'It ain't over til it's over'
 America's record-setting 37 Olympic medals, including an unexpected silver in overtime against the Canadians in hockey, tells the story of dedicated professionals who emphasize working together as a team rather than the heroics of a one-man show.
My daughter, Allison, had just retrieved one of her all time favorite stories from a book at the Learning Tech Quest School from Donna Underwood, the principal. The story reminds us of the continuous rainy weather in Monroe-West Monroe, the teamwork of the most memorable 2010 Olympiad, and the importance of achieving goals through hard work and supporting one another for the greater good of the team and our fellow man.
The story is from "The Beauty of the Beasts " by California-based animal trainer Ralph Helfer. The storyline is about 1,500 wild animals, the owners, friends and trainers located in an idyllic setting called "Africa U.S.A. ", a ranch nestled at the bottom of Soledad Canyon about 30 miles outside Los Angeles. Ralph and his wife, Toni, were at the pinnacle of their training careers, having just finished filming Gentle Ben, when heavy rains began.
For the full column, see Page 9A of this week's Citizen.
Subscribe to The Ouachita Citizen, your locally owned newspaper since 1924, by calling (318) 322-3161, ext 201. A one-year subscription costs a low $25 for Ouachita Parish addresses. We honor senior citizens with a discounted $20 per year rate for parish delivery.
Martha Jane Anderson retired from University of Louisiana-Monroe after 35 years of service as Assistant Dean of Students and SGA Advisor. She is married to Patrick H. Anderson Sr., has two children, and four grandchildren. |
E-mail Story
Print Story
