July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
We should let Blackford rest in peace (08/22/06)
Letters to the Editor
To the editor:
I was friends with Barbara Blackford for 30 years or more. I first met her through her husband Gary. I was proud to call both of them my friends. As time went on and Barb decided to run for election, she asked me to help her campaign. We spent five evenings and all day Saturday walking the city of Dunkirk.
Then, when she decided to run for clerk, I helped some also. At that time I was working at the city offices and would see her several times a week. After I gave up my job we would talk on the phone almost weekly about anything and everything. She had such a zest for life and was so looking forward to retirement. But that was not to be.
I also feel like I know Mayor (Bruce) Hosier. Not as well, but I know him. I know he probably thought he was doing the right thing when he mandated the city employees to attend her viewing and funeral, but I, like many, think it was wrong.
Barb would have never wanted that, nor would she have wanted someone to be there that she didn't know or didn't want to be there. If she would have had any idea that the end was near and he would have asked her about it, she would have said no. She always told me she and Bruce got along great. So I have to agree with many people that this mess should never have happened.
Should the employees have respected her when they saw her? Yes. But should they have been given no choice? No.
Why would anyone go to a viewing or funeral to see someone that you didn't know? Some of them only knew her because she signed their payroll checks. I don't think they were being disrespectful to her or the family.
So let's drop all of this and let our friend rest in peace. She probably has had a good laugh to think this happened and is still and issue. She would have never wasted this much time on this mess.
God rest you, Barb, and I'll never forget you.
Penny Imel
Portland
Go-kart thanks
To the editor:
The Hoosier Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross would like to say thank you for yet another successful year for the summer go-kart series. First we would like to thank our series sponsor FCC (Indiana) for making our events possible. We also want to thank our event and track sponsors for their continued support of these community events. And to the 21 teams who participated, we say thank you and we look forward to future races.
Special thanks are due to the various venues for hosting our events and for agreeing to donate a portion of the ticket sales to the Hoosier Heartland Chapter of American Red Cross. To the Jay County Fair Board, we thank you for making this event a part of the Jay County Fair for the past nine years. To the Fort Recovery Jubilee board, we thank you for making our event a part of your community festival and for all of your support. To the Vintage Motorbike Club, we thank you for inviting us back to be a part of your event, even if Mother Nature decided to make a rain day for us.
Many thanks to those of you who provided hundreds of dollars worth of in-kind donations. A special thanks to Hull Brothers of Fort Recovery for donating equipment and to the Osterholt family and Aaron Siefring for the manpower given to prep the track for the Jay County event. We also want to thank WPGW and The Commercial Review for generous media coverage support.
Last but not least, much praise goes out to the nearly 100 volunteers who helped make these events possible. A special thank you is owed to Betty Sue Manor for the many hours of time and service towards the event, and to all committee members (and their respective employers) who strive to meet and exceed all expectations.
The Red Cross is only as good as the people and community make it, and it is obvious with the hundreds of individuals and businesses involved in this effort alone, the Red Cross is proudly supported in the Jay County community.
Our hats are off to you.
Gina G. Bradburn and Jeri Franks, for the Hoosier Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross[[In-content Ad]]
I was friends with Barbara Blackford for 30 years or more. I first met her through her husband Gary. I was proud to call both of them my friends. As time went on and Barb decided to run for election, she asked me to help her campaign. We spent five evenings and all day Saturday walking the city of Dunkirk.
Then, when she decided to run for clerk, I helped some also. At that time I was working at the city offices and would see her several times a week. After I gave up my job we would talk on the phone almost weekly about anything and everything. She had such a zest for life and was so looking forward to retirement. But that was not to be.
I also feel like I know Mayor (Bruce) Hosier. Not as well, but I know him. I know he probably thought he was doing the right thing when he mandated the city employees to attend her viewing and funeral, but I, like many, think it was wrong.
Barb would have never wanted that, nor would she have wanted someone to be there that she didn't know or didn't want to be there. If she would have had any idea that the end was near and he would have asked her about it, she would have said no. She always told me she and Bruce got along great. So I have to agree with many people that this mess should never have happened.
Should the employees have respected her when they saw her? Yes. But should they have been given no choice? No.
Why would anyone go to a viewing or funeral to see someone that you didn't know? Some of them only knew her because she signed their payroll checks. I don't think they were being disrespectful to her or the family.
So let's drop all of this and let our friend rest in peace. She probably has had a good laugh to think this happened and is still and issue. She would have never wasted this much time on this mess.
God rest you, Barb, and I'll never forget you.
Penny Imel
Portland
Go-kart thanks
To the editor:
The Hoosier Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross would like to say thank you for yet another successful year for the summer go-kart series. First we would like to thank our series sponsor FCC (Indiana) for making our events possible. We also want to thank our event and track sponsors for their continued support of these community events. And to the 21 teams who participated, we say thank you and we look forward to future races.
Special thanks are due to the various venues for hosting our events and for agreeing to donate a portion of the ticket sales to the Hoosier Heartland Chapter of American Red Cross. To the Jay County Fair Board, we thank you for making this event a part of the Jay County Fair for the past nine years. To the Fort Recovery Jubilee board, we thank you for making our event a part of your community festival and for all of your support. To the Vintage Motorbike Club, we thank you for inviting us back to be a part of your event, even if Mother Nature decided to make a rain day for us.
Many thanks to those of you who provided hundreds of dollars worth of in-kind donations. A special thanks to Hull Brothers of Fort Recovery for donating equipment and to the Osterholt family and Aaron Siefring for the manpower given to prep the track for the Jay County event. We also want to thank WPGW and The Commercial Review for generous media coverage support.
Last but not least, much praise goes out to the nearly 100 volunteers who helped make these events possible. A special thank you is owed to Betty Sue Manor for the many hours of time and service towards the event, and to all committee members (and their respective employers) who strive to meet and exceed all expectations.
The Red Cross is only as good as the people and community make it, and it is obvious with the hundreds of individuals and businesses involved in this effort alone, the Red Cross is proudly supported in the Jay County community.
Our hats are off to you.
Gina G. Bradburn and Jeri Franks, for the Hoosier Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross[[In-content Ad]]
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