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Veterans Stand Down highlights needs of entire communityBy Chris Cook - Forks Forum EditorThe second annual Voices for Veterans West End Stand Down held last week drew dozens of veterans, some with needs, some with help to offer. The event provides a good sounding board for vets of all stripes, with the sharing of tips on accessing Veterans Administration benefits, storytelling about the good old days in the Armed Forces and just plain good will among the veterans and the providers of a wealth of social services. A newsworthy item at the event was distribution of brochures describing a program that’s known as Sarge’s Place. The program aims at creating several live-in homes for veterans in the Forks area. Besides giving homeless vets, and vets returning from active duty, a place to stay while they transition into independent living, assistance with accessing a broad range of veterans benefits and services would be made available. A conservative estimate for the opening date of Sarge’s Place is given as spring 2009. While chatting with veterans, volunteers and representatives of veteran and social services agencies gathered at the Forks Elks Lodge for the stand down, I was provided with a snap shot of social needs in general. I learned that a growing number of local residents are gathering on Tuesday at lunchtime for the Forks Church of the Nazarene lunch and fellowship, with the count growing each week. This could reflect word-of-mouth spreading about the good fellowship provided, providing something to do, along with the need by some for a good lunch. Unofficial indicators of the West End economy point to a mixed bag of pluses and minuses up ahead. The slow down of the timber industry due to a downturn in housing starts across the nation is one. Rising gasoline prices is a visible one, with the market price of a barrel of oil hitting $120 as we go to press. In the near future a percentage of local gas being pumped in Forks will be made up of ethanol. With grain prices rising, dripping down to prices in grocery stores, a growing debate over this state-mandated practice is part of a national, and international, call for a second look at ethanol. Good economic news is also appearing. Housing starts within the City of Forks are showing healthy growth, a summer of “Twilight tourism” is on the way with hordes of teenage girls and their mothers expected, and at LaPush work on a new wing of the Quileute Tribe’s resort is nearing completion, adding more of the rooms needed to support an oceanfront convention center that would benefit Forks as well as LaPush. Posted May 7, 2008 Letters to the editor policy The Forks Forum belongs to the readers of the newspaper. The opinion section is the place where reader thoughts appear as letters to the editor. Letters longer than 300 words are sent back to the writer for revision. We only edit for spelling and grammar. Any substantial changes are sent to the letter writer for revision. While we strive to publish all letters, those focusing on local issues take precedence over statewide or national issues. No personal attacks or unsubstantiated allegations are accepted. Those letters are returned to the writer with an explanation why the letter is not going to run in its existing form. Deadline for letters to appear is noon the Friday before publication. Letters are published on a space-available basis, with time-sensitive letters on local issues taking first priority. There are times, therefore, when a letter might not appear for a week or two. Letters to the editor can be mailed to the Forks Forum, PO Box 300, Forks, WA 98331; e-mailed to editor@forksforum.com; faxed to 374-5739; or dropped off at our office at 494 S. Forks Ave. All letters must have a name, address and telephone number for verification purposes. Only the writer?s name and hometown are printed in the newspaper. |
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