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Show Viewpoints The A-13 Park Record. Wed/Thurs/Fri, November 4-6, 2020 editorial Day of giving is a bright spot in otherwise-challenging year L letters to the editor Share our vision for South Summit trails children how to stay safe and expand recovery services for children who’ve been victims of abuse. Biking over crunchy leaves. The smell of fall on an empty trail. Putting on an extra layer under your fishing waders. Here at South Summit Trails Foundation, we love the fall almost as much as we love our trails. Over the past five years, we have developed and maintained several trail systems throughout the Kamas Valley including the Oakley Trail Park, Franson Lane and Steven’s Grove. In the coming weeks and months, we will be opening a new mountain bike-specific trail in the Uintas, and working with Summit Land Conservancy to acquire, develop and maintain additional trails along the Weber River corridor. Our vision is to connect the communities of southern Summit County and increase recreational opportunities for generations to come. We hope you’ll share in this vision by supporting South Summit Trails Foundation during Live PC Give PC on Friday, Nov. 6. As a 100% volunteer nonprofit organization, every contribution goes directly towards the development and maintenance of our trails. Every dollar truly makes a difference! Enjoy the trails with us and find a link to donate @southsummittrails and www.southsummittrails.org. Harry Kirschner Friends of the Solomon Children’s Justice Center of Summit County president Carly Coyle South Summit Trails Foundation board member Help us protect children People often assume the Solomon Children’s Justice Center of Summit County (CJC) is a correctional institution designed to prosecute and rehabilitate youth who’ve committed crimes. Nothing could be further from the truth. Unfortunately, a statewide naming requirement is responsible for many citizens failing to recognize the CJC is actually a safety net organization whose sole purpose is to support children who’ve been physically or sexually abused. Over the past three years, our community stepped up to fund a new facility for the CJC here in Summit County. With renovations nearly complete, the new facility will not only have adequate space to support a growing need, but the CJC will be better positioned to deliver new programs designed to help victims and families accelerate recovery. We are not immune to child abuse here in Summit County. In fact, social isolation and mental health challenges related to COVID-19 have only increased cases over the past several months. We can continue to do better as a community. Please consider supporting the “Friends of the CJC” as part of your Live PC Give PC plans. Your donations will help us continue to build awareness about the CJC, teach our The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER ....................... Andy Bernhard Editor ................................... Bubba Brown Staff Writers ......................Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Alexander Cramer Contributing ............................. Tom Clyde Writers Teri Orr Amy Roberts Tom Kelly Joe Lair Engagement Editor............. Jeff Dempsey Photographer .........................Tanzi Propst Circulation Manager ............. Lacy Brundy Distribution........................... Henry Knight ADVERTISING Advertising Director ........... Valerie Spung Advertising Sales ................... Jodi Hecker Lindsay Lane Director of Digital Marketing .. Tina Wismer Digital Sales Executive ............... Erik Jones Production Director ..................Ben Olson Production ......................... Louise Mohorn Enforce mask mandates With COVID-19 not going away anytime soon, and in fact getting worse in many parts of the state, I propose the following solution to help curb the spread of the virus. The governor said that many parts of the state have few if any cases and are classified as a “low” transmission risk of the virus according to his new scale released on Oct. 13 and that many parts of the state are rural and there is no need to enforce any mask policy which is only recommended and not required. The majority of the state now is in the “high” transmission risk of the virus and there’s an ordinance requiring masks to be worn, but there is no penalty for not wearing one. Why not make it a punishable offence to be enforced by the local police departments that the person not wearing a mask in a county with a level of “high” is fined $50? This way the residents of the counties of “low” and “medium” levels are not threatened by this policy unless they visit a county with a “high” level. Science has proven that the infection rate will decrease if everyone just wears a mask. We here in Utah need to get this virus under control. With the number of cases on the rise, the present policy doesn’t seem to be working. There is a law in effect that you must wear a seat belt or you can be fined, and it’s proven to save lives, so why not have a penalty for not wearing masks? If you remember there was the slogan “Click it or ticket.” Well here’s the new slogan: “Mask it or casket.” et’s rise to the occasion. As most Parkites know, Friday is Live PC Give PC, the annual event spearheaded by the Park City Community Foundation when the community raises money for the many nonprofits that contribute so much to our community. How big is Live PC Give PC? Last year, more than 5,100 donors gave $2.4 million, a staggering amount that demonstrates Parkites’ commitment to philanthropy. This year, COVID-19 has upped the ante. The coronavirus pandemic has battered many of our nonprofits, leaving them in need of our support just to keep the doors open. Others, meanwhile, have served as crucial lifelines for people most