Letter to the Editor

Prices make attending difficult

Monday, July 5, 2010

To the Editor:

I am writing in reference to the children of Clay County.

As a child growing up, my friends and I looked forward to the Fourth of July Celebration at Forest Park.

It was just something we could always count on during our summer vacations; meeting up with friends we haven't seen since school let out and as a teen, a little bit of freedom from our parents.

But I never can remember my parents having to save for a month and in some cases, two months to send me out for a night with my friends.

Now, I am not ignorant to the fact that prices increase and things have changed within the last 10-15 years. But I also am not ignorant to the fact that most individuals in Clay County (I being one of them) who cannot send our children to the carnival. We are a middle class family whom at times find it hard to have $20 for a child just to ride the carnival rides that is not including the games and drinks and on and on.

With that being said, I realize that the Rotary offers discounted tickets at local area businesses, yet still we may have an extra $10 this week and then the next week, we may not.

I know that if it's hard for us being the average Clay County citizen, what's it like for the children of lower income parents? How fair is it for them, the children, to drive by, walk by, hear or see the lights, bells and whistles of something that all children, young and old, of Clay County look forward too?

So, my question is, as parents, what do we tell our children?

Kerrie McMillan,

Brazil