Concerned Citizens

Editor, Smithfield Times
In the spirit of thanks, we would like to thank the people of Surry County who are working to make the positive changes in our county. We are thankful for those who hold governmental positions as well as those who are appointed. We thank the few who work for the many and do it with a smile! We thank the small business owners, and those who support them! And we thank our farmers, our pastors, our mechanics and assistants of all kinds!
As a member of the Surry County Concerned Citizens I am so very thankful that our community is responding to the call of involvement. We have another meeting coming up on Thursday, Nov. 29, at 6 p.m. at the Dendron Community Center. Please come join us as together we all can make Surry County better!
Laura Spain
Dendron

Not taking responsibility?

Editor, Smithfield Times
All of my children have gone through the Isle of Wight County School system, starting in elementary and finishing at Smithfield High School, and now on to college. I also was an employee at Smithfield High School for several years. I’ve seen the school district change multiple times, new superintendents and school board members come and go, but never before have I seen an overall group of people dodge taking responsibility for so many mistakes and decisions.

Over the last few months, we have heard an onslaught of complaints from both teachers and parents, ranging from questionable purchases made with taxpayer money, the delayed opening of the field house, teachers experiencing hostile work environments, offensive social media posts, bad communication between the county and parents and even a dangerous case where a special needs child was left unattended. With each one of these instances, the school board and our superintendent have never once acknowledged their part in these mistakes, and instead have claimed ignorance, had multiple excuses or simply blamed someone else. Unfortunately, this is not unexpected as it is the same reaction that the superintendent had in his past places of employment in Cumberland and Mecklenburg County Schools.
This was especially true in the recent Smithfield Times article about anonymous letters that brought up several issues from the year. With each complaint, the reaction was anything but taking responsibility, or making people feel heard and vowing to do better. And by doing so, only caused more reasons to be untrustworthy of our county school leaders.
There have been school board meetings where rather than addressing the issues brought up and talking about ways they are working to improve them, the board has instead felt the time would be better spent listing off their own accomplishments. It is not our job as citizens to pat them on the back, and it is not their jobs to expect such.
If we want to teach our children that people make mistakes, and that the best way to handle those mistakes is to acknowledge responsibility and vow to do better, then we need to see those in charge setting the example first.
Amy Zengel
Smithfield

Communists & Democrats

Editor, Smithfield Times
The Democrat party used to be patriotic Americans who believed in the rule of law, doing things the right way but through a more liberal way than that intended by the Founders. Today’s Democrat party is nothing like any politics that JFK would recognize: it’s a party corrupted by socialists, communists and contempt.
Today, the new Democrat encourages everyone to hate any who think differently, to harass, attack and spit on conservatives in public, to yell and shout down those of different viewpoints. Today’s leftist Democrats want government providing everything for free to everyone, such as Ocasio-Cortez’s hilarious idea that would cost $40 trillion for free housing where nobody has to work!
Today’s GOP is fed up with the nonsense of leftists. Today’s GOP stands for rule of law, and enforcement of the law! Illegal is illegal, right is right, and wrong is wrong! Today’s GOP is fed up with criminals getting free stuff, while the rest of us lose jobs, lose wages and are ripped off. We are sick of America going broke so the non-working crybabies of the world get free college, handouts and play Xbox all day.
Today’s Democrat party seeks to convince you that the party that freed slaves, fought for civil rights and equality — the GOP — is the bad guy so it can keep power at any cost, while they flood our nation with illegals and criminals to steal from your pocket.
Remember, the greatest trick the devil ever played, was to convince the world he didn’t exist. Anyone who ever survived a bad relationship knows, when you’re manipulated by your emotions, you make very bad decisions.  Use your head when voting-the party on the left needs to be left—left behind.
Dave Lyons
Chesapeake

Honoring Veterans

Editor, Smithfield Times
Ponaganset High School works with Wreaths Across America (WAA), an organization that honors America’s Veterans. This non-profit organization, was formed as an extension of the Arlington Wreath Project. This project was started by Morrill Worcester, of the Worcester Wreath Company located in Harrington Maine, in 1992 with the donation and placing of 5,000 holiday wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery- now an annual journey for Mr. Worcester.
In 2007 Ponaganset Middle School asked to be a ceremonial site in order to culminate a unit on teaching respect for the service of American military veterans. Students researched the veteran experience and participated in ceremonies held at memorials in both Foster and Glocester. Veterans were invited to be honored while wreaths, donated by the Worcester Wreath Company, were placed. Foster and Glocester Police Departments served as Honor Guards.
This year’s ceremony will include three official WAA Walmart trucks with ceremonial wreaths, a local law enforcement officials caravan, and Patriot Guard Riders- a group of veterans who ride escort on motorcycles. The Riders have annually volunteered as escort for the wreaths coming to Ponaganset. Their mission and objective, to stand for veterans who stood for us and show sincere respect for fallen heroes and their families, have been incorporated into our annual event, which we will hold on Dec. 11.
The ceremony will include a heartfelt thanks to fallen soldiers everywhere, with special recognition of local veterans.
Emily Williams
Foster, R.I.