Page 6 RIVERS BANNER Friday, June 6, 2008 are welcomed by Rivers Banner but all letters must be signed and may be edited for length and/or good taste. Submission does not guarantee publication; letters will be printed as space allows. SUBMIT LETTERS TO: [email protected]; Box 70, Rivers, MB R0K 1X0 204-328-5212 (fax) or deliver to 529 Second Avenue. So successful second sale planned Outsiders have no legs Saturday’s yard sale and barbecue were overwhelming, with the amount of This letter is in response to the editorial written by Marlene McCook which ap- support Rivers Elementary Play Structure (REPS) committee received. The day peared in the May 30 edition of Rivers Banner. consisted of a 7 a.m. set-up for the sale to start at 9 a.m. We had a constant fl ow of I disagree with her comment, “They’ll (seniors) never use it (a new recreation customers until after 3 p.m. facility) and probably not even their grandchildren.” This sentence fl ies in the face The barbecue lunch from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. was extremely successful, raising of the intent of the new facility; a magnet to keep young families in the area and a $737.75. The raffl e table was a hit; winners were Terry Gill, Brett Gillis, Stella multi-use venue for all residents of Rivers, year-round. If a new arena is built, their Mitchell, Joni Pepper and Pat Hillier. The swing-a-thon went well with a total of grandchildren WILL be using it. $155.13 raised by the kids of the youth group at Zion Pentecostal Church; great The staffs of Rivers Collegiate Institute and Rivers Elementary have spent job kids! The amount of parents, students and community members that came countless hours in our current arena. Grad banquets, the Rams invitational [vol- and gave a huge helping hand setting and cleaning up, as well as others helping leyball tournament], badminton tournaments and high school hockey have been throughout the day, was extremely appreciated by the REPS committee. We rented hosted there and all these activities have been memorable for a variety of reasons. out 16 private tables and hope they were successful as well. I still smirk when the Brandon hockey teams complain about how bitterly cold the The grand total of the day was $3,415 raised for the new play structure. We, as Riverdale [Community] Gardens are. That being said, I won’t shed a tear when it a committee, are very pleased with the outcome of this event. is replaced with a more modern and environmentally-effi cient building. All the yard sale items we received from our community and surrounding areas I’ve also been quite appreciative of the rink committee who has sought out the were very overwhelming and much appreciated. We could not have had a suc- opinion of the school staff and students. While I cannot comment on the entire cessful day if it were not for all the supprt. All items that were left over are being process, it appears to me that in this case, some key stakeholders (the kids and the stored in the former Crop Tech building as we are planning another yard sale and high school) have been involved. I don’t think Crocus Plains, Vincent Massey or barbecue in the near future. Neelin were consulted on any Keystone Centre renovations in Brandon! Heather Gray and Sherri Dziver, REPS president and secretary I agree that the town should “look after the people who have kept this town alive and running for the last 60 years” but I’d argue that their legacy demands we plan for the next 60 years. My sincere worry is that without a viable recreational Democracy facility in Rivers, the recent residential growth we have seen will be lost. Re: Rivers Banner , May 30. Publisher Ken Waddell and other critics state their I am a resident of Brandon and so I do not pay taxes in Rivers. I have lived in views on certain bills before legislature. My contribution follows: this community and while I have been frustrated at times with town council in the Democracy is more than just a name. My thanks to Winnipeg Free Press editorial past (not the current body), I don’t have a leg to stand on regarding this issue, as board for their service in pointing out the fl aws in Bills 31 and 37. I could hardly I don’t live in Rivers. As Mrs. McCook has stated she lives in Calgary, I suppose believe what I was reading and then I became angry. (NDP shows disdain for de- she doesn’t either. She has exercised her democratic right to state her opinion. So mocracy, May 24 Free Press). have I. Canada’s government has always been alert to provide our Armed Forces per- Rivers needs a new arena. sonnel to “fi ght for the freedom and democracy” of those less fortunate in far away James Sheppard, Principal, Rivers Collegiate places and other countries. Their reputation, achievements, casualties and supreme sacrifi ces have been documented in the annals of history. But now, after reading the article presented by Elizabeth Fleming, it is apparent to me that while many of our Canadian Forces are now serving in Afghanistan, the governments of today and TThehe eearlyarly especially the government of Manitoba, do not recognize democracy and they adul- terate its existence and foundation. For it is my belief that in defending democracy, we must not stray from or abandon the vital principles that make it possible. BBrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr’drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr’d Why do we send our people off to fi ght for the freedom and democracy of oth- ers when our democracy in Canada is being taken away? It is time that we begin the fi ght for our democracy, in Manitoba, and restore the respect and honour of its ccomesomes ttoo being. As a veteran, and on behalf of all veterans and our serving Armed Forces at this time, I offer the following: We can hold our heads high; the weight of betrayal, shame and deception is not a burden on our shoulders, and we will not allow truth to become a casualty. For we believe that access to information is fundamental to a democratic society”. John Fefchak, Virden Remembering D-Day I am a member of The War Amps Operation Legacy in which members and graduates of the association’s Child Amputee (CHAMP) program help pass the Never Again! message from war amputee veterans to the younger generation. With the D-Day anniversary on June 6, I would like to advise of a new documentary about a Canadian hero, Jeff Nicklin. Come see us today for all your A Winnipeg Blue Bombers all-star and part of its Grey Cup victories in 1935 and 1939, Nicklin enlisted with Royal Winnipeg Rifl es in the Second World War. vehicle’s air conditioning needs. He transferred to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and became commanding offi cer. One of the fi rst to land on D-Day, he earned a Mention in Despatches, a military award for gallantry. He was killed in action while leading his paratroopers on the drop into the Rhineland on March 24, 1945. Don’t After the war, 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Association created the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy, awarded annually by Canadian Football League (CFL) end up to the West’s most outstanding player. Sixty years later, the Association, The War Amps and CFL had the trophy rededicated. Jeff Nicklin: Hero of the Gridiron and the Battlefi eld is part of The War Amps baking! award-winning military heritage documentary series. It contains seldom-seen foot- ball footage of the 1930s and rare wartime images. Also featured is an interview with The War Amps CEO Cliff Chadderton, who talks about his friend, Nicklin. A winner at international fi lm festivals in Houston, New York and Hollywood, it will be airing nationally on CPAC in early June (check local list- ings) or can be ordered from The War Amps by calling 1-800-250-3030 or visiting www.waramps.ca. Merrill Loeppky, Winnipeg, Operation Legacy representative for Manitoba