Email: "I Love This Town"
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There have been so many wonderful things happening here in Ripley lately I hardly know where to begin. 


The first thing I’d like to mention is our dedicated volunteer fire department.  In October for National Fire Prevention Month, the Ripley Hose Company purchased 200 First Alert smoke detectors with funds donated by the public and gave them away to Kindergarten through 5th graders at Ripley Central School.  The classes were invited to the fire hall where some firefighters were dressed in full gear.  “We want the kids to know it’s us, not some monster, coming to help them during a fire,” explained Roy Fletcher, Ripley firefighter.  The students were shown the engines and ambulance and taught how to cope with a fire.  Coloring books and literature were used as well to teach fire safety and prevention.  Thanks Ripley Hose Company and Auxiliary for your outstanding outreach to our youngest citizens!


The Ripley Library hosted their Annual Silent Auction last Saturday.  It was a great success, bringing in just over $2000.  The library looks forward to this auction every year because it is their biggest fund raiser.  The items offered were outstanding.  I understand, however, that the word of the auction didn’t reach as many people as it could have.  Glitches in newspaper delivery were partially to blame.  Mark your calendars now for next year’s auction in November.  I had the opportunity to work on getting some donations as well as helping to organize the sale, and even got all the items I bid on – much to my bank account’s distress.  Oh well, it was worth every penny.


Once again the citizens of Ripley came together to honor our military personnel at the Ripley Veterans’ Roll of Honor Monument.  A ceremony took place on Veterans’ Day, November 11th, to update the names in the monument cases and over 200 people attended the outdoor ceremony, with approximately 125 staying for the luncheon at Meeder’s.  Over the last year several people expressed their disappointment (I’m being diplomatic here) that some names were missing, or that names were spelled incorrectly.  Here’s the problem:  the men and women who put together this monument honoring our veterans are not clairvoyant.  If your serviceperson’s name was not submitted, or any correction sent in to existing names, it’s not on the monument.   It’s that simple.  If you know of someone who needs to be recognized for their service to the United States, if you see someone’s information is incorrect, it’s your duty to get that information to the committee.  Forms are available at Meeder’s, the post office, the hardware store, the bank, etc.  I have worked with this committee in a media capacity and I know firsthand how hard they work and how dedicated they are to this project.  Be sure to thank them when you see them around town.  Theirs is a labor of love.


Public Access 5 has put together a feature on YouTube with pleas to keep Westfield Hospital Emergency Room open.  Some of our Ripley residents are shown telling why they want the emergency room to remain open, as well as people from surrounding towns.  Everybody here knows how important that emergency room is, and it seems everyone has a story to tell about how theirs or a loved one’s life was saved because the hospital is so close.  We all agree closing it would be disastrous.  Take a look at the YouTube videos put together by Karen and Roy Harvey (http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=F4F63B9BC66C04C4) and watch for television Cable Access 5 to air these are more interviews in the near future.


We are so blessed to have such wonderful people and organizations here and around Ripley.  This Thanksgiving, say a special prayer for these dedicated people and the jobs they do. 

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