Disabilities support

TO THE EDITOR: The Mountain Lake Services Foundation would like to thank businesses for their generous contributions to our recent Ride for Disabilities Awareness.

Donators included: North End Harley Davidson, Pepsi, Grand Union Family Markets, Dunkin’ Donuts of Ticonderoga, Charm’s Hands Salon and Spa, Tail O’ the Pup and a special thank you to the Essex County Sheriff’s Department.

Proceeds from this event benefited the Mountain Lake Services Foundation, which supports the charitable interests of Mountain Lake Services.

ERIN QUACKENBUSH

Community Relations

Mountain Lake Services

Difficult decision

TO THE EDITOR: July 6 and 7 saw alumni of Rouses Point High School gathered together to enjoy reminiscing.

The Meet ‘n Greet was at Last Resort. Bumper and his crew did a great job, and we thank them. We had our picnic at Sportsman’s Pier, where Benny Arno and Dick Baker served a delicious meal. A huge thank you to both.

The alumni who usually attend are getting up in years but there are those, from out of town, who still manage to join us. Unfortunately, we still don’t have a hotel or motel in the village where those who no longer have family here can stay. Many of us are now in our 70s and 80s and are stay in a Plattsburgh hotel, necessitating having to rent a car (if they flew) to drive to Rouses Point. It’s very sad that our beautiful village is unable to house visitors. Too many of our alumni have passed on or are too infirm to travel, plus there is the economy and cost of air travel.

We, the alumni committee, must now make a decision as to whether we will have a reunion in 2014. It is going to be a very hard decision, but at the same time we have to be realistic. As much as we enjoy the work of organizing the reunions, it is now down to doing it for only a handful of people. Perhaps if the local alumna would attend, it would make a big difference.

A heartfelt thank you to those of you who attended. We hope you enjoyed yourselves.

And I take my hat off to the committee members who go all out to make it a success: Marjorie Seguin, Jackie Ducharme, Betty Gallagher and Mary Racicot. You’re the best.

JOAN CHARRON

RPHS Alumni Association Committee

Wilcox pavilion

TO THE EDITOR: The Plattsburgh Sunrise Rotary Club would like to express its great appreciation to all of the supporters, donors and volunteers who made possible the construction and opening of the new pavilion at Wilcox Dock Park.

This was truly a community-wide effort and the result of three years of fundraising through the club’s Mayor’s Cup Regatta and Celebration.

The Sunrise Rotary Club’s Waterfront Project Committee would like to whole-heartedly thank the following people and groups for their support of time and money to bring this idea to completion: From the City of Plattsburgh, Mayor Kasprzak and the City Council, City Engineer Kevin Farrington, Recreation Director Steve Peters, Building Inspector Rick Perry, Department of Public Works Director Mike Brodi and staff and Municipal Lighting Department Director Bill Treacy and staff; from the New York State Canal Corp., Director Stratton, Deputy Director Callaghan and Garrett O’Connor; from CV-TEC, Steve Couture and his computer drafting class; private donors and volunteers, Curtis Lumber, the Bennett and Gadbois families, Taylor Rental, Matt and Kerry Taylor, Mark Brow at Mark II Construction, John Barnes, Complete Concrete, the Cumberland Bay Community Boating Center, Chris Duley, Tom LaBombard, Graymont and Georgia-Pacific.

The community has another great recreational resource at this beautiful spot overlooking Cumberland Bay, thanks to these donors, our hardworking project committee and the whole Sunrise Rotary Club.

VICTORIA DULEY

Wilcox Waterfront Project Committee chair

THOMAS GOSRICH

Sunrise Rotary Club president

Impact of cuts

TO THE EDITOR:  The shootings at the movie theater in Colorado early on July 20 make a powerful argument for not cutting school budgets.

School social workers keep an active eye out for troubled students, not only those who cut up and disrupt classes but those who are targeted by bullies and those who don’t seem to be making any friends. They move to intervene quietly and prevent future problems.

Since the mania for cutting school budgets has been going on, one of the services that schools at all levels find they can no longer afford are social workers, or larger schools are forced to reduce the number of them, so that the workload becomes overwhelming and students slip through the cracks. Therefore we can reasonably expect that this type of tragedy will happen more and more often in the future, as these neglected students grow up.

The leaders who make, or press for, the kinds of budget cuts that make life more difficult for ordinary people seem to assume that they themselves will never be affected, that their money will insulate them. Do they really never go anywhere in public?

MARY-ALICE SHEMO

Plattsburgh

Bible School

TO THE EDITOR: Today wrapped up another wonderful week of Vacation Bible School at St. Joseph’s Church in Dannemora.

Each year, I am amazed at all that my son is lucky enough to participate in, learn and enjoy throughout this week. This year, however, I got to be “behind the scenes” a little more, and I think I can speak for all parents who sent their children by saying that Dick and Lynn Lynch do such an amazing job coordinating this.

Mr. and Mrs. Lynch obviously spent countless hours transforming the rooms into the “National Park” theme, coordinating the teachers and volunteers, preparing lessons, developing the schedule for the week and even executed a beautiful picnic for the last day, which was enjoyed by parents, grandparents and the children.

The dedication that Mrs. and Mrs. Lynch have for the children in our parish is obvious, and I just wanted to thank them.

STACY POE

Cadyville

Disgusting beaches

TO THE EDITOR: Imagine my disgust when walking down Port Douglas beach with my toddler to discover dog poop and cigarette butts all along the sand.

There is a reason that dogs are not allowed on the beach, but then to not even have the common courtesy to pick up after them in such a public place is beyond me.

And if you must smoke, please keep your butts to yourself. Do you think they just magically disintegrate?

It’s beyond gross to have to walk my child around your dog’s feces and cigarettes.

We all want to enjoy our beaches, please keep them clean.

TALITHA BRESETTE

Keeseville