Letters to the editor-1/12/12

Shelter programs excellent but need support
To the editor,
Drew Jackson wrote an excellent front page article published in the Orange County Review Jan. 12, 2012 describing the success of the Coffeewood/animal shelter canine training program. It demonstrates how intelligent, dedicated individuals can cooperate to produce results that benefit not only the animals and those serving time, but all members of our community. We owe a huge "thank you" to animal shelter director Beth Hamilton and assistant warden Bobby Hickman for making the program a success. I urge you to read the article on the Review's web site at www.orangenews.com.
The Coffeewood program is but one of several programs initiated by Hamilton and administered by her small, dedicated staff. Other programs include cat and/or dog adoptions at four PetsMart stores and other sites in our area, spay/neuter assistance to Orange County residents, an effective and expanding volunteer program at the animal shelter, the transfer of many adoptable dogs to no-kill rescue organizations, and other small, but very important programs. However, Beth and her staff can't do it alone. It takes a village.
The animal shelter is supported by the humane society, dozens of dedicated volunteers and hundreds of citizens whose donations make the programs possible. Under Hamilton's leadership, Orange County can proudly and correctly boast that it has one of the best animal shelters in the country. Where else can you adopt a thoroughly-vetted, healthy cat or dog, up to date on all of its shots, spayed or neutered, micro-chipped, trained and ready to shower you with love, for about the same cost as taking your family to the movies or out to dinner?
Let me repeat: Beth and her staff can't do it alone. They must have our help. Can you walk dogs, brush cats, do the laundry, wash dishes, drive cats to or from PetsMart, foster kittens or dogs in your home for short periods, clean the van and on and on… If your job or your family duties make volunteering at the shelter impossible, can you help financially? There is a never ending need for funds--especially for the Emergency Vet Fund (EVF). Animals can't be adopted unless they are in good health and it takes money to get them well. If you can help, send your donation to Orange County Animal Shelter, 11362 Porter Road, Orange, VA 22960. You may designate the donation for the EVF if you wish.
One final thought: visit the animal shelter. You will be glad you did. It's a happy, welcoming place. The shelter is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and closed Sunday, Monday and Thursday. You will leave happier than when you arrived and with a greater appreciation of the staff and volunteers who work there.
Bob Cooke
Locust Grove

Missing Audibert’s voice in the paper
To the editor,
It is very intimidating to think of writing about Phil Audibert, the master of the short biography. I think that is what one might call the Insider profiles that Phil did of citizens of Orange County. I could not think of how to describe what Phil did for Orange and its people. Did we become so accepting of this unique talent that we thought life would be the same after his voice was silenced? Week after week I read the story of the citizens of Orange as brought to life by Phil and wished that I knew every one of them. I stopped collecting them after I had acquired maybe a dozen articles. What did I think I was going to do with them? Maybe one day meet these remarkable people. And they were all remarkable. And yet they were us. He seemed to see in each of us something that we didn't see in ourselves.
I am the happy owner of a book which Phil wrote and which is entitled "Local Folks - A collection of stories about people" published by the Orange County Review in 1989.
The forward says it better than I can:
"There is no way to prove it, but Orange County just may have more interesting folks per thousand than any place its size in the world. It's fertile ground for a feature writer.
Just about every week since April of 1987, Phil Audibert has published a feature story in the 'Country Living' section of the local newspaper, the Orange County Review. The B-1 page has profiled all manner of interesting personalities: coonhunters and country doctors, executives and artists, come tos and here befores, men and women, young and old, rich and poor, black and white.
This book is a collection of 38 of those articles. Choosing the best of the B-1s was a tough task. All of the subjects were interesting in their own way, and, we apologize to those who were left out. But the idea here was not to reprint all the Country Living articles, but to present you with a cross section of Orange County's best resource...its local folks."
When Phil was writing about us, Orange was Camelot. One of the lines of the lyrics of "Camelot" is: "There's simply not a more congenial spot for happily ever-aftering than here in Camelot."
Phil Audibert - you are great! We miss your voice.
Margaret Johnston
Locust Grove

Grateful for family feel of Orange
To the editor,
I came from the heart of New York City (South Bronx)-a big-hearted man with a goal to achieve something in life. The hardest part of growing up was staying out of trouble since I didn't have the support of a family when I needed it most. It made me miss out on what "family" was. Fortunately, I found that later when I came to Orange.
I left New York City at the age of 20 and moved to the Stafford area where the Aquia Harbor Police Department offered me a position as a police officer. I soon completed the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy with a Virginia law enforcement officer certification. I developed the basic fundamentals of police work-communication, community policing and respect.
Three years later, in 2009, the Town of Orange Police Department offered me a position as a police officer. When I was offered the position, both Chief Fenwick and Captain Truitt explained what they wanted from their officers. They used the expression, "We are the iron fist with fluffy gloves." Show respect to get respect and the gloves don't have to come off.
I explained to them what I wanted and told them I wanted to feel the family spirit I missed out on as a child and wanted them to teach me how to be successful in life. We all agreed and they guided me and became like parents for me on the job.
Now, as I choose to move on to new challenges, I want to thank not only the Orange Police and the Orange County Sheriff's Office, but also the Orange community for their respect. I'll miss everyone in the community, but when opportunity knocks at the door, sometimes you have to take it to continue to grow-both personally and professionally. I plan to continue my career in law enforcement since I enjoy working with the community and helping my fellow citizens.
Kevin Murrell

Hunting for Estey Organ owners
To the editor,
I am seeking information on Orange County individuals and organizations that owned, and possibly still own, an organ built by the Estey Organ Company of Brattleboro, VT. My research to date reveals that during its more than a century of operation, the company produced over 520,000 reed organs and over 6,200 pipe organs. Listed below are the local churches that are known to have owned Estey pipe organs. No local owners of Estey reed organs have thus far been identified.
St. Thomas' Episcopal Church (Orange) - 1904.
Orange Baptist Church - 1908 (destroyed in the Great Fire) and 1910.
Orange Presbyterian Church - 1911.
Orange Methodist Church - 1925.
Christ Episcopal Church (Gordonsville) - 1931.
The institutions listed above are being contacted directly, and the purpose of this letter is to locate additional Estey owners, if any.
Frank S. Walker, Jr.