The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 114, No. 29, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 15, 2004 Page: 3 of 24
twenty four pages : ill. ; page 13.5 x 11.33 in.View a full description of this newspaper.
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THE CANADIAN RECORD
TNURSDAY15 JULY 2004
3
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A foreign exchange
program success story
Dear Nancy,
I READ IN THIS PAST WEEK'S Canadian Record your Petticoat
Patter column concerning AFS, the exchange student organization. I
wanted to share with you some of my experiences.
I am a volunteer for the Texas Gulf Coast branch of AFS. Several
years ago, when my youngest daughter was graduating, I deeided
that I was not ready to be by myself, so I began to think about possi-
bly hosting an exchange student.
I remembered years ago when the Wilsons had an exchange stu-
dent from the Netherlands.I spent one evening with her. I was in
grade sehool at the time, but I remembered being fascinated by her,
thought that she was very nice, and remembered that she was from
the American Field Service.
So I checked the internet for American Field Service (which has
been shortened to AFS) and found their web site and sent my name
into them. I promptly got a reply and was forwarded to the Houston
chapter. I was welcomed and volunteered to host a boy for the "Hous-
ton weekend." It was a nice experience so I decided to try hosting for
the year.
I picked a lovely girl from Belgium and really had a great year
with her. Of course, being teenagers, there are some times when you
need some extra patience, but overall the experience was quite posi-
tive.
Since then, I have hosted two other girls, from Switzerland and
Germany, each for 11 months, and many others for short periods. I
became a volunteer two years ago, and help with sending, emergency
housing and whatever else they need. I will be hosting my fourth stu-
dent, a girl from Sicily, this fall.
AFS is a very good organization, with much support for the stu-
dents and host parents. Hosting a student teaches tolerance and
respect. It is so interesting to begin to understand a whole differ-
ent culture. I have even gone to Belgium and spent a week with my
first exchange student and her family. I feel like I have three extra
daughters! Of course it is extra work, but I really think ffe a worth-
while effort.
CHRISTY JONES DRAKE
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
Letters to the editors of the Canadian Record are al-
ways welcome, and will be published if they are signed and
cannot be considered libelous. We will not publish anony-
mous letters under any circumstances.
We ask that all letters be accompanied by a home or
work phone number so that we can verify the letter writ-
er's identity if necessary. Letters maybe edited for exces-
sive length.
Each letter should be clearly marked "Letter to the
Editor," and should be received in our office; no later than
Wednesday noon for publication in that week's newspaper.
Please mail letters to: The Canadian Record, P.O. Box 898,
Canadian, TX 79014, or by fax to (806)323-5738, or by e-
mail to editor@canadianrecord.com.
We encourage our readers to use this public forum to
express their own opinions and to address issues which are
of concern to them or to the community at large.
mu PONT KNOW
SICKNESS*
is.veo^ustysurrris
NO EXCUSE F0R.WWNESS-
COME FROM
AUSTIN—Anyone who's been looking for a job for
months probably will have a hard time believing this, but
judging from sales tax revenue, the state's economy con-
tinues to improve.
Latest figures from the comptroller's office show that
sales tax collections in June were up 4.1 percent com-
pared with the same month last year. The money coming
into the state's needy coffers amounted to $1.18 billion for
the month.
Indicative that this is something Texans can hang
their proverbial cowboy hats on is that June was the 10th
straight month sales tax collections have been up.
State Capital
Highlights
By Mike Can
TMSPMSS ASSOCIATION
Judging by recently released statistics from the De-
partment of Public Safety, Highway Patrol troopers stop-
ping motorists must be saying, "I need to see your driver
license, your proof of liability insurance and any dope if
you have it"
Last year, troopers on routine patrol seized $156.6
million in illegal drugs. And that's not even a DPS record,
which was $196 million in drugs in 1994. Troopers did set
a record in methamphetamine (speed) seizures in 2003,
confiscating 145 pounds of the drug. They also arrested a
record number of drug suspects: 2,118. In addition, troop-
ers took 37 tons of marijuana and 2,356 pounds of cocaine off the road.
In the absence of a special session to occupy the attention of political wags, specula-
tion about the 2006 governor's race. continues apace. The latest potential Democratic
candidate whose name has been dropped is actor—and Texas native—Tommy Lee
Jones.
Anyone who chuckles at the notion of a Hollywood type running for public office
mightwant to think about what happened in California last year. And Kerrville singer-
writer-one-liner Kinky Friedman continues to say he's seriously thinking about run-
ning as an independent.
No matterwho runs, the primary season in the spring of'06 promises to be as action-
filled as "Lonesome Dove."
Ron Tyler, director of the 107-year-old Texas State Historical Association sinee
1986, has announced his retirement effective December 31. The association has offices
at the University of Texas in Austin, and gets some of its funding support from the uni-
versity.
All aboard! The Texas Historical Commission has hitched onto Amtrak's Trails and
Rails program to promote cultural and heritage tourism along Amtrak's Texas routes.
Also involved in the effort are the: Governor's Economic Development and Tourism Of-
fice, the Texas Commission on the Arts and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
The program encourages communities along the passenger train routes to promote
themselves as tourist destinations, something that's good for them as well as Amtrak.
Tartar or cocktail sauce?
If you're looking for some good shrimp recipes, the Texas Department of Agricul-
ture has dinner ideas already iced down. Cheek the department's shrimp industry pro-
motion Web site at www.txshrimp.org, for everything from recipes to shrimp festivals.
Anyone interested in having a shrimp-related question answered the old-fashioned
way can call this toll-free number: 877-TX-CATCH.
TEXAS PRESS
ASSOCIATION
Award Winner
TexasYesi1
Ti>vaa ri/niHmnifnf Anrimltiiw
Texas Department of Age
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Brown, Laurie Ezzell. The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 114, No. 29, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 15, 2004, newspaper, July 15, 2004; Canadian, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth220638/m1/3/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hemphill County Library.