Support appreciated

Dear Editor,

On behalf of the Special Operations Association, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the good people of Red Willow and surrounding counties for participating in the Col. George C. Morton Memorial Scholarship Fund Commemorative Pistol Set Raffle, by purchasing tickets at the Red Willow County Fair.

We even had folks who were visiting here from Colorado, Kansas and Wyoming, participate. Your unselfish willingness to participate calls to mind an old poem I would like to share with you:

"AN HONEST PRAYER"

Oh Lord, lest I go my complacent way,

Help me to remember that somewhere out there

A man died for me today.

And, as long as there be war, I must ask, and answer,

Am I worth dying for?

While we were not fortunate enough to bring the pistol set back to this part of the country (it was won by a California woman who had just retired from the U.S. Air Force), we did avail ourselves of the honor of participating in a program that helps to support scholastic achievement for the prodigy of those who protect our country and our freedoms, many times with their very lives.

For your information, nation-wide, the Scholarship Fund took in an approximate $4,150, with approximately 8,500 tickets being sold.

The total amount of tickets sold in Nebraska was 566, with a total of $2,730 taken in, or, 6.58 percent of the nationwide total.

Finally, I would certainly be remiss if I didn't say a very special "Thank You" to the McCook Daily Gazette and its fine Regional Editor Connie Jo Discoe, without whom I would never have been able to get out the word about the program in a timely fashion.

I would also like to say a special thanks to my sister June Lee Davis and nieces Kim, Kandie and Kerri who were indispensible in their help with sales.

Again, my utmost gratitude to all of you who participated!

Warm Regards,

Don Benjamin

Wauneta