Squirrel Man says thanks for anonymous Christmas gift
Sir: When I came home from the library recently I found a white plastic bag on my front porch. When I picked it up, it had my full name and Merry Christmas written on it, a gift for me, the Squirrel Man.
Inside was a bag of shelled peanuts and a letter I wrote in The Sarnia Journal on Oct. 9, thanking people for watching out and slowing down to avoid hitting my squirrels.
I have no idea who the gift was from, as nobody around here knows my last name. But it is somebody who reads the paper, and they cut it out and put the article in with the peanuts.
Well, whoever you are, you just made my Christmas much better.
I have lived here for five years and it is the first gift given to me. I was so happy to get this gift from someone I do not even know.
And my squirrels are very happy themselves, eating the peanuts.
To that person, a special Thank You, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year’s to all.
Harry Anderson,
a.k.a The Squirrel Man
Sarnia
The Celebration of Lights were outstanding this year
Sir: A huge THANK YOU to Cathie Blake-Baker and her volunteers for the best Christmas light display to date.
My family, visiting from Windsor, was super impressed. The grandchildren especially enjoyed standing under that enormous Christmas tree watching the lights change with the music.
To the person who complained about the music, I say, get some earplugs or go on a cruise to help improve your outlook. I’ve heard far worse and louder noises on Front Street.
Sylvia Creaner
Bright’s Grove
Mayor Bradley achieving his goal
Sir: Regarding the resignation of Alan Shaw, Director of Community Development Services.
Well, it appears that the Mayor's goal to "take back the city" is working.
Pretty soon he will be the only one left at City Hall.
Peter Westfall
Sarnia
Hate crime statistics point to larger problem of systemic racism
Sir: Regarding the response to the Maclean’s magazine story on hate crimes.
Deny and carry-on as usual! Everybody knows stats are an indicator of a larger and deeper malaise in society.
These days, racism is cleverly cloaked and disguised in the workplace as requiring performance improvement, delayed or denied promotions, last in the hiring line but first in the firing line, guilty by default, picking on trivial issues and making mountains-out-of-mole-hills, denying leadership roles and training opportunities, entrapment, false accusations and so on.
Here is a very simple experiment that even school children can conduct. Go to any business, charity, department, enterprise or organization and separate the management staff from the rest of the employees. Right away, you will notice the management staff is overwhelmingly white and people of colour are a majority of the rest.
Then compare the education, knowledge, skills, experience and contribution of the two groups. In most cases you will find the 'rest of the employees' group (people of colour) are at the same level or ahead, despite being consistently denied opportunities.
Thanks to blatant racism and nepotism, workplaces and businesses almost never represent the populations they are serving or generating incomes from.
Angela Kelly
Sarnia
A big thank you to everyone at Habitat for Humanity
Sir: Thank you very much for publishing the Dec. 13 story by Cathy Dobson about the newest Habitat for Humanity project on Guthrie Drive.
As one of the “senior” couples moving into one of the new units, we are blessed and humbled beyond words.
This adventure has been a challenge to all involved. I want to send special and heartfelt thanks to all the staff at the Habitat Restore. They have been so pleasant and happy to work with.
In the new year, my husband and I will continue to volunteers – so watch out!
Our thanks go out to all the many volunteers and donors involved. The project was the first of its kind in Canada, and glad it happened in Sarnia.
As our minister pointed out, it was a true Christmas miracle on Guthrie Drive. God bless everyone.
PS: Our dog has already christened his new territory.
Nelson and Mary “Mimi” Ettinger
Sarnia