affected by the health crisis, providing assistance to families that have lost jobs or wages over the last several months. Live PC Give PC’s organizers have set an ambitious goal that matches the moment: having at least 5,500 individual donors on Friday. It’s a big number, to be sure, but not one that is out of reach for our community. Never before has this day of giving been so important, and the circumstances demand that Parkites who benefit from the myriad ways nonprofits enrich our community guest editorial During Live PC Give PC, donate to a nonprofit that makes dreams come true STEPHANI VICTOR National Ability Center board member Park City is a remarkable community of individuals who share a love of nature and outdoor recreation. Park City is also the home of the National Ability Center, an international organization that provides outdoor recreation for people with different abilities, who without their programs would not have access to nature and outdoor recreation like everyone else. I first came to Park City 21 years ago for Sundance and the experience profoundly changed my life. Just three years earlier, I had been hit by a drunk driver and lost both of my legs. Traveling to a film festival in snow using a wheelchair was a daunting challenge. As fate would have it, an NAC volunteer was seating us at our table at 350 Main and told me I should try adaptive skiing. With one phone call my lesson was scheduled and I found myself sitting in a mono-ski with the head coach of the National Ability Center’s adaptive alpine race program, Marcel Kuonen. Marcel explained in his Swiss accent “there is no such thing as disabled skiing.” He would teach me how to adapt, and ski with a mono-ski. In his mind, those who use a mono-ski are “more able” because they have less to work with to execute the same task — skiing down the hill. Imagine! Within minutes of the short chair lift ride I was skiing and I was free. I soon fell and was so taken by the rush of the wind in my face I unbuckled myself to stand up and get back in the ski, I forgot I didn’t have legs. Within weeks, I moved to Park City to train at the National Ability Center with the hopes of racing in the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Games and winning a gold medal with my new coach and the man who would become the love Michael H. Sommer Park City Community stepped up Support nonprofit clinic Goal accomplished! The Youth Sports Alliance would like to thank our community for stepping up to support our JANS Winter Welcome Save the Legacy campaign. As we wrap up this effort, I would like to reflect on crucial milestones in this successful effort. When COVID-19 hit and we realized that our 40th annual JANS Winter Welcome could not take place, our staff and board pondered the question, “What would Jan Peterson, the founder and namesake of our annual gala, do?” Jan believed passionately in the lessons learned through sport — arguably the most important one being perseverance. Jan would have rolled up his sleeves, picked up the phone and asked for help. Our community rallied around his legacy and the Winter Welcome to provide need-based scholarships to local athletes; to support an outlet for students to have active, screen-free time after school; and to ensure the health of our partner winter sport clubs — Figure Skating Club of Park City, Park City Ice Miners, Park City Ski & Snowboard, Park City Speed Skating Club, Utah Olympic Park’s Skeleton & Bobsled, Wasatch Freestyle and Wasatch Luge Club. Fundraising events were canceled for the winter sport clubs this year. Granters were hesitant to provide funding for after-school programs when they weren’t sure that schools would even open. But, with help from our key sponsors — JANS Mountain Outfitters, the Stein Collection, USANA Health Sciences, Jones Waldo Law Firm, and Mogul Group at UBS — and so many of our friends throughout town, we are able to give 3,000 young people throughout Summit and Wasatch counties the opportunity to explore a sport or pursue a dream this year. Thank you for investing in the clubs, the kids and our community. We can’t wait to celebrate the 41st annual JANS The year 2020 has been one of unspeakable sadness, difficult challenges and enormous anxiety for us all. The People’s Health Clinic has been one of the shining stars in this cruel pandemic, taking care of our community’s most vulnerable individuals with professionalism and dedication. The citizens of Wasatch and Summit counties have recognized our clinic’s contributions and have been generous with their donations. Our staff and board are so grateful to you. We are now heading into the home stretch of this year with Live PC Give PC, which takes place on Friday, Nov. 6. Our goal is to reach $70,000 in donations. Because of the impact of COVID, we are focusing on mental health services, hoping to expand this much needed care to more patients. All of us have learned many different lessons in the last seven months, but we can all agree that without one’s health, our lives and the lives of those we care about can be very difficult. Please remember the People’s Health Clinic on Friday. Stay well, stay safe. Dyan Pignatelli People’s Health Clinic board member A much-needed respite How nice to read Tom Clyde’s column titled “The eagle has landed” this morning: a calm meditation on nature with no mention of the hysteria and anxiety of the upcoming elections. It was beautiful in its quiet description of the annual return of eagles and other wildlife in Wallace Stegner country. Just what was needed during this time of uncertainty: the predictable beauty of nature. Lisa Fuller Silver Summit — that’s all of us, if you’re wondering — must step up to the challenge. Given the economic realities and uncertainty entering the winter, some people who normally participate in