Riverside Speedway and the Indian Stream Republic

https://www.concordmonitor.com/Riverside-Speedway-34612131

OPTIMISM, GRATITUDE, AND BABE RUTH

OPTIMISM, GRATITUDE, AND BABE RUTH

“Optimism—even, and perhaps especially in the face of difficulty—has long been an American hallmark.” – Pamela Druckerman, Franco-American journalist and author

Yes, an optimist sees a glass as half-full while a pessimist sees the same glass as half-empty. And during unsettled times both perspectives manifest themselves. But while realism is important, optimism is healthy. As long-suffering Brooklyn Dodger fans used to say, “Just wait ‘till next year!”

Then there’s optimism’s first cousin—gratitude.

As Amy Collette—author of The Gratitude Connection—put it: “Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.”

Yes.

But to experience real gratitude one needs context. One can’t truly appreciate blessings unless one knows what it’s like without those blessings—which brings us to our current COVID-19 pandemic.

If Americans knew more history, they’d have more context, gratitude, and optimism.

Two months ago, most folks were probably unaware of the 1918 influenza pandemic which killed scores of millions. Now people know much more about a deadly scourge many times worse than what we’re now facing.

My grandmother, Yvette Lussier, lost a younger sibling to that 1918 pandemic.

Then she lost another.

And then another.

It was a sad month for the Lussier family up in St. Liboire, Quebec, when they had to bury three children. But current circumstances that remind us of past events can teach us important history and provide context yielding gratitude and hopeful optimism.

Obviously I’m grateful Yvette survived. And Americans today probably have it better than 99% of the people who ever walked the earth. Indeed, until midway through the last century, most human lives were “nasty, brutish, and short,” to quote Thomas Hobbes.

A recent book rates a plug here: WAR FEVER: Boston, Baseball, and America in the Shadow of the Great War, by Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith. It profiles three Boston people—symphony conductor Karl Muck, Harvard law school grad Charles Whittlesey, and Red Sox star Babe Ruth—and how 1918 and World War I changed their lives and subsequently our world.

Muck was a Boston Symphony Orchestra conductor who was arrested for pro-German sympathies, imprisoned, and then deported. His story is a reminder about how civil liberties need to be protected in times of crisis.

Whittlesey joined the U.S. Army in 1917 and as a major commanded the “Lost Battalion,” a 600 man army unit that was cut off and surrounded by Germans in September of 1918. Whittlesey and his men refused to surrender, despite going four days without food or water. Eventually 194 unwounded survivors were rescued. Their story helped inspire Americans to victory two months later.

Babe Ruth, of course, became the penultimate American sports hero in 1918. That was the season that Ruth—perhaps baseball’s best pitcher—started playing regularly in the field. He led the Major Leagues in home runs that year as Boston won the World Series in a season that was cut-short due to the flu epidemic, similar to this year’s MLB schedule being curtailed by COVID-19.

Ruth took on each day with gusto and experienced life to its fullest. His optimism and joie de vivre served him well. He set another home run record for the Red Sox in 1919 before going on to some other team where he became an American icon. I don’t think he’d have flourished had he been a pessimist.

So this time of quarantines and social distancing affords us opportunities to ponder history and find context to make us wiser, better, humbler—and perhaps more optimistic as 2020 unfolds.

And as those Brooklyn Dodger fans used to say: “Just wait ‘til next year!”

(A.P.)

A GRANITE STATE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

A GRANITE STATE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

 

By Tim Lang, Mike Moffett, Reed Panasiti, and Howard Pearl

 

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Granite Staters are created equal, with certain unalienable rights—to include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And when government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter it.

 

Yes, we’re paraphrasing Thomas Jefferson’s wondrous words from the Declaration of Independence. And it’s time for us to declare our independence from an increasingly radical and tyrannical Democratic legislative majority in New Hampshire.

 

Why?

 

We’ll explain, as Jefferson explained in 1776 when he wrote that “a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

 

Jefferson went on to list numerous complaints against the King of England to justify our Declaration of Independence, e. g. “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.”

 

Space doesn’t allow us to list as many grievances as did Jefferson in 1776, but we’ll give you a fair sampling.

 

Democrats sought to impose an unwanted income tax (SB1 - 2019 session)  involving Family Leave Insurance. 

