The 'natural'

\You hear about "natural athletes" all the time. Not often does a natural coach come around. Coach Cheff is that man. As a teacher and coach, Coach Cheff has been there for our kids on the field and in the classroom.

Our son Tom owes much of his success on the field and in life to Coach Cheff. When Tom was ready to give up, he was there to encourage, build him back up and push him to the top.

He has always been there in the classroom and halls for other students who needed a strong advocate on their side and support to be successful at school and after they have graduated in life. We know of many kids who stuck it out and finished school because Coach Cheff was there for them.

With Coach Cheff, it wasn't about the winning, although that is always nice. It was always about the kids. We are losing a real treasure in Whitefish and the valley. Other coaches and teachers could learn a lot from him.

Thank you, coach, for the wonderful job you did for our four kids and all the other kids in the valley we have entrusted you with over the years. You will really be missed.

Tom and Cheryl Hodges

Whitefish

Hittin' the bricks

Last Tuesday, Realtors from the area picked up donated food to re-supply the North Valley Food Bank. How wonderful it was to see the spirit of caring and generousity displayed by our neighbors.

Last Sunday, many hit the bricks (actually asphalt and gravel roads) to drop off empty grocery bags at the houses of our assigned streets. Tuesday night was pick-up night.

As I parked my van at the head of my assigned street, my heart jumped. On every porch within eye sight were bags containing pork and beans, soups, corn, peas, pears, cereal, spagetti sauce, pasta and, yes, even Spam and so much more.

Some bags still contained the receipt from the grocery store. It was obvious some homeowners had shopped just to be able to provide food for the bags.

Those bags had more than food as contents — they were filled with love. When I brought in the bags, I could see the eyes of June and Betty become glassy as they accepted these gifts into the Food Bank.

"Many will benefit from these greatly needed gifts of sharing."

Then they told me of the generosity of Iron Horse. Fantastic. Pat yourself on the back Whitefish, you done good. Again.

Bill Milner

Whitefish

Life after

Downing Street

I would like to alert you to the introduction in the House of Representatives of House Resolution 375, a Resolution of Inquiry, which, if passed, will require the White House and the State Department to "transmit all information relating to communication with officials of the United Kingdom between Jan. 1, 2002, and Oct. 16, 2002, relating to the policy of the United States with respect to Iraq."

Please give this piece of legislation and the evidence found in the Downing Street Documents the coverage they deserve. The so-called Rove Scandal was, after all, caused by White House retaliation against a man who debunked some of the President's false claims to justify the war.

The Downing Street papers provide strong evidence that the White House worked for months to deceive the public and Congress. HR 375 gives the President the opportunity to clear his name and demonstrate that he acted in good faith. He ought to welcome the opportunity.

See www.afterdowningstreet.org for more information.

Tom Walls

Coram

Animal action

I've worked with humane societies around the state rescuing animals from puppy mills or breeding farms. I've worked with the Spay Neuter Task Force since the first one in Browning in 1995. I am a member of Montana Animal Control Association and have been for 14 years.

I've had training in Montana and Idaho for disasters, capture, laws, equipment, drugs, cruelty and animal behavior. I have been an advisory board member for our local shelter for four years. I board, groom and train pets and have for 30-plus years.

Our local animal shelter guilts the Humane Society into taking pregnant pets. The Humane Society gets pregnant animals so they can give birth even if it means cesarean. This fills their cages, brings diseases that cost healthy animals their lives and drains their funds.

What ticks me off most when a client brings me a dog is this picture — an elderly handicapped lady goes to the county shelter using a cane to steady her walk. She wants a companion, has no fenced yard and is on a low income. She is told this purebred yellow lab has been here since a puppy and his time is up.

She feels bad for this 8-to-10-month old male lab-husky and takes it home. Several collars, two harnesses and a bailed-for-running-at-large ticket later, she brings him to me.

Why would you take a chipper 80-pound lab, cross it with an escape artist just going into puberty and guilt this person into taking it? She will never afford to neuter it or control it.

It is the law that shelters have to spay-neuter the dogs. Why doesn't ours? In my opinion, they are adding to the over population problem.

Gee Weaver

Kalispell