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PUTNAM NEWS
Community News: Jill Oxley
PARTY TIME! Marshall-WVU Tailgate Party: It's a blast! The huge parking lot between Putnam County Courthouse and the judicial annex will be transformed into tailgate party territory on Saturday, Aug. 23 starting at 4 p.m. and lasting until dusk. It's all the fun of a tailgate party without the alcohol. Attendees will have the opportunity to enter contests galore, kids can play on waterslides, there will be freebies and vendors...and best of all, there will be loads and loads of fun-loving people.
Any questions? Call Karen at 304-757-7584.
DOG SWIM: Bring your pooch to the Valley Park Wave Pool from 6:15-8:15 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1, because after the humans leave, the place will go to the dogs. Donations will be accepted toward building of a new Animal Shelter. Information is forthcoming, mark your calendar now. For more information call Putnam Co. Parks at 304-562-0518 or Karen Haynes at 304-757-7584
ADDING UP: Recently Karen Haynes was awarded $500 by the Governor for her service in getting a new animal shelter for Putnam County. Karen donated the award to -- you guessed it -- the building fund for the animal shelter. Then, she and her husband, Putnam County Commissioner Joe Haynes, decided they would match the $500, thereby adding $1,000 to the building fund. And now, this just in, Hurricane Animal Hospital has also matched it, so this week with the generosity of the Haynes' and of Hurricane Animal Hospital, Putnam County is $1,500 closer to a new animal shelter. Purrs and wags and even human smiles to the tireless efforts of those who love animals.
GOLDEN YEARS? This week, I received the following message in my e-mail. I am a little young to understand the message of course... but it has added to my skepticism that the future indeed holds "Golden Years."
IF MY BODY WERE A CAR
"If my body were a car, this is the time I would be thinking about trading it in for a newer model. I've got bumps and dents and scratches in my finish and my paint job is getting a little dull...but that's not the worst of it.
My headlights are out of focus and it's especially hard to see things up close. My traction is not as graceful as it once was. I slip and slide and skid and bump into things even in the best of weather. My whitewalls are stained with varicose veins.
It takes me hours to reach my maximum speed. My fuel rate burns inefficiently.
But here's the worst of it...almost every time I sneeze, cough or sputter, either my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires."
CHECK IT OUT: If you have access to the Internet, I strongly recommend that you Google "Dolly Parton" "Imagine" -- it is a beautiful video paying tribute to John Lennon and delivering a message with quite an impact...I've returned to the site more than a half dozen times and I just found it yesterday!
TRIBUTE: I would like to pay tribute to a woman whose life has had great impact on my own. She is a lovely woman, but that is not what makes her special to me. I will, however, take a moment to comment on her loveliness. You see I didn't really think about it while I was kid, frankly the outfits I saw her wear most often were pretty tattered. I always saw her in her work clothes, and she is one hard-working woman. I remember the first time I saw her "decked" out, with wide eyes I announced to her how lovely I thought she was. She responded to my comment with great laughter; another of her fine points. Some of the brightest memories of my childhood home include hearing her laugh carried on a breeze across our yards that met back-to-back. Just thinking of her laugh brings a smile to my face.
After I had grown and left the "hood," she was one of the few souls that braved traveling to a rather primitive location where my husband and I lived. As I recall, she had wide eyes as we bounced that old four-wheel drive up the hill, but she did not utter the first negative word; she was in the midst of doing me a favor, you see. And best of all, she didn't ask, "How crazy are you?"
There were many favors from this woman, when I needed help with my dying mother, she was there. I didn't have to call, it was like she had a marvelous sensor, and she was there. My memory is fading, but I don't believe I could ever forget that. The last food that Mom tasted was blueberry juice made from fresh blueberries brought to her by her neighbor ...Mom took a sip and smiled at me through weakening eyes and uttered, "Bet they have this in heaven."
I think so much of this woman that I started calling her "my other mother," a dubious honor I'm sure...for these and many other reasons there is not a shred of doubt in my mind that this woman is the epitome of "good neighbor."
Despite what you hear, there are still wonderful people in the world. My neighborhood hero is named Loretta Richardson. I hope that this week you will identify your neighborhood hero and let them know how you feel. Imagine all the smiles we can generate.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "The first 40 years give us the text; the next 30 supply the commentary." -- Arthur Schopenhauer
In memory of James Ronald Ward, who met his demise through a drunk driver 08-21-72.
