Items from the Tri City News paper
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Getting involved in my community has been my biggest accomplishment for 2008. What a year it was! Before, being like other young people I had my own life with friends doing other stuff and not really caring about the community and its events. Now that my life is composed of three things: family, friends, and my community. Marked Tree isn't such a boring place.
I've developed friendships to those that I looked at as kind of Marked Tree's "Elders". By "Elders" I mean the people who know the facts about Marked Tree like the back of their hand. The wise people who know how to keep a community organized. And now, with my new knowledge in tote, the people who are the back bone to this community. Most of these people work behind the scenes and get little recognition. These people like Soozi Williams and Mary Ann Arnold and Pam Wright. The list could go on forever and ever. Those of you who read my blog and that statement pertains to you, you know who you are. I tip my hat to each of you! As a young person, my responsibility to the community is low and I am able to just sit back and watch. These people don't have that luxury. They have to do things to have this community stay afloat. And most of the people don't even get paid for doing such a task. These people are volunteers.
If you think about it, who would volunteer to do that stuff? People who make the difference. With out these people, I don't know where this community would be. If you see these people out give them a huge thank you. Your City Council members, Chamber of Commerce members, School Board members, City employees, Friends of the Museum and Library, and any other volunteer that you know of. Give them a huge thank you. They take time out of their schedules to help their community when little recognition is given to them. This, my friends, is your recognition. My sincerest thanks extend to you and yours for making the community truly "a place to come home to."
I intended to have only a short paragraph to introduce my blog, but I can tell this has turned into a blog in its own. So, let me say a few more things before closing. 2008 held many accomplishments for Marked Tree. In September we had The Wall That Heals in town courtesy of the hard work of Danny & Barbara Adams and a HUGE list of many other people. Even though The Wall is no longer in town, I feel its presence still lingers. Going down the main street in town where buses of smiling faces of Vietnam Soldiers with tear streaked faces waved to a crowd of people waving flags and showing support for them once rolled by, when I'm on that street, I still see those faces. Down in the beautiful Cypress Park, where The Wall itself was laid I still feel the relaxing atmosphere that was present when it was here. I hope the feeling never fades. I think in that time the community strengthened as a whole. Businesses and organizations and dozens of volunteers poured out their time and donations and united. Unite. To come together, putting aside all differences and issues. I am truly grateful I live in such a community.
I will bring this to a close now. Happy New Year Marked Tree! And may 2009 be as great as it was in 2008. For the year 2008 was one to remember, may 2009 be the same. Thank you for reading and thank you for being a part of this community. Best wishes and God bless!
Dustin Hood
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Now I sit at my keyboard debating on how can I paraphrase this when I've realized its impossible. I will let him tell you himself…
"When you hear the story about us during the Vietnam War, how we went into their villages and destroyed it and the killing of old men, young men, women, and children, it's not true. " He writes, "Dustin, you have met me and talked to me and have been around me. Do I look like I would hurt those defenseless people, especially children?" My answer is never. "I have heard this for more than 40 years and to this day people have asked me 'Were you a part of killing all those innocent people in the Republic of Vietnam?' I would tell them those stories are not true. We did not do what the press said we did. The press made us feel as if going home was not going to be a good time for us. A lot of people from our own country made us feel as if we were some kind of monsters and if we did all they said we did I don't think I could live with myself. My nieces and nephews have kids and I love them all.
"There is no glory in war when men are sent out to kill each other. I did what my country asked me to do. And all I got for protecting my country was people calling me 'baby killer.' I guess they did not understand or care about me. Back then, they avoided me. I really didn't feel welcomed home, but I say I am proud and always will be honored to have served and defended this place called America and proud to be one of its sons. I was there in Vietnam and what I did was to try and keep all of us young and old men and women and children free and safe so that we could and will live in peace forever.
"What I did was not for myself, but for this place I call home and America. And for all these years in return I have asked for nothing, but only a little respect and consideration. But to think that during that time the people of America would turn their backs on us, but then we found a placed called Marked Tree, 'God's Special Place'..."
Now I sit and wonder what to say after that. Do we, as Americans see what we have done to our veterans? The pain they feel everyday due to their regretted homecoming was caused by us. Paul tells me stories of Vietnam, what they went through. He told me that you didn't want to grow close to somebody, because one minute you were planning your life after war with your new pal and the next he was gone. Vietnam was not kind to them and their homecoming was supposed to be something to look forward to, but instead it was something so dreaded.
My friends, the parade we held for them and all of the other festivities meant to much to those men and women. To see that they were appreciated. If you ever see a Veteran out, stop him and shake his hand as say thank you. Such a short message will mean everything to him.
I thank you for reading and please feel free to comment. Have a blessed day.
Dustin Hood
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Marked Tree named volunteer community of the year
Thursday, January 22, 2009By SAMANTHA MARTIN, Tribune Editor
 Several Marked Tree volunteers traveled to Little Rock Friday, Jan. 16 to help the City of Marked Tree accept the 2008 Volunteer Community of the Year Award. Pictured are, from left: Front - Tommie Chandler, Mary Ann Arnold, Barbara Adams, Soozi Williams and Ruby Jean Boxley. Back - Dustin Hood, Mayor Dixon Chandler, Mike Dabney, Danny Adams and Pam Wright. (Photo provided) |
The Arkansas Volunteer Community of the Year Awards is sponsored by the governor's office, the Arkansas Municipal League and the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Volunteerism.
It is designed to recognize the hard work of volunteers who serve diligently in their own communities. The application process requires cities to submit photographs, news clippings and other documentation showing their volunteers projects and work.
The city logged over 3,000 volunteer hours for youth sports and several hundred more in the city's efforts to bring the moving Vietnam memorial wall to Marked Tree.
The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department provides signs announcing the Volunteer Community of the Year designation. The signs are placed at prominent locations along highways of the winning cities.
Marked Tree also received the distinction of being named an Arkansas Community of Excellence (ACE) in 2008 and is in the process of making its downtown area a commercial historic district.
Mayor Chandler said it is the hard work of volunteers that make Marked Tree such a great place to come home to.
"It's a nice honor that came from the combined group effort of all our volunteers in Marked Tree," Chandler said. "It shows that Marked Tree has plenty of potential as long as we work together. There is so much that we can do."
Chandler said the city also received word Tuesday that they are the recipient of a $95,000 grant awarded by the Arkansas State Highway Department. The grant is part of the Arkansas Recreational Trails Program and will be used to construct a walking track at the city's new sports and recreation complex.
"I'm well pleased with everything we've done and everything we've got to look forward to," Chandler said.