 

Democrats sought to impose an unwanted tax on ski tickets (HB1652-FN)

 

Democrats sought to impose unwanted new sales taxes, such as on electronics (HB1492-FN-A-L)

Democrats sought an unwanted tax increase, from 8% to 40% (HB1699-FN-A) on electronic cigarettes just 63 days after voting for an initial vape tax.

 

Democrats sought to ban wood stoves (HB290 2019 session)

 

Democrats sought to raise our utility bills (HB365, SB205 2019 session, SB159 and HB1218-FN 2020 session)

 

Democrats sought to tell our federal government and defense department what our nuclear weapons policy should be. (HCR7 - 2019 session)

Democrats sought to allow boys to play on girls sports teams by defeating HB1251.

Democrats sought to allow girls to play on boys sports teams by defeating SB480. 

 

Democrats sought to allow schools to administer more intrusive non-academic and privacy-threatening surveys (SB 196).

 

Democrats sought to give illegal aliens drivers' licenses and thus the means to vote for Democrats (HB 397).

 

Democrats sought to curtail 1^st Amendment rights by with legislation aimed at silencing critics and curtailing political dissent (HB 1159).

 

Democrats sought to curtail and abridge precious 2^nd Amendment rights (HB1101, HB1115, HB1143, HB1285, HB1349, HB1350, HB1374, HB1379, SB719, HB1608). while taking the wrong position on Red Flag laws (HB1660).

Democrats opposed the wishes of most Granite Staters concerning a helmet law (HB1621) and a seat belt law (HB1622).

Democrats want to prohibit 20-year-olds from buying cigarettes and 17-year-olds from getting married but they want to let 16-year-olds vote.

Democrats vilify charter schools using profane language... “F*** charter and religious schools.” (Rep. Tamara Le, Hampton).

Democrats then turned down $46 million in federal money for charter schools.

Democrats passed an assisted suicide bill but killed a "Born Alive" bill, a "Selective Birth" bill, and a "Parental Notification" bill.

 

Democrats humiliated and publicly reprimanded an 80-year-old female legislator and a disabled senior citizen for missing dubiously mandated sexual harassment “training.” 

Having wasted so much time reprimanding such legislators, the House unnecessarily had to run a subsequent session until 4 a.m. to try to complete the people's business.

 

There are literally dozens more examples of radical Democrat conduct that could be cited. 

 

Thank the heavens above for Governor Sununu’s fifty plus vetoes—with at least as many to come in 2020.

 

When confronting tyranny in 1776, our founders mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. Most of them suffered greatly for their principles, but their efforts resulted in a wondrous and unprecedented system of government where change occurs using ballots, not bullets.

 

So in 2020 we in New Hampshire have the power to correct the perilous course that our ship of state took after the last election. We just need to show up and vote later this year.

 

If only overcoming tyranny had been so easy for Jefferson and our brave founders in 1776!

 

#####

 

(The authors are the founders of the Legislative Beer Caucus—two dozen current and former legislator-activists who believe that socializing can lead to communication and understanding among all parties. Their motto is “We have fun and we get things done.”)

#Jefferson #beercaucus

HELICOPTERS, HOGS, HEROES, AND BOLDUC

(l-r)  LtCol Mike Moffett, USMC ret,, GySgt Tim Weiland, USMC ret, BGen Don Bolduc, US Army ret, and Bryan McCormack of Laconia

HELICOPTERS, HOGS, HEROES, AND BOLDUC

by Michael Moffett

 

As a sports writer, I sometimes look to Sports Illustrated for column ideas. So I was struck by a major piece in the January 30 issue of SI on hunting wild hogs—aka feral pigs—in Texas. So is hog hunting a legitimate sports topic?

 

Well, if it was good enough for Sports Illustrated, then it was good enough for me.

 

Hog hunting resonated because I’d actually been invited to participate in a real Texas Helicopter Hog Hunt on February 22—one such as described in the SI story.

 

The unlikely invite came about after General Don Bolduc and I were guests on a local radio show—Cail and Company. A veterans’ organization called “Helicopters for Heroes” (H4H) subsequently invited us to attend its annual weekend retreat in Ennis, Texas. The focus there is on vets with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) and the weekend includes banquets, concerts, special guest speakers and cookouts, as well as shooting and hunting for those who desire such activities.

