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Show CommmmiiY Page 2 Orcm-Geneva Times Wednesday, September 14, 1994 Editorial fs in Pasin Education a winwin program Orem Mayor Stella Welsh issued a formal proclamation September 6 declaring September 19-24 as "Partners in Education Week". Orem City joined forces with Provo City and the ProvoOrem Chamber of Commerce in designating the week for businesses to celebrate their partnerships with educational educa-tional institutions. Mayor Welsh commented, 'There are already a significant number of local businesses that have become partners in education, generously pledging in-kind in-kind and cash donations and the human resources of their organizations. But there is much more to be done." The mayor encouraged all businesses busi-nesses that currently do not have a partnership to form one with either the school, class, or program of their choice. "Children are the community's most valuable asset and it's time for them to be given every opportunity to succeed," Welsh said. "Partnerships are one way to do just that." Successful partnerships between businesses and educational institutions create winwin situations, wherein both parties are benefitted from the relationship. relation-ship. A case in point locally is the alliance between Geneva Elementary School and Geneva Steel. Aleen Ure, principal of Geneva Elementary, said, "The big feeling I feel here, is that the partnership has changed the whole atmosphere at the school, and patrons would agree." Ure said she is new to the school this year, but over the years, Geneva Steel has contributed "time and profits" to improve im-prove the institution, spearheading such projects as the installation of air conditioners, remodeling of the auditorium, and this year, donating $5,000 toward the purchase of new, safer playground equipment. Geneva Steel has also provided grant money to teachers to help them implement special programs in their classes. In addition, Ure said, the company has provided gifts to the children, such as books at Christmastime, or items like calculators, fanny packs, and pencil boxes. She said one of the students asked her, "Are they going to give us books this year?" then added, "These people like us." Ure said studies have found that with long-term, enduring relationships such as the GenevaGeneva Steel association, as-sociation, in which the corporation has adopted the school, affected children come to a knowledge that someone believes in them. "We are in an area where that is important," Ure said. Geneva Steel even hosts an annual 6th grade graduation ceremony, where students stu-dents are presented a diploma and pendant, pen-dant, are recognized for having achieved something, and are encouraged to continue con-tinue on in their educational endeavors. Joe Walker, manager of media services ser-vices at Geneva Steel, said the sponsoring sponsor-ing company also benefits from the partnership. These benefits include the opportunity to have "meaningful interaction" inter-action" in the community getting to know the students, parents, and teachers, and consequently, not becom ing an "island". Walker said the association associa-tion is a "grounding" a good reminder of what is really important in people's lives: education and personal growth. But he said the main benefit is a "corporate "cor-porate warm heart" the good feeling or "pay-off' that comes when good things are done. Despite the fact that the partnership efforts do not bring in money or necessarily establish the par- ticipating business among customers or investors, Walker noted that, "It's the right thing to do." This newspaper recognizes the importance im-portance of contributions to education made through the "Partners in Education" Educa-tion" program, and encourages further implementation of the partnerships to benefit both businesses and educational institutions. i Hi ' Home and School: Vital Links By LILY ESKELSEN President, Utah Education Association Letters to the Editor Defends position on Orton As tinder-dry as whited hornets' nests, Bleached paper-thin by unrelenting sun, The land of Timpanogos Green now thirsts For respite from the heat. The summer tests The mettle of its blessed benison, As corn within the ear explodes and bursts. How hopefully, in spring, that seed was sown! How little moisture Timpanogos yields! How many days and nights the clouds have flown! How long, since rain has touched the thirsty fields? The mountains and the valleys cry for rain! It seems the summer drought is well-rehearsed. The thirsty lawns tell every blade of grass To treasure every drop of morning dew. The land is seething with a silent thirst, In hopes that, soon, the scarcity will pass, And rain will come to help the land renew. The aquifers that lie beneath the ground Are crying, as they suffer from the dearth. Those hidden caves where water may be found Require replenishment wilhin the earth. iS h all any th irsty an im als comp lain ? As silently as sleep, the clouds converge. Quite unexpectedly, they fill the sky With moisture-laden harbingers of rain. The heavens help the summer storm emerge To bless the thirsty land, now parched and dry, Where Timpanogos travellers have lain. No wonder ancient makers of the myth Declared that giant bowlers in the skies Were sending giant balls of fire, forthwith, To fill the very fountains of their eyes! A