Committee invites participation in Waterama pontoon parade

From the 2024 Pontoon Parade Committee:

Robbie and Emily Hyland, Bryan and Becky Taffe, Kristal and Adam Wendt

We’re writing to invite all area businesses, organizations, and family and friends to become a part of the upcoming 68th annual Waterama lighted pontoon parade on July 27th. Deck out your pontoon or boat for our community to enjoy!

This year, join us for an ‘Out of This World’ pontoon parade. Grab your spot along the Lake Minnewaska shoreline and witness a galactic display of space-inspired lights.

But we can’t make this event a success without the help of our local businesses, organizations, and family and friends. Join the party at waterama.org/form-pontoonparade. We updated the prize categories this year. We now have two categories: 1) business category and 2) organizations and friends and families. Each category will have first, second and third place cash prizes! Once registered, your space mission is to have a blast decking out your boat with the brightest lights and space-tacular theme to win over our judges.

Don’t space out and miss out! We can’t wait to make this year’s pontoon parade the talk of the galaxy.

Former president shows what he thinks of military service…

From Jim Thoreen,

Glenwood

Last month former President Donald Trump is reported to have recalled to a crowd in Las Vegas some elements of one of his trips to France, where he said this: “I’m standing there with generals military people (as if generals are not military “people”) in a cemetery, and I look at graves and say “These people are suckers and losers.” If he carries this perception of people who died for our country, what will he say to living Americans should he be elected President?

Now if you are an ignorant, perhaps mentally-health-challenged person, or simply very stupid; it seems that keeping one’s mouth shut would be the wiser choice when viewing graves of American war dead. No U.S. President who understands anything about history could conceive of referring to our military dead as “loser or suckers”

I was drafted in 1968, served in the Army for two years and did not serve in Viet Nam. The Army decided that I should serve as an instructor on the Pershing guided missile at Ft. Still, OK. However, some of my high school classmates served in Viet Nam. More than one came back in a body bag.

Leo was one of those classmates. He died protecting his fellow soldiers, for which he received posthumously the Silver Star.  So, in Trump’s mind was he a “loser and a sucker?”

Why does anyone believe that a man who thus regards our men and women in uniform can lead us in times of grave challenges for which military action is one, or perhaps the best, response?

No. The better choice to serve this nation is President Joe Biden. Does he have shortcomings or lack a “spring in his step?” Some would say “yes”. The debate on June 27th for many viewers was stunningly bad for the President. Were Trumps’ answers to questions “stunningly ‘good’”, or were they incomprehensible? Don’t let “The Donald” anywhere near the nuclear button.