Pay tribute to a deserving student/athlete
An opportunity of a lifetime may be passing you by. We at Dodgeland, have an amazing track athlete — Megan Rennhack. She is currently a senior and her accomplishments include:
Freshman year—state qualifier in three events (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and 200 dash) with a third place finish in the 300 hurdles; Sophomore year—state qualifier in 3 events (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and 200 dash) with a third place finish in the 100 hurdles; Junior year—state qualifier in three events (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, and 200 dash) with a first in the 300 hurdles (state Division 3 record), first in the 100 hurdles, and a third in the 200 dash. She holds numerous school records, meet records, conference records, conference performer of the year as a sophomore and junior and was all-state in 2006 and 2007.
She is also a great role model to bring your kids to watch. Why is she so great? Is it simply because she has consistently beaten her opponents by a large margin again this year? Or is it because she trains year-round for her sport? I will admit both of those are impressive. However what I feel really sets her apart is what I observed her do at our last home meet. She single-handedly pulled the big cart that holds the starting blocks all the way across the football field; cheered, coached, and encouraged her fellow teammates; helped cover the high jump pit; and when the meet was over she pulled the cart with the starting blocks back to the shed.
How many of the really great athletes would bother with these types of things? She didn't just walk away after she was done competing, she pitched in and helped. She leads by example. That is why I believe she is such a great role model.
You have one more opportunity to watch her and our other senior athletes compete at a home track meet. Come watch all the athletes and see how hard they all work. The meet is on Monday at 4:30 p.m. There is no cost to come watch. Please help fill the stands in appreciation for all she and the other senior athletes have accomplished so far. Hope to see you there!
— Kent D. Saugstad
Juneau
A salute to clerks
The week of May 4 to 10 is Municipal Clerk's Week.
I would like to publicly thank the municipal clerks in Dodge County for the phenomenal job they do. I work with the clerks on a very close basis and could not ask for a more professional, conscientious group of individuals in which to work. A few examples of the clerk's duties include having to keep track of all scheduled meetings, attend meetings, prepare agendas, record minutes and resolutions, help with budgeting, assist in the election process and very importantly, answer the many, many requests for information daily.
We are very fortunate in Dodge County to have these dedicated people working for us. Please join me in thanking them for the vital services they perform and their exemplary dedication to the communities they represent.
Dodge County's Municipal clerks are Vickie Schlieve, Cheryl Goodrich, Debra Waldvogel, Marge Beilke, Lorna O'Donovan, Kris Kohlhoff, Tracy Roche, Jackie Welke, Ed Benter, Diane Beine, Naomi Kriewald, Heidi Spern, Dorothy Kuehl, Erma Franke, Mark Young, Theresa Firari, Laura Maertz, Nancy Thompson, Krista Becker, Susan Johnson, Diane Steger, Kim Perry, Don Roll, Lolagene Cuff-Minnig, Carolyn Lerch, Kim Hopfinger, Arlette Lindert, Dawn Dethardt, Sue Sterr, Sandy Pocius, Patti Hilker, Ellen Jung, Donald Gibson, Pam Koll, John Somer, Anne Donahue, Sue Hollnagel, Lori Hetzel, Dave Pasewald, Dennis Sheldon, Kathie Wild, Mike Hoppenrath and Kyle Clark.
— Karen J. Gibson
Dodge County Clerk
Keeping government in check
A particular phase, "be not afraid," occurs about 365 times in the Bible, hence most Sunday school people can bear repeating them more than once a day?
Yet our government constantly keeps warning us to be afraid, to fear terrorists, and at the same time keeps spending on "homeland defense" while money is urgently needed to help the poor and needed in our midst. Real peace to me is impossible in a climate of irrational fear.
What to do?
For a start, stop using the word, "terrorist." It gives the power-to-be (government) a unique power to paralyze us (Americans) to fear. "Terror" allows the government to play on this emotional term, to drum up support to consent. Consequently, this rhetoric of intimidation will put ourselves under it protection both to do and accept the consequences. This frightening power of the government can even strip away our constitutional rights.
What concerns me more than any threat from foreign powers is the proliferation of nuclear weapons in my own country. It's scary that we possess most of the world's nuclear weapons of mass destruction and we are the only country that has used them — not once, but twice. Yes, I do remember the joyful celebration when Japan's surrender ended World War II. However, I cannot remember any regrets being publicly expressed then about incinerating scores of thousands of innocent civilians to bring it about.
I wholeheartily agree with peace activist John Dear who writes: "One of the casualties of our culture of war is the loss of our imagination." We simply can't even imagine a world at peace? Holy Scripture informs us to be followers of the Prince of Peace, we are to become visionaries of peace "who allow God to disarm our hearts, who allow God of peace to show us the way to peace. This means more than denouncing nonviolence - we must become a prophetic people who announce God's way of nonviolence, justice and peace.
— Richard Kircher
Beaver Dam