Answering the Call
By Mona Lease

Hi, all! There has been so much to write about - I wanted to take a few sentences to tell you the following before I stat the column - or maybe it is the column - in a way.

Friday, January 31, 2014 - on CountyNewsOnline - a headline read - "Boehner Hosts Ohio Job Creators at the State of the Union." I had sent an e.mail to John's DC Office - to his secretary. That was last December - before Christmas. I sent it "From Darke County." I made a few phone calls to the 800 number John invited the 8th Congressional District (that's us, folks!) to call. I actually spoke with a gentleman in the Cincinnati Office - he answered on the 3rd ring! I called for people in our county (their permission granted) who were elderly, scared, unsure, etc.

In the original e.mail, I told John "Thank You" for fighting for us - even when we do not say thank you. I believe that Darke County being at the "State of the Union" or being mentioned at all - was John's way of saying "You are welcome!"

Think about this - we were no longer a part of the 8th Congressional District. We were DARKE COUNTY - represented at the State of the Union! To me - that's a whole lot. And - I believe we got there by sticking together...some of you readers told me your stories. Some of you believe - as do I - that John Boehner is a person, too. He gets weary of the "Battle" and a kind word - a "true kind word" does a lot. But - it was our "collective, true kind word" that got us to John - not just one of his Public Relations entities. Our proof is that we made it to the State of the Union - we were represented by a cross-section of local businesses - west to east across our county!

And - an elderly Darke County woman I speak with every morning told me yesterday - "We (Darke County & everyone) need to stick together. Why do we need to spend $950,000 or whatever the actual cost will be - to rebuild the Cow Palace that was burned at our Fairgrounds? What is stopping us from having a good, old-fashioned "barn-raisin'" - you remember, Mona? (Sort of, yes). The women could cook and the men could build. Isn't that why the land was donated? Isn't that the point of the "No Alcohol - sold or consumed" clause? Wasn't it to keep the "family fun and values" alive. Isn't the whole point of the Fair and the Cow Palace to display what hard work will get you - in the end?

And lastly - through the early years of my "raisin'" - when I groused and otherwise whined about planting tomatoes at our family homestead - I was told (repeatedly through the years) - "All work is honest." I guess I should add that drug-dealing does not factor into that equation. So - to John Boehner (Bartender's son that you are): given the chance - I would gladly extend my tomato-pickin' hand to you for a handshake. Thanks again for all you do.

Remember the kiddies and our service people. Take good care of the furry and feathered ones out there. Be safe and healthy. See ya next time. Ever Toodles! MONA