Love inside a shoe box
Once again, the generous people of Uniontown and surrounding areas have played a big part in the world’s largest international Christmas program for children. I’m happy to report that the Operation Christmas Child’s “Love In a Shoe Box” project collected 10,462 gift-filled shoeboxes in Uniontown during the week of Nov. 18-25 at Great Bethel Baptist Church. We packed the boxes onto 2 trailers, which headed to the Charlotte, N.C. processing center on Nov. 26. These boxes were, and still are, being distributed around the world. Operation Christmas Child is sending more than 6 million gifts to children in 100 countries. For many boys and girls, these will be the only gifts they receive this Christmas – and may be the only gifts they have ever received at all.
On behalf of Operation Christmas Child, I want to express our gratitude to the people who made this possible. First, the members of Great Bethel Baptist who work tirelessly all year to make it happen. I would like to thank the many volunteers who helped at Great Bethel working at the relay site.
Our hats are off to Parks Moving and Storage for storing the trailers, helping us load the trucks, the use of their dock and equipment, and for working on a cold weekend. Last, but not least, we would like to thank each and every participant who prepared a shoebox. Without your help, we would never reach our goals each year.
Thanks again to everyone who gave so generously. We look forward to seeing you again in November 2003.
Susan Jennings, collection center coordinator, Uniontown
Without facts, ‘war’ premature
The death of a 12-year-old is a great loss, not only to the parents, but to the whole community. I can understand everyone wanting to know why. I can not understand what is happening to this community now.
First, without even knowing any details, the family lawyer Joel Sansone went on television about how this was a white on black shooting. Then when he found out a black officer was involved he changed his comments to we need to find out what happened.
Second, the NAACP entered the fray to demand that there be three black members of the community be on the coroner’s jury panel. Another inference that a white cop shot a black boy. I don’t see them come out and help if a white boy gets shot.
Third, the NAACP demands immunity to criminals so “we can get all the answers.” Doesn’t matter that if immunity is given they can give any information and not be prosecuted.
Fourth, then we bring in a high profile lawyer which Mr. Sansone states so he can “go to war.” The family has every right to do this, but do we want a black and white war in Fayette County?
The state police have not helped this situation by not answering any questions about this tragedy. The family and the community have the right to know what happened to cause a 12-year-old boy to be shot in the back.
I am mad about the whole situation. I am mad that someone talked a 12-year-old boy into stealing a car. I am mad that that same person, who the NAACP wants to give immunity, is not only the one who talked him into this action, but left him in that alley and ran away.
I am mad that no matter how this case is resolved, the white and black communities in Fayette County are going to be further apart. I am mad that the next time someone in the community, either black or white, needs help the police or state troopers may think about being sued before they respond.
We need to find out what happened to this child. If anything wrong was done then the proper officials should respond. Starting a war is not the way to get the facts.
Paul Blatt
Connellsville