I’m not really sure that Upper Valley residents who are having a really hard time finding affordable housing or seniors on fixed incomes, faced with seemingly constant rising prescription, utility and heating costs, are particularly exited about the front page news (Oct. 30 “Preparing a white carpet”).
First of all I question whether a ski trail is worthy of front page news, but I’ll defer to the editors who supposedly know what is really important for people to know.
I do however see a problem with the sub headline that rather prideful announces that this was a multi-million-dollar trail. Announce the trail, fine, but for people struggling financially don’t flaunt wealth. I’m glad this will be a boon for Upper Valley’s Nordic skiers but multi-million-dollars?
George Armstrong
Lebanon
Hunger in the Upper Valley is real
Liz Sauchelli’s report on Sept. 12 about Upper Valley food insecurity shed light on an urgent issue in our community. Local food pantries are seeing record numbers of visitors, many of whom have never had to use a food pantry before. The charitable food system, which includes dozens of social service organizations working together to provide free food to community members, is struggling to keep up with the need.
Why is the need so high? Pandemic-era assistance programs ended at the same time as inflation drove up food prices. Families have significantly less money available to spend each month. U.S. Census data shows that Vermont and New Hampshire had the steepest income declines in the country.
This is an urgent issue that organizations like Willing Hands are working to address. Willing Hands has been working to reduce hunger in the Upper Valley for almost 20 years. Its model is highly collaborative: it partners with dozens of food donors, including local farms, businesses, grocery stores and more, which generously donate surplus fresh food. Then, it delivers the food for free to almost 80 social service organizations, including food pantries, veterans’ organizations, income-eligible housing sites and many more. The goal is to meet people who are already receiving other services to lower the barrier to accessing free, fresh food.
As a board member at Willing Hands, I have the privilege to witness this critical community work up close. Recently, I rode along in the Willing Hands truck as it picked up and delivered food throughout the community. When the driver, Tim, handed a box of fresh produce to a food pantry volunteer, it was not merely a transaction. It symbolized our community’s collective care and belief that everyone deserves to be nourished. That box of produce was donated from a local farm and harvested by volunteers. It was organized and transported by a 100% community-funded nonprofit. And it will be enjoyed by neighbors and friends who might not otherwise be able to put fresh food on the table.
I hope more Upper Valley residents will consider joining Willing Hands in this work.
Suzanne McDowell
Norwich
The US should get out of Israel
The situation in the Middle East is insane. The Hamas attack on Israel was truly awful. Of course they are angry. But does that give Israel the right to bomb Gaza back to the Stone Age? I don’t think so. They have flattened entire neighborhoods, killing thousands of civilians, and over 3,000 children. They have even killed 59 United Nations staff members, and 24 journalists, and these numbers will climb dramatically during a ground invasion.
Unfortunately the United States has become a partner in this madness. We send Israel over $ 3 billion a year in aid so they can spend it all on weapons. We build their F-16 fighter planes. Now we are proposing to send them an additional $14 billion of borrowed money so they can purchase more weapons, even as we deliver planeloads of ammunition and missiles to their airbases.
We have to get back to spending our tax dollars on items and programs that will have a positive impact on people’s lives.
Israel has oppressed the Palestinian people for decades, and now they have imposed a complete blockade of food, water, medicine, and fuel on the Gaza Strip. It is the modern version of a starve them out siege from the Middle Ages. Instead of a cease fire, the U.S. is proposing a “humanitarian pause” in the bombing. So they will bring in some aid today, and start the killing again tomorrow.
Israel says it doesn’t target civilians. With over 8,000 killed, they need to work on the accuracy of their “precision-guided” weapons. Prime Minister Netanyahu and his entire cabinet should be indicted for war crimes. I truly believe that our presence in the Middle East is not benefiting anyone, and is only making the situation worse. It is time for the U.S. to get out.
Dave Taplin
South Strafford
Seeking common sense on guns
I don’t mean to seem unappreciative of the myriad invitations from gun-control advocates to avail myself of their “common sense,” but, given their naive and superstitious belief in the benignity, trustworthiness and competence of government, the quasi-magical efficacy of legislation, and the moral agency of inanimate objects, my own belief is that it would be better to look for common sense elsewhere.
Anthony Stimson
Lebanon