Letters to the Editor 1-17-13

Appreciation
Editor: Surfing across my post-season desk is the program of the 29th annual Senior Appreciation Dinner, weeks past. I keep waiting, every Thursday, to read some old lady’s or gent’s thanks for that grand affair. Am I the only one to written in thanks?
Not only was it a very fine dinner — delicious and hot — but it was pleasant to recognize so many familiar locals helping out plus the young people.
What have I done to contribute to my community that I deserve such thanks? Not much, having settled here as a senior! But anyhow, many thanks to all you fine contributors, money-wise and labor. Some day you too will be a senior.
Doris Golden
Healdsburg
HYSL positive momentum
Editor: Thanks in part to the perseverance of  a group of individuals and the generosity of our community, the Healdsburg Youth Soccer League is once again seeing growth. Ten years ago, HYSL served over 600 kids in the Healdsburg and surrounding areas. While we are no where near that number, largely due to the changing demographics of our small town, the last two years have shown increases in participation. We want to keep this positive forward movement and need additional manpower to do so.  
Implementing new AND old, tried and true programs, bettering communication within the community, and providing a developmental soccer program for players and coaches are all within reach. If you have ideas or suggestions, swing by one of the regular monthly meetings and let your voice be heard.  If you know how to take notes and have a few hours a month to give, consider relieving our current secretary so that she can concentrate on another area within the program. If you can spend a bit of time compiling information to submit to our website host, let that be your volunteer effort.  
HYSL’s next meeting will be held on January 21, at 7 p.m. at the Healdsburg Senior Center. During this first meeting of 2013, we will be appointing new board member positions. If you are interested in serving as a board member, please contact Lindsey Brown at li******@so***.net. If you would like to get involved in other ways, please stop by the meeting or contact any one of us via www.healdsburgsoccer.org.
In 2013, we are looking forward to fields full of players and a thriving youth soccer program. Please consider being an integral part of HYSL.
Lindsey Brown, Rachelle Kozel, and Christie Sweeney
HYSL Board Members
Mr. Healdsburg 2013?
Editor: Being Mr. Healdsburg during the last year has been a great way to express and enjoy the love I have for my home town. Thanks to everyone who helped make it such a good time for me!
My reign is almost over, but I have one lingering duty; to find a successor! Several great candidates have already stepped up, but there are still a few slots to fill.
Why compete in the Mr. Healdsburg pageant?
1) Boatloads of fun. Big fun. Fun you will talk about for the rest of your life. Winners and losers -everyone has a blast at this thing!
2) This is one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for our beloved Raven Theater. The theater and your community need you!
3) Promote your business, interests or a favorite charity.
It’s easier than you think. It’s all for fun so no “real” talent is necessary -just the desire to have a good time. Meetings and rehearsal time are minimal, but the staff support is tremendous. If you should be fortunate enough to win, then the obligations are also fairly minimal. Most ‘appearances’ you do for the fun and glory of it (yes, more fun!).
The pageant is on February 23. So guys, do yourself and the theater a favor and participate. Applications are at the theater or I can send you one.  I’m here to help you get ready and answer your questions. Please feel free to email me. Thanks!
Chris Herrod 2012
Mr. Healdsburg
Raven roundup
Editor: I would like to thank all of the Raven’s volunteers and donors for their enthusiastic support throughout 2012. We presented approximately 130 events last year, including performances by our own resident companies, the Raven Players and Philharmonia Healdsburg. We hosted nonprofit performance groups such as H-Town Youth Theater and Healdsburg Ballet. Children from every school in Healdsburg and our surrounding valleys attended multiple performances at the Raven.
As a nonprofit organization created to serve our community, roughly half our income comes from ticket sales, and we depend on our donors for the remaining half. We also count on our 100-plus volunteers to serve our audiences, promote our activities, and generally work behind the scenes (literally and figuratively) to keep things running smoothly. We are so very grateful that so many people consider us a valuable part of Healdsburg’s culture.
2013 will be another exciting year for the Raven. As I write this, Eddinger Enterprises is working in the theater on our stage remodel, opening up our backstage area to better serve our performers. This is the first step in a multiyear program to improve our facility, both for the audience and for the people who appear on our stage. While only the performers will notice the first set of changes, our audiences will appreciate the improvements and expansion slated for the next steps in this improvement process.
I look forward to seeing you at the Raven this year, either as a volunteer or in the audience — or both!
Richard Norgrove, Sr
President, Raven Performing
Arts Theater
My wife the boxer
Editor: The fight game is fixed. Always has been, and chances are, always will be. Profits over People. The fat cats stay fat, and the mice scramble for the crumbs.
In the blue corner, my wife. A woman of faith and undeniable skill. Salt of the earth. What you see is what you get. Honesty. Integrity. She fights her fights for what is right, honest, and true. Slight in stature, a lightweight, but a proven veteran not afraid to go a few rounds with the heavyweights. Her fans are the ones that know quality. Her fans are the ones that know the real deal when they see it in action. She has many fans, and I’m her biggest.
In the red corner, the naysayers.  The ones that continue to get in the way of any real progress. The ones that benefit in some way from a broken system and continue to perpetuate it. The ones that have their own agenda more times than not driven by greed. The ones not afraid to throw a cheap-shot because they’ve gotten away with it in the past. The ones that work the system for all it’s worth. Boo! Boo! There is no longer a place for you.
So, for those of you in a fight, or those of you watching one from the front row way back to the cheap seats, work hard to un-fix the game. People before Profit. And more importantly, fight for what is right.  
Paul L. Hansen
Healdsburg
Confusing direction
Editor: I can understand the City wanting to make Foss Creek Circle a one way but why in the direction they chose? If it was to make anyone dropping mail off at the boxes dizzy then they have succeeded, and in my estimation created a dangerous situation as once the mail has been dropped off it’s just logical to make a right turn. In spite of all the posted signs I have found myself making a right turn on several occasions. Considering where the mail boxes are located, it would have made more sense to make the northern corner the entrance.
Marlene Hogden
Healdsburg