Submitted by Readers
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The 10th annual Flood City Charity Bowl, a men’s flag football game, was held Oct. 21. The Flood City Charity Bowl is a long-standing and very successful tradition in Johnstown.
The event was coordinated again this year by the dedicated founder, Rick Pavic. For the past 10 years, Pavic has gathered area businessmen who have generously sponsored and played in the football game to benefit local charities.
Thousands of dollars have been raised by Flood City Charity Bowl and donated to local charities over the years. This year, project beneficiaries were the Felix Family Adoption Foundation and the Women’s Help Center. Each year, the Women’s Help Center has been a proud recipient of those funds. This year, $600 was gifted to the center.
The staff, board of directors and volunteers at the Women’s Help Center would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Rick Pavic and to all sponsors, players, volunteers and fans. Individually and collectively, you have made a long-term and positive impact on the Women’s Help Center and the delivery of life-saving services to those in need.
On behalf of the thousands of victims of domestic violence and their children who are served by the center every year, I thank you.
You have made a significant and tangible difference. Be very proud. We are proud of you.
Susan S. Shahade
Executive Director of Women’s Help Center
Going from playing cowboys to blood
Playing cowboy was big stuff for a lot of copycat boys in the old days. Why?
Because of the movies, and who could doubt it? But the kids had fun and the money rolled in.
The money continues to enrich the entertainment people, but instead of lassos and childish copycats, they now have blood, and plenty of it, on their greedy hands.
Don Stutzman
Johnstown
Santa Claus made Christmas Eve magical
The days leading up to Christmas were hard. Hard to keep the holiday cheer and to keep love in our hearts. But then it happened ...
On Christmas Eve, I saw Santa!
Santa on a musical sleigh – riding through the streets of Westmont at just about bedtime. Handing out toys and stuffed animals to the kids and telling them to get to bed.
For a few moments, we were all kids again, running through the house, trying to find shoes so we could run outside and wish him well. It was magical.
I wanted to make sure to write a letter and send a thank you to the West Hills police and fire departments for volunteering their time to escort Santa.
It was truly the highlight of our Christmas Eve.
Mary Calissie
Johnstown
Stop culture on death, end the mass killings
Many were shocked at the mass murder of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I was very sympathetic, but not shocked. In fact, I am expecting such tragedies.
Following Roe v. Wade, the pope at the time predicted tragedies would follow once the culture of death had been established.
Just as once the proverbial camel gets his nose under the tent, he soon gets his whole body inside. So, too, once people get used to killing babies in the womb, other situations of killing would follow. If you can kill a baby inside the womb, why not outside the womb. What’s the difference?
How many mass killings will it take to see the connection?
How many mass killings were there before Roe v. Wade?
Many a child aborted would have been just as nice and lovable as the children killed at Sandy Hook.
Authorities are baffled to ascertain the motive of the killer. I suspect that few, if any, came up with the theory that it was simply the work of the devil. Perhaps an expert in demonology should be contacted.
To put an end to mass killings, please don’t try to take away our guns. Instead, stop the culture of death. Stop abortion. Overturn Roe v. Wade.
Richard A. Ruth
Johnstown
Privatizing lottery makes no sense
Privatizing our state’s lottery and allowing a foreign-based company to manage the system is nothing short of outsourcing jobs.
Think for a moment. The state Department of Revenue has managed the lottery since its inception to the position as fifth-largest lottery in the nation. Without fail, the lottery has adequately provided our seniors with much-needed assistance.
In doing this, lottery money has gone to support state employees; business retailers, who receive a commission for hosting lottery equipment and sales; the media, who enjoy funds for advertising; and payment for the production of lottery tickets, maintenance and repair of lottery machines, totaling $240 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012 (lottery website).
This is not chicken feed. This is real money that supports our state’s economy and jobs. Why would we want to transfer the control of these funds and functions to a foreign company?
We need to contact our state senators, representatives and Gov. Tom Corbett to stop this ridiculous action.
Gary Schetrompf
Portage
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