THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 1, 1995 TAG: 9509300104
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 115 lines
Working together, we can make a real difference
Last week, I participated in a drug-free-community program in the Hoffler Apartment Complex.
All presenters gave meaningful and down-to-earth talks about drug-related topics. More than 60 youths between the ages of five and 17 listened and responded to information being shared.
The most important factor that I identified at this workshop was a unified effort by the Suffolk Police, Suffolk City Schools, Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Western Tidewater Mental Health, the Suffolk Substance Abuse and Youth Council, civic leaders and parents. It was here that a true meaning of the phrase ``Together, We Can Make a Difference'' was realized.
After more than 10 years of working with different organizations and agencies in our city in a continuous fight against drugs in our city and nation, I still do not see an end to this crucial battle. However, I do see all the citizens working together and using all available resources to eliminate this problem.
As a parent, educator and citizen of Suffolk, I can only hope that one day the war against drugs will be over in our city and around the world. Our future depends on it.
J. Felton Edwards Jr.
North Capitol Street
Suffolk Lessons from Driver will last for a lifetime
On Sept. 1, I started work for the City of Suffolk Fire Department. This means I can no longer pull duty or run calls for the Driver Fire Department. I hope Congress will change that, and I will be back to active status.
I would like to stay on here as a member. This is something I never thought I would have to do. This is the only way I would ever go inactive or leave my ``home'' at the station. I will still be at monthly meetings and department functions.
Driver Fire Department became a home away from home to me when I joined six years ago. I owe everything in my future as a firefighter to this establishment.
This department taught me more than being a firefighter. It brought me manhood from boyhood. It made me see that being a wild, partying teenager wasn't the direction that I wanted to go in. I made a lot of decisions in my life to stay away from trouble so I wouldn't lose my job at the Driver department, and I thank the organization for that.
As I move on in my future as a firefighter, I will never forget what I have learned here. I will always back and protect Driver Fire Department's name as my own. I will always remember where I came from. I am and will always be a ``Driver Boy.''
Other than my family and my fiancee, Driver was first in my life. I thank its members for raising and molding me. I love them, and I will make all of them proud of me as I seek my way up the ladder.
Tommy Thomasson
Station 10
Suffolk Caring for community reflected in generosity
As executive director of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia, I have met and worked with many generous folks who really care about their community. Today, I met one by telephone who was a gem - Duane Cuthrell, manager of the Econo Lodge/Suffolk.
For two days, I had been looking for a room for Friday night for Don March. Mr. March is walking 10,000 miles across the United States, is 60 years old and is pro-moting hunger awareness along this trek. His only possession is his back pack. He has completed about one-third of his journey. He is visiting food banks along the way and believes in the mission of feeding the hungry promoted by Second Harvest, the national food bank network based in Chicago. He relies on the generosity of local folks to make his walk possible.
Duane Cuthrell is generous. The Econo Lodge was recommended to me by Mary Farmer at the United Way office in Suffolk. She explained that Mr. Cuthrell works regularly with another United Way program, the Red Cross. After my explaining that Mr. March would be heading out Route 58 on the next day in order to visit the Raleigh, N.C., community with his message, Duane Cuthrell offered, without hesitation, a complimentary room. I was astounded, as I had called five other area hotels and the reception had been quite different.
Let me encourage the community to support Mr. Cuthrell and the Econo Lodge with their business and family reservations. His interest in the quality of life for all residents in our larger, nationwide community and his support of those ``doing the right thing '' is admirable. He is the kind of business that makes ``Surprising Suffolk.''
Cynthia S. Creede
Norfolk Where's the pony in all these budget talks ?
In considering Medicare, Medicaid, budgets, deficits and tax cuts, which alone are unthinkable to people who really understand what we have to do in this country to come partly to our senses, I am reminded of the story of the psychologist who was conducting an experiment with two small boys.
In one room there was one boy with luxurious toys, lots of different kinds of games and goodies to play with. This boy would play with a toy or game for awhile, then throw it away or smash it, never achieving any happiness for more than a little while. In another room, the psychologist observed his second experiment where a little boy was shoveling a huge pile of horse manure with great expectations saying, ``There's gotta be a pony in there somewhere.''
Like the little boy shoveling hard, which may be our wish if we listen to the majority party in Congress and those of the minority party who support increases in Medicare premiums not stated to go where the money really belongs but for a tax cut, we are leaving all kinds of people without any real security source, including children who really need help.
If we listen to politicians say, ``Trust me,'' with no real hearing, no real representation, we will soon discover ``there ain't no pony in there,'' but just a great big pile of more stuff to shovel while the real values are being tossed away or smashed.
It's time to insist Congress give decent hearings and facts to the people ``because there really ain't no pony in there.''
It's up to you!
H.J. Crawford
Turner Drive
Suffolk by CNB