Letters for Saturday, March 22, 2008

• Congrats Kaua‘i swimmers

• Calling all tutus and caregivers

• Albatross hovering mean over-developing?

• Can Obama proscribe rantings?

Congrats Kaua‘i swimmers

Congratulations are in order to the Kaua‘i swimmers who qualified to swim at the recent Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association’s State Swim Championships.

Swimmers put hours of training and dedication into a sport that so often goes unnoticed. Each year many age-group swimmers take a break from their respective swim teams and join their high school’s swim team. There is much controversy over this. However, if you are a teenager, the pride of swimming for your own high school is an amazing feeling; wearing the colors of your school; donning a cap of green, red, yellow or blue. It’s about being part of a team and not just about yourself. It’s a time when all the hard work has finally paid off and these swimmers can lead their teams with honor.

There were 16 swimmers who represented two high schools from Kaua‘i. Two girls from Kapa‘a High School and two boys from Kaua‘i High School swam in both individual events and in relays; the remaining 12 swimmers swam in relay events. Our two high schools cheered each other on as these swimmers raced against themselves and their opponents. It was the Kapa‘a Water Warriors and the Kaua‘i Red Raiders racing to improve their own times. And that they did. Kapa‘a swimmers moved up in rank in all but one race and improved their times in four out of eight events. The two individual girls improving in one race each. The Kaua‘i High School swimmers moved up in rank in every one of their swims; the boys improving both of their own personal best times as well as their relay times.

The swimmers from the Kapa‘a boys relay team are: Aaron Belmonte, Anderson Dreisch, Dylan Haight and James Hitchcock. The girls relay team swimmers are: Kara Dastrup, Kaitlyn Jarry, Tania Rames and Emma Rausch, with Rames and Rausch also competing in individual events. The Kaua‘i High School girls relay swimmers are: Casie Ford, Tory Kobayashi, Trisha Lamay and Mary Tausend. Kaua‘i boys relay team swimmers are: Tyson Chihara, Aaron Pigott, Matt Ross and Kelsey Tanaka. Chihara and Ross also competed in individual events.

Thanks go out to coach Jeremy from Kapa‘a, and coaches Imberski and Stein from Kaua‘i High. These swimmers had a great season. This is a success story. Maybe they didn’t make it to the finals, but their hearts did. I know because I’ve been there.

Meaghan Sims

Koloa

Calling all tutus and caregivers

Are you familiar with the traveling pre-school Tutu and Me?

I am a caregiver for a 3-year-old boy. I thank God for Tutu and Me.

Although it’s only for two hours, twice a week, I have learned so much on how to use at least two hours helping this child learn. I even use it at home.

He’s learning math skills, science, writing, art and even music.

They even have healthy snacks for the kids where they learn personal hygiene, table manners, pouring their own drink and even cleaning up after themselves.

God’s word says, “We are to train a child in the way he should go and as he gets older he will not forget.”

Not only spiritual training but also training of the mind, emotions, characters and intelligence. To educate them.

We even go on field trips, to Fern Grotto, and even participate in an Anahola Beach cleanup, to teach them about the environment. Good fun.

It’s an awesome program. I encourage you to check it out.

Lynette Viluan

Kilauea

Albatross hovering mean over-developing?

I live across from that area in question and this year, for first time, the albatross hover over and I suspect it’s due to over developing Princeville’s green land. They are searching for new places to live. They don’t have many choices. People do.

Barbara Beissert

Kilauea

Can Obama proscribe rantings?

This is in response to William Clark’s letter (“On race rantings,” Letters, March 20):

I find it interesting how folks like Clark are so quick to overlook the fact that Barack Hussein Obama has been a member of the radical Rev. Wright’s church for 25 years and we are now expected to believe that Obama doesn’t agree with his racist anti-American beliefs? Why did Obama stay in that church if he didn’t condone Wright’s rhetoric? Did Rev. Wright just recently come to these opinions or are these long held and deeply felt? This is the man Obama asked to marry him and to baptise his children.

I my opinion, Obama is trying to distance himself from his minister only now because he is running for president and knows that such views will alienate all but the most radical of black racists. Is this the sort of man we want to lead our country?

J. Manawai

Kekaha