The second annual Roxbury Bandshell “Fat Friday” was another success. Many thanks go to our chairpersons, Deb and Lester “Lindy” McDaniel, who worked tirelessly for the past year ensuring that this event would not be forgotten.

The Richland fire hall did an outstanding job in hosting the event. Anthony’s was excellent in providing a delicious buffet for more than 430 people. The numerous contributors to our “cajun auction” are to be given a huge round of applause as well as the dozens of door-prize contributors.

The Flood City Brass Band played well into the evening for our listening and dancing pleasure.

Denny Grenell, master of ceremonies, performed as well as any celebrity could. Bill Rogers, our alliance photographer, volunteered his time as our slide show presentation enabled the audience to view the remarkable progress made over the past year at the Roxbury Bandshell.

The alliance volunteers also deserve a huge thanks. Their hard work and efforts made this evening the success that it was.

But, the real thank you goes to more than 400 people who braved the inclement weather to show their support for this very important project. Without them this could have been just another cold evening in February – with them it was a resounding success.

Mark your calendars for Feb. 20, 2009, the third annual “Fat Friday.” See you at our Sunday concert series starting at 1 p.m. May 25 when we kick off another exciting summer.

Mary P. Borkow

Roxbury Bandshell Preservation Alliance

Johnstown



Maybe commissioners are wise after all

The Cambria County commissioners are not up to snuff. But why blame them? It is the fault of voters who continue to re-elect incumbents and newspapers (such as The Tribune-Democrat) that endorse them for re-election.

Common sense would indicate if you continue with the same people in office until they retire nothing will change. People will continue to make stupid decisions, which career politicians make, such as a smoking hut.

Has anyone noticed that the commissioners didn’t initiate the smoking plan or build a hut until after the November 2007 election?

Do you think they would have been re-elected if they had? I doubt it. Maybe the commissioners aren’t so dumb after all.

I’m trying to understand them.

Premise 1: The fewer fools in the world the better off we are.

Premise 2: People who smoke are fools because smoking is a killer.

Conclusion: People should smoke because it gets rid of fools.

Therefore, the population at Laurel Crest will be reduced and we’ll save taxpayers money in the long run.

We know smokers would walk a mile for a cigarette, but because they smoke they can’t walk that far and the wonderfully intelligent commissioners had to build a hut for them and create (five) more jobs at taxpayers’ expense.

C.W. Wiley

Somerset



Editor’s note: The smoking hut was erected in 2005.



Children can make informed decisions

This is in response to Aimee Peterson’s letter (“Let kids be kids, not parents’ clones,” Feb. 9).

Peterson doesn’t need to debate the abortion issue with a child, hence my letter. Discussing such an important issue of life and death with a woman quoting a songwriter stating that parents, teachers, religious leaders, etc., are subtly “murdering” children with thoughts “programmed” into their heads is pathetic.

Thinking for himself, my son, Nicholas, wrote the article to which Peterson re-sponded (“For grade-schooler, D.C. march a lesson,” Jan. 28).

He is an honor student, who, believe it or not, chooses his clothes to wear, how to study, what sports to play, etc. And presented with all facts of the abortion issue, decided that, yes, abortion is murder of an unborn child.

Obviously, he touched a nerve. Good.

So, adult to adult, I’ll spell it out in simple terms that Peterson can understand: Abortion is murder.

However, if a woman has either had or is considering an abortion and realizes that there are people and organizations such as Birthright and Mom’s House to help her, she can make the only choice that is positive for her and her child, and that choice is life.

Michelle Beblar

Oakhurst



In a debate, 10-year-old would win

The adult writer of “Let kids be kids, not parents’ clones” (Feb. 9) scoffs at the idea of arguing the abortion issue with the 10-year-old writer of a Readers’ Forum letter on the pro-life rally.

I would love to be in the audience for a debate between the two.

The child could draw upon his moral teachings (which his parents so responsibly taught him) of the life of Jesus Christ, while the adult could talk about the life of (Doors singer) Jim Morrison, who abused drugs and alcohol, believed in open relationships, had 20 paternity actions against him, disowned his family and took his own life at age 27 by means of a drug overdose.

The child could perhaps quote some of the Ten Commandments, such as “Thou shall not kill,” while the adult could refer to more quotes from Morrison, perhaps some lyrics from “The End,” such as “Father, ... I want to kill you. Mother, I want to ... (Sorry, this can’t be printed in the Tribune).”

The writer greatly underestimates the intelligence, comprehension and understanding of fourth-graders. If my wished-for debate took place, I bet the child could pick out his own outfit and be dressed rather sharply. And if I had to pick a probable winner, my money would absolutely be on the child.

Kathleen Dorian

Westmont