Letters to the Editor 04/06/2005

To the Editor:

Please vote for Rob Corrigan for the Sisters School Board. I’ve known Rob since he and his family moved to Sisters several years ago and I am very impressed. Rob is a thoughtful, intelligent, and givingindividual.

He has always been generous with his time in support of youth and community projects whether it be helping put up the community tent for the KiteStrings event, cleaning up the neighborhood as an Adopt a Road Volunteer or volunteering at the school.

He has in-depth knowledge of issues facing schools, from state level down to the classroom. Rob has volunteered in the classroom, been a field trip chaperone, a coach, on the Sisters Elementary School Site Council and worked actively for school finance reform.

Vote for Rob. He’ll be an effective force for continued great schools in Sisters.

Kathy Deggendorfer

To the Editor:

We are very fortunate here in Sisters to have the unique organization known as SOAR (Sisters Organization for Activities and Recreation).

I read with dismay in The Nugget that grant funding sources to keep these excellent programs alive are about diminished. We must seek alternative ways to establish a permanent base for funding SOAR activities and tutoring programs. The excellent programs and high quality of leaders involved are the finest and lend the proper guidance to our young people.

The children in our community have the opportunity to choose from many varied activities, not only tutoring in academic subjects but a vast array of ongoing activities including summer camp experiences, hiking, climbing, music, drama, crafts, individual and team sports to name just a few offerings open to all of our youth.

Scholarships are also a big part of the SOAR program so no one is left out.

These activities also offer peace of mind to working parents because they know their children are involved in constructive programs under excellent leaders.

I was a former junior high school teacher and counselor so young people still occupy a big place in my heart. My job was to talk and listen to students, many of them at risk. In most cases, if they had a good recreation learning program to turn to and leaders willing to become involved with them, their lives would take a drastic turn for the better.

On May 17, the SOAR five-year local option levy will be on the ballot. I urge all of us to vote “Yes” to keep this program for our youth.

There are also future plans for senior citizen programs. Please vote “Yes”; it is a win-win option for all of us.

Julia Hammond

s s s

To the Editor:

Children represent our most valuable resource. Their minds and hearts will shape our future. Sisters gets it! We as a community understand the importance of investing in children and have led our region in creating and sustaining high educational standards. We share pride in the amazing accomplishments of ourstudents.

Over the next two months we will be asked to vote yes on the SOAR District Local Tax Option. Your 35 cents per thousand or $9 per month on a $300,000 home will continue the tradition of providing support for our children. SOAR is a model of quality in pre-school, arts, sports, tutorial and wilderness programs.

It’s also a model of cooperation with public programs: Schools, COCC, Head Start. SOAR activities serve participants from three to 83 years old.

When you drive through town and you don’t see Sisters Middle School students aimlessly milling around or hanging out, think SOAR. More than 90 percent of these students will participate in SOAR activities this year. Smiling through pimples and puberty isn’t easy. Where would these young minds be without SOAR?

Bill & Zoe Willitts

s s s

To the Editor:

SOAR and the Sisters School District have had a very successful, win/win relationship for the students and families of Sisters. SOAR has provided recreational, educational and supervised care for many of the children, youth, and adults of our community.

SOAR has also worked with our schools to coordinate sports, use of gyms and fields to enhance maximum, effective, year-round use of our community’s buildings and fields for so many! Through SOAR’s efforts in these areas we have attracted many visitors and guests that contribute back to our local businesses.

SOAR came to the rescue of the possible loss of Head Start to our community. SOAR helped us develop an after school tutoring program for our limited and non-English speaking students to help them with our language, culture, socialization and school homework.

SOAR runs a morning and afternoon kindergarten/pre-school to pair up with our school kindergarten programs. SOAR is an active partner in our Community Action Team of Sisters to support all socio-economic levels of our community.

SOAR now needs our help to continue and expand portions of their work due to the lapse of some federal, state and local grants. They also need to update their busses and finish the fields and building that they have started.

Please support their quest in passing a local option tax levy for the next five years. Please vote yes for SOAR in the upcoming May 17 election.

Tim Comfort

s s s

To the Editor:

As a senior who has been involved in the school district’s music program since sixth grade, I have grown up watching and being involved in the Starry Nights concert series.

This year I have had the pleasure of being the Sisters High School student liaison representative for the Starry Nights committee. I thought I was aware of all that went into this event, however, it was a real eye opener watching all of the hard work that many people and businesses put into making this event so successful.

It amazes me how a town the size of Sisters can attract entertainers of such caliber to come and perform for the benefit of our schools.

I would like to thank everyone on the Starry Nights committee, especially Jeri Fouts and Susan Arends, for their huge role in making this possible for our community. It is because of people like them, that Sisters students like me can live their dream.

Kelly Cundiff