Proud of Black Sands
Proud of Black Sands
It appears that Mr. John Wilkinson, out of anger and rage, has taken unfortunate incidents with neighbors and painted a whole community with one broad, black stroke, (no pun intended) in the Tribune-Herald (Feb. 13, Your Views).
He depicts our Black Sands community as consisting of “shacks and shanties.” The truth is that 98 percent of the residents live in houses with electricity, sanitation and running water. The “rutted roads” that he refers to are true. However, Mr. Wilkinson lives on the one road that we were able to fully pave with our very limited road maintenance fees.
True, there are “rusting cars where strays lurk” (I am assuming that he is referring to dogs). Fact is, we have reduced our abandoned vehicles by as much as 80 percent and stray dogs by 50 percent.
He wrote about, “the ravings of tortured wretches writhing in drug psychosis.” I have lived in this community for 32 years, and not once in all that time have I witnessed the aforementioned. True, some residents abuse drugs. Fact is, it was through community effort that a major drug element was forced out. It took three years.
He states: “Gangs of scruffy children hanging around the streets like swarms of flies circulate between kitchen and latrine.” Fact is that this community is blessed to have children who are talented artists, musicians, scientists, scholars (on honor rolls) and athletes.
It takes a community to raise a child. The children of Black Sands are making us proud. We might even have a future governor or president.
Finally, I invite you, Mr. Wilkinson, to take a tour of your community. Come with your wife to the monthly residents’ meetings, meet our community policing officer (Officer Brown), volunteer to help Jessica and Joel with the Malama Keiki program, volunteer to help Sheila in the community garden, become a member of Bruce’s road crew, and add your name to Randi’s Neighborhood Watch phone tree.
In other words, Mr. Wilkinson, be a part of the solution.
Carrie Kowalski
Pahoa
Fan of Tiger Woods
I miss Tiger! After having caused a traffic accident, Tiger Woods was divorced for flirtations and did not participate in a tournament for one year. He was always at the top of the world rankings. And he was a superstar of golf.
I want him to become the top golfer in the world again. He has admitted physical and mental problems and is 36 years old. But I think that he can overcome the adversity. I want him to become a superstar who gives a message of hope and big dreams to many children in all of the world.
Yoshitsugu Nitto
Hilo