Opinion

A local tribute on election night

Monday, November 13, 2006

When you're a political junky -- like I am -- the real fun comes on election night after the polls close. Months of waiting are forgotten as the final results come flowing in, sometimes faster than the mind can comprehend.

Thanks goodness Barbara and I have a little television set on the kitchen counter, just next to a radio. That's where I was last Tuesday evening, switching back and forth between CNN, Channel 10 in Lincoln and local radio coverage on KICX and Coyote Country.

For everyone who is passionate about politics and America's system of government, there are both triumphs and disappointments on election night. That was certainly true for me. However, of all the sights and sounds in the election's afterglow, the one which meant the most to me came during U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson's victory speech.

Amid his expressions of thanks, Sen. Nelson paused to pay special tribute to two angels who had a special part in his victory. He was referring to the members of his staff whose earthly lives were cut short by untimely deaths.

One was Sonny Foster. The other was a very special young man from McCook who served Sen. Nelson in western Nebraska. I refer, of course, to Scott Hoffman, who died tragically Feb. 8, 2004 at Barnett Park.

We will never know exactly what caused Scott's death, but we assume that he died while trying to save his dog, who had ventured into one of the ponds at the park.

Memories of Scott -- and his enthusiasm for life -- continue to inspire those of us who knew him during his growing up years in Maywood, his years at McCook Community College and his duties as city editor of the Gazette and as a staff member for Sen. Nelson.

CERT Training

These thoughts about Scott were on my mind when I heard about CERT, which is a program to help communities deal with disasters and emergencies.

So many people wanted to help the day that Scott went missing. Dozens gathered at the park, willing to do anything to help find their friend.

Perhaps nothing could have prevented his tragic death. But the next time the community faces an emergency, we need to be as ready as we can be.

CERT is definitely a step in that direction. Starting in January, Red Willow County Emergency Management will present a full weekend of classes to train community teams to self-activate following a disaster.

Classes will be Friday evening, Jan. 12, from 6:30 to 9:30; Saturday, Jan. 13, from 8:30 to 5; and Sunday, Jan. 14, from 8:30 to 4.

Anyone 19 or older is welcome to receive the training. To register, or get more information, you are encouraged to contact Dari Olson, the safety director at Community Hospital. She may be reached by phone at 345-8362, or by e-mail at dolson@chmccook.org.

CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team. In times of disaster, team members will make sure family members are safe, then help their neighbors. The training is free. It is a wonderful opportunity to prepare for service in times of community emergencies.

The Sagas Continue

In earlier columns, I have written about the "Precious Memories" book found by Linda Thieben, the administrative assistant at the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce, and the singing talents of Ginger ten Bensel, a former Miss Rodeo Nebraska who is now a news reporter for KHAS-TV in Hastings.

Now, I have more to report. The Precious Memories poet has been identified. Callers have confirmed that the rhyming author was Nanny Hamm Carter, a farm wife from Red Willow County. According to information received by Linda, Mrs. Carter and her husband moved to this area from Kentucky and settled on a farm south of Indianola. They had no children.

The copyright for the "Precious Memories" book was 1946.

"We've had fun with this," Linda said, referring to phone calls from people who still have copies of the 60-year-old poetry book. She expressed special thanks to Helen Helm of Cambridge and Teresa Stratman of Columbia, Mo., who were the first to identify Nanny Hamm Carter as the author.

You will remember Ginger, Nebraska's Rodeo Queen in 1981, as the composer and singer of "I Love Nebraska." She can now add other accomplishments to her resume.

When President Bush came to Nebraska on the Sunday before the election, Ginger was called upon to sing the National Anthem at the Heartland Event Center in Grand Island.

While awaiting the President's arrival, the screaming crowd of 7,500 kept Ginger on stage after her rousing anthem rendition to sing a few more numbers.

Ginger is also continuing to sing about Nebraska. She recently recorded four new tunes, including one titled, "Nebraska, You're in My Soul."

The recording has not been released yet, but is expected to be in the near future.

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