VFW grateful for fundraiser support
September 18, 2012 4:08PM
Updated: October 20, 2012 6:09AM
VFW grateful for fundraiser support
Hampshire Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8043 and Ladies Auxiliary would like to thank the members, Hampshire/Burlington and surrounding area community for the cooperation and financial support of the recent successful fundraiser to benefit the Hampshire and Burlington Central scholarship fund. We also would like to thank Century 21 New Heritage, Lil and Christine Klein, and Old Second Bank, Tom Knief, for the sponsorship of the tickets. The winners of the fundraiser were Sandra Eberly, Donald Benchley and Harley Olson.
We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and support to benefit the scholarship programs at the high schools and supporting our veteran and community service projects. Thank you again!
Lowell “Whitey” Reiser
Commander, Hampshire VFW Post 8043
Donna Proffitt
President, Auxiliary
Disrespect for our flag also at home
I find it interesting that people get upset when someone burns an American flag in protest, when there is flagrant abuse of the flag in this country every day.
We all should have learned in second grade that there are rules that govern the use of the American flag. An American flag must not fly in the rain; it must not touch the ground; it must not fly at night unless it is lit; it shouldn’t be worn as clothing; and when it is old and tattered, it must not be flown. It is to be burned, respectfully.
Yet we see these abuses of the flag every day and think nothing of it.
It used to be that the president would make an announcement during a disaster or a crisis that the flag would be lowered and for how many days. I believe it flew at half-staff for a month after the assassination of President Kennedy. Now it seems anyone can decide when to fly the flag at half-staff, and no one passing by and seeing the flag so displayed understands why it is flying low on the pole. I was told that during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the flag would be lowered whenever a soldier died (or was it whenever a soldier from your state died?). It seems like flags are at half-staff all the time now, and not consistently. Last week, the flag was at half-staff at our post office while, right next door, the fire department flew theirs at full staff. How do we know what a flag flying at half-staff means? Does anyone get to decide? And how important does the event have to be? My cat died last spring. Should I have flown my flag at half-staff? If you keep lowering the flag, the act of lowering the flag becomes meaningless.
The flying of a flag at half-staff used to be used sparingly and for momentous occasions. We all didn’t get to decide when. I understand the sometimes-over-the-top outpouring of support for the troops abroad. I see it as a reaction to the shameful way our troops in Vietnam were treated on their return home. We need to rethink our use of the flag or else flying it or lowering it is meaningless and dishonors everyone.
Sandra Wittman
Carpentersville
Metra lot without needed lights
I see that Metra is seal coating the Chicago Street station parking lot in Elgin. But when are they going to fix the lights in the same lot?
The lights along the river in the east lot have been inoperable for the last three years, and it is unsafe after dark.
I asked one of the Metra police officers, and he called the Metra people and they told him that the parking lot company is responsible. And then he calls them, and they say that the city of Elgin is responsible.
So the runaround goes full circle, and after three years the lights still don’t work. When will someone take responsibility?
Greg Bork
Elgin
