September 8, 2003
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Dave Uphoff

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Something bad, something good in Minonk

With the start of school the Minonk community is coming alive again. The sound of children in the playground can be heard again, kids are hanging around more uptown at night just like I did 45 years ago. Unfortunately, this year's Labor Day weekend was a washout with 2 to 3 inches of persistent rain the entire weekend that ruined the Labor Day parade in Toluca and cancelled many outdoor barbecues. However, this weekend garage sales were held throughout the city with beautiful fall weather of warm, clear days and cool nights. It is the best time of the year in this area as festivals are held each weekend at different communities.

A sour note to report is the tree chopping incident at the northwest corner of Fifth and Maple Avenue. Before being stopped by an irate neighbor, several teenagers attempted to chop down a mature sugar maple tree around 11:30 at night after a football game . The excuse given for this senseless act was that this particular tree happened to be a tree where high school kids would gather to have a smoke before and after school. It was known as the "Smokers Tree". Apparently, the high school students who attempted to cut down the tree had a vendetta against the smokers and were going to cut down the tree to prove something. What, I don't know. I was told that some of the tree choppers were on the football team.

I was no angel as a teenager. However, I never tried to destroy other people's property, let alone cut down a helpless tree. I hope that the kids who tried to chop down that tree, stop and realize what a stupid act it is to destroy something that is irreplaceable. This tree was over 40 years old and cannot be replaced unless you want to wait another 40 years.

With the possibility of cuts being made to extra-curriculars in our school system next year, it is not a good public relations stunt for members of our football team to participate in acts of vandalism. People will start to wonder, if this is what our sports program does for our community, maybe we should take a second look. Someone once quoted that "Sports does not build character, rather it reveals character." If that is true, then maybe we should try to determine the character of our students before we let them particpate in sports. I think that those who participated in the tree chopping incident should be reprimanded not only by the school, but also should be cited by the Minonk Police Department. Vandalism cannot be tolerated in our community.

I thought that the circus held at Sutton's Park on Sunday afternoon was great entertainment for young and old. The weather was great and everyone seemed to have a good time. I thought that the opening dog act was particularly funny and so did the children as they roared with laughter. I love to hear the spontaneous, vigorous laughter of children.

The circus brought memories to me of the first and last circus that I attended in Minonk over 50 years ago. My Uncle Bill Baumann took his son Duane and I to the circus at the old Sutton's ball diamond which was located near the present site of the trailer courts at the north end of Oak Street.

Tonya Minz, who is the head of E.S.D.A. which sponsored the event, told me that the circus promoters were very pleased with the turnout of over 835 people for the two shows. She said that the circus usually comes back every 2 or 3 years and will probably come back to Minonk again.

The circus is a great family event well suited for a small community like Minonk and I would like to thank the E.S.D.A. volunteers for making it possible.


To reply to this editorial please send your comments to duphoff@minonktalk.com. Your letter will be published in the email section. Viewers are welcome to submit a guest editorial.