Letters to the Editor for June 1, 2009

Show respect, please, in cemetery

To the editor:

Being born and raised in Baker County I come back to my hometown every year to visit and to help with Memorial Day. I have donated my time and money to help the cemetery look its best, something to be proud of.

This year I was appalled (at best) at the manners of some people who visited the cemetery where my family plot is. One family in particular drove their entire vehicles (two) onto the lawn, dropped the tailgates and (two) dogs and proceeded to have a family fun day. The dogs were allowed to go anywhere they wanted and they left their marks on many stones, along with their piles. The family was very loud and distracting, as I watched other families decorating their stones. At one point one of the dogs came up to me and jumped in my face.

Now I know that each person has their own way of remembering and decorating their family graves, but please, let us remember our manners. Have respect for the other families. Also, have respect for the people who take care of the cemeteries. Don’t turn on faucets for water and leave them on. Don’t make messes with your decorations and leave it for them to pick up. Don’t drive on the lawns, stay on roadways. Be quite and respectful.

Remember, this is a time when we are supposed to be honoring our fallen veterans and our family members. And most important: don’t steal. Families leave items that mean something to them; it is not for the betterment of ourselves.      

Joy Conro

Parma, Idaho