September 13, 2004

Thanks for library support

On Aug. 25 and 27, my brother and I had a lemonade stand and ceramic cups fund-raiser for the Enhancement Fund of the new Talent Branch Library. We are proud to say that we had a very successful event. Through the help of the many lemonade customers, including all of our good friends and neighbors, we raised $1,450.

We asked several local ceramic artists to donate handcrafted cups for this benefit and were generously given all of the cups for the sale. We want to give a big thanks to Polly Beach, Charlie Hoye, Phil Fishwick, Bonnie Morgan, Frank Philipps, Garry Price, Jim Robinson, Cilla Russell, and Marian Telerski for giving us over 250 unique pieces of art to sell with lemonade in them. Special thanks to our Dad who alone made 150 cups! Thanks to Shop 'N' Kart who happily donated all of the organic lemonade and Tark's Market for the ice.

We also want to thank Laurel Prchral, head librarian of the Talent Branch Library for her many caring comments and support to us through the entire planning and running of the event. She and all of the staff at the library are a big reason that we and everyone else love this library so much. Also thanks to the Jackson County Library for all of the publicity, and to the Friends of the Talent Library, a tireless group of volunteers who are heading up the Enhancement Fund effort and are working hard to raise $250,000. All of the Friends volunteers made an effort to come to our sale and purchased cups!

My brother and I had never done something like this before, except for last summer when we sold lemonade on our road and earned $29 for the library. The experience of doing something positive and then having something to give back for the effort is truly a great feeling. We think everyone must like this feeling, and hope that we all find ways to give back to our wonderful community.

Riley Price
Noah Price
Talent

Tidings leading way for Kerry

Congratulations on your recent editorial. You have intelligently and accurately cut through the Bush administration's fog of phony war, its blizzard of mendacity, and the slough of smear it has created to divert citizens from the monumental disaster it 's policies have led us into.

You are quite correct in your main point: Bush has severely damaged the American economy, the social fabric of our nation, and the well-being of the vast majority of our people. It is also clear that the trashing of our civil liberties and of our environment will continue if Bush steals another election. To my knowledge, the Tidings was the first newspaper to call for Bush's defeat in November; now the Seattle Times, which supported Bush in 2000, has come out for Kerry. You are leading the way.

Gerald Cavanaugh
Ashland

Bush years cause gun support

I grew up around firearms. My dad gave me a .22 for X-mas when I was seven and I practiced every weekend in the woods behind our house, weather permitting.

My dad and I both belonged to the National Rifle Association, which was at that time, mirabile dictu, mostly a hunter safety and conservation organization, along the lines of Oregon Trout or Ducks Unlimited.

My dad (a conservative) was a lifetime member, but finally quit due to their constant right-wing proselytizing. I just let my membership lapse, more thru indifference than any real political motivation. So it wasn't a surprise, in a close election year, that I'd get a call from an NRA recruiter asking me to rejoin and at the same time making sure I voted for the Republican slate of candidates who would protect our second Amendment rights and who supported a whole panoply of causes that really had nothing to do with gun control. Of particular importance to him was the ban on assault rifles which he seemed to consider almost on a level with child molestation.

I finally interrupted his interminable speech and said: "Son, this is a waste of time. You're preachin' to the choir. I believe the best argument for the public ownership of automatic weapons is the current administration." There was about 10 seconds of silence while he digested this remark. Then - CLICK.

Doyle Hirsch
Ashland

JPR is just fine

I'd like to respond to Venita Varga's letter in the Sept. 1 edition of The Tidings about her displeasure with Jefferson Public Radio (JPR).

I've never met Ms. Varga, nor heard the program for which she advocates, "Democracy Now." But as a long-time public radio supporter, I couldn't disagree more about JPR's approach to programming.

I recently moved to Ashland and have been amazed by the strength and diversity of public radio in the mythical state of Jefferson. Of course, I miss some of the programs carried by my former NPR stations in Seattle/Tacoma, especially "The Travis Smiley Show." But, hey, I can live without one show if I get all the other things JPR has to offer here.

Hardcore fans of certain public radio programs can always access them online. As for me, I'll trust JPR's "regime" to do the greatest good for the greatest number.

Marilyn Hawkins
Ashland