Goodnight Irene
After a five year sabbatical for health reasons, I’m taking up camera again with a community purpose. So many people were harmed in recent storms particularly hurricane Irene. I want to give vent to the public and provide an information outlet to the public who want to share their story visually of their damages and how they are dealing with them. Also, those of difficulties like dealing with FEMA or Insurance Companies. We need to know who is good with claims.
The first show will air on Channel 23, WATV, WPAT, Woodstock TV and the internet Saturday, November 19 from 4 p.m.-5 p.m. I want to gather footage of damage or pictures and a verbal story either on or off camera.
OK, the name. I’m calling it “Goodnight Irene,” and would like to assemble some Good
Night Irene singers for a sound and film shoot. To contact me or leave a message call 679-5504 or if you have footage or pictures or are interested in volunteering or contributing production for this not for profit local effort, e-mail me at GoodNightIreneWdstk@webtv.net
John Jordan
Woodstock
Dear Service Professionals
When you wait on me, ring my purchases, or provide a service, I am more than pleased to say “thank you” as I leave. It is a courtesy which I believe should be extended to show appreciation. And for most of my life the response has always been “you’re welcome.” But over the past few years there has been a change, especially by younger individuals, to answer “no problem.” Of course I know it really is not a problem, it’s what you are paid to do. If it were a problem, then you should not be in the service industry. Maybe you think the “no problem” response lets me know you did not go out of your way to bring my food or take money for items I purchased. Or maybe it is your way of telling me that I did not interrupt a cell phone call or your playing Angry Birds. Whereas “you’re welcome” shows you are appreciative of my acknowledgement, “no problem” minimizes it. Think about it…how would you feel if your customers left you by saying “thanks for just doing your job?”
Paul Kastner
Woodstock
Families For Food
A special event, “Families for Food,” is planned at the Woodstock Day School on Saturday, November 19 to benefit the Good Neighbor Food Pantry in Woodstock. Special entertainment is planned by some of the students along with Ivy Vine Players and Rat Boy Jr. The Woodstock Day School is located at 1430 Glasco Turnpike in Saugerties and doors will be open for “Families for Food” from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. All are welcome. Please come out and support our young people’s efforts to help their neighbors.
Donations to the food pantry will be gratefully accepted. Please bring along cans of salmon, tuna or soups. Or perhaps items of dignity such as toothpaste, soaps or razor blades.
It’s a wonderful thing to see our young people extend themselves on projects which benefit the community. Everyone connected with the Good Neighbor Food Pantry thanks our young people, their families and our neighbors for any offering.
Karen White
Woodstock
Where Is Woodstock Going?
Having spent all 16 years of my life on [Route] 375, I’ve developed a stronger relationship with this town than I believe anyone else whose letters-to-the-editor appear above and below mine, whose political endorsements and calls for protest and petition lack an audience other than themselves to hear their pleas. Each week, I read the Times hoping that someone else is also, someone reading who can and will take action. Hypocritically, I too am complaining to an empty room, but I hope my words might excite a few of the regulars to unite with common purpose.
Where is our town going? The variety of letters in this section can be summed up into asking this question. What is it, exactly, that we want Woodstock to become? We can all agree on our past, but can we keep living this way? Why doesn’t Woodstock have a vision of where it’ll be ten years from now? What happened to Carbon-Free 2015 (or whatever that was)? Why isn’t anyone really taking this seriously?
The great mass of the people of Woodstock needs to take hold of our town’s future, because where we are and where we’re headed is sad. We need to see an actual green initiative formed, pushing for solar and wind power, for the abolition of plastic bags, for bike and pedestrian-oriented streets; a push for better recycling and composting services or parks and open spaces. Benches and lamps and flower gardens and public transportation and real crosswalks will do nothing but benefit the community, while making our town attractive and nice to live in. The village needs to encourage stores to stay open late and support year-round events and community organizations. The budget must reserve funds for consistent programs for the youth while enriching the lives of all who pay taxes.
Being Woodstock, the town must continually support the arts while keeping in mind its place in the region and the world. The hippie generation will pass on, and it’s time to start thinking about what will take its place. I propose no real solutions, but I hope anyone reading will unite with the common goal of preparing for the Woodstock of tomorrow.
Rio Morales
Woodstock
For more letters, see print edition.
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