Flex your ‘generosity muscles’
Years ago I read a statement which was attributed to Chinese culture in the context of building up the local businesses. It was simply “don’t be stingy.”
I believe that this is what we need to help our downtown and whole town. So I find myself eating less, which is a good health strategy anyway, and then selecting from the expensive part of the menu when I do order. When the shutdowns started, I decided to double my “standard” tip and include some good intentions that the load of the day be lessened and that the day and the proceeding days would be wonderful. I find that my “generosity muscles” have grown stronger and also that what I intended for others has come back to me with interest. I do recommend this.
Tod C. Merley
Pullman
Consider service in the Army Reserve
The typical options presented to graduating high schoolers are: (1) trade school; (2) college; or (3) military service. Absent from the presented options is a very important opportunity — pursue your education or trade while simultaneously pursuing a career in the Army Reserve.
As a reminder, a person can join the active Army (i.e. full time, year-round service) or the Army Reserve usually consisting of one weekend a month and two weeks a year of service time. The Army Reserve’s limited time commitment allows a person to simultaneously pursue other opportunities.
The Army Reserve needs to fill all kinds of jobs. More than two-thirds of soldiers fill noncombat jobs offering support to the combat troops. Service in the military is gratifying in and of itself, but there’s more. The Army Reserve offers scholarships to pay for college with guaranteed reserve duty. Service in the Army Reserve provides pay, subsidized health care, training and even years of service toward a pension (yes, a pension for a part-time job). Importantly, not only are work absences for military service protected by federal law, but our community vigorously supports its soldiers and their service.
So, consider using the Army Reserve as a means to leverage other opportunities for education and employment.
Beau Ruff
Army Reserve ambassador for Washington
Richland, Wash.
Joy and laughter in unexpected places
The Latah County Democrats Office would understandably be a somber location this past week — one would assume. The surprising truth is that it has been full of 20-plus different volunteers each day since Election Tuesday, in and out all day long helping to take apart signs, clean them and pack them.
We’re packing up everything in the office to be stored until the next parade or election. As we work, stories of volunteer experiences this year get shared along with stories from elections gone by. These memory treasures restore laughter and connection among the worker bees of this incredible hive of kind, decent, committed and generous volunteers we call Latah Democrats. It has been an honor to be a volunteer with this amazing group of human beings.
Being able to work with and learn from our leader for this election, Gretchen Wissner, has been an incredible privilege. Working with someone who is so dedicated and continuously has their eye on the whole picture is uniquely rare. Our candidates were very important to each of us volunteers and we were excited to do what each of us could to help our candidates get their platforms and hopes for our community out to the people throughout Latah County and beyond. It was engaging and inspiring to hear them speak at forums, and meet and greets.
My favorite experiences were volunteering with our candidates as they knocked on doors, held signs and since Tuesday, they have been in and out of Latah Dems office helping to complete the next task — closing down the office until our next election.
Latah Dems had incredible candidates this year. The volunteers were the kind any organization dreams of having. Our leader for this 2024 election, Gretchen Wissner, made us extremely grateful for each other, made us feel like we were truly appreciated and helped us focus on the elections to come, when this election was completed.
Wynona Chilbert
Moscow
Treat one another with respect
As we celebrate Veterans Day, we must remember that that veterans represent the best of this country.
We bled the same for this nation, regardless of where on the political spectrum we fell. We also did not care what our buddy believed, how he/she looked, or what he/she did in their personal time ... but we trusted them fully with our lives, defending the Constitution.
This also applies to our current society: Regardless of whether you see America growing through immigrants or birthrate, through isolation or globalism, or through the prism of your particular news feed, ALL of us are proud Americans who truly want the best for this country. I challenge all of us, whether on the left or right, to remember that fact and treat one another with respect. Save the negative words like “fascist” and “libtard” for a far-off day and simply address and treat the other person as “American.”
Reid Atwood
Pullman
