LETTERS TO THE
E DITOR Remember to thank a veteran on Memorial Day
To the editor: My best friend and I first met when we were in second grade. Little did we know that it would be the beginning of a lasting friendship filled with hopes, dreams and shared experiences.
Our “grade school years” seemed to pass quickly and we soon found ourselves in high school, where we both enjoyed participating in sports, especially football and basketball. I was prom king our junior year and my best friend was homecoming king our senior year.
When we were not in school, we enjoyed fishing and hunting, especially fall grouse hunting. Most generally, one of our parents would drive us to our favorite area of the woods, usually along sections of the Eau Pleine River, and then pick us up again later in the day.
It was on these occasions that we often found ourselves sitting alongside the river talking about life after high school. We planned to attend college, start our careers and eventually have families of our own. It was our plan to be each other’s best man at our respective weddings and godfathers to our respective children. Life was going to be good!
High school graduation finally came and we found ourselves in our freshman year in college, not knowing that life was about to change for us as a result of the “Viet Nam Conflict.” We both received our draft notices, and my best friend decided to join the Marines and I later found myself in the U.S. Army.
Over 50 years have passed since that time, and my best friend and I were never able to live out our boyhood dreams.
Yousee,mybestfriendisDennisJames Zwirchitz, U.S. Marine who, on March 16, 1968, lived up to the highest traditions of the Marine Corps for bravery, earning the “Silver Star” in giving his life to defend the lives of his fellow Marines while on patrol north of the Cua Viet River, Viet Nam.
“Semper Fi,” my best friend.
This Memorial Day, if you know a veteran, thank him or her for their service and sacrifice. If you do not know a veteran, just visit any cemetery, find a grave displaying an American flag — there are many to choose from —and thank God for their service to our country and the freedoms you enjoy.
Clayton Kattre Abbotsford
Planning underway for Farm Technology Days
To the editor: My name is Chuck Rueth, chairman of Farm Technology Days for Clark County. I am chairman for the July 12-14, 2022, Farm Technology Days event.
This letter is to inform you regarding the steps that will be taken and developed leading up to this big event. With hosting this event in central Wisconsin, this pulls people in from all over North America.
This is what has been done so far. We have drafted our executive committee. This is the main committee. We have people from all over the county represented on this committee. Each person of the executive committee will be comprising a letter, in our community papers, telling what their subcommittee will be doing.
In September 2019, we sent out applications for farmers to apply for being the host farm. The executive committee was very pleased with the six applicants that applied. The final decision was very hard to make due to the quality farms that applied.
In October 2019, the executive committee made the decision, at their media event, to give this honor to Roehl Acres located in Loyal, as well as Rustic Occasions. In cooperation with the host farm and the executive committee, the general location was made for tent city, parking and field demonstrations to allow for crop planting in specified areas.
In November, we went to a meeting consisting of several counties, including Jefferson, Eau Claire and Clark. This gave us the tools needed to start planning a 2022 event with a flare of our own.
The executive committee has created policies to follow in planning this event. A logo and letterhead have been created. It is “Clark County Where Tradition and Technology Meet.”
Throughout 2020 we have dealt with the COVID situation. This included learning to do Zoom meetings and hosting outdoors meetings. With doing these meetings, we are ahead of schedule per the master schedule for Farm Technology Days. This is a three year schedule. The hospitality committee will be attending the Eau Claire Farm Technology days and promoting our 2022 event.
Starting January through March, a budget needs to be developed, along with a state publicity brochure. The final maps for tent city, parking and field demonstrations will be finalized by April 1, 2022.
I have informed you of the planning sequence. In the future, there will be more letters to the editors explaining where we are and where we are going for each subcommittee.
If you are interested in helping with this event, more information will soon follow, or contact Chuck Rueth @ hosrueth@ gmail.com. Many hands are needed for a successful event. Many hands make for light work.
Chuck Rueth chairman, Farm Technology Days 2022
