Letters, letters, letters

The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday.

To the Editor:

On May 4, the evening before Liberation Day in the Netherlands, during a visit to my family in Holland, I observed a nationwide two minutes of silence at 8 p.m., in remembrance of all the people who gave their lives in World War II.

Together with my granddaughter of 10 and my grandson of seven, we sat quietly together, and I thought about my father, who was taken to a concentration camp near the Polish border on May 10, when the Germans invaded Holland.

He had just turned 28 years old, and had married my mother only 10 days earlier, on May 1, 1940.

Fortunately he was released after one month, together with the rest of his platoon.

My parents celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary this month.

I thought about the last weeks of the war in our part of the country, when my parents and I spent three weeks in the caves in Valkenburg, waiting for the American soldiers. They came on September 18, 1944.

My father carved our names in the wall of the cave, in the little niche where we stayed, and our names are still there, after more than 55 years.

I thought about some of the American soldiers who stayed in the same hotel as we did, in the months after we were liberated, when the rest of the Netherlands went through those terrible last months of the war.

I thought about Bob Hore, from Lancaster, Wisconsin. I still have his portrait that he gave to my parents when he had to move on. I thought about Captain Harry Pierce, who took a picture of me and signed it with his name.

I thought of all the anonymous American men and women who gave so much for our freedom.

Two minutes are not enough.

Thank you with all my heart.

Tina Thissen

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To the Editor:

I am writing this letter to make folks aware (especially in the Squaw Creek/Buck Run area) of what my neighbor and I found.

My neighbors live next to a large field that always has a few deer in it. Having just come home to Sisters for the summer, my neighbors found a dead deer close to their house.

I walked down to see the deer (which looked like it was killed last winter or so) when I found yet another deer that looked like it was killed and decapitated a month or so ago.

A large doe was also seen in the area with large claw marks slashed down her neck and side.

Some of us living along the creek have been aware of a cougar coming through here now and then.

I called the Fish & Wildlife people about the two kills and one wounded. They had the sheriff call me. He said he would notify the state biologist about the attacks in a residential area. He wasn't sure anything could be done.

As he said, we have moved into their home area.

What with summer here and children playing out late into the night, parents need to be aware of the possible danger.

My concern for the Buck Run area and its children is that the cougar must come down the creek bank or through Buck Run.

The state is concerned because since so many deer stay in that field and two have already been killed, the cougar may consider that field his or her personal dining room.

The state advised me that, should anyone come in contact with a cougar, (they should) stand still, move backwards slowly, never lose eye contact with the cat. Make yourself look as large as possible by opening a coat, raising your arms over your head and shout to try to scare it away.

Never turn and run.

Please be aware and educate your children on how to react.

Sincerely,

Sylvia Cara

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To the Editor:

Beginning this past year, four teachers have begun a new electoral program for junior Sisters High School students.

The course consists of integration of four essential courses, Outdoor Recreation, English, Environmental Science and Government.

I have been taking Interdisciplinary Environmental Expedition and have experienced many memories that will stick with me for the rest of my life.

Of course, as with any other class there is the grueling homework but we have gotten the chance to physically conquer parts of the earth we thought we compared ourselves powerless to.

I attended an expedition planned by all four of the teachers, Mr. Phelps, Mrs. Spear, Mr. Runco, and Mr. Herron.

The class of 56 students hiked Middle Sister and camp two nights and three days on the mountain.

In this expedition I didn't only learn my material in an amazing hands-on manner but I will never forget hiking up the path with luscious vegetation surrounding the mountain.

I will never forget the bright white snow on Hayden Glacier and the feeling I got in the pit of my stomach when I set foot on the glacier itself, and seeing from that glacier the head of Squaw Creek.

I never will forget waking up to the sound of the birds and the sun peeking through the crevices of my tent and fitting 14 people in a four man tent so we could discuss our experiences and sing songs together.

I would like to thank my teachers for this experience that will live forever within my soul.

Lexie Comfort

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To the Editor:

There is a standard, given long ago, for the governance of everyone's actions in the community -- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Lisa and I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the students of Sisters High school who, through The Sparrow Club's first event, made a tremendously profound statement to us and the community.

You reached beyond the confines and comfort of your own world into the life of a little one too weak to be her own advocate. It was a divine act, really, filled with the unmistakable power that always accompanies the truth, well spoken.

By your actions, you declared to a world adrift on the ocean of competing values: It matters not if you aren't "perfect," your life still has meaning. It matters not if you are weak, your life still has purpose.

It matters not if you are small, you still have value.

We hope you are able to see the gift that you've given and that the seed of this gift will grow into a mighty oak under which we all embrace the value of a life, wherever we find it.

Thanks to Jeff Leeland and all who attended this excellent event, and for embracing the life of our little charge, Avonlªa, through your generous gifts.

Matt and Lisa Jacobson