Make a good first impression

To the editor:
This Saturday will be the inaugural Hudson Family Park Half Marathon & 5k Run throughout the city of Portland and surrounding areas.  Runners from other communities will be participating in this event and quite possibly be making their first visit to Portland/Jay County area.  As always there is nothing like making a good first impression so that people are willing to come back year after year.
The idea of a half marathon was developed from the 20/20 vision committee directing “Healthy Choices in Jay County”.  This committee is responsible for creating new endeavors as well as keeping the public aware of activities and programs that are in place to help people make good decisions when it comes to their health.  People can still sign up to run or walk in the half marathon/5k run starting at 7:30 a.m. Saturday
We look forward to having local and out of town runners take part in the first Hudson Family Park Half Marathon & 5k run.  
We would ask that drivers be aware of these participants as they run through the streets and on country roads completing the race course.  Runners will be using the left side of the road, except for Tyson road – they will use the bike path- so that they can see oncoming traffic.  This is a “live” race; runners know that there will be traffic on the roads. We would ask that drivers also watch carefully for the runners as well. In addition, there will be volunteers on the side of the roads handing out water, Portland Police at the highways, and the Jay County Sheriff’s department at the busier rural intersections, too.  Please be safe!
We look forward to welcoming our out of town guests to the beautiful Hudson Family Park, to Portland, and Jay County.
Thanks for your cooperation,
Jack E. Houck
Executive Director
Jay Community Center

Questioning
To the editor:
I often need to remind myself that things are not what they appear to be, and that it is almost certain that nothing is simple.  That said, I think it is simply awful what Mike Huckabee last week told the assembled “Values Voters” political rally. He compared the burning down of an uninsured house to human beings suffering from serious or fatal illness.
He tried  to make the case that in the same way  a really stupid and irresponsible property owner might try to insure his burned-down house,  a patient or family member might  stupidly hope to have insurance to help pay the astronomical expenses of treatment for a desperately ill loved one. This might be before or after the fearsome diagnosis. With today’s skyrocketing medical costs, many families face financial ruin. In so many cases, the insurers can get away with saying,  “Sorry, this is a pre-existing condition.”  Or, “We no longer cover this.”
I think Huckabee made a terrible analogy, and that it is stunningly awful coming from a Baptist Pastor. He has surely come across numerous instances in his various congregations when families, or someone from his circle of friends, or from a contact in his role as Governor, have faced the death of loved ones and in their time of grief were also faced with impossible, unpayable bills.  I wonder what he might have told them; “It would be nice if we could take care of everyone, but sorry, we just can’t.”  
I have underlined the following words in my copy of Mike Huckabee’s book “A Simple Christmas”, page 28, “The real heroes in this story are Dorsey and Mae Huckabee, my hardworking and loving parents, who really did want to make my dream come true but weren’t sure how they could do it.” His parents are both deceased, but I wonder how this loving and grateful son might have explained our discussion today to an ill parent;  “Gee, Dad, it would be nice if we could take care of everyone, but we just can’t.”
How many times must have Pastor Huckabee preached on the words of Jesus to love others as ourselves, to look after the poor, the widows and orphans, and to minister to the sick and downtrodden?  
His words last week, in my view, turn a deaf ear and uncaring heart to those teachings.
We have only to look to our own community to see this tragedy unfolding, with the rally Saturday to help a local family raise funds to aid in defraying the incredible cost of treating cancer in a young daughter.
A house is an object, bricks and mortar, or lumber and roofing, windows and doors, some wiring, some plumbing...  If it burns down, it can be replaced starting the next day, by shoveling off the rubble.
 A human life is not rubble, and once lost, is irretrieveable. That life is an unfolding creation, full of love, dedication, labor, beauty and hope.
A house burned is gone, but an illness treated, a life saved,  can lift every human spirit.
Glen Priest
Portland[[In-content Ad]]