LETTERS: BITTERSWEET MOMENTS

To the editor:

This is a letter to share a very special joy that I have been so privileged to experience. It also holds bittersweet moments, but I hope that if I've touched even just one person's heart this holiday season, I will know that a difference has been made.

It seem this time of year we turn our attention as parents to planning family events, holiday feasts and to our precious children. We try very hard to find that one special gift or two that will light up their faces as they rush through the wrappings that took at least five minutes or more to cover the anticipated treasure they were hoping to find.

As this season brings about such moments I call "memory makers," the faces of the children of families I have had the remarkable privilege of working with come to mind.

Many of you know I work with parents whose children have special needs and, in some cases, are faced with challenges beyond understanding. The strength I've witnessed in both the family and child at times has been overwhelming.

This is my gift to each of you and to the families I've come to know. It's the gift of faith, of finding resolve when none was felt to be left and the power of hope and love.

This holiday season those of you, of all ages, whose lives have been touched by a special-needs child can give those families and their children the gift of prayer. Generously offer your support when needed. A kind word or thought and friendship are gifts this season that cost nothing and yet are so enriching.

I give you peace and joy at this time of the year to last each new day.

This letter is in memory of a child who taught me a lot about life and unconditional love, Kevin Pfaff.

SUSAN J. ERNST, Parent Mentor for MPACT

Perryville

To the editor:

I was amazed to read of "Peg" Meyers' passing from this life. The world has lost a fine gentleman.

I've known Peg for nearly 50 years. I was just a kid when he used to come to the Salvation Army every week and give of his time to teach a bunch of us to play horns. We were kids from poor families, but Peg didn't treat us so. Instead he made us feel we were all important and that we could not only learn to play, but we could grow up to be anything we wanted to be. For that I must say, "Thank you, dear friend." Sleep well. I miss you already.

GOLDIE PENDER BENEFIELD

Cape Girardeau

To the editor:

All of us grow old and eventually are forgotten, but those who knew R.F. "Peg" Meyers will assuredly not forget him.

Much has been said about Peg Meyers' long and interesting life. There is still much, however, left to be said.

Peg Meyers touched so many lives that he will be long remembered for his expertise as a musician and as a writer. His close association with the renown Jess Stacy and his playing in the band with him for many years gave Peg much prominence in the states as well as in England.

The many years Peg Meyers worked at Shivelbine's music store he taught scores of students how to play musical instruments.

Peg made a special friend in England, Dirck Collier, a jazz enthusiast who followed Peg's career from his riverboat jazz to his writing of two books.

On one occasion when writing his first book, Peg Meyers visited with Dr. Walter Kempe of Tulsa, Okla. He was so impressed with Peg's subdued personality and knowledge that he taped his conversation as Peg read parts of his book. He continued to keep in touch with Peg's growing popularity, especially on account of his association with the many great jazz leaders.

Peg Meyers is now gone, but the memory of him will never die.

PAULA E. KEMPE

Cape Girardeau

To the editor:

On Oct. 26 representatives of the Sikeston Police Department and Sikeston schools met with our community to discuss solutions toward the Weed and Seed Project. The school system sees the child as the problem instead of being sensitive to possible problems and struggles at home. Many children come from homes where parents are involved in drug and alcohol abuse. Many children come from single-parent homes where the parent has to work several jobs to maintain the household. The school offers permanent expulsion as a solution to drugs and guns in school. What do we expect this expelled child to do all day long? How will he spend his time?

The entire community needs to come together to support programs to save our children. The Outreach Center offers home visits, counseling, tutoring, computer training, sports and physical fitness programs. Two children have been referred to the Outreach Center through the juvenile court. Due to confidentiality of the student's school record, Sikeston schools need to encourage parents to refer their children who have become victims of this society to the Outreach Center.

A vicious circle surround our children, because drugs come into our community. Our children don't bring drugs, guns or alcohol into the community. Drugs become a part of the child's environment through parents or friends of parents. A child brings these drugs to school. He is expelled from school and kicked to the curb.

We as a community need to come to that child's rescue. If we don't reach that child to correct that child, the drug dealer will reach him or her. If the child gets hooked on drugs, money will be needed for the drugs. That child will break into our home and steal our television, our lawn mower or our bicycle and terrorize our neighborhoods. Before long the city will be infested with this disease. Who has the problem now?

Expelling children and kicking them to the curb is prompting them to become criminals. Ninety percent of boys jailed for selling drugs are uneducated. Sikeston schools also discourage other school districts from giving an expelled student an opportunity to continue his education. Our state representative has been encouraged to present a bill to the Missouri Legislature disallowing a child, who has been expelled from a school with low tolerance and no alternative to this vicious cycle, a chance to be educated. This adds to our community problems.

An uneducated child will most likely become a resident of a prison or may die in crime after they have terrorized a city. We as a community need to support all our children, no matter what their background, with healthy opportunities to grow and succeed. Some of us make mistakes. This appeal is to you. Those who are perfect won't understand. Permanent expulsion may seem like the solution, because it encourages zero tolerance. But in reality it is denying the children who are environment victims of drugs, guns and alcohol an education.

D. FRIEND

Sikeston