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A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
6
November 29, 2012
Once again, this year, we were
dramatically reminded of how
important our police and fire
departments are to the sense of
security and peace of our everyday
lives.
The security these men and
women offer us, while often forego-
ing their own interests was brought
home last Thursday during the
Thanksgiving holiday when most
of us were home preparing for
friends, family and the traditional
turkey dinner.
Not so in Inkster where the
police force, recently reduced by
nearly half their number, spent
what should have been their holi-
day at the scene of a barricaded
gunman who had fired shots from
a handgun and refused to leave his
home. It was a tense and long, long
morning for thesemen andwomen
who called for assistance from
their SWAT team and followed
their training and protocol for such
instances. They attempted repeat-
edly to negotiate with the man,
using bullhorns and even throwing
a phone through a window of the
home in an attempt to make con-
tact with the man, who neighbors
and witnesses claimed had previ-
ously been treated for mental ill-
ness and showed overt symptoms
of aggression.
There they were, nearly the
entire force including Police Chief
Hilton Napoleon, waiting the man
out, hour after hour, while most of
us were thinking about basting the
turkey, whether the stuffing might
be salty or would the restaurant
hold our reservation if Uncle Cyril
was late as usual. We all got to
enjoy our holiday including the
minor stresses which we consider
just part of the day while these
police officers were wondering if
this barricaded gunman was going
to open fire on them at any minute
and would they be going home at
all that day.
That incident and several oth-
ers, which were no less dramatic
but far more mundane, which took
place throughout the area really
made us stop and think about the
subconscious sense of security and
entitlementmost of us share.
As we mentioned last week
when commenting on the officers
of the year awards presented in
many communities recognizing the
incredible work these men and
women do, most of us don't think
about the responsibility these peo-
ple bear until we need them.
While we are the first to
acknowledge the number of things
there are to be thankful for, we
know we didn't think about these
men, hunched down in the street,
using patrol cars as shields for six
long hours, ready to put them-
selves between an armed and dan-
gerous man and any innocent wit-
ness or neighbor.
Next year, we're putting them at
the top of the list.
A kid and a tiger don't make a
children'smovie. Trustme.
Just because the posters have a
teenage boy and a huge tiger in a
boat looming out at potential audi-
ences, this ain't a Disney trip to the
zoo to talk to the animals.
What is wrong with people?Why
on Earth would anyone take small
children to see a movie obviously
intended for adults with a theme so
deep, so thought provoking that
children in the audience would be
a major distraction from the mes-
sage?
Andwhendid it become funny to
see a raging, starving tiger bloodily
kill and consume a wounded zebra
in the back end of a lifeboat?
This is the kind of holiday enter-
tainment people choose for their
children these days? Seriously?
When I saw the first couple of
kids, I thought, 'Lady, you should
have looked into this a little more
before you chose this movie.' Then
there weremore andmore of them.
Pretty soon the hallway in the the-
ater was flooded with the little dar-
lings, throwing popcorn at each oth-
ers' mouths, screaming in voices so
high pitched that blackboard chalk
was wincing, laughing or crying at
decibels outlawed in several com-
munities and otherwise wrecking
havoc within their entire sphere of
reference.
Yeah, they were acting exactly
like children. Go figure.
My favorite game while we were
all crammed in the hallway waiting
for the theater to be cleaned (oh,
let's not discuss that, please) was
the I've-Got-Your-Shoe exercise.
Apparently, it works like this: As
soon as Mom, or whoever that very
oblivious adult was with them, is
distracted by talking on her cell
phone, which, by the way, was the
entire half hour we endured this
torture, you grab your brother's
shoe right off his foot and run
around like mad, screaming at the
top of your lungs, 'He's a stinky foot,
he's a stinky foot.' Your brother, or
maybe cousin or neighbor, whatev-
er, then runs after you, screaming
just as loudly, 'I am not, I am not,
and then starts to cry….really cry
and sob so vio-
lently his little
chest spasms
between every
yowl.
Apparently the winner of this
game is the one who makes stinky
foot cry the soonest or the loudest
ormaybe it's the onewhomakes the
adult companion get off her damn
phone and take care of the five chil-
dren younger than 8 she has in tow
to see an adultmovie.
But, hey, I'm not bitter or any-
thing, She was probably talking to
her liquor supplier or therapist.
