House fire support
To the Editor: My family would like to extend a special thank you to the community for all their support during and after our house fire, where we lost everything.
We would like to thank the Gladwin, Beaverton, Butman and Harrison Fire Departments, the Gladwin City Police Department, Bob North of Emergency Management, Christmas Kindness, Sacred Heart and Helping Hands Mission, State Farm of Gladwin, First Glance Second Chance, Gladwin Community Schools and bus garage, Riverwalk Place, and the local churches, our friends and family.
We also want to thank everyone in the community that dropped off donations, have donated to our GoFundMe page, and that have reached out to us.
We are beyond grateful to all of you! We couldn’t asked for a better community to live. We have a long road ahead of us, but you have all made it that much brighter, thank you all again for your support!
Sincerely, Lon Ricky, Nichole Sanders, and kids
Voting yes on
Prop 3
To the Editor: Greetings to all, on November 8, I shall vote “yes” for Michigan Proposal 22-3. I shall vote yes, because it is vital that the medical professionals tasked with caring for the reproductive health needs of any woman be free to employ the medical procedure popularly known as an abortion, should that procedure be needed. I shall vote yes because it is vital that any and all pregnant women should know that should their pregnancy require an abortion, the procedure will and is available for her. It is important to realize that it is very possible for an abortion to be the procedure that in fact will enable a later pregnancy to be successful.
Simply put, the successful passage of Michigan Proposal 22-3 enables Michigan to be a state where all women whose pregnancy may require an abortion to know their physicians will be able to provide the reproductive health care needed.
Shalom, Rev. Karen Blatt
Two good men
To the Editor: In all the years I have voted, there are those lingering thoughts that beg the question, of how much do I really know about those I have voted for. So with much pride, I want to share my knowledge of two good men, Gladwin City Council incumbents John Caffrey and Roger Gardner.
John Caffrey, a lifelong resident to Gladwin, has been a Gladwin Councilman for 22 years, Paramedic and Firefighter for 40 years. A Gladwin High School graduate. He has impacted many lives, and cares deeply for our community. John was raised by his mother, the youngest of five. His father died before he was born.
John happily resides with his wife Missy, daughter Samantha, and schnauzer, Piper. He is kind and helpful to all he meets. He wants the very best for our community, has a curious nature whereby he wants to hear concerns and ideas of our residents and business owners. He is an active member of the K of C and Rotary. John is a good listener because he wants to focus on the ideas and concerns of others. He believes in Gladwin, and it’s fine people within.
He welcomes challenges, because he believes they teach us alternatives to greatness. He praises all those who volunteer themselves to various committees and boards who welcome the hardships that may take time to unravel and conquer, but that defines who our great people are. Willing to fight to the finish line.
A man of faith, he extends that faith to his lifelong community. I am proud to know John, and proud of him. Like he recently told me, “the tougher the fight, the sweeter the prize.”
Roger Gardner, a Gladwin resident since March 2003, is a United States Army/Vietnam Veteran, married to Janet 37 years, and the proudest daddy ever to his step-daughter, Jill. She has Down Syndrome and is physically handicapped. The bond they share is constant.
Down state he was a chairman for P.A.T.C.H.
(parents and teachers of children with handicaps).
A five-year volunteer at GCI/Arnold Center, Roger is seeking a third term on the Gladwin City Council. He has been quite active in being a member of the Zettel Airport Board, Fire Board, Safety Commission, Emergency Management, City Park Chairman, and Gladwin’s Santa.
Roger was born and raised in Alpena on his family’s 620-acre land parcel which he lived on from birth until age 18 when he went into the military. He is an Alpena High School graduate.
When discharged, he returned home to his family who sold the huge farm, and moved to Oakland County. He lived downstate from 1969 to 2003 and yearned to be north.
In 2003, he settled in Gladwin and this is now “home.” He is proud of Gladwin, it’s warm and kind residents, believes in growth, new business, even in tough times. He believes in strengthening the city, and I believe he will listen to anyone who has an interest. Roger is retired from skilled trades and management. He is no stranger to tackling challenges to resolution, but knows some of it can be time consuming.
I know that he wears Gladwin on his heart, and I am proud of all of his contributions, accomplishments and faith.
Janet Gardner Gladwin
Our governor
To the Editor: Gretchen Whitmer has circumvented our constitutional rights and shifts accountability by claiming to follow the science and listening to national experts. Her edicts closed beauty shops, barber shops, restaurants, etc., costing people their businesses and livelihoods.
Did national experts insist she keep schools closed for as long as she did?
Her commercials say she balanced every budget, put millions in the rainy day fund, community college for 170,000 tuition free, all without raising taxes. Was this money generated by not spending money on public schools/ students during Covid?
What science had her put Covid patients into nursing homes? Threaten doctors with their medical licenses if they treated Covid patients with drugs she didn’t approve of?
She is taking credit for getting motorists a $400 MCAA rebate. Now will she stop MCAA from raising their rates next summer? Who’s following the war of fossil fuels by trying to shut down Line 5? Think energy prices are high now? No one can positively predict how effective Tudor Dixon would be as governor, however, Gretchen Whitmer has a history of draconian policies and now says “we don’t have time for political games.”