Live PC Give PC will not be in a position to donate in large amounts. That’s fine — every contribution counts. Parkites who have the means to give more, though, should either make a larger-than-normal donation to their nonprofit of choice or spread their support to several organizations. In addition to the urgency spurred by the pandemic, this Live PC Give PC is important for another reason: This is the event’s 10th year, marking a decade since the Community Foundation started this tradition with the hope that it would grow into what it has become. If there were ever a time to outdo ourselves, this is it. It’s a milestone for Live PC Give PC and a moment when our nonprofits need us more than ever. Step up, Park City. Provide a bright spot in an otherwise challenging year and show off, once again, the strength of our collective commitment to one another. For more information about Live PC Give PC, visit livepcgivepc.org. of my life and husband. We competed in five Paralympic Games and won five Paralympic medals including two golds. Recognizing the privilege of ski racing for 20 years, I wanted to give back to the organization where it all began by serving on the board at the National Ability Center. I want to ensure that everyone continues to have access to nature, outdoor recreation and the possibility of finding love, like I did. Members of our community have generously given, volunteered and attended our fundraising events like Red, White and Snow, the Summit Challenge and our Barn Party growing the National Ability Center to a world-class facility that is unlike any other around the world. I am so grateful for and deeply humbled by the outpouring of support year after year from people who don’t know anything about disability — they just know the NAC is a place where dreams come true and people’s lives are transformed. I want to thank our beloved community and invite you to stay connected and support our fundraising efforts this year by participating in the Live PC Give PC campaign on Nov. 6. On this single day, we are asking everyone to visit livepcgivepc.org and support the organizations that make our lives vibrant and uniquely Park City. Please join Marcel and I on Nov. 6, to support our cherished community that we are so grateful to live in — one that recognizes inclusion matters and through the NAC, outreach, education and outdoor recreation for everyone with different abilities and their families is transforming lives and maximizing the potential of our diversity. Additionally, our support might just be doubled — through matching challenge grants and prizes. So please join us on this special day and visit livepcgivepc.org to learn more. Winter welcome in person on Oct. 23, 2021! Trace Worthington Youth Sports Alliance board president Rally for PC READS “Don’t worry, he’s so smart, he’s just a late bloomer. Reading will just click one day.” I knew something was up: my 9-year-old son spends most of his time building legos for 16-year-olds, pondering the combustion engine and dreaming up plans for his own solar-powered pick-up truck (we don’t know how he’s related to us). But he couldn’t read more than 10 words in a minute. After years of question marks and no progression, he was diagnosed by a third party with dyslexia. What a relief! There’s a name, approach and method to tackle his learning difference. But now what? What do you do with a dyslexia diagnosis? You have to become informed. You have to become an advocate for your child. You have to press for in-school accommodations and time with your school’s special education team. You need legal documents. You need to know what questions to ask. You need to know what is, and what is not, enough. You have to talk to your son/daughter about their learning difference in an empowering way. You need tools and resources to help your child bridge the gap at school and at home. You need access to workshops and the latest research. You need a community. We had no idea. PC READS provides all of this support, and more. And we’re so incredibly grateful. This will be the first year we support PC READS during Live PC Give PC and we hope you will consider them, too. (If this story resonates with you, call PC READS). Nina Lynch Jeremy Ranch Concerns addressed In your article entitled “PCMR plan criticized over business worries” in The Park Record Oct. 2830 issue on pages A-1 and A-2, several quotes were made from a letter I submitted to the Planning Commission about a week earlier. I would like to clarify my opinion due to new information provided at the Planning Commission meeting on Oct. 28, which should help mitigate two major concerns impacting resort businesses. First, the start date for PEG’s construction date has been postponed from beginning in early 2021 to early 2022. Having an additional year for businesses to restore operations due to COVID-19 is critical, and this construction postponement is welcome news. Second, even though the day PEG plans to start construction is March 1, 2022, it will not require the closing of parking on Parcel B on this date, as originally thought. Instead, some preliminary construction work will begin, but PEG recently stated that the parking on this lot will continue until PCMR closes in April. Allowing resort businesses to operate without significant parking restrictions, especially through the winter season, is very important. These two improved situations should be helpful to businesses at the resort through the current pandemic. It is hoped that PEG, the Planning Department and the planning commissioners will continue to address other important concerns remaining due to the PCMR plans that affect resort businesses, particularly involving parking issues on Parcel B, pedestrian connectivity and traffic. L. Ried Schott California resident and Resort Center property owner |