My beloved spouse, upon finally
being allowed to enter the auditori-
um asked, “Where do you want to
sit. Let's go where there are no kids
andpeoplewon't be talking.”
Well good luck with that plan,
dreamboat. The theater was now
If you haven't seen them in the street yet, waving a news-
paper anddodging traffic, youwill soon.
The annual effort of Goodfellows groups throughout the
community is in full swing and the members are doing what-
ever they can to fund the annual effort that provides food,
warm clothing and toys for children at Christmas. They are
each very serious about their No Child Without A Christmas
campaign, and these men and women elevate altruism, dedi-
cation and charity to an art form. Each of them spends hours
on this program, attempting to help the less fortunate at this
time of the year.
They collect funding through various fundraising efforts.
In Wayne, for instance, they have a huge party at a local pub
to help the campaign, but the newspaper sale is the real lit-
mus test of howmuch each of the local groups will be able to
do for others every year.
After they host the parties, stand outside in the freezing
cold or rain and wave newspapers at passing cars, these
Goodfellows tally up their collection, negotiate with local
merchants and grocery stores for the best possible prices,
shop for toys, prepare the boxes of food and even wrap the
gifts for children. The distribution organization at some of
the local Goodfellows spots is reminiscent of a military oper-
ation. There is a purpose, they are all united behind the
effort and they all give as much time and effort as they can to
the work because they know, for sure, what their efforts can
mean to many families who would have nothing if it weren't
for their intervention.
Like the Salvation Army, and so many other groups who
work so hard to help ease the situation for some unfortunate
folks, these efforts are what make one proud to be a part of
suchan effort.
The Goodfellows don't have a corporate structure, they
don't have meetings every month and they have no enroll-
ment requirements. Anyone who wants to help is not only
welcome, they are needed. Their effort is this once a year
campaign to help during the holidays, to ensure No Child
Without AChristmas and theymean exactly that.
The need, according to most of them, is very great indeed
this year. The economy has been less than kind tomanymore
folks than most of us recognize. Goodfellows are still, in most
communities accepting applications for help, so those who
may need help, or know of a family with children that does,
can get information about applying from local township or
city halls.
The Goodfellows are undaunted by the enormity of the
task they face each year. They decide, quickly, who will col-
lect, who will negotiate, who will shop, who will handle com-
munication, boxing, wrapping, organization, applications and
finally, delivery, and then they spread out and go get the job
done.
When you see them in the street, waving the papers and
looking for a small donation, pitch in whatever you can.
These guys have earned it, and it will be used in a far better
way anddomore good than you could ever imagine.
These Goodfellows really mean it when they say, No Child
Without AChristmas, and they've earned their name formore
thanhalf a century.
Officers
deserve
‘thanks’
This is the kind of holiday
entertainment people choose for their
children these days? Seriously?
”
Their effort is this once a year campaign
to help during the holidays, to ensure
No Child Without A Christmas
and they mean exactly that.
”
Trip to the movies provides some extra ‘entertainment’
Goodfellows live up to their name every year
Annual 'Angel'
ceremony scheduled
To the editor;
We invite the public to a special
candlelight memorial, Angel of
Hope, in honor of our beloved chil-
dren that have gone before us. This
short but solemn evening of dedica-
tion and honor is set aside each
year on Dec. 6 in loving tribute to
the memory of our beloved and
greatly missed deceased children,
regardless of age.
The "Angel of Hope" also known
as the Christmas Box Angel Statue
was introduced to the world in the
book "The Christmas Box", a world-
wide bestseller and hit television
movie by author Richard Paul
Evans. In the fictional story, a
woman mourns the loss of her
child at the base of an angel monu-
ment. An angel statuewas commis-
sioned by Evans, in response to
reports that grieving parents were
seeking out the angel as a place
grieve and heal. The first statue
was dedicated on Dec. 6, 1994 in
Salt Lake City. As news of the
angels spread, people from around
the world contacted Evans so they
too could have an Angel erected
closer to them.
Belleville is one of these proud
homes of an "Angel" as of 2002. The
Angel is 4-feet, 3-inches tall, and
has a wingspan of 5 feet, 2 inches.
The public is welcome to visit this
monument which is located just
within Belleville's Hillside
Letters
See
Movie,
page 7
See
Letters,
page 7