COMMENTS: Read at your own risk

A BIG THANK YOU to Choull.

I have had three of my letters to the editor placed into the Coeur d' Alene Press.

I made the mistake of reading the comments posted in regard to our/my opinions.

Through this process I was called a cry baby, moron, stupid, attacked and called a few other names.

This made me angry and I unleashed my own verbal attack.

Choull let me know in her words of kindness and wisdom that I was probably not helping myself or our cause by my actions. You were then and now absolutely right.

This will be my first letter where I will not be looking at the comments posted.

I do want our community to know that we have sign up sheets at our office to assist those wanting to help people in our community doing some real good.

We have a very good friend that from her wheelchair is growing an accessible garden for the food bank and people in need. A homeless gentleman that has put together bicycles and given to those who could not afford to buy. He gave to people that had a roof over their head when he did not. He could not have done that without the help from Fresh Start. We have an estimated 280 homeless children (and their families) that can use assistance from our community. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

We take GREAT pride in working with our veterans with disabilities (we consider heroes) and others to be allowed to participate with their friends and family and not be left behind due to limited access to hills, parks, docks etc. We have two disabled veterans that will be representing our agency at the Tubbs Hill accessible trail meetings.

Now you can begin to send your angry comments at me and our organization but then how about getting out and doing something to make a pro-active positive difference. Try to put down your verbal pitchforks long enough to join us in helping.

My name will be changed for comments in the future (other letters to the editor) from Virgil Edwards to IMI-UBU. This will reflect my no-anger-just-education stand.

Our contact information: 1323 Sherman No. 2 in Coeur d'Alene - 664-9896, virgil@dacnw.org or Patrick@dacnw.org.

You may hate us but please don't turn your back on those that we advocate with.

Again thank you Choull as you have helped me to be a better advocate who now is at peace and not angry. This is not a sign of weakness but just a better way of dealing with the angry messages sent my way.

I hope to meet you sometime.

I have one more special THANK YOU to Robert Runkel (Executive Director of Trinity Group Homes) for praying for me during that period.

VIRGIL EDWARDS

Disability Action Center