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| Red Lake Net News Michael Barrett P. O. Box 80 Redby, MN 56670 Telephone: 218-679-5995 |
| Editor's Note: The following letter appeared in the St. Cloud Times Letter to the editor, and to the South Shore of Lake Wobegon Upon returning Monday afternoon from the woods of The Red Lake Nation, I found myself amazed how some people will do any thing to help find two little lost boys. But at the same time, disgusted that others appear to not be willing to lift a finger to help bring them back to their mommy. During our many passes thru the woods, swamps, and tamarack bogs, I saw women and young adults who only stopped, or rerouted their line of travel, because they broke through the lightly frozen crust of the bogs. One lady had to holler for help to get up because every movement she made let the bog pull her in farther up her thighs. She didn't quit though, she finished the sweep and waited by the campfire with her pants steaming. She waited with the rest of us for another bus to go on another sweep. On one of the sweeps Sunday right along 89, I came on a fair size hole going back up into the side of the hill. Peering in I could only see about two feet. The line waited as I called for a flashlight. Dave, a Native, didn't hesitate to drop to his hands and knees and start crawling in with the small light. He had to flip over onto his back to get past his shoulders, and continued to wriggle in to his thighs where he seemed to get stuck. We pulled him out by his knees. He came out covered in dirt. Dave said it was an empty den and we went back to the line and kept going through the woods. What bothered the volunteers the most was the wait for a bus to get back so they could be sent out on another sweep. I suspect the words 'guts', and 'What else can I do?' must be Indian words. Because our neighbors, on the North Shore of Lake Wobegon, had enough guts to crawl inside the other bear dens that were found. Some had no bears and no missing kids. Others had sleeping bears, which did not stop them from making sure there were no little visitors inside trying to keep warm. After spending all of Friday thru Sunday in the woods, I brought back a stack of missing children flyers from Red Lakes' Sunday evening update dinner. I dropped many at stores and gas stations from the Rez to here. Which all the business's happily took. At least until Brainerd. The lady at the service counter at Menards absolutely refused to even touch the flyer. She said Menards will not post anything from anybody. I couldn't believe it. I could see refusing advertising posters, festivals, house for sale and garage sale posters which are all meant for money and personal use being rejected. But to refuse to help people and children in life threatening situations???? I tried them again here at Wait Park. The young girl at the service counter said they can not take any 'public assistance notice'because 'They do not have any room for them'! That is really hard to believe as they appear to have one of the largest buildings in the three county area. I guess it must be hard for them to figure out how to allocate space to hang some of the poster boards that they are happy to sell to us. Perhaps the small business' in the area, (like Corkys Bait Shop in Rockville - about the size of a small garage ), could show Menards how to find the room to hang one of their own poster boards. She said I could talk to the manager if I wanted. I said that was not needed as I could see she was very bothered by it, and looked like she did not like having to refuse it. But she obviously had clear orders. I told her Brainerd also refused it, and it was obviously a corporate policy. I slid the flyer on the counter any way. She stared at it like it had the plague. I also said their corporate office, in Eau Clair Wisconsin, must not be part of Lake Wobegon. I guess since we have only been their customers for several decades, have given them our money, and hauled away their goods by the cart, trailer, and truck load, we shouldn't expect them to care about the needs of Lake Wobegon families. I guess I may be out of line to think big business would make an effort to help its customers. After all I have always thought we were worthwhile people, and not just some one else's cash machine. I have been fortunate to have been on the Rez numerous times working construction and photographing Pow-Wows over the last couple years. I like to think the Red Lakers I have met are worth more than the hanging of a piece of paper. Or perhaps I am wrong and I should listen to my doctors and my shrink. They want me to stay on their Zoloft. Then I could just coast along oblivious to what I thought mattered. Or I could just shop closer to home at Podunkville. I also offered the flyer to the new Hooters on Division. The contractors there took it and said ;Sure, we'll put it right up; But neither Menards store would even touch the flyer. Hmmmm; I would like the names and location of any other stores that have a policy of refusing this type of flyer. (Missing Children, Medical Emergency, Amber Alert etc) Email to BruceConrad@clearwire.net Bruce Conrad Rockville Interiors Dun-Rite Inc. Drywall and paint Bruce Conrad Photography Rockville Business Association, President ROCORI Booster Photographer - Cold Spring Record Contributing Photographer - Red Lake Net News |