THANK YOU ...

... to Friends in Action

Upon reading about caregivers in the paper on Feb. 20, I would like to thank Friends in Action for all that they have done for me and my mom. I do not work outside the home, but consider taking care of my 95-year-old mom a full-time job. Volunteers from Friends in Action have been diligently coming to my home for two years. They give me time to myself and wonderful care to my mom. I'm very thankful for a caring organization such as this. Hats off to you, Friends in Action!

SUZI PIPKIN, Boise

... to Risch, Labrador

I would like to publically thank Sen. Jim Risch and Rep. Raul Labrador for taking time out of their busy schedules to come to my home to personally present the Bronze Congressional Award earned by our 16-year-old daughter, Shauna.

Shauna passed away on Dec. 18 due to injuries sustained in an auto accident on Idaho 16. This private presentation was a fabulous gesture by these gentlemen and was greatly appreciated by me and my wife, Heidi. They did this with no fanfare or media recognition and it came straight from their hearts.

This was a great honor for Shauna and our family and I will cherish it always. I am proud we have such men representing us at our nation's capital.

EDWARD HILL, Eagle

... for act of kindness

My parents and I had dinner at P.F. Chang's on Feb. 21. We had a wonderful time, a great waiter (Trevor) and great food. When it was time to pay our bill, Trevor said, "Your bill has been paid by an anonymous person." We were all stunned! What a kind thing to do. I want to thank the person and say that this generous action has made me want to do something similar for someone else. Thank you so much. Bless your heart.

GERI CARBONE, Garden City

COOKIE TAX

An idea for Girl Scouts

In 2011 the Idaho State Police asked for an increase in the fee paid by people convicted of a felony. They hoped to use the money for their Training Academy. The Legislature refused the request on the grounds that the fee was a tax, and the Legislature was opposed to taxation.

So if the Girl Scouts can't get the sales tax on their cookies repealed, maybe the money could be given to the State Police Training Academy. Girls who sold cookies could qualify for a "Law Enforcement Assistance" Merit Badge.

MARGARET GOODMAN, Meridian

TOBACCO MONEY

Protect our youth

Recently, the legislative committee that makes budget recommendations for spending Idaho's tobacco settlement monies voted to let the tobacco companies have free range on our kids with no opposition.

The committee decided to not support any youth tobacco prevention programs in Idaho and leave more than $4 million on the table. Big tobacco spends nearly $40 million in Idaho every year addicting Idahoans, including many kids. The committee's action tells the tobacco companies that our kids are not worth protecting. These legislators said, "Go ahead, big tobacco, and addict Idaho's youth - because we don't mind paying for the tobacco-related illnesses later."

We can tell our legislators to protect our youth from tobacco. Contact the members of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (http://legislature.idaho.gov/budget/JFAC/jfacmembers.cfm) and tell them to fund youth tobacco prevention programs in Idaho.

CAILE SPEAR, Boise

LACROSSE FIELD

A win for everyone

Allowing lacrosse field development at McDevitt Sports Park is a big win for the city.

Private dollars paying for the development of an eco-friendly public park. Taxpayers will not be paying and the city will have a fabulous development. A couple of million dollars will then be available to develop and maintain other city parks. There are baseball fields on the side of the proposed site. Adding lacrosse fields completes development with no public funding, levies or taxes.

Two of three of proposed lacrosse fields are eco-friendly turf - no water, no mow. (Last year Boise City Council tried to save money by not mowing and watering parks.)

There comes a point where city planners can't let whining prevent the win to our Boise city finances, youth, and community beautification and upkeep. An adjacent neighborhood is whining about parking and lights, knowing there are at least 200 spots at the middle school and Albertson's parking directly across the street.

Let's hope city planners see through whining of a few neighbors to benefit the greater common good. Lacrosse field development at McDevitt Park is a big Boise city win!

LESA COLEMAN, Boise

FAMILIES

Home provides solution to many social problems

Much of America's problems can be traced to the breakdown of the home and family. Seventy percent of babies in the black community and 40 percent of the babies in the white community are born out of wedlock. It's hard to compensate for failure in the home.

When the headwaters are polluted, it takes lots of paraphernalia downstream to correct the problem.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "There is no school equal to a decent home; and there is no teacher equal to a virtuous parent." John Ruskin, a 19th century essayist, said, "Education does not mean teaching people what they do not know; it means teaching them to behave as they do not behave. It is not teaching youths the shapes of the letters and the trick of the numbers and leaving them to turn their arithmetic to roguery and their literature to lust. It means, on the contrary, training them into the perfect exercise and kindly continence of their bodies and souls. It is a painful and difficult work to be done by kindness, by watching, by warning, by precept, by praise, and above all by example."

The bedrock of every great nation is built on great homes and great families.

MORRIS BASTIAN, Boise