Appreciates Kate Williams
Editor: I read Kate Williams’ column every time I get The Sun. I find her discussions to be informative and kindly. I think she’s a very candid lady. Her candor is really refreshing and she is an asset to your paper.
Richard Swillinger
Sonoma
Farmers Market Board President replies to Celeste Winders
Editor: On March 15, Celeste Winders e-mailed me with apparent great concern and anxiety the Farmers Market make EBT purchases available at the Farmers’ Market – EBT is an electronic benefits transfer system for folks in need. Her specific language was, “I am happy to help in any way to bring this to the Farmers Market in Sonoma this year. Please let me know if I can be of service to help bring this to the community.”
I replied asking whether Winders would be willing to write the grant proposal for the equipment – a very lengthy and complicated project. She readily agreed and we met. I provided her with requested information and after further research on her part it was ascertained the grant requirements were not suitable for our small market. I then e-mailed her we should find other avenues to implement the program and made several suggestions. She never replied seemingly having lost interest. We nevertheless have found another funding source and are working on implementing the program SHE volunteered for.
Winders’ accusations and innuendos are characteristic of the very public attacks made by a few people in support of prospective vendors who could not be selected for participation at this time from the pool of more than 50 possible applications. She, among others, seems to have the misapprehension the sole criteria for inclusion in the market is residence inside a small radius around the city of Sonoma. She would define “local” as from an area which encompasses only her friends while the issue of locality has long been decided by nearly all other markets and the state of California as being from a region or a state. While we find support of her friends laudable, we find her spurious and misinformed attacks on a volunteer board of directors – who are striving to serve their community well at significant personal sacrifice – uncalled for and reprehensible, although much easier than following thru on one’s commitments. Market boards throughout the county and beyond are primarily staffed by vendor volunteers – her blanket statements about the impropriety of such not withstanding.
Winders also accuses the board of making promises which have not been kept. Perhaps if she dealt in specifics rather than broad mischaracterizations she would be more believable.
Finally, Ms. Winders, speaking of promises … what happened to your apparently feigned interest that you failed to even attempt to carry through? We suggest the confrontational tactics you and a few others have adopted are divisive, unproductive tantrums of which the greater community is growing weary. What is making your volunteerism difficult may instead be personal inertia, hubris, and poorly expressed support of your friends. Since free advice interests you I should like to return the favor. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar and don’t backstab those who treat you well.
Jim Cahoon
President Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers Market
Sonoma
Kudos to “Miss Mac”
Editor: My family and I would personally like to thank music teacher extraordinaire, Barbara McElroy, for arranging a wonderful trip to New York City for the Sonoma Valley High School band and choir students. My wife and I were both amazed at the jam packed itinerary and how the trip was organized and orchestrated down to the very last detail. The trip was a great opportunity for all the students. They got to experience traveling to an exciting destination, some of the best that Broadway and New York City has to offer as well as the joy of competition. The students even came away winners in their categories. Truly a wonderful experience.
Barney and Bonnie LaHaye
Glen Ellen