After reading the farewell to the Occom Pond Party (“The Occom Pond Party is over,” Feb. 9), a victim of climate change, I’d like to add a tribute to Bill Young for his 25 years as the organizer of this wonderful event.
Every winter Bill has lived and breathed the party, leading volunteers with his boundless enthusiasm and vision of an event with outdoor activities for all to enjoy. He spent weeks, no matter the wind or snow, temperature or time of day, maneuvering snow, carving ice and organizing volunteers. Bill created this winter magic for the people of Hanover and the Upper Valley.
I know the Hanover Parks and Recreation Board and volunteers from up and down the Valley had a lot to do with the party, but Bill was the captain and the creative force. The man has a kid’s vision of winter fun and it’s been infectious. Bill made it happen.
Tom Kidder
West Newbury
Regarding Michael Brooks’ article about math anxiety being passed down (“Math anxiety is real — and we’re passing it on,” Feb. 9): I agree it is a problem, but one with a solution that does not require years of struggle with “fractions.”
Brooks introduces his complaint by talking about how difficult fractions are for students and for adults. He then continues by using Japan and Finland as examples where adults have much higher math skills.
Could part of the problem be that here in the United States we continue to beat our citizens silly with our absolutely insane system of measurements consisting of arcane units like feet, yards and miles?
We baffle our carpenters with 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 of an inch and then waste years trying to add, subtract, multiply and divide those absurd expressions.
Meanwhile, the kids in Japan and Finland using the metric system skip right by all that stuff and get on with truly understanding math by using the metric system.
Frank Lamson
South Royalton
Kudos to founder and editor Anne Galloway and managing editor Paul Heintz of VTDigger on their intelligent and painstakingly researched article (“Records: Fraudster had ear of Shumlin,” Feb. 2) regarding the Jay Peak Resort and the involvement of then-Gov. Peter Shumlin and 14 other former and current state officials, including six Cabinet officials and former Gov. Jim Douglas. Succinctly and chronologically reported, this story should be required reading about fraudulent Ponzi-like schemes; an eye-opening tale of breathtaking greed and arrogance of all involved.
Sharon Rich
Newport
On Feb. 15, the New Hampshire House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee held a hearing for HB 1077, a bill which would allow conversion therapy to be performed on minors. This bill is a disturbing attack on the rights of LGBTQ+ youth in New Hampshire and should be dismissed by the Legislature.
Conversion therapy is a discredited medical practice intended to alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of a child. Several states, including New Hampshire, Connecticut and Nevada, banned conversion therapy in recent years. In 2022, however, Republicans in the New Hampshire Legislature hope to make this homophobic practice legal in New Hampshire once again.
Today’s youth face an uphill battle when it comes to mental health. The pandemic has exacerbated many of the flaws in our health care system. Young people who are struggling with their mental health find it difficult to get treatment. These struggles are amplified for LGBTQ+ youth who face the risk of experiencing conversion therapy.
In fact, a recent study from the Williams Institute at UCLA found that LGBTQ+ youth who experienced conversion therapy were two times as likely to have thoughts of suicide and to attempt suicide compared to their peers who hadn’t. Those who experienced conversion therapy were also at a higher risk for drug and alcohol abuse.
LGBTQ+ youth in New Hampshire deserve legal protections from this cruel and dangerous practice. I urge you to go to the New Hampshire General Court website and register your opposition to HB 1077. Homophobia has no place in New Hampshire.
Miles Brown
Hanover
Too often we read heartbreaking accounts of child abuse and neglect. Most stories, however, never make it to the newspaper. Tragically, about 1,000 children every year are found by New Hampshire courts to be victims of abuse or neglect.
What can a compassionate, caring adult do to help these powerless children? You can make a difference. Become a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA).
A CASA is a trained volunteer appointed to represent the interests of an abused or neglected child, offering the child some stability during a chaotic and painful time, and providing the child with a voice in court.
There are numerous professionals who are part of the legal process, but only the CASA specifically focuses on what’s best for the child. The CASA meets with the child, parents, teachers, therapists and others concerned with the child’s well-being. Then the CASA determines what she or he believes to be the most appropriate action to take on the child’s behalf and presents a written report to the court. A case normally takes about a year, though some cases continue for longer.
I am a CASA and I know I have had a positive impact on the lives of the children for whom I have advocated. It has been a truly remarkable and rewarding experience.
Training for interested adults is offered periodically throughout the year. For more information, go to www.casanh.org or email speakup@casanh.org.
Jack Hurley
Claremont