Letters to the editor, Nov. 21, 2009
Thank you for boxes sent to soldiers
You don’t know me, but I’m ever so familiar with your church and many members of your congregation.
My name is Annette Martiny Bonaro. I live in Waldorf, Md., and work at Headquarters Air Force District of Washington on Andrews Air Force Base. I was born and raised in the Dells. I am a 1983 graduate of Dells High. And, I’m affectionately known as “Netsy” by all who know me from back home.
I was baptized in your [United Presbyterian] church and confirmed in your church. I played Mary in Christmas pageants.
I feverishly hunted for Easter eggs and studied hard in Sunday School.
My spot or pew was in the first row, right in front of the pulpit every single Sunday. Waiting, waiting and waiting for time to pass until I was old enough to sing in the choir right alongside my mom, Maggie.
Eventually, after having moved away from home, I enlisted in the United States Air Force. My first 12 years, I was an enlisted aircraft maintainer. I earned my commission and spent the second half of my career as a logistics officer. This past summer, during a ceremony dedicated to a fallen Lake Delton Marine fighter pilot by the name of Capt. Paul Derby, I retired from the military as a captain after a little more than 22 years of service. Oct. 1 was my first official day as a civilian since Aug. 31, 1987.
The reason I’m sharing this with you is because I need you to know that I feel very blessed to be where I am in life today. Mostly thanks to where I came from and the people who inspired me along the way. Many of whom are in your congregation today, like Phil and Marge Anderson, Edith Hammerly, Sue Campbell and Donna Procknow to name a few. Others in your congregation have tugged at my heartstrings, and I don’t even know them, which is the real reason for this letter.
I just read the article in the Dells Events about the members of your church, my church, preparing care packages for soldiers. Of course, my first thought was “what about the Airmen!?”
Teasing aside, I feel compelled to tell you, I am so proud of your congregation. I also feel compelled to ask a favor of you. I humbly ask that you thank your congregation on my behalf, and on behalf of my comrades in arms. Please read this letter to them if you’d like. I really need for them to know that what they’re doing makes a difference.
I need your congregation to know that their efforts are not in vain. I guarantee you that I speak for every airman, every soldier, every sailor, every marine when I say “thank you.” Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for selflessly taking time away from work, school, family and other commitments to spend the afternoon lovingly preparing care packages for the troops in harm’s way.
You couldn’t possibly know how deeply appreciated your efforts are. I do. I do because I’ve been in harm’s way on more than one occasion. I served two tours in war zones.
During the last I commanded 150 men. I was charged with running convoy route security operations from as far north as the Turkish border to as far south as Arifjan, Kuwait. Our convoys were attacked more than 60 times using everything imaginable; small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades, land mines, mortars, road side bombs stuffed into dead animals or potholes in the road.
Prior to every movement I read Psalm 91, appealing to God and His mercy to shield me from harm. I also prayed that if His plan was to call me home, my two young children would understand. They would understand I loved them without measure, even though I chose to purposely put myself in harm’s way instead of staying home with them where it was safe.
To this day, I’m not really sure if God answered my prayers or my children’s prayers. Maybe a little of both. But, by His grace 150 men deployed to Iraq and 150 men returned back home to their families. Our unit was awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation. There were 22 Purple Heart and 20 Bronze Star recipients by the time we redeployed back to home station.
Over the years, I’ve spent many months and many holidays in foreign lands — an ocean apart from my children, missing so many precious, impossible to recapture, moments over the years: First words, first steps, first days of school, soccer games, school plays, tiny little “I love yous” from tiny little girlie girls.
What got me through the darkest of days was knowing that my friends and family supported me no matter the politics of the day — no matter their opinion on whether or not we should be there. I was fortunate and blessed to have that support. There were others that didn’t have it.
As a commander of 150 men — a tough, little broad packing a 9 mm and an M16, setting the head space and timing on a 50 cal, keeping the big guys in line — my heart would break when I would see the same trooper turn away empty handed from mail call, day after day.
It is for these men that I humbly thank you. Your efforts are not in vain. Be comforted in knowing that with your generosity you’ll put a sparkle in the eyes of a soldier. You’ll spread a smile across the weathered, drawn face of an Airman. You’ll create a sweet distraction for a Marine living the reality of war.
In the still night, when you lay your head down to rest, after the boxes have been packed and mailed, you may just hear the laughter of a sailor carried through the winds of space and time.
Without a shadow of a doubt you are definitely a Soldier’s (Precious) Angel. My He truly bless each and every one of you. I’m so grateful to have come from such a loving family of Christian people. To God be the glory.
Annette Martiny Bonaro, Waldorf, Md.
Medicare works, use it for everyone
Medicare has a 6 percent administrative cost, while the private insurance industry takes 30 percent. Also, every horror story about medical delays and mistakes under so-called “socialized medicine” can be topped by worse stories about our inefficient and unfair private system.
Medicare works, let’s use it for everyone, and for all medical procedures, without allowing religious dogma to dictate private decision-making.
Dr. Stephen Howard, Wisconsin Dells
Powerlifting team says thanks for funds
On Monday, Nov. 16, the Wisconsin Dells High School Powerlifting Team held its annual fundraiser event at Uno Chicago Grill in Lake Delton.
Thank you to those student athletes, parents, grandparents, friends and extended family and fellow teachers and staff from our school district who came to eat lunch or dinner at Uno. Your support of our event was greatly appreciated and the students always look forward to seeing the many faces that are associated with a great event.
We are very fortunate to have such a great community in Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton that supports the abundance of activities we have in our school district. A special thank you goes out to Laura and Mike Nate and the Uno’s staff for allowing us to have our fundraiser at their establishment. This is our fourth year doing the event in Lake Delton and the students have loved to be able to serve others and practice the Wisconsin Dells Way.
Brian Kenney, head powerlifting coach, Wisconsin Dells High School
Owners want to know charges for land rental
Most people expect to call me, I’ll give them the magic number, and the problem will be solved for another year. I’m sorry to tell you that if you call me, I won’t be giving you any magic numbers.
The problem in Sauk County is that land rent ranges from roughly $50 to $250 per acre because of our wide variety of land types. Assuming that number isn’t good enough for you, let’s talk about two alternative ways that you can calculate your own rate that will be very accurate for your area.
The first method you can use if you know what land is worth in your area. Land rent should be roughly 2 percent to 4 percent of the value of the land. The other method can be used if you know the crop production history of the land.
The rule of thumb is to pay 20 percent to 24 percent of the gross income from the land, averaged over the past five years as land rent. This accounts for the actual production potential of the field and factors in the volatility we have been experiencing in commodity prices.
After you determine your range, there are several other factors you can use to help you to arrive at your final price. These include your landlord-tenant relationship, previous cropping history and herbicide usage, soil fertility and competition or lack thereof in the area.
Once you take all of these factors into consideration and arrive at a number that both of you can agree on, make sure to get it in writing.
Feel free to contact the Sauk County UW-Extension Office at 355-3250 or e-mail denise.brusveen@ces.uwex.edu for information.
Denise Brusveen, Sauk County agriculture agent, University of Wisconsin-Extension