 

General Bolduc was a perfect invitee for such an event, as the Laconia native made 10 combat deployments to Afghanistan and is a nationally-known advocate for sufferers of PTS. He honestly addressed his own PTS challenges on a CBS-TV 60 Minutes segment.

 

H4H founder Philip Brooks spoke at the February 21 banquet to attendees who’d come to Texas from all over the country in search of healing and camaraderie. Brooks told of past participants who’d been on the brink of suicide before reconnecting with fellow veterans at H4H to renew their spirits and replace hopelessness with hope.

 

But General Bolduc stole the show. The Granite Stater eschewed the podium and microphone and walked amongst the many tables with his service dog Victor, speaking to scores of vets about his own experiences, and explaining why the condition is best described as PTS—not PTSD.

 

The only flag officer to publicly acknowledge his own PTS, Bolduc described how his military career was probably cut short by his open advocacy for traumatized veterans.

 

“Acknowledging that you need help is a sign of strength, not of weakness,” Bolduc said to the big banquet hall crowd, which was absolutely quiet.

 

But when the general concluded his heartfelt remarks the attendees stood and gave him a standing ovation. Many of the vets had tears streaming down their faces.

 

The next morning found us at the Staubach Ranch to meet with locals and youngsters, observe static displays of historic military equipment, and do range and skeet shooting. The mixing and mingling created many opportunities to bond and share experiences—good and bad.

 

And then there was the helicopter hog hunt.

 

As the SI story pointed out, Texas is plagued by millions of wild hogs running amok. They decimate crops, devouring fields of corn, sugarcane, wheat, oats, melons, pumpkins and whatever else they find appetizing, typically leaving farmland too ravaged to harvest. The feds estimate the total annual damage done by wild pigs is $1.5 billion. A USDA researcher called them “the worst invasive species we’ll ever see.” Feral pigs disrupt entire ecosystems by competing with local wildlife for vegetation and by rooting out seedlings.

 

So there’s a perpetual open season on hogs in the Lone Star State. And as part of the H4H Weekend, they had seven helicopters flying veterans with rifles over the Texas tundra to take out the marauding pigs. Experience has shown that for many vets, getting back on a chopper—rifle in hand—to go on missions with trusted comrades is effective and cathartic therapy to deal with painful memories.

 

But it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

 

I’m not a hunter and I hate flying. Even slight turbulence causes panic, white knuckles, and the occasional involuntary and embarrassing “Whoa!” that unsettles everyone within earshot.

 

It probably goes back to some bad helo experiences in the Marine Corps, and memories of carrying bodies of fellow Marines down from a horrific mountaintop CH-53 crash in Korea.

 

Of course, the vets in Texas wanted to see the General fly out to take on the pigs. But I knew Bolduc himself had survived a terrible helo crash in Afghanistan and perhaps, like me, was averse to flying.

 

Bolduc is also a U.S. Senate candidate, and I pointed out that some might exploit the imagery and optics of the helo hunt against him while reinforcing negative stereotypes of veterans.

 

“I don’t care about any of that,” said Bolduc. “I am who I am. Let’s go!”

 

Inspired by the General’s authenticity, I accompanied him and two other shooters to a Vietnam era UH-1 (Huey) chopper.

 

“Live free or die, General!” yelled a vet with a southern accent—New Hampshire’s state motto being well-known and respected throughout the military. We were handed AR-15 rifles and three full magazines. They tied us in—two on each side—and up we went.

 

As we ascended, I was surprisingly euphoric. Flying over the Texas landscape I suddenly understood the appeal of the Wild West to adventurous spirits. And I marveled at how we were just handed weapons and ammo to fly and hunt, and I felt bad for the 99% of Americans who’d never experience such freedom in our age of over-regulation, over-protection, and litigation that brave pioneers never had to contend with.

 

We returned a half hour later, having done our part to reduce the number of rampaging razorbacks ravishing the landscape. At the evening banquet, it seemed like everyone was in a great mood as H4H accomplished it mission of bringing folks together to benefit from therapeutic bonding.

 

On Sunday afternoon I departed Dallas/Fort Worth airport on an American Airlines flight that soon encountered turbulence. It didn’t bother me a bit.

