Flowers are as much a symbol of mourning and heart-felt wishes for the peace of soul of the dead as they are of gaiety and happiness. Memorial Day is the day to decorate the graves of our brave and patriotic soldiers with wreaths, bouquets, flowers and garlands.

FREEDOMS' MEMORIAL

This day is set aside to honor those who took the chance to die.
But they have died in vain if we ever forget the reason why.

Freedom can be like time, slipping away before we even know.
But we all have the choice more, a duty to battle freedoms' foe.

Let us give thanks this day to all those brave who paid the highest cost.
Not take it for granted and realize it easily could be lost.

By Del "Abe" Jones [Copyright, 1991]

If we didn’t have memories, life would be a bit dull.  We really should only remember happy and pleasant events that have happened in the past. Memories are a gift God has given us to keep alive those people we have loved and are no longer with us.

Memories of first dates and senior proms are among some of our lasting images. Glimpses appeared of when we could run and jump and feel that life was a journey that would never end.  Death was far from our thoughts or vocabulary.

By: Maxie Kordes

Strolling up and down the hills of 1054 North
we wondered if those that drive really see it worth.

Throwing out their old, worn rugs.
Pitching glass or plastic jugs.

Rolling tires down shallow banks.
Tossing cans from which they drank.

Is this any way to thank, our dear old, Mother Nature?

And then the 5-gallon paint buckets let fly,
four of them, we all wonder "Why?"

A steering wheel cover aside the road,
was it too much of a heavy load?

Cigarette butts sprinkled and dumped.
This has got all of us stumped!

Is there a shortage of garbage cans?
Don't people know that littering is banned?

Only four miles of road did we tread.
Twenty-one people and 42 bags fed.

We apologize to Mother Nature today.
And hope it doesn't end up the same littered, old way.

Dear Editor,

Five members of the 4-H Crossroads Club cleaned up five miles of Highway 10 and New Hope Road on March 23, 2013. We picked up 20 bags of trash. There were a lot of bottles, cans and fast food containers along the side of the road. Remember to keep your trash in your vehicle until you get home or you can throw it away in the proper trash receptacle. Help keep Pendleton County clean!

Sincerely,
Autumn  Ferguson, Leader 4-H Crossroads Club

Dear Editor,

On Saturday, March 23 several volunteers for Project Grad came out to pick up trash along Hwy 27 North in Pendleton County. We were thankful for the dry weather and worked all day to clean our area highway. The money we earned will pay for a safe night of fun for our graduating high school seniors.

With our children graduating and moving on in their lives, we sincerely hope that they have all learned from the litter abatement program through the years. Our entire community benefits in many ways -- those who see first-hand the effect that littering makes, those who drive our roadways and those who live here.

Thanks,

Jenny Schlueter,
PCHS class of 2013, Team Leader

Dear Editor,

After only a few short months it was once again time to clean our roads. We were truly shocked to have collected 14 bags of garbage after only a short period of time! The main item we picked up was empty beer bottles. Drivers be sage when traveling on the back roads of Pendleton County.

Debbie Collins,
Knoxville Baptist Youth

Dear Editor,

On Saturday, March 23, the NJROTC unit form Pendleton County High School cleaned the entire length of Route 22, from the Grant County line to Route 27. The 31 NJROTC cadets were joined by five members of the eighth grade ROTC Club from Sharp Middle School and 10 chaperones. The group filled 99 bags with trash and picked up multiple tires and other oddities such as basketballs, glass sheeting and various tools. Additionally, 12 bags with aluminum beer and soda cans were taken to a recycling center instead of unnecessarily filling our local dump.

During the clean-up, tow very generous gentlemen stopped to talk to the cadets, thanked them for their work and each made a very generous donation to the NJROTC unit.

At the end, when counting the trash bags that were filled during this five-hour evolution, it was disheartening to see that the road was already littered with several freshly discarded cans and bags from the local fast-food establishments. How can people be so uncaring?

To the residents for Pendleton County: Please help keep our roads clean.

Joel Nahari

Dear Editor,

PCHS girls softball was given the opportunity to pick-up trash  on Hwy 17. This event was an amazing eye opener for us, we had nine players, two moms and three coaches covered Hwy 17 from the Pendleton County line to the Kenton County line (10 miles). We picked up 96 bags of trash,  five tires, a windshield and multiple other car parts. The two surprising issues were we picked up over 500 beer bottles and cans and 25 hard liquor bottles in this area. We were thanked by several residents in the area. This event made us all more of the reason to put trash in the proper place.

Thanks,
Samantha Smith,
Senior Team Captain

Dear Editor:

May is National Foster Care Month, a time to come together on behalf of over 7,000 Kentucky children who are living in foster care because their own families are in crisis. This month provides the opportunity to thank the foster families who provide homes and love to children who need them. Foster parents often become the substitute family for the youth regardless of how long they stay – be it an hour or a lifetime.