Letters: Special pets | Black history museum

Pets have special place in our hearts

I am not always in agreement with Scott Maxwell’s columns, but his Sunday story about his cats Leona and Furball touched my heart. Scott has my utmost sympathy as I have walked in his shoes many times in my life.

An ode to Leona. (And Furball) | Commentary

Two years ago, I lost my beloved Susie to complications from diabetes. Not long after that, I started my search for another kitty to fill my heart. After visiting numerous shelters, I finally decided to go to a rescue many miles away to look at a specific cat. When I got there I fell in love with his brother. I simply put him in my lap and he melted. I knew right then that I was not leaving without him. He was not particularly attractive. He was a scrawny, skinny, long-legged gray tabby with ears too big for his head. He would not have been one of my choices if I had only seen a picture. Buzzy Bee has brought me more love, laughter and joy than any cat in my life.

There are so many cats (and dogs) in shelters, rescues and on the street that need us to save them. I hope that Scott and his wife will venture out to find another deserving cat (or two) to bring into their home. Oh, and don’t forget to check out the scrawny, skinny, less-than-beautiful kitties because they may hold the most love and appreciation for you. Leona and Furball will always have a place in your heart.

Summer Devlin Merritt Island

More to do in Eatonville’s museum effort

Thank you, Steve Hudak, for timely and excellent reporting on the state task force process to select a new site for a state Black History museum (“Eatonville lost the battle for Black history museum—but insists it could win the war,” May 26). Underscore the word “process.” It was a shock to many of us to hear task force members preempted their own timeline by forcing a premature vote. Our own Legislature requires that a fiscal note accompany all serious legislative proposals. So where is an independent, non-biased fiscal feasibility study for the two top ranked finalists, Eatonville and St. Augustine, both separated by only a few points? Can’t a state-appointed body follow its own long-standing legislative protocol? What do the numbers say? Citizens and taxpayers are on the hook for budget shortfalls if this project can’t stand on its own two feet. As they say in Missouri: “Show me!”

C J Williams Winter Park

Feed the children of war

Reading William Lambers’ Sunday guest column about famine (“Memorial Day plea inspires us to save lives,” May 26) brought back memories of my childhood in the aftermath of World War II. I was born in Munich, Germany, in 1944 and hunger was a constant in my life. Were it not for the American soldiers who occupied Germany until 1956, a whole generation of children, myself included, would have probably died of starvation. The rations the soldiers shared (along with candy) kept me singing to them on our street corner by my home. It was bombed in that war.

Seeing the children now in these war-torn countries, my plea to you is to do all you can to feed the children and the people that are in harm’s way of these atrocities. I speak from experience and am forever grateful for the generosity of the American people by them sending care packages to us and for the Marshall plan that rebuilt  Germany.

Ingrid Bryant Oviedo