Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

There are a lot of children who need your time

Dear Editor:

I am currently a grad student majoring in counseling, and I first heard of the Guardian ad Litem program in college from one of my instructors. I have been a GAL now for about two years, and I find it to be one of the most rewarding things that I have done.

I am able to help keep children safe and be their voice for what is truly in their best interest, and no one else’s. Being able to help them have their needs met, whether it is clothing, school supplies, or help take them from an unsafe environment, it makes me feel like I am changing the world a little at a time.

I also love having the ability to help them get involved in fun events in the community, sports, the arts, or other activities they may be interested in.

The GAL program will find the resources that really help a child see some positive things happening in their life.

It doesn't take much of your time — and there are a lot of children in need of that one stable person in their life. With your help, these children can thrive.

I have two children, soon to be three, I’m working on my master’s degree, and I run a business. If I can do it, I know others can, too. Please at least check them out at www.guardianadlitem.org for more information.

Stacey Stanford

Palm Coast

Your column on dogs makes me not want to meet you. Ever.

Dear Editor:

After reading your "Observed" column of May 11 on “dog waste baggies,” I came away with two thoughts:

1. It took serious moxie to write such a column. Kudos.

2. Your opinion of dogs convinces me I'd have no interest in getting to know you. Ever. And that goes double for my furdaughter.

Jody Davis

Palm Coast

L-section now has just as much crime as the R-, P- and B- sections

Dear Editor:

Years ago, I wrote a letter to the editor in which I warned citizens of Palm Coast to avoid certain sections due to lawless behavior occurring there. I didn't name the sections that a deputy sheriff had told me to avoid, but I will now: They were the P- and R- sections. The sheriff at the time took umbrage and wrote a letter in defense of his sheriffing ability in which he said the R-, P- and B- sections were no more dangerous than other sections. I thanked him for the B warning.

I've got an update: Add the L-section. It makes the list due to one incident. It wasn't a minor incident, and once upon a time would have merited a headline in this newspaper but alas today it is a business-as-usual happening.

It seems a teenager was riding down London Drive in a stolen car shooting at a sheriff's deputy. He was also shooting at his mother and his father who were standing at the front door of their house. After driving by, he made a U-turn and came back still shooting and the father was shooting back. Must run in the family.

The teen wrecked this stolen car and stole another at gun point from a Palm Coast resident.

We could ignore such behavior and change our name to Dodge City or West of the Pecos where there was no law, or we could stop wasting money on shade for the children, parks for the dogs, bike trails that nobody rides, parks that demand millions for upkeep, a very ugly City Hall and enlarging a civic center few people use — and instead spend money that will benefit us all by building a very large, bare bones prison where we can lock up people for a very long time and get judges who will use this prison. I was going to suggest we should arm ourselves, but I don't want to cause the snowflakes to melt.

Douglas Glover

Palm Coast

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