Kudos to Fuller

I would like to respond to the letter written about the job Jackie Fuller is doing as the current athletic director at Whitefish High School. I have been following the Whitefish Bulldog sports program for close to 30 years now and have watched the loyalty and true Bulldog tradition of past coaches and players.

Jackie Fuller's program is what all other programs across the state strive to be. Ask any former player or coach who has been a part of Jackie's program, and you will most likely get a response that has nothing to do with the actual sport but how her philosophy has taught them how to handle real life experiences.

My daughter, who is the current cheerleading coach, still gets to work 15 minutes early. Just something that was instilled in her from coach Fuller. No doubt she is tough, but anything worth achieving is going to take a lot of hard work that frankly the average person is not willing to do.

Jackie is the kind of person who is going to get things out of your child that they never thought was there. She also teaches tradition and loyalty — two characteristics that most employers demand in their workplace.

And as for the coaches who have decided to leave the Bulldog sports program, I am pretty sure it had nothing to do with Jackie's leadership. In fact, I think it would only be fair journalism to ask them.

I, for one, am thankful that we have someone with such a high level of integrity in charge of the Bulldog athletic program, and if just a little bit of her passion rubs off on the current and future coaches, players and parents, then we can look forward to a lot of success at Whitefish High.

John Michaels

Whitefish

Anon. letter

A few days ago, I received a letter mailed to my home that was signed "Members of the Whitefish Community." It cast stones and left no room for me to have any of the frailties we as humans innately possess.

The letter was addressed to me with razor-sharp criticisms that were intended to make me feel self-conscious about myself and the way "Members of the Community" of Whitefish felt about me.

Perplexed, hurt and shaken, I spent sleepless nights trying to understand the motivation of the author, who chose the guerilla warfare tactics of camouflaging themselves in anonymity and representing that theirs was a communal voice.

I began to think of what Whitefish means to me. For 20 years, my family has come to Whitefish for refuge, to commune with nature and spend precious family time together. I have come to know merchants and restaurateurs, tradesmen and ranchers, neighbors and friends.

I realized I can speak with providence that this anonymous author does not represent "Members of the Community of Whitefish." Members of the community have faces and feelings. Members of the community care for one another and appreciate the ever presence of God in our magnificent Whitefish vistas.

I can only conclude that anyone choosing to cast judgment anonymously lacks the sense of community, since the very word evokes sharing participation and fellowship. Thank you Whitefish, for embracing our family as part of your community. You are a blessing in my life.

Joan Busch

Whitefish

Streetscaping

I did business at The Village Shop in downtown Whitefish for nearly 28 years and still own most of the historic Orpheum Building, so I have a very strong interest in the future of both Central Avenue and Second Street.

I was lucky enough to sell The Village Shop a few years back to Tami Yunck, who went to high school here and wanted to return to Whitefish and raise a family. So, I think Tami and I are a good representation of the past, present and future of our downtown. Tami has given me permission to speak for her and use her name.

The Downtown Master Plan is all about the past, present and future — keeping our favorite characteristics of the past, looking at our present needs and melding them into a plan for the future. Our downtown needs to stay vital and competitive so our existing businesses thrive and new businesses want to be here.

Our master plan does this for us. It was conceived from the latest ideas of what makes a core business district work, succeed and prosper. It's all in that plan.

This town has been incredibly good to me. I've been honored to raise my kids, do business and give back to this community. I believe in this plan with all my heart and practical sense tells me the plan is good for business now and in the future.

Tami Yunck and I wish to thank our courageous city councilors and mayor for approving the bid to go forward with the rebuild of Third Street and Central Avenue as designed. Thank you,

Nancy Svennungsen

Whitefish