Letters to the Editor for March 2, 2017

WHS cheerleader wants to keep larger team

I’m a varsity cheerleader for Washougal High School, and my team has run into a dilemma.

Tryouts are this Sunday and a couple days ago, we were told that our maximum number of team members for basketball cheer would be reduced from 16 to 12, but our coaches urged our athletic director to let them keep 16 cheerleaders.

We were presented with the compromise of two separate cheer teams for varsity — each team having eight people — with each team cheering for alternating games.

This poses many problems. We will no longer be able to do some of the larger group stunts for which we need all 16 people. Our performances will be separate. We will no longer have our traditional routine for lineup, and our team will not be as unified as it is now.

This splitting of the team prevents us from reaching our full potential in regards to stunts, performances, and closeness between team members.

Us cheerleaders were told that the reasoning behind this change was regarding a lawsuit in Oregon filed by the family of a girl who was injured during a stunt. This lawsuit should not affect us because unlike the team she was stunting with, we take the proper safety measures for stunting, including adequate spotting, trained coach supervision, and following a strict path of stunt progression.

Besides, I have yet to see our football team downsize due to an injury lawsuit in another state. We were also told that there are too many people in our gymnasium during basketball games, but there are almost always open spots in the stands. If that is referring to the number of people on the court, why haven’t the basketball teams seen similar reductions in numbers?

I am desperately looking for help from our wonderful community to bring justice and respect to our Washougal cheerleaders.

I have also started a petition, www.change.org/p/washougal-school-district-respect-and-acknowledge-cheer-as-a-sport.

Kaitlin Eck, Washougal

Local resident asks people to pick up litter

I am shocked and heartbroken to drive around Camas and Washougal these days and see all the litter and garbage strewn about neighborhoods and streets.

I have never seen the likes of it in this area before. I have always been so proud to call Camas and Washougal home, but lately I just cringe.

I know it has been a heck of a rough winter season with copious rainfall, snow, freezing rain and tremendous gorge winds. I am sure that these conditions have contributed to the ugly problem.

Who is in charge of litter and garbage patrol? I think some of us locals honestly believe it is someone else’s problem. I am asking all citizens, as well as city municipalities, to join together and PICK IT UP! Please?

Just one bag of litter per person would probably do the trick. Organize a group in your neighborhood or school. Take photos and post them online.

Help clean up Camas and Washougal. Let’s pick it up!

Sharon Farra, Washougal

Avid book reader wants Camas Library to maintain relationship with FVRL District

A letter to Camas Public Library Director Connie Urquhart:

I read the article about your plans for the library in the February 16 edition of the Post-Record with much trepidation.

My husband and I are avid library members and members of Friends of the Library. We have very eclectic tastes in literature.

My concern is with your consideration of separating from the Fort Vancouver Regional Library system and “go it on your own,” so to speak. Perhaps we are in the minority of Camas library users, because we do reserve books online.

At the moment, we have 13 books out. Only four of them are from the Camas Library. The rest are from the regional system.

I don’t see that it is possible for the Camas Library to acquire the collection of books that would make it a “world-class” library. At least not anytime soon. And, in the meantime, what happens to those of us who rely on the regional system? Will we have to join FVRL separately and travel to Vancouver, in order to continue our love affair with books?

Corinne McWilliams, Camas