 

Thank you General Bolduc.

 

And I pondered as how to write about a H4H weekend that included camaraderie, bonding, healing, politics, flying, and hunting. Could I make a sports column out of hog hunting?

 

Yes.

 

If it was good enough for Sports Illustrated, then it was good enough for me!

#####

TULSI, MARCO, AND HILLARY'S SHADOW

TULSI, MARCO, AND HILLARY'S SHADOW

 

By Michael Moffett

 

So I was with a state rep friend on a Saturday night last November at the Salt Hill Pub in Lebanon watching football on the Pub’s TV. Dartmouth was beating Princeton in a game played in Yankee Stadium, of all places. Then Tulsi Gabbard walks into the bar.

 

Seriously. Not a joke. Tulsi Gabbard really walked into the bar.

 

My friend and I later moved to a function room to hear what the Hawaiian congresswoman, war veteran, and presidential candidate had to say. We both agreed that her politics didn’t mesh with ours—doctrinaire liberal positions that she HAD to espouse to compete in the primary, positions that will be problematical in the general election for whomever wins the Democrat nomination.

 

But aside from her unfortunate positions, Tulsi was an engaging, appealing breath of fresh air—especially compared to the septuagenarians against whom she’s competing. We liked her.

 

Fast forward to January 25.

 

I was with some compadres at the Meredith American Legion. And Tulsi walks into the bar.

 

Seriously. Not a joke. Tulsi Gabbard really walked into the bar.

 

As a fellow Legionnaire, Tulsi had every right to join us at Post #33. Patrons there chatted her up and she was very gracious, answering questions and patiently posing for photos with fellow veterans and non-veterans alike. That she's now suing Hillary Clinton for $50 million for defamation only enhanced her luster—at least for some of us.

 

And then I thought of Marco Rubio, of all people, whom I’d met at a nearby Meredith restaurant in 2015. Like Tulsi, Marco was young and appealing and I signed on as a supporter for the Florida senator and GOP presidential candidate.

 

Then teaching at NHTI-Concord, I later received a call from a Rubio campaign official asking about Marco coming to our college to meet with students and staff before doing a campus taping for the CBS Sunday Morning show. I was thrilled. As a former Public Information Officer, I knew how difficult it was to get media attention for NHTI. Rubio’s visit—with its attendant national media coverage—would shine a light on my beloved NHTI. I referred the campaign official to the college president’s office to work out the details.

 

The campaign official soon called me back, and explained that the president’s office could not have been less welcoming to Rubio—basically pushing him away. He ended up going to Manchester Community College instead. I was stunned and dumbfounded. A major missed opportunity for NHTI! Why?

 

I soon found out why.

 

Hillary was coming.

 

Having committed to host a Hillary visit, the college didn’t want to risk having her high profile visit unfavorably compared or contrasted with a Rubio visit. So the students missed out on meeting Marco.

 

(Note: NHTI now has a different administration from what it had in 2015.)

 

The day of Hillary’s visit I and seven other professors (all women) walked from our North Hall offices toward Little Hall to see Hillary. But the surrounding streets were barricaded and Little Hall was locked down. A campus security officer, who knew all of us well, seemed embarrassed when he sheepishly told us we’d have to stay away. Hillary would meet with the then-president and two students in front of lots of cameras and media. The show was closed to everyone else. So we and the students missed out on seeing Hillary—as well as Marco.

 

The machinations of Hillary’s people, both at NHTI and nationally, thwarted most potential 2016 challengers, other than Bernie Sanders—who famously routed her in that N.H. primary. Those machinations dispirited the Democrat party and helped elect Donald J. Trump as our 45^th President. Thank you Hillary.

 

Hillary’s not a 2020 candidate, but her shadow still looms large over our body politic, as she again tries to undermine Sanders. Of course, she’d earlier referred to Tulsi as a “Russian asset,” hence the Gabbard lawsuit. We’ll know in November how it all plays out, but the Hillary factor could help Donald Trump to win it all once again.

Tulsi probably won't win the N.H. Primary on Feb. 11, despite having moved to Goffstown a couple months ago. Which is probably a good thing for Republicans, because if she did win the Dem nomination she’d probably be the toughest opponent for President Trump.

 

No matter how many bars she walks into!

