All in Letters to the Editor
The most terrifying thing to me is, since the COVID 19 pandemic began, I’ve noticed an increase in the influence that the federal government has on my life and the lives of others. I believe, now more than ever, people in our nation have become dependent on government to provide them with the means to live.
While I competed in pageants in my teens and early twenties, my earrings were an important component of my attire. If I left home without earrings, I had kept an extra pair in my car, just in case. That habit followed me through my professional career.
I passed 80 a couple of years ago. I don’t know if anyone values my opinion anymore. I haven’t written letters like this since I argued with Jesse Helms about environmental issues. And yes, our environment is critically important; it’s the only one we have! But in observing things American over the years, I see some other issues that we have been wrestling with on which I have formed some opinions:
As for millennials I’m right up there with the oldest of them. I was born in 1981 and will be turning 40 in just a few months. At the other end of the millennial age spectrum are those in their early to mid-20s. That’s quite the age difference, especially given that younger millennials aren’t old enough to remember 9/11 and how the world changed following that event.
It was Franklin Roosevelt who said that December 7, 1941 is a day that will “live in infamy.” May I suggest that July 4, 1776 as a day that will “live in celebration” in the hearts and minds of all freedom loving people.
I took Mike Parker’s excellent advice and spent Memorial Day exploring the battlefield at Bentonville, marveling at the astonishing stamina and courage of the soldiers on both sides who struggled across that vast space.
Move over, old people! There is a new generation in town! Oh? Who? We have a new group (not yet named). These are the people who are 90 plus. Until recently when a person reached 80 there would be a big celebration to mark that birthday.
As we are all marking one year in this pandemic and moving forward in new ways to work and carry out our daily lives, I wanted to pause and share on a couple of themes – reflection and reaction.
As you may recall, on April 29, 2020, the Kinston Police Department discovered the worst vandalism ever at the 16-year-old Children’s Garden on Lincoln Street. Damage to the storage building, sculptures, landscaping, irrigation system and theft of equipment greatly exceeded the previous eight incidents of vandalism. It rendered the Lincoln Street site unusable, left the Children’s Garden in limbo and has required its sponsors, Lenoir County Extension Master Gardeners, to search for a new home for this unique and valuable project.
Thanks to the generous gifts of life from organ, eye, and tissue donors and their families, 2020 was a record-setting year for saving and healing lives in North Carolina. The state’s organ, eye, and tissue recovery organizations, Carolina Donor Services and LifeShare Carolinas have announced that despite COVID-19, more North Carolinian’s lives have been saved because of their hard work and dedication through a very challenging year. A record 448 deceased organ donors saved 1,193 lives.
During the pandemic, you may wonder how to help our medical community safely. Hospital demand for blood continues to grow- there are still people getting cancer treatments, having surgeries, giving birth, and getting injured every day.
On behalf of the Adkin High School Alumni and Friends, Inc. Board of Directors, we would like to thank Mike Parker for “The article that sparked the Adkin Walkout of 1951.” It was accurate and timely as we look forward to next year’s celebration of 70 years since this historic civil rights moment occurred in Kinston. This happened before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, before the NC A&T sit-ins and before the March on Washington.
Ev Dove writes about why her cup runneth over this Thanksgiving. “When I nearly died in September, it was an eye-opener. I still marvel at how much love has come my way from friends and family since then. I remember thinking once that I would like to know what it feels like for someone to love me like the couples we see in movies. But God showed me something even better.”
The Friends of the Homeless emergency shelter has just completed its thirtieth year of operation. The Executive Committee of Friends of the Homeless wants to thank our community for its outstanding support of this critical community ministry since its inception.
Lenoir County is facing a truly unprecedented time in our history. The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting our families, our businesses, our local economy, our education and our way of life. As we all know, this is unlike anything we have seen in our community.