nd heaven's largess startles and astounds! The summer thunder crashes and resounds Throughout the benchland with a mighty roar! The light that eyes can see when lidded, tight Against the summer storm, unleashed, astounds, Incredibly. The sky begins to pour! The earth receives the rain in great delight. The flowers face the rain to reach their share. The trees extend their branches to the sky. The lightning flashes fill the summer air, Electrically, with charges from on high. The summer storm will bless the thirsty grounds! The children and the ducks have raucous fun In chortling, and quacking in the rain. The gutters fill. The windshield wipers scour. This fanciful vacation from the sun Can only energize and entertain! Too soon, the blessing of this sacred hour Becomes a drizzle, then a subtle mist. A double rainbow crowns the verdant hills. The streets and sidewalks glow where rain has kissed. And dew illuminates the daffodils. A summer storm is welcome as the dawn. We miss it, mightily, when it is gone. We never shall forget the summer rain That greens the summer grass where we have lain! "Will you turn that noise down!" I shouted above the video. "Huh?" He looked up at me. At least I'd made contact. "Are you deaf?" I yelled above the din. "I think Jared has it!" We have cute, little conversations conversa-tions like this at my house all the time. My children love noise. Their favorite noise is loud noise. And as a community service, they try to keep the radio, tape player and television volume up loud enough for neighbors several houses away to be able to enjoy the program. And while it may seem funny on a TV sit-com to have teenagers forever plugged into headsets or strutting around with ghetto blasters balancing on their shoulders, it's not. My kids think I'm like totally uncool for even like coming right out and saying it but like my boys are like going deaf. Like really. Teachers see it in class. They see kids who speak too loudly and don't seem to notice. They have to repeat instructions too often. Yeah, sometimes kids just aren't listening. But often now more kids just aren't hearing. You've seen it at home. Wondering if they're ignoring you. They had to have heard you calling. Maybe it's wax in their ears. Maybe it's something more. Maybe your teenager who borrowed bor-rowed the car didn't leave the radio turned all they way up as a joke on the next person turning the key. Maybe that's just how he or she regularly listens to music in the car. My kids think I'm a pest because be-cause I no longer ask them to turn down the volume. I do it myself. I turn down the television as I walk by the set. I tell them if they turn it louder, I'll turn it off. I refiise to let the car radio drown out a conversation. con-versation. Their music can't be loud enough to be 'heard outside their rooms. How, when they're on their own, there's not much I can do, but what I can control, I will. Because I don't want my children clipping the coupons for more information on Miracle Ear when they're thirty-two. And yes, I'm an alarmist. There's nothing wrong with sounding an alarm when there's danger. And there's danger here. Listen to your children as they listen to all the electronic gadgetry screaming for their attention. Listen to the pounding of their fragile, tender eardrums beating along with some rap beat. Listen to the television that's way too loud and the radio with the volume control on max and the headphones turned up to ten. Listen to your children going deaf. Volunteers needed to assist local Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity of Utah County needs volunteers willing to be active members of its organizational organiza-tional committees. Individuals will share their writing, public speaking, speak-ing, and leadership skills while they serve on committees. Volunteers Volun-teers can participate with a variety of committees ranging from selecting select-ing families that will benefit from Habitat for Humanity's program to fundraising. The time each volunteer spends working with the charity is flexible. Tasks will be assigned to volunteers according to the time commitment each individual is able to give. Specific duties may include contacting possible donors, coordinating the building of a home, or writing thank you notes. A general training meeting will be held when committees are formed. Committee training meetings will be scheduled as the volunteers' times permit. Although many volunteers will be needed later in the fall for the building projects, individuals are needed at this time to help within the organizational structure, struc-ture, Laura Mitchell, Habitat for Humanity of Utah County's executive ex-ecutive director, said. Mitchell described Habitat for Humanity's purpose as a charity that is striving to address the problem of limited low-income housing in Utah County by providing a way for low-income families to build and pay for their own home with the help of the community. Habitat for Humanity of Utah County, an independent affiliate of the national organization by the same name, organizes building build-ing projects for low-income families that are currently living in sub-standard housing. The houses are built by volunteer labor and then paid for by the low-income families that live in the homes through no-interest loans and 20-year mortgages. In addition to volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, there are other local volunteer opportunities oppor-tunities as well. Help feed the hungry. Forty-eight volunteers are needed each day to can peaches at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' cannery in Lindon. The dates of the project are September 12, 16, and 24. There are three shifts available 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Twenty people are needed for the morning and mid-day canning can-ning shifts. Eight volunteers are needed for the afternoon cleaning shift. Food from the canning project will go to charities that provide food for less-fortunate individuals in-dividuals in our community. Teach kids to say "no" to drugs. Volunteers are needed to teach elementary school youth how to say "no" to drugs and alcohol. al-cohol. For more information about these and other volunteer opportunities, oppor-tunities, call the United Way Volunteer Center at 374-8108. Dear Editor, Apparently, I was not specific enough in my editorial ("Orton a Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"). Several unfounded rebuttals have been printed since my editorial appeared two weeks ago. In retrospect, I see that I should have included House Resolution numbers so that Joel Dickerson and the others who refuted my commentary on Mr. Orton's voting record could save themselves the trouble of submitting fallacies for print. I am a strict conservative and would never say anything against another conservative ("A house divided against itself..."). Citizens of the Third District of Utah: Please understand that Mr. Orton is not a conservative and does not represent us. I write in order to clear up a few misconceptions misconcep-tions harbored by those who wrote in. Yes, Joel Wright, I do work for Dixie Thompson. I have been volunteering at her campaign office of-fice for several months now. I cur-. rently receive no remuneration for my work. I volunteer for Dixie because be-cause she is the right candidate. I wrote the editorial of my own volition. voli-tion. Dixie did not have a part in writing the editorial nor did she read it for "approval". I am offended at Joel Wright's assertion that working with Dixie for Congress somehow impugns my First Amendment rights. I joined Dixie for Congress because she and I hold a common vision of government I would not, therefore, be surprised if Dixie shared my sentiments. But they were my sentiments, my words, my signature. Second, I would like to address myself to the several people who questioned the validity of my claim that Mr. Orton has voted pro-abortion. He has. Let me explain: The National Right to Life does not report on every abortion-related vote. That would be too time-consuming. The NRL has their own criterion by which they choose their "KEY VOTES". The fact that a bill isn't mentioned in their pamphlet does not mean it is non-existent or unimportant Case in point House Bill SI authorized $6.2 billion for the NIH (National Institutes of Health) and codified President Clinton's Executive Order lifting the ban on the use of aborted fetal tissue research. This is plainly and simply an anti-life bill. The NRL didn't call it a KEY VOTE, but it was big. Orton voted for it (May 25, 1993) and it passed. HR 5517 prohibited the use of federal funds for abortions (except to save the life of the woman), but placed no prohibition on the use of locally raised funds. Essentially, Es-sentially, a vote for this bill meant that one was voting to have the taxpayers help pay for the abortions abor-tions in the District of Columbia. Mr. Orton voted for this bill, but you won't see it in the NRL's report for 1993. The National Right to Life's report is a good starting point but please don't limit your scrutiny of abortion-related votes to their reports, Dickerson. Another aspect my opposition failed to account for was the nature of the voting procedure itself. Votes before the final vote are often as important if not more so as the final vote itself. These preliminary prelimi-nary votes receive little notice from our media. A bill starts in committee commit-tee and is then brought to the floor for additional debate and the final vote (the one to which the newspapers pay attention). The bill, however, must be voted out of committee. If you don't support the bill, you don't vote to let it out of committee. Bill, however, consistently consis-tently votes to let questionable bills out of committee in order to appease ap-pease House leadership. True, he votes against the bills on the final vote in order to save face in Utah, but the damage is done. Many of these offensive bills are passed, regardless of Orton's vote, because he helped to bring them to the floor in the first place. Examples are many: HR 670 (1993), HR 3090 (1992), S. 323 (1992), etc I don't mean to paint Mr. Orton; as "screaming liberal", but I dcC think we need to be more informed as to how conservative he really! isn't. It's not good enough to vote pro-life most of the time, as Bill Orton does. I reiterate what I stated in my editorial: We need a true conservative to represent st conservative district If Mr. Ortorr were as conservative as he claims don't you think that he would ber Republican? Why do we have to be; spoon-fed the truth? He calls him-! self a Democrat, and so he is. Bill Orton is not a conservative. 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