 

#####

 

(Michael Moffett of Loudon is a retired professor and Marine Corps officer, and a former state representative.)

The founders of the Legislative Beer Caucus recently linked up with presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) at Meredith American Legion Post 33. (l-r) Tim Lang (Sanbornton), Mike Moffett (Loudon), Gabbard, Reed Panasiti (Amherst), and Howard Pearl (Loudon).

CAP CADET JONATHAN WINSLOW TAKING FLIGHT AS NEW U.S. CITIZEN

Jonathan, Glenn, and Mary Winslow

CAP CADET JONATHAN WINSLOW TAKING FLIGHT AS NEW U.S. CITIZEN

By Michael Moffett

BARNSTEAD, N.H. – As young Jonathan Winslow was interested in flying, the 13-year-old happily accepted a scholarship to attend the Ace Academy’s summer flying program at Laconia Airport in 2016. And the more he learned, the more excited he became about flying.

The adopted son of Glen and Mary Winslow, Jonathan is one of those youngsters with ambition and a sense of adventure who is willing to work at actually getting to the heavens as opposed to just observing the sky from the safety of Belknap County’s terra firma.

The Ace Academy experience enabled Jonathan to meet Captain Julie Panus of the New Hampshire Civil Air Patrol (CAP). A senior member of the Lakes Region’s Hawk Composite Squadron, Panus put in a plug for her unit and encouraged Jonathan to consider the CAP experience.

“My brother, Michael Meserve, was a Civil Air Patrol Cadet in Rochester,” said mother Mary Winslow. “He loved Civil Air Patrol, so Glen and I were delighted that Captain Panus alerted Jonathan as to the opportunities available in joining Hawk Squadron.”

The Hawk Composite Squadron is one of several squadrons that make up the New Hampshire Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, a non-profit organization that’s the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. The CAP squadrons are committed to three core missions: Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs, and Emergency Services.

“Jonathan went on-line and learned about Civil Air Patrol and wanted to know more,” explained Mary. “After attending a Hawk Squadron Open House at Holy Trinity School in Laconia he knew he wanted to join, which he did in October of last year.”

Now a senior airman (looking for promotion) with Hawk Squadron, Jonathan wants to be an Air Force pilot.

So can Jonathan acquire the “right stuff” that pilots famously need to succeed? Time will tell, but if he’s anything like his parents he already has lots of right stuff.

ADOPTING ANGELS

Angels are also believed to take wing from time to time, as evidenced by the wonderful work that Glen and Mary have done as parents. The two met in Deerfield, and after dating for five years they were married on Sept. 10, 1988. Daughters Brittany and Madelyn were born in 1990 and 1995 respectively.

Possessors of strong social consciences, the Winslows became aware that not every youngster was lucky enough to be born and brought up into a safe loving environment the way Brittany and Madelyn were. So in 1998 Glen and Mary trained to be foster parents so they might be eligible to bring a less fortunate child into their home.

After moving to Barnstead in 2001, they reviewed some photos of Haitian children posted by an American adoption agency, and they both independently focused on Grace, an eight-year-old who was in an orphanage near Port-au-Prince. Mary went to Haiti in August of 2004 to make arrangements for Grace, but while at the orphanage she saw Jonathan, then a starving one-year-old who only weighed ten pounds.

“I couldn’t believe he was that old,” said Mary. “He was so tiny. I knew we had to try to help him.”

Mary tackled the necessary administrative requirements and arranged for health care and by June of 2005 Grace and Jonathan were ready to travel to America. Mary returned to Haiti with Madelyn to get the new Winslow family additions but got stuck there for 16 days as Haiti was in the midst of a coup.

“White people were being kidnapped or robbed, as they were thought to be rich,” recalled Mary. “I did have a bunch of cash on me for the adoption transactions so I was quite nervous. But Ernst, our interpreter, found us a driver who drove a really beat up, crappy car, and no one bothered us.”

Mary and Madelyn spent what they had to, which combined with prayers positioned them to return home to New Hampshire on July 7, 2005, with Grace and Jonathan.

The adventure was exacting, but adding two children to the Winslow family proved exciting and rewarding. So Glen and Mary decided that their family had room for more. New Hampshire’s Division for Children, Youth, and Families helped the Winslows identify adoption candidates in greater Laconia and in 2010 they adopted eleven year-old twins Edward and Elisha. Nicole followed in 2011, which then gave Glen and Mary seven children.

