Posted: Sunday, October 5, 2008 12:00 am
Tax dollars well spent with Master Gardeners
On behalf of the Linn County Master Gardener Association, I wrote the argument for the Oregon Voter's Pamphlet in support of Measure 22-81 to establish a funding source for the Linn County Extension Office:
The Master Gardener program is one of many quality OSU Extension programs available to Linn County residents. Linn County Master Gardeners are your neighbors and friends. We help you with gardening problems and show you how to keep our environment balanced with sustainable gardening practices. We help you raise good fruits and vegetables for your family and to enhance the healthy landscape of your home. We teach classes and help with community projects. Volunteerism is our foundation.
In 2007, Master Gardener volunteers helped 5,000 Linn County residents learn to grow their own food, conserve water, identify weeds, insects and diseases with sustainable gardening programs that use alternatives to pesticides, and to compost food and yard waste. Master Gardener volunteers taught 45 gardening classes in 2007, helping 625 participants. Since 2000, there have been nine educational garden tours at 56 local gardens that attracted 2,400 participants. During the last 10 years, 200 Linn County volunteers have completed the eleven-week OSU Master Gardener training. Each Master Gardener volunteer contributes a minimum of 66 hours of community service in Linn County. In 2007, the dollar value of those volunteer hours was $67,000.
Master Gardener volunteers teach gardening and composting techniques to residents in numerous Linn County cities. In 2008, these volunteers spearheaded children's gardening programs at the Albany Boys & Girls Club, North Albany Middle School, and Seven Oaks Middle School in Lebanon, helped establish a Farmers Market in Brownsville, planted donated flowers and shrubs at the new Linn County Veterans Memorial at Timber-Linn Park and they are at the other end of the telephone when home gardeners call the Extension Office for free help with gardening questions.
There is no other program where your tax dollars are available to so many for so little. Vote yes on Ballot Measure 22-81.
Marti Olsen-Haworth, Albany
We must not compromise on civil rights
Robert Maranto's attack on purported "liberal intolerance" (Sept. 28) confused being willing to discuss the issue with being willing to concede the compromise of our neighbors' civil rights.
I am willing to discuss anything with anyone. I am not willing to have dogma established as public policy when it harms my friends and family. I even defend the civil rights of people I disagree with.
Maranto claims that churches have a right to practice their "sacred beliefs" outside their religious programs. When they run schools, for example, and take our tax dollars for programs of education, those programs must serve the public equally. If they don't want to take the tax dollars and are only serving their own members, they can practice their "sacred beliefs" as much as they wish.
The idea that gay marriage poses a threat to marriage or healthy child development is observably false. The idea that it would be "disruptive" socially is insane. Essentially nothing would change and gay and lesbian people are far less obvious than are those with darker skin.
I would be glad to help anyone understand why the Bible does not condemn homosexuality or why being for religious freedom means being for the freedom of other people's consciences. We should never be voting to limit anyone's civil rights as though inherent rights could be subject to popular prejudice. Intolerance of your neighbor for disagreeing with your religion is unacceptable in America. I will not tolerate intolerance.
Rev. Donald R. Caughey, Corvallis