Harry Thurkow Gladwin
Prop 3 extremism
To the Editor: I would like to respectfully say that Prop 3 is not only confusing but also extreme. It is confusing because we Michiganders have been led to believe that this proposal would simply reinstate Roe v. Wade. But this statement is false.
Prop 3 allows abortion for any woman or girl at any point in the pregnancy for any reason, and then some. Read the text of Prop 3 carefully, “every individual has a fundamental right to reproductive freedom.” The reproductive rights afforded in this amendment would be applied also to children, who would have a right to seek sterilization and contraception.
Furthermore, the proposal summary text explains it will “invalidate laws conflicting with this amendment.” Neither the amendment nor the summary text offer details as to what state laws will be invalidated.
Legal experts believe dozens of laws could be invalidated, including the parental consent requirement for children seeking an abortion, late-term and third trimester abortions.
This amendment permits abortion at any stage for almost any reason.
Laws regulating the quality and safety of abortion facilities as well as requirements that only physicians perform abortions would be eliminated. Finally, taxpayers would be forced to pay for abortions. Since this proposal does not simply ensure legal access to abortion, it is both confusing and extreme. See Madeleine Kearns’ article in the National Review, October 9, 2022, titled: “Michigan is Sleepwalking toward Abortion Extremism.”
Please pray that Michiganders approach the polls on November 8 with common sense, vote to protect women and children, the unborn, and preserve the dignity of human life. While this is a political issue let us remember that it is also a deeply moral issue.
Pray and for God’s sake, exercise your freedom as an American and your right to vote. God bless our nation, God bless us, Michiganders.
Francis B. Koper Gladwin
Thank you for your service
To the Editor: The members of American Legion Auxiliary, Gladwin County Unit 171, would like to express our sincere appreciation for the men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces.
Thank you for serving this great country.
Thank you for protecting us. Thank you for the security we have here at home. We know you sacrificed much for your country and all of us.
And though you may no longer wear the uniform, we know you’re always on call to serve and protect the freedom and security of the United States of America.
We invite everyone to pause today to remember those who have fought for our freedoms. Thank you to all who have so bravely protected us.
The American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) is a community of volunteers serving veterans, military, and their families. Our members also support the mission of The American Legion in improving the quality of life for our nation’s veterans. The ALA is recognized for advocating for veterans on Capitol Hill, the more than 600,000 ALA members across the country volunteer millions of hours annually and raise millions of dollars in service to veterans, military, and their families. Founded in 1919, the ALA is one of the oldest patriotic membership organizations in the U.S.A.
Gladwin County Unit 171 welcomes new members. Please consider joining and help support our mission. To learn more and to volunteer, join, and donate, email unit171ala@gmail.com.
Diana Mella President, Gladwin County Unit 171
Grateful for Fall Harvest
To the Editor: We are so excited to be a bit ahead of our usual donations, at this time, in the Christmas Kindness season! Thanks to so many of you for stopping by the Christmas Kindness office (963 N.
M-18) with your financial gifts as well as your donations of coats, hats, gloves, warm socks, and blankets! It’s nice for our Christmas Kindness volunteers to be functioning from a place of peacefulness instead of concern that we will have enough for the many children (18 and under) on Distribution Day (December 17).
This week, we would like to give a special “shout out” to Lawrence and Kathryn Kohl, whose generosity the last couple years have given us an enormous boost toward meeting Christmas Kindness needs! Not only are we grateful for their annual gift, but we also appreciate their willingness to volunteer during Distribution week! Thank you so much!
Thanks also to Foors Specialty Plumbing, The Kiwanis Club Of Gladwin, Melissa’s Up North Realty, Sharon DeLisle, and Kevin Corning for their generosity and faithfulness in the support of Christmas Kindness!
You are appreciated more than you know!
Thanks so much to Steve and JoAnn Coston, and Todd Hunt, for their ongoing support of Christmas Kindness! Whatever we need, whenever we need it, 103 Country is there to get the word out!
Whether it be a radio spot, an interview, or helping us bring Christmas Kindness awareness to their listeners; they are truly “Team Awesome!”
Oh, and special thanks to Todd for joining me in a commercial for this year’s Christmas Kindness Fish Fry Fundraiser! Great job, dude!
Christmas Kindness would also like to acknowledge the many people who bring donations of warmth and joy to our office! Though there are too many to list every week; here are a random few: Gladwin Area R.C.
Club, who have diligently looked for, and found, the larger coat sizes we have difficulty obtaining. We can always count on them for those XX sizes!
Kudos to the family of Marilyn Oskey for the many baby blankets and crib quilts! They are all so beautiful and will bring many smiles on Distribution Day! A big “Thank You” to DHHS for the many backpack donations, and also to Sylvia See, Pam Bernard, Dawn Elenor Kurzarkowski, Ruth Grell, Dawn Fennell, Ginny Byrd, Sharon Bentley, R. Benser-Swanstra, and Joann Hoag for taking the time to drop off a variety of items needed to make this year’s Christmas Kindness successful. You are all appreciated more than we could ever express, and as always, thanks for your kindness to Christmas Kindness!
Joyfully, Beulah Mead Christmas Kindness Coordinator