Despite the fact that the Winslows lived in a small house, they made things work for their growing family. A self-employed carpenter, Glen worked hard to help pay the bills while Mary homeschooled the youngsters. Glen cashed in his retirement accounts to help pay for the adoptions and the family seemed to always find a way to make things work.

“God provides,” explained Mary.

But they weren’t done yet. Not at all.

On January 21, 2012 a little girl was born drug-addicted in Manchester’s Elliot hospital, the sixth child to a mom who needed help, and to a father who was incarcerated. Enter the Winslows. Soon Rosalinda Marguerita had a new home in Barnstead.

Having adopted kids from Haiti, Laconia, and Manchester, the Winslows turned their sites to Bulgaria, where adoption agencies were trying to place children in dire need. Mary found her way to the Balkans and the Winslows added three more children, Zoey, Jeremiah, and Joyanna.

Zoey was six years old and not much more than ten pounds, and despite Mary’s best efforts, he didn’t make it. But in 2014 Jeremiah (10) and Joyanna (7) were safe in New Hampshire.

Jeremiah flourished and learned American lessons quickly, first from Mary and then at Prospect Mountain High School. Joyanna also did well as a new Granite Stater, but struggled with some health challenges—consequences of some dubious medical practices in Bulgaria.

In November of 2015 (National Adoption Month) the Winslows met Amy, then 26, and working at a Wendy’s restaurant. A victim of abuse years earlier, Amy sought stability, a measure of which Glen and Mary realized they could provide. What followed was a non-traditional consensual adult adoption. While Amy now lives on her own in Concord, she is now part of the Winslow family with all its associated love and support.

ALWAYS ROOM FOR ONE MORE

Particularly aware of how many children need help around the world, and by now experts in the international adoption processes, the Winslows inevitably were alerted about situations where youngsters needed help. Glen and Mary often provided people with advice and guidance on adoption matters and helped connect prospective parents and prospective adoptees with the proper authorities or resources necessary to save lives. And despite the size of their family in 2017, the Winslows returned to Bulgaria when they became aware of a particularly needy child.

Enter Annabella, also known as “Peppy.”

Peppy was a six-year-old with Down’s Syndrome who was in dire need in a Bulgarian group home, after an horrific experience at an orphanage. When no one else would help, the Winslows knew they had to.

Now nine years old, Peppy is a happy Granite Stater.

Given the international flavor of the Winslow household, Mary has put the sign language skills she learned at UNH-Manchester to good use.

“Not only is sign language useful with our less verbal kids, but it’s a useful skill for our kids who also love to talk,” said Mary.

SUCCESS AND SORROW

A big family means lots of work, but also lots of joy and laughter, at least with parents like Glen and Mary. But inevitably there are also those stressful and sad days.

Like when Joyanna died. 

The little girl came down with a fever associated with foot reconstructive surgery and those prior Bulgarian medical practices. On July 20, 2019, her heart stopped beating.

Her life was honored and celebrated at a funeral which was held in a Pittsfield church and attended by around 500 mourners.

“Jonathan’s fellow Civil Air Patrol cadets showed up in uniform,” said Mary. “It was very moving and impressive.”

CITIZENSHIP

All of which brings us to November 5, 2019, and the United States Customs and Immigration Services building in Bedford, N.H., where 16-year-old Jonathan Winslow would complete the last requirement for full American citizenship.

It was a big day for the Civil Air Patrol cadet, and an important step forward on a journey that Jonathan hopes will see him realize his dream of becoming an Air Force pilot. Family members and friends were there of course, most prominently being Glen and Mary, exuding that special and positive aura of serenity that so often marks people of faith. And as people of faith, they believed that somehow little Joyanna was also witnessing and celebrating right along with them.

The Civil Air Patrol may have given Jonathan Winslow the opportunity to fly, but it was Glen and Mary Winslow who gave him wings!

#####

(Michael Moffett is a columnist for the Weirs Times, a retired Marine Corp officer, and a Senior Member and Lieutenant Colonel with the New Hampshire Civil Air Patrol.)

"The Winslows!"