Letters to the Editor

The Editor:
Thank you for printing the photo in last week’s edition of The Northern Light, showing the Semiahmoo Ladies Club “Adopt a Project” group at Van Wingerden’s Greenhouse, giving flowers and baskets to the residents of Stafholt Good Samaritan Center. That was such a wonderful and inspiring day. 
Stafholt Good Samaritan Center is so blessed to have a community group such as this one who is devoted to the care and concern of making our nursing home in Blaine very special.  
The “Adopt a Project” group for the last three years has planted and donated hanging baskets and containers of flowers to Stafholt Good Samaritan Center for the residents and families to enjoy. 
Each year their project has grown and gotten bigger and better. This year the “Adopt a Project” group bought plants and planted a total of 36 baskets and containers. The baskets are hung under the eaves around the building, providing a basket near each resident’s window and the container pots are placed in the patios and gardens. 
Amanda Williams is the chairperson of this group. Many others assisted. Carina Pratt, and Toby Perry have also given extra time to this project. Special contributions were made by both James Meyers, Van Wingerden’s Greenhouse general manager and Sue Simpson, retail sales manager. 
Seeing the Stafholt residents tour the beautiful greenhouse and take home a plant for their own was reason enough to do this project. Garden hats and gloves off to all who participated. 
All of us who live, work and visit at Stafholt Good Samaritan Center appreciates this generous gift and will be a more beautiful place this summer.
Marjorie Reichhardt, Stafholt Good
Samaritan Center
Blaine

The Editor:
We are writing to express our gratitude to Blaine high school’s wonderful horticulture class. Mr. Kaas does an incredible job with his students years after year. Most recently, Mr. Kaas and his students set up and assisted the primary school with our Earth Day planting.
The horticulture students were incredibly organized and polite to everyone. The high school students shared their knowledge of plants and assisted each primary student in planting their own plant to take home. It was a wonderful cross age level activity for all involved.
It’s great to see the terrific kids we have in this community.
Robb McKay, Challenge Program
coordinator & Nancy Bakarich,
principal & Challenge Program director
Blaine

The Editor:
Do you know a service man or woman deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan?
Operation Whatcom Homefront is looking for the names and addresses of servicemen and women with Whatcom County connections presently deployed in Afghanistan or Iraq. Since 2003, with the assistance of KGMI Radio and generous donations from the community, regular care packages have been and continue to be sent to troops who have ties to this area. Due to troop rotations our present list has shrunk and we would like to find more individuals to send out boxes to. If you know a serviceman or woman presently deployed, please email us at whatcommilitary @yahoo.com; or write to Operation Whatcom Homefront, P.O. Box 32328, Bellingham, WA, 98228-4328.
Tom & Thelma Darling
Blaine

The Editor:
Our state house voted 56-42 to approve the new state budget, which also included some new taxes to fund the budget. Doug Ericksen is the only NW house member to vote against the budget.
Since Mr. Ericksen is so adamant against increased taxes, my suggestion to “Mr. No” is as follows: Don’t buy liquor, don’t buy cigarettes, don’t buy extended warrantees, don’t die.
In the meantime, to protest the budget your colleagues passed, Mr. Ericksen, you could boycott all the benefits the new budget would bring: Don’t use any repaired roads or bridges, stop voting because of election reform, do not use health care or prescription improvements, do not frequent state facilities where workers may finally get pay raises.
And, above all, advise your wife to not accept any teacher pay raises and do not accept any improvements to the education of your children.
It is easy to vote no. But you won’t refuse the benefits, will you?
Kenneth R. Ford
Ferndale

Letters Policy
The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank-you letters should be limited to 10 names. A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please send your letter to:
225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 or fax 360/332-2777.
E-mail:editor@thenorthernlight.com

Letters Policy

The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank you letters are limited to five individuals or groups. A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please email letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com