I was born and raised here in Naples Florida , hunting , fishing , and having a healthy respect for our environment. Also having the utmost respect for the fellow residents of this beautiful state. I was born in 1992 December 15, I know I know, you're thinking what do you know about respect for your elders young man ? Or respect in general ha ha let alone hunting or fishing? Well I know thing or two and a couple of those things are that no matter how someone treats you if their disrespectful or they cop an attitude or you just don't like the way their face looks , doesn't justify disrespect , violence , or harassment, it takes more of a man not to lose his temper and control himself , than it does to attack someone. No what is this have to do with the hurricane ?and the shelter at Palmetto Ridge You ask?
Well palmetto Ridge high school opened their doors to lend a helping hand to medically needy people / and regular evacuees ,who had to evacuate during hurricane Irma , Mr.Bremseth The principal slept at his desk in his office for 12 days. Making sure the shelter was running tiptop shape, and supplies were being brought, distributed evenly, and the special-needs evacuees getting all the special care and attention they need .
Seems pretty amazing , that a high school principal and a bunch of volunteers will pull together and risk their lives and their families lives to help people they don't even know ! That is the America I know and love .
This next part of the story doesn't even sound like the America that I know, after the storm passed and the shelter cleared out at Palmetto Ridge teachers and staff decided to go around and pick up and clean up the campus ,to there other disappointment and shock they found feces smeared all over the bathroom in writing, children's artwork was destroyed and ripped off the walls, hallways with bulletin boards with different teachers names on them for their classrooms ripped off there doors , countless lockers ,countless desks , chairs , and even smart boards that are only supposed to be written on with a special marker, well the shelter guest decided to write on them with permanent markers destroying thousands of dollars worth of equipment , that will come out of whos pocket ? Oh yeah our pocket , it just goes to show you that no matter how much you can help A person you never know what their true intentions are even if you are lending a helping hand , people will still take advantage every chance they get . Even if the don't need the assistance or food stamps they will still go apply and get what the can , they get as much assistance they can get and it creates a cushion that they can use to pay for vehicles and rent and whatever else the need , in the mean time they get $500 to $700 in food stamps and wic benifits , I'm not speaking in generalities, most people use their government assistance for the right things to take care of their family, but the majority of people who are illegal imagrants, drug addicts, or who are in the criminal element of society use their government assistance to sell to get drugs or pay bills .
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I guess I'm just starting to look at my son and realize that no matter what I'm never going to give up on him. And I know some parents whose children Are out of control, They don't know where else to turn and they feel like if they call the police send their child to a military school or a Boot Camp school , " which I attended ", . Let me just say, children get raped they're beaten by the guards and other youthful offenders and you will come out of their hateing the world more than you ever did before. But that doesn't mean you have to give up, I was there I spent eight years of my life incarcerated, four years in rehabilitation's in drug rehab, and now the past year after my wife got pregnant and we had Jaxten , Something just I can't describe the feeling that I have towards my son it's a feeling of ambition and a drive that I have never experienced before and it's all for him everything I do and the choices I make will benefit him ,and I don't think that anything will ever compare to it for as long as I ever live . I didn't even know I was capable of feeling those feelings, that's how long it's been since I've been in reality where I actually have feelings towards things I care about besides money, A better job , a nicer house , The list goes on an on ...... but not so much now days is long as I got food in my stomach, food for my wife, a roof over our head, and everything that Jaxton could want or need , Those are my new priorities and my new obsessions . Finally something that's actually worth something in my life that actually has a positive outcome as long as I stay on the right track. Thanks again everyone ! Sorry for venting that one , Ive been waiting to get that out for a little while and you all are the only ones that actually have enough of a brain to comprehend and understand what I'm trying to say and if I'm lucky I'll get a piece of advice and maybe even a comment steam on thanks again !!!!!!!!🥃🎱🎭
Hi @jakeworkingman, first of all, adorable son. It's so sad what happened to the school by those that were helped. There's always a couple of bad apples. And, they can be so destructive! I'm so proud of folks like the principal and the volunteers... their efforts helped lots of more good and appreