CROP walk thanks
Thank you to all who participated, contributed to and/or walked to help raise money for the CROP Walk’s 25th anniversary of addressing world hunger in the Montevideo/ Chippewa County area.
To date we have received over $7,000 in donations. Seventy-five percent of the money goes to Church World Service/CROP or other designated hunger organizations. Twenty-five percent stays in the community and is distributed to help our neighbors through the Chippewa County Food Shelf, St. Martin’s Fund, and Land Stewardship Project.
We also thank the businesses who contributed through “Friends of CROP, ” an account to cover local expenses, mission projects and hunger education. Because we were able to keep our expenses to a minimum an additional $500 will go to the Chippewa County Food Shelf.
Special kudos, to St. Joseph Catholic Church who will be the first to receive the traveling Golden Shoe Award by raising the most money.
Again, thank you to all who worked so hard to make this year’s CROP Hunger Walk a success. Mark your calendar for June 15, 2011, when we will again be walking, one step at a time, to help bring an end to world hunger.
—Gwen Bohlke
CROP Walk chair
Angry American
I am an Angry American. I was born and raised in America. My ancestors came to this country legally in the 1800s and worked for every little thing they had. There were no county social services or welfare offices. They came and they scraped out whatever existence they could. They didn’t run to the emergency room at the hospital (none existed) every time they had a little ache or pain, adding to the workload of services that are actually meant for emergencies.
As a taxpaying citizen who has worked, paid taxes, paid into Social Security and railroad retirement over the past 46 years, I am angry when people from outside of the United States take advantage of benefits that they have never contributed toward, while people who have worked for and paid into the system for many years, who find themselves unemployed, or unable to make ends meet, will not be eligible because they may own their home (less the mortgage) or possibly an old boat or camper that they have had for 20 years.
I am angry when our politicians, the ACLU, and special interest groups who are trying to dismantle America, are allowed to run rampant, while my rights continue to get trampled on.
I am angry when the ACLU keeps trying to tear down my Christian values while allowing other religions to build their places of worship wherever they wish to, and pray wherever they want to, all while keeping our God out of our schools.
I am angry because I don’t enjoy the same rights and freedoms as most of our so-called minorities. As a young man, I was drafted, served in combat, fought and shed my blood on foreign soil, all in the name of freedom.
Today, I am not allowed to exercise the freedoms that I fought for because it might offend some special interest group.
I am angry when I am called a racist because I happen to expect everyone in this country to obey the laws of this country.
I am angry when our state and federal governments don’t enforce the laws that are already on the books. They just want to pass more laws restricting my rights that have been given to me and every American citizen in the Constitution.
Take a look at the laws pertaining to illegal entry into most any other country in the world, and see how caring and forgiving they will be.
If you aren’t part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Require our political leaders to rescind the laws that allow people from all over the world to come here, unless they are willing to pledge allegiance to America, and embrace our American laws and values.
If political leaders can’t do what “we the people” want them to do, then vote them out, in November.
—Ron Mackedanz
Kandiyohi
Great work
Mark Radtke was hired in October 2001 for the position of maintenance employee for the city of Watson. He has never been given a description of work he was to perform. This employee didn’t need one. Whatever needed being done, whatever Mark could do to help the city, he pitched right in and got the job done. He has given so much of himself these several years to our community. Not only while on the clock, but off, and work he did he never charged the city for. This man truly cared about the city he resides in. For nine years while the town is sleeping, Mark is out snowplowing in the middle of the night and made sure residents could get out to go to their jobs, many times he has had to baby sit the water tower and he has been out at 3 Bells mornings due to a pipe breakage. Some say this is all part of his job. Very seldom has he been told please or thank you. I agree, it’s part of the job but I have to add this employee works with care and pride and the love for what he can do for his community. He has been an excellent, hardworking employee and surely will be missed by a lot of us. The word “thanx” doesn’t seem enough, but I sincerely thank Mark Radtke for the years of great service to the city of Watson. Congratulations and best of luck on your new employment.
—Loisjean Fossen
City Clerk, Watson
