Spread of gypsy moths could have been avoided
Gypsy moths continue to thrive in the eastern part of Glen Ellyn. They’re caterpillars that were one-quarter of an inch long three weeks ago and are now two inches long and fat, feeding on the leaves of our oak and other trees.
Our driveways and sidewalks are covered with a layer of caterpillar poop and millions of pieces of leaves that drift down as the caterpillars devour the leaves above. There are some mature oak trees at the end of my block that are completely defoliated and may or may not survive this infestation. This could have all been prevented if timely aerial spraying had been done two or three weeks ago as had been recommended following our extensive infestation of last year.
The neighbors on Midway Park joined together and had our private and the city’s trees sprayed today, and now a layer of dead caterpillars is on top of the leaf particles and caterpillar poop. But this is only a small area of the infestation and is not a solution to this recurrent problem.
I and many of my neighbors sent letters to the village president and board last year and earlier this year about this “plague,” but I have not had any response or seen any action taken. I hope that this problem will be recognized and that overhead spraying will be done next year at the proper time.
James W. Erlenborn, Glen Ellyn
Food Pantry thanks schools for helping out
The board and staff of the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to the many volunteers at the following area schools who have tirelessly organized food drives on our behalf throughout the school year: Hadley Junior High, Glen Crest Middle School, Lincoln Elementary, Arbor View Elementary, Briar Glen Elementary, Forest Glen Elementary, Churchill Elementary, Westfield Elementary, Ben Franklin Elementary, Parkview Elementary, Glenbard West High School and Glenbard South High School.
These volunteers work to organize, publicize and coordinate the food drives and then transport the food to the pantry after it has been collected. The pantry, quite literally, could not survive without the support of our local schools and the community at large.
Need has increased steadily through the first half of 2008 and is expected to continue to increase in the coming months, when our usual support network of schools and clubs are not in session. Please remember the food pantry with donations of food or cash during the summer months.
The Glen Ellyn Food Pantry is located in Grace Lutheran Church at 493 Forest Ave., Glen Ellyn. For more information or to make an appointment, please call (630) 469-8668.
Eileen Robleski, board member, Glen Ellyn Food Pantry
Roskam more courageous than letter writer realizes
This letter is in response to the letter that appeared in the June 12 Glen Ellyn News/Wheaton Leader written by Walt Zlotow of Glen Ellyn:
Your letter asserting that Congressman Peter Roskam lacks moral courage for his support in keeping our troops in Iraq ignores the reason why we entered in the first place. Our primary goal for entering Iraq was to eliminate the security threat that the Saddam Hussein regime posed.
It’s a fact that Saddam had used weapons of mass destruction, supported various terrorist groups, was hostile to the United States and defied numerous U.N. resolutions over a 12-year period. At the time of the invasion, U.S. public support for the war was overwhelming.
Germany’s intelligence believed Saddam had WMD, and even then-president of France, who was no friend of the U.S., was convinced that Saddam had WMD and posed a serious threat.
If there had been another attack made on the U.S. that was attributable to Saddam, you would have been the first to blame President Bush for not doing more to protect us. You can’t have it both ways, Walt.
Was the invasion necessary? Absolutely. Was it poorly executed? Probably. Maybe Colin Powell’s doctrine of overwhelming force would have achieved our objectives sooner.
But after five years of fighting and the loss of many American and Iraqi lives, this war is nearly over.
Al-Qaida has retreated to occupy only a small sliver of the country, and Shiites and Sunnis are beginning to recognize the importance of achieving political unity to face the larger threats in the region. This progress was only possible after the presence of a larger American military force and a more proactive strategy of reaching out to the civilian population.
It would be morally reprehensible to leave Iraq now, as it would embolden our enemies, weaken our future allies, make a mockery of the thousands of American lives lost and force us to return to Iraq in six months to stop the mass killings that would surely ensue if we leave prematurely. It would appear that the moral courage that Peter Roskam has shown is what’s needed to stand up to the current public opinion and finish the job we started.
Joe Martinez, Glen Ellyn
Residents like to walk off dislike of tired opinions
Ugh! Yet another letter from Walt Zlotow. His issues last week were, once again, buried in negativism, blaming and fault-finding against all things Republican and, especially, Congressman Peter Roskam.
To be fair, occasionally, his attacks are outside the realm of party affiliation, as when, earlier this year, he aimed his disparaging letter-writing style against the selfless and honorable volunteerism of our country’s military.
I get it. He is a frustrated, cynical and embittered liberal Democrat with a pontification disorder. My wife says I, too, suffer from occasional “PD” attacks, as in after reading any number of Zlotow’s lengthy letters to the editor.
Her prescription for the malady? Take a hike (or a walk, for those less emotionally challenged) and don’t come back until you are all better.
Martin Teague, Glen Ellyn
