing squad from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2312. Thanks go to the VFW Ladies Auxiliary for serving coffee, juice and rolls before the service, the American Legion for hosting the potluck. Thank you to Edgar Harrell for the wonderful program describing the events surrounding the sinking of the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945, it was very interesting. Do not forget the volunteers who helped take the Avenue of Flags down Monday afternoon. If we missed anyone, please forgive us. Thank you to all! - Bev Stuckey, VFW Post 2312 Ladies Auxiliary Past President; Sheryl Tschudy, VFW Post 2312 Ladies Auxiliary President, and Donna Douglas, American Legion Unit 84 Auxiliary President>
A barb to John Waelti. >If Christian talk radio offends you because it speaks the truth, turn it off. Certainly your big gas burning GMC has a CD player, try using that if you are offended. Your hatred for the truth is why you think this is an insane world. If you and your cronies ever get over your love affair for Barack Obama, you might discover what his "transparency" is all about. - Doc Lars by e-mail>
A huge blossom to the boy >who turned in the $50 I dropped at Wal-Mart. Thank you so much! It's great to see people do the right thing when it's so easy not to. - Anonymous>
A barb to the Monroe downtown. >My grandmother, mother and sister were in town last Sunday to visit with the family and go shopping downtown. They were so bummed that after the first four businesses they went to were closed, they said the hell with it and came back here. I tried telling them that a few stores were open, but they didn't care one way or another at that time. I applaud the stores that are open on Sundays and have to wonder if the other stores that were closed realize all the revenue and lifetime customers they are losing because of it. - Unhappy relatives>
A barb to whomever is dropping the ball. >Looking at the latest traffic court fines, out of the 102 fines handed down not a single one was issued for loud music coming from an auto nor was one issued for loud mufflers. The police either don't want to bother or don't care. Either way, it's 5:30 Friday afternoon and once again the entire neighborhood and city has to listen to this crap. Why, Monroe Police Department, is this? Just how much longer are you going to let the inmates run the asylum? There's no excuse for this. If the police can complain about a budget shortfall, then the very least they can do is issue some citations for this garbage. - T. Wilkens>
A huge barb to the person who threw a landscaping block >through our picture window on Friday night at 2:45. Thank God my grandson didn't come for a stayover. Otherwise, my granddaughter would have been cut with glass and the block would have hit her in the head, because they sleep on the floor in front of the window. They always say what comes around goes around. Your time is coming. - Disgusted grandmother>
Blossoms to a young man whose name I neglected to get. >Going down to the Senior Center on my Travelark, being in a hurry, I didn't exchange my four-footed cane for a single one. It is more difficult to carry, so I have to wedge the handle in the basket and it sticks out a bit. I made it down OK, but coming up the ramp on the sidewalk on the way back, it flipped out. I tried to back up a bit, and was trying to get off from my Travelark when a young man stopped his car, got out and said, "Could I help you?" I said, "Boy, would I ever appreciate that." He picked it up and got it securely hooked in the basket, then he said, "God bless you. Have a good day." There are so many wonderful people in this world. Why don't we hear about more of them? - Inez Goecks>
A huge blossom to Mr. Ink. >They did an awesome job for me at a pittance. Another reason to shop locally.
A blossom to the Times >for including barbs (some unfair) against them. Thanks for a great newspaper. - Elaine Stewart>
A huge barb to the Monroe Middle School parents >who invited grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and/or extended family members to the eighth-grade recognition. (You know who you are.) It is unfair to the students that kept their invitations to just their parents! Students were told that only two seats were being allotted to them. Don't parents read the school newsletters and special memos that come in the mail? Yes, there was an eighth-grade recognition memo explaining details of the event. - Some Upset Parents>
A barb to the person or persons> who feel they can take, or take and break, all the gazing balls and yard decorations in the city of Monroe. It is sad when a person's heart is so black that they care not for the feelings of others or the beauty in the world, that they have to take it or destroy it. I feel sorry for you. These items can never be replaced. Many have sentimental value. Besides being illegal, is it really worth it to be that kind of person? I hope you can see the error of your ways. You have turned a little of my heart black by hurting me. - Lynn Harms, Monroe>
