Last edited on Jun 23rd, 2006 08:38 pm by SaltyDog

Last edited on Jun 23rd, 2006 11:43 pm by S. Smith

Yall know it is not a good thing for me to sit back and be quiet.

Becky tried the angle that we are paying for ball fields for other towns.  She started asking questions about percentages of actual Summerfield players, how many come from GSO, Stokesdale,  etc.  First of all there are many houses that are addressed Greensboro that are actually in the Town of Summerfield.  Sorry Becky don't know the percentages, but if you added up your numbers based on a mailing list they would be inaccurate.  The numbers will be skewed because of the off season participation as well.  Thanks for clearing up the off season numbers, Bonnie.  And you know it is all about the "list" that you choose to use. Voter registration vs. land owners, whatever.

Second ~~ one of the best coaches we have ever had (11 years x 4 kids)  lives in Kirkwood in Greensboro.  His child not only takes advantage of SRA, but he as a father has dedicated HIS time to OUR kids of Summerfield.  He has coached all different seasons of ball and has even coached All Star.  If any of you have ever experienced All Star this is true dedication of  kids, parents, and especially coaches.  They rarely get a vacation because they are on the ball fields in the heat of the day with the kids from Summerfield.  Not in our back yard, but traveling, not 1 game a weekend, but sometimes two, three, or more a day.  So to start down the road to insinuate that there is something wrong with letting outsiders in isn't a good idea.  We need outsiders as much as our own.

A wonderful comment was made last night about there being people who could learn from our kids. I think nothing more powerful was said all night.  The kids do not exclude people.  They don't discriminate because of someone's address and they love their neighbors.  Children only learn hate when they are taught by examples from adults.  Children are not born with hate. Excluding children from other areas and being "Summerfield Exclusive" or trying to crunch numbers to make it look like we are paying for other people's kids to play ball is just ridiculous.  Why not work with other towns to benefit all children.  What difference does it make if you touch a child's life?  You just cannot just go through life thinking only of yourselves.  Children can teach you this. 

Dwayne wanted each family to sacrifice a dinner out once a month.  Says this would save the family $25.00 that they could put towards the ball fields.  OK last time I took my family to Burger King it cost me just a little over 32.00, and that was just the first time through the line.  Three of my kids went back for seconds.  Would love to know where I can take them for 25.00 or less. 

300.00 a year does not touch what it cost for 1 season of a sport for 1 child.  Have you checked the price of a baseball bat lately?  Do you know that children out grow them like they do shoes?  Speaking of shoes, well you can't wear flippers out there on the basketball court.  Any idea what the fees are for signing up for 1 season of ball?  I cannot even imagine the amount of money that goes to the GSO Batting Academy because we cannot practice hitting in our own hometown.  If SRA wanted to start training camps, where would they do it?  Let's take that money over to GSO too? Not to mention the gas cost of traveling outside of your hometown for games and tournaments.  Do the math.  Three hundred bucks doesn't touch it.

You have somehow been elected to budget my tax dollars, Dwayne, but it ticks me off that you are now trying to tell me how to budget my personal dollars and telling me how many times I should take my family out to dinner per month or what do with the money that I save by not doing so.  Well last night I saw what you were trying to do with my tax dollars when you voted against the majority, so I am pretty sure I don't need your advice on budgeting my personal dollars. 

For the council members and the 1 citizen that spoke about sweat equity.  Have you ever noticed what the Boy Scouts do in our area? What about the Girl Scouts?  There are quite a few organizations within our schools where the kids work for what they want.  There are also organizations outside of school that do the same. There is a big difference in kids making enough money to have a pizza party, go on a beach trip, or give to a charity to help others.  Those little t-ballers would have to sell a lot of lemonade to buy their own ball park.  When you were helping with the playground equipment, didn't you see the kids there helping?  Oh wait, well….. I guess not.

I recently read a book about a young child, Corbin.  Corbin has passed away, but before he did "Sweat Equity" came into his life.  He was a one of our own.   A local church of ours had a huge ski trip planned for the youth group.  The youth were very excited and they had worked really hard to get ready for their trip.  Not sure what was involved in the sweat equity, but it sounded like they had really worked.  They had raised their money and were looking very forward to going away and spending time with all of their friends.  It sounded like this was the highlight of the year for them.  they seemed very excited.  Along with their youth director decided that  they could take their ski trip money and buy this child a pony walker.  They gave up their trip so that a child one of their own could now walk.  They knew he wouldn't live long, but it mattered to them. 

  Talk about sweat equity and learning from our kids. 

I do believe that children have pride when they work for something and those of you who do know me know that my children know what sweat equity is.  My children know things are not handed to them and that they are to set goals for themselves and that they are expected to try to achieve them.  If they don't achieve them they benefit from what they have learned on that journey.  Which means it was worth it.  I certainly do not expect an elected official to tell me what I need to teach my children.  Guys that is not your job to mind our personal business. After the story about Corbin, and  kids I don't even know it leads me to believe that the other parents out there are teaching their kids about sweat equity without the help of the TC.  Ball fields are where they go to play after they have been good little citizens. 

Last edited on Jun 24th, 2006 01:38 am by Lacka