Letters to the Editor Nov. 2, 2010

Highlight of Green Day was video about student beach cleanup

The third annual “It’s a Green Day” event was fun and informative, as usual. The highlight of the day for me was watching the video presented during science teacher Joe Gillespie’s workshop.

Created by artist Daniel Dancer of Oregon, this amazing 11-minute piece brings together the story of a dead sperm whale that washed up on a local beach two years ago, the beach clean-up carried out in part by school students district-wide in September of this year and the sky art image of a whale designed by Dancer and formed by hundreds of Crescent Elk Middle School and Joe Hamilton students.

Accompanied by three tracks of upbeat music, this video is one of the most moving works I’ve seen in a long time. Not only for its visceral beauty and message of love, hope and joy, but perhaps mostly for the faces we know! Those are our beautiful children hauling the trash of our adult neglect off the shoreline. Some kids are captured with silly grimaces while some cast long, far-off glances that speak of a profound depth of personhood.

The video, titled “A Whale of a Time,” and available for viewing on the Internet, is truly inspirational. It connects us to our children, our ocean and, if we let it, to each other. Bravo, Mr. Dancer, and all those who made the project possible.

Diane Blackberry

Crescent City

Everyone’s compassion made son’s passing more endurable

I would like to extend my appreciation to all of Anthony Horton’s friends and family for the outpouring of love and support during this very difficult time. Thank you to Mr. Wier and the thoughtful staff at Wier’s Mortuary chapel. When my son Anthony unexpectedly passed away on October 17, your compassion helped make the hardest situation this family has ever had to endure a little bit easier.

Most of all I want to express my gratitude to the nursing staff at Sutter Coast Hospital. Unfortunately, throughout the past few years, my son was in and out of the emergency room with several extended stays in the hospital. Anthony always had wonderful praises for the nurses that took such great care of him.

Because of your care and concern for him and his health he had been talking about how he would like to go to school to become a nurse. He would want all of you to know how much he appreciated your hard work and effort to try and help him become the healthy young man he deserved to be. His sisters and I thank you, and Anthony thanks you.

Cheri Howard

Smith River

Credit where credit is due: It was DNACA that got Collins here

I was so excited when I saw your front page story on Judy Collins! My first thought was, wow, DNACA got some great coverage for its performance! But as I read the story by Kelley Atherton, nowhere did I see the Del Norte Association for Cultural Awareness mentioned. Not even on the continuing story on page 13, or Michele Grgas Thomas’ commentary on page 14.

Did Judy Collins just magically appear in Del Norte County to perform? No, she was here through the efforts of DNACA and its director Holly Austin. So thank you DNACA, Director Holly Austin and all of DNACA’s financial supporters who continue to bring such great talent to Del Norte County.

Next time, dear editor, can you give a little credit where credit is due?

Peggy Reitz

Crescent City

Using schools nights, summers could grow college affordably

In reading the woes of the Redwood Community College District, I would like to make the following suggestion. I suggest that we use the local schools at night for classes.

We will save money on buildings and can then afford more teachers. We will have more classes and our college district will grow to where we will then be able to afford more buildings when needed.

Students can have day jobs to pay for their college tuition. Let’s make use of our buildings. Use them in the summer months for college classes.

Rogie Shutt

Smith River