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Show A2 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2007 -N E ommunity ews Letter to the Editor Spanish Fork 280 North Main St. Spanish Fork, UT 84660 Lane Henderson Publisher Namon Bills Editor Dana Robinson . . Assoc. Editor The Spanish Fork News is published each Wednesday for $37,50 per year in area and $41.50 out of area by J-Mar[, 280 North Main St., Spanish Fork Utah 84660. Email stories to editor@spforknews.com Email ads to ads@spforknews.com Call us at 794-4964 POSTMASTER Send address changes to Spanish Fork News 280 North Main St. Spanish Fork, Utah 84660 The entire content of this newspaper is Copyright© 2007 Spanish Fork News. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the editor or publisher. DEADLINES Weddings, anniversaries, missionaries, 1st birthdays, articles, photos, letters to the editor Friday, 12 p.m. Display advertising and classified advertising Friday, 12 p.m. Letter to the Editor Fighting for decency We are engaged in an antipornography battle — this is a war we must win! The battle is being fought right here in our local communities. It is being fought for the hearts and minds of our youth. Please come and join us in the very important cause. Communities for Decency is a statewide organization made up of concerned citizens in each town in our area. Its purpose is to protect our people against the spread of pornography. We need your help! For more information call: Ray Morley at 830-7364 or plan to attend our next meeting at 379 North 630 West, Spanish Fork on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007 at 6 p.m. Ray Morley Spanish Fork Covering what matters most Keeping a balance My article "Too Much of a Good Thing" was written to raise questions about balance in our high school. It was not written as a negative commentary on music in our schools. I would be the last person on earth to do that. Living in California for 35 years, I did everything in my power to keep music in the schools there. I saw in my children's high school years the importance of choral expression and I often created opportunities for them to have this when it was lacking in the school. I don't need to have had a child in Mr. Lunt's music program to know what a difference a quality experience in a high school choir can have in a young person's life. One letter mentioned that 66 percent of music majors who applied to medical school were accepted. One of our sons was among them. We have raised eight children (the youngest is 21) and I understand completely the ardor of the people who have written in support of music in the schools and in support of a very gifted teacher whose program is obviously impacting many young people in a positive way. Most parents want the very best opportunities for their children and most folks in this area seem delighted that Mr. Lunt is providing "quality entertainment for everyone in our great town." The program is very popular and every year the performances become more professional and more extravagant. I did not write the article to say negative things about Mr. Lunt. He is a skilled musician and a dedicated and gifted teacher. He makes many personal sacrifices for this program. I am sure that he believes in what he is doing and much of the community likes what he is doing. It is obvious that the school board is allowing him great latitude because he and the students are getting something they want out of it. Any virtue carried to an extreme becomes a vice. As important as music is in our lives, there are other things that are even more important. These include family, religious activities, important personal relationships, an excellent and complete education, etc. If a music program in a high school becomes all-encompassing, all of these otherthings suffer. Because all of these things are important, not any one of them can get out of balance without hurting the others. If Mr. Lunt feels that another performance is needed, or a day-long rehearsal, or three separate tours, or more exciting costumes, or the program's own service projects as well as fund raisers, are necessary, something else that is at least equally important will have to suffer in the process. Balance in the student's academic life is one of the things we ought to be teaching students in our high school. I suggested that the music program can accomplish its purposes within the limits of class time. All of the choirs I have ever been involved with did that. Tours and competitions can occur once a year in places not too far away. One tour can showcase all the groups together. Kids can thrive as they learn and perform the music without demanding lengthy rehearsals on holidays or Saturdays. Monday evenings can be left to the family. Youth need limits, and the adults in their lives teach them limits by what they allow. Otherwise, they just get burned out. I see in the lives of those super-involved in this program much less time for other important things. In a recent talk by Dallin Oaks, he discussed the "over scheduling of children" as a major problem of our generation. He warned that school and club activities need to be carefully regulated by parents to avoid being "frazzled and frustrated." We teach priorities by what we choose to do with our time. Again, I am not saying that our music program is a bad thing; I am asking us to think about what we are teaching the kids in allowing extravagant amounts of time for any one program. We are not suggesting mediocrity by suggesting balance. I really like this community. It is full of strong people who are fully invested in good things. It is obvious from the sturdy tone of the responses to my piece that most folks would not venture to say too much of a critical nature about this popular program. Judging from the responses, I am not too popular right now because I did. Should I have remained silent? I wrote this article because I love youth and music, and I hope that in finding balance we will be strengthened as a community. Annette Wells Salem Water or gasoline? Prepare: give else's pain. There is the rumor mill. Everyone does it. It happens Shirlene R. Ottesen around the water cooler, the beauty shop, the coffee shop, There are lots of good the girl's club, the boy's night reasons to like living in a small out, work outs at the gym, etc. community — like being able Someone tells a story and they to wave at each passing car tell it to someone else and it because you probably know the spreads like wildfire. Pretty occupants; sharing common soon it takes on a life of it's values; and working together own. Did you ever play the old as a community for the good of parlor game where everyone all. I appreciated the fact that I is seated in a circle and one knew many of the parents of person whispers a secret to the our children's friends when person seated next to them. they were growing up. In fact, Then, that person tells it to the many of those parents were next person and it is repeated good friends and classmates until it has completed the of mine. There are also a whole circle. Finally, the perfew reasons that maybe it's son at the end tells the story as not so good living in a small he heard it and seldom does it community, such as everyone have much resemblance to the knows what everyone else is original story. Sometimes we doing. don't listen, we just hear bits There are families in and pieces and facts become our area who are suffering distorted. because of something that We all do our fair amount has recently happened in their ofjudging. We hear something family. I don't like to say it, and within just a few minutes but it seems to be a human we are judge and jury. Am I frailty that there are those guilty of that? I'm sorry to whofindpleasure in someone say that I am. There and Back Again Just recently I read a thought that has really stayed with me and I would like to share it with you. For what ever reason, it seems applicable at this point in time. "When there is a fire, some people bring water, others bring gasoline!" In other words, when we hear something about an individual or family, do we keep it to ourselves so the fire goes out, or do we repeat it, and even add to it to keep it going? Are we truly Christians? Many people don't think we are. I would hope that we can prove them wrong, wrong, wrong. As we celebrate this wonderful holiday season, I hope that we will look for ways to see the good in each other, to lessen the burdens of each other and to remember when there's a fire, hopefully, we will be the one with a water bucket! Parting thought for the week: The only one smiling when things go wrong is the repair man. Babies, weddings and holidays 'Round and About Benjamin Kathleen Olsen We surely hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving, LARRY D. VEST Associate Broker/BSB/ABR Is this you? •Concerned about interest rates •Concerned about slowing market •Concerned about property values •Concerned about mortgage financing •Concerned about selling your home •Concerned about buying a home Call me at 372-7200 for the answers No obligation, no pressure -just answers 212 South Main • Spanish Fork however it may have been p.m., followed by a special observed. program involving many ••• ward members. A special Benjamin 2nd Ward's guest for the children will Christmas party will be held close out the party. on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at the Note: Practice for the Benjamin Church. The theme Christmas program will take for this year's event is a "Red place on Saturday morning, Neck Christmas" which Dec. 8, from 9 a.m. until 10 sounds as though there will a.m. (provided everyone is on be some interesting things time). happening. The evening will ••• begin with Santa Claus visCongratulations to Braden iting from 6 p.m. until 6:45 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 Beckstrom for recently being p.m. Alan and Pat Swenson, selected sophomore student chairmen of the activities of the month for Spanish committee, are heading the Fork High School. Braden planning and promise it will is the son of Dale and Holly Beckstrom. be a fun night for everyone. ••• ••• Melinda Hales became the Wednesday, Dec. 12, bride of Stewart Hudnall on 2007 will be the evening for Benjamin 1st Ward's Christmas party. This will See BENJAMIN • A3 begin with dinner at 6:30 presents Ready or Not Dawn Van Nosdol Now that we have recovered from Turkey overdose (of which I loved every minute), the last of the pie is long gone and Black Friday is over, we can get down to the serious business of Christmas presents. Of course you know that I am talking about special presents, the kind of presents that even if "they have everything" you can still find something cool and useful for them — I'm talking about preparedness and storage presents. First, lets start with stocking stuffers. Flashlights fit into stockings. I'm not talking about flashlights that need batteries, but the neat LED flashlights that has its own generator in it and all you have to do is crank it to make it work. They would be perfect for your Under The Bed Kit, your 72-hour kit or to put in your nightstand for emergencies. If you want light, but you need your hands to be free, then get the head lamps that are gaining in popularity. I got some for my family a couple of years ago and we love them. When my husband would need to see something under the sink or behind the stove, he could do it without having me hold the flashlight. Like I said, we all loved them. Hand warmers are another useful, small and inexpensive gift. Grab a bunch of them and stuff the stockings. When you start to put your gifts away, put some of them in your 72hr kit and the rest of them in your car jockey box (or glove compartment — whatever you call it.) If you have a scout have him put a handful in his scout bag. These are so universal and you can use them for more than just your hands; put them in your socks or boots to warm them up before using them. If you get cold, then put them under your arms or under your hat. Another warming gift that you might not have thought about is the new heat wrap. I have always used ThermaCare® for my aches and pains, but they would be perfect for emergencies because you can put them on and they will stay in place and keep you warm for eight hours — and they willfitin a stocking. Light sticks would also be useful. You may have only thought of them as being a source of fun on a summer evening, but during an emergency it would be a very useful and safe source of light and they would look kind of cute (or macho depending on the gender) in the stocking. First-aid kits are also useful and fun (yes, I said FUN) gifts to give. They come in all different sizes; small, medium and large. The small and medium ones canfitin purses, cars, desks at work or lockers at school. The medium and large ones probably won't fit in their Christmas stockings, but they would be very useful in your home, 72-hr kit, car and any other place you might get hurt. I have a small one in my purse, a mediumsized one in my car and a large one in my house and a few others scattered here and there. Show the love and give first-aid supplies. Two or three silver emergency blankets would also be a thoughtful stocking stuffer. If you are in danger of hypothermia, these blankets help you to retain a See PRESENTS • A3 r |