Hawaii trip too costly

How can anyone justify sending the University of Maine women’s basketball team to Hawaii, when our state is in such financial difficulties?

I am sure they could find a tournament much closer.

We deserve to know the price tag, and maybe it is time to revisit the amount of tax dollars going to the university.

Janette Nelson

Houlton

Riot wasn’t a class act

Some of us Maine hockey fans have joked about UNH as being the University of No Hardware. After the way the fans acted after their loss, I think what better fits is the University of No Class.

William Abbott

Salsbury Cove

GirlsTalk speaks up

On Monday evening, May 14, the Old Town Public Library’s mentoring group, GirlsTalk, met for its monthly meeting. We are a group of about 80 middle school girls and adult mentors. Each month our program goal is to bring something new to the young women that teach them about self-esteem, aspirations and feeling a sense of place within their own community. We also try to expose the girls to something outside their own world so that they will come to have a broader understanding of the world around them.

This month Coach Sharon Versyp and 12 members of the women’s basketball team were our guests for dinner. Coach Versyp spoke from the heart to our girls on the importance of self-esteem in each of our lives. She told them it didn’t matter whether it was sports, academics, music or any other area of interest that was important in their lives. What did matter is that they find something that they can be passionate about. Every member of our group sat intently listening to what the coach had to say.

After Coach Versyp concluded, she introduced each player and had them tell those in the audience who they were and how they got to where they are today. Each spoke about how she came to play for the University of Maine and what it meant to her. They were absolutely dynamite! What great ambassadors of goodwill. Our kids need opportunities like this to hear from role models who do have passion and commitment because it sends such a powerful message to our young people.

Today we hear so much that focuses on the negative in our society, I just wanted you to hear about something positive. The University of Maine can be proud of its coaching staff and student athletes. They can and do make a difference both on and off the court. Their presence at GirlsTalk was an upbeat experience for all of us.

We feel fortunate to live close enough to the University of Maine to benefit from all that it has to offer. It gives us the opportunity to broaden the horizons and raise the aspirations of the young women in Girls-Talk. We are so very grateful for the opportunity.

Valerie Osborne

Old Town Public Library

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