Letters to the editor
Many contributed to Angel Tree’s success
Thank you Boulder City for making this Christmas extra special for more than 400 children and elderly residents by supporting the 2013 Angel Tree. Because of many donors and volunteers, Emergency Aid of Boulder City is able to bring some joy to our residents who are in need.
We would like to especially thank the Boulder Dam Credit Union and Boulder City Library for allowing us to use their facilities.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to one and all. We look forward to continuing to serve our community.
Barbara Dempsey and Jan O’Donnell,
Angel Tree Coordinators
Benefits of counselors’ aid disclosed at free class
I would like to respond to Ms. (Brittany) Simpson’s letter published last week. I never thought that offering free classes to students would ever lead to someone writing a letter full of inferences that are untrue. I wish she had attended one of my free classes, including the one Boulder City High School Principal Kent Roberts and business leaders in the community helped me teach, because this is what she would have heard me say:
1. “If you attend Boulder City High School, you are incredibly lucky because you have the best counselors in the school district. They even send out weekly scholarship opportunity emails to parents and students.
2. Respect the time of Ms. (Sharon) DeWees, Ms. (Rebecca) Balistere, and Ms. (Barbara) Agostini. Do not go to their office at the last minute due to poor planning on your part. Try to give them as much lead time as you can for letter and transcript requests.
3. The importance of gratitude. Whenever they provide their expert help it is important to thank them with a well-written thank you card.”
I wish Ms. Simpson also knew that I have written letters of commendation about the counseling professionals at BCHS and even nominated them for Clark County School District RAVE (Recognize a Valued Employee) awards.
One of the final questions the reporter asked me for the story about my free classes was, “Do the students hear this information at school from their counselors?” I said, “Yes! The students get great information all year from their counselors. I have condensed information about resumes, applications and aid into a two-hour class.” That information was summarized and edited by the newspaper staff, not me.
I am sorry that Ms. Simpson, or anyone else, felt that was insulting to the counselors. Ms. Simpson also felt the article, “frames Dey as an expert in the field of college entrance essays.” The headline of the article was “Mom helps kids get ready for college.” I don’t think the article portrayed me as an expert nor do I portray myself that way.
Roxanne Dey
Support for troops appreciated by service members
This is a wonderful way to tell you how much our military appreciates the support and donations that you have been turning in to the Support Our Troop jars in several businesses and to those residents who have been so generous this Christmas season and during the past five years.
Boulder City is well-known in Afghanistan for sending the items that have been requested and are needed to help make our troops more comfortable and to bring up morale.
God bless you all, merry Christmas and happy new year.
Stanna Musick and Marc Smereck
Editor’s note: The following letter was sent to Stanna Musick.
Ms. Musick,
Thank you for your unwavering support to our young men and women serving in this critical mission overseas. It is very important for them to know their fellow Americans have not forgotten that our service members remain engaged on a daily basis in this historic endeavor.
The devotion that you and your late husband (as well as those special citizens of Boulder City) have shown us, especially during the Christmas period where most of us are far away from our own families, truly displays the American spirit.
May the good Lord bless you with enough memories of your Marine “Bob” to last your lifetime and God bless America.
Brig. Gen. C.Q. “Lake” Timberlake,
Deputy commander, Regional Command North
