Letters to the Editor

To the Editor:

I propose that the extra $200,000.00 that the borough of Wrangell gives annually to the local school district is suspended, if the school performs in an unbusiness, unprofessional manner. Namely if the school district creates corporate malfeasance, by partaking in corporate welfare. Specifically if the school hires any business to perform their duties of feeding our children. There is no way that any corporation can prepare quality hot meals two times a day one hundred and eighty days a year, without a profit. The true nature of proposing to hire an outside contractor is to sidestep the employees living wages and benefits. As well it shows a complete lack of the willingness to roll up their sleeves and work for their wages. After one year of operation in the cafeteria there has been a fourth person hired by the school to perform these duties. This shows a dysfunction, the proposition is to further the dysfunction by hiring out to a dysfunctional corporation, the preferred one not even paying their employee taxes. This can only occur if and when the private company hires people at minimum wage with no benefits, and the taxpayer is stuck with the bill. Bottom line public money + public institution does not equal private enterprise. As well as the given fact that only our children will suffer the consequences of sub standard meals ultimately degraded to a dog food quality.

Kipha Valvoda

To the Editor:

The Boy Scouts of America covers a wide range of scouting opportunities.

Cub Scouts are boys ages 7-10 (1st – 5th grades). Leadership for this group is critical, consisting of Den Leaders and assistants for each age/grade level, as well as a Pack Committee to deal with the background things like finances and registrations, and running the monthly Pack Meetings. (Wrangell has not had a Pinewood Derby, Raingutter Regatta, Blue and Gold Banquet, or other Cub Scout Pack activities for over a year.)

A Pack minimally needs at least 10 adult volunteer leaders to keep going. Pack 39, chartered to Wrangell’s Salvation Army, has essentially folded due to lack of adult leadership. There are boys wanting to be Cub Scouts, and I am trying to get it running again. Please consider whether you could help out with the Cub Scout Pack.

Boy Scout Troops are for boys ages 11-17 (grades 5/6 – 12). There are currently active Boy Scouts in Wrangell. These boys have the minimum number of leaders to keep the troops going. The advancement in Boy Scouts is through service projects, skills development and earning merit badges. Troop 40, chartered by the Wrangell Lions Club, has been working on several service projects over the years such as cleaning up Zarembo Island’s Roosevelt Harbor, and eradicating invasive plants on the Stikine River around Twin Lakes, and running a “Trout Adventure” for youth at Pat’s Lake. We would love to have more youth join our troop.

There are currently over 130 different Merit Badges recognized by the BSA. To earn the highest rank in Scouting, the Eagle Scout Rank, a scout must earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, 12 of which are specified. Each Merit Badge has to have a registered Merit Badge Counselor to work with the scout(s). Middle School and High School teachers make excellent Merit Badge Counselors because often classroom curriculums follow many of the requirements needed for specific merit badges. But almost any adult could be a Merit Badge Counselor for at least one merit badge.

Venture Crews and Varsity Teams are other programs in the Boy Scouts of America. The Varsity program is for males ages 14-18 and Venture Crews are for males and females ages 13-21. They are both geared toward high adventure activities or specific sports. If we had a few more interested older youth, both males and females, we could potentially form another Venture Crew.

Wrangell Cub Scouts and Boy Scout can use more youth and adult involvement. Some leadership positions do not take much time and other positions are much more involved. If you would like to join or volunteer for a Cub Scout Pack or a Boy Scout Troop, or find out more about Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, contact Shirley Wimberley, Box 806, sbwimb@gci.net or 907-305-0338.

Shirley Wimberley