“Remembering Scott”
To the Editor:
Ten years ago today marks the anniversary a community lost a beloved person, friend, companion, and to me, a loving father. Scott Welch was everything you could ask for in friend, husband, and father. His warm, welcoming, positive personality made him a joy to be around. I would rarely catch my father without a smile on his face, and if you did you knew you did something wrong. Needless to say that happened more than a few times with me.
His infectious personality made him a joy to interact with and Pat Lanman once summed it up by saying “Scott Welch could have a good time at an insurance seminar.” I am proud to say, I never heard anyone say anything negative about Scott Welch. He had such a positive outlook on life and it easily rubbed off on others.
My father was very ambitious and set his goals high. Whether they were attainable or not that is another question, but he always believed in setting his goals high, a trait we should all admire.
My father continues to play a role in my life and he is an everlasting presence of what I aspire to be. I think about him everyday and I miss him greatly, but I feel truly blessed to have known him for nearly 12 years.
As today marks a decade since his passing, I ask that all who knew Scott to reflect on your relationship with him, as I know I will. I will never forget him and the moments we shared. Love and miss you dad.
Daniel Scott Welch
Vevay
Spread the wealth?
To the Editor:
There has been a rash of “crimes” committed “to” landowners all around our area. Theft of hunting equipment (tree stands, trail cameras), barns robbed, fences damaged, trees cut down, etc. (One landowner had his “box blind” tree stand cut down (with a chain saw) on his own land). Young people drive past our farm driving “twice the speed limit” caring little about the Amish children riding bicycles on the roadway.
We witness each “bow season” a constant harassment of wildlife with a morning and evening “rapid fire” gun shoot along our property lines. . . .in a “lame” attempt to push wildlife “away” from our properties. (Other landowners have similar stories). This disrespect and criminal behavior comes from the “spread the wealth” attitudes today.
If a landowner worked hard to own something . . . then those among us will be jealous and attempt to “take” what they feel they want. I feel our society has to decide if “crime” is an acceptable part of our daily lives. (And if you take from others you will be held responsible) Good neighbors help neighbors be secure and condemn criminals. Crime affects the whole neighborhood eventually. (Who will be next?)
Abe Hall
Mt. Sterling
Respect life
To the Editor:
At 21 days a baby’s heart is beating. At 42 days a baby has recordable brain waves. At eight weeks everything is in place and all that baby needs now is time to grow. As Pope Benedict said in November, 2010, “. . . It is not an accumulation of biological material but rather of a new living being, dynamic and marvelously ordered, a new individual of the human species. . . .”
What a miracle this is in which God allows us to participate. And yet, after 35 years, over 50 million of these miracles have never and will never see a sunrise, feel the rain upon their faces, look into the eyes of their parents.
October is Respect Life month and w e still have abortion as the “right” of any woman should she want to terminate the life of her baby. What about the right of the child? Unseen means unimportant? I think not. God made man unique in all His creation. We are made in God’s image, especially with the salvation accorded us through Christ’s suffering and death. We cannot sit idly by and do nothing.
I was reading an article several months ago that seemed very prophetic for today and I quote: “We may listen to God’s word, read it, or teach it. But what really matters is whether or not we act upon it.” Have we acted upon it? Have we made our voices heard? Have we done everything – or anything – to change the culture of death that permeates this country today?
“Suffer the little children to come unto me” does not mean stand by as they are aborted and see God face to face in heaven before they see their parents here on earth.
Acting upon God’s word means standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. It means working actively to change the path upon which we find ourselves today. It means again, and still, letting our Congress know we want life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all, not just for some.
Christ said in Matthew 7:21-27 that those who listen to His words and act upon them will be like wise men who build their houses on rock and those who do not listen and act on His words will be like fools who build on sand. “Act on” is the key phrase. Which are you?
God Bless the United States of America and help her in this hour of need.
Barbara L. Maness
Vevay