We would like to give out a few well deserved roses and some a notable thorn.

First, the Roses:

To Tusten Social — for their paving the way back to normalcy for our most singled out individuals, the youth and our elders. Following what seemed to be the collapse of any social interaction from the initial and ongoing Covid-19 Pandemics, fear and insecurity took root in the lives of many.

Now, after two years of planning and orchestrating activities and organizations, Tusten Social is changing the game in the safe socialization of the town of Tusten and its surrounding areas. 

To Ride 2 Survive — for never giving up on the fight for a better today and tomorrow for cancer patients and their families in the county. With diagnoses come many questions, including being unsure about how to afford transportation to and from necessary treatments and all that entails.

Ride 2 Survive puts the gears in motion to assist those who ask these questions, and their hard work and diligence to the empowerment of their clients is to be commended at the highest level. 

To the Sullivan County Volunteer Firefighters Association — for setting up yet another wonderful parade to honor our own ‘minutemen and minutewomen,’ our volunteer firefighters and emergency responders. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, our county’s bravest stand ready to protect and serve their community and beyond and the celebrations that highlighted their work and history on Saturday was nothing short of well deserved.

Now, the Thorn:

Threat Against Eldred School — for the 15-year-old student who interrupted school for their classmates on a baseless threat made via Instagram earlier this month. We hope this is a lesson to all young people across Sullivan County and beyond that threats such as these have great consequences and are not taken lightly. 

This a very serious situation and one which we should not take lightly. We were all young once and have learned lessons (some the hard way,) so we hope an encounter with our diligent law enforcement set some things straight and provided needed insight to how the world views claims that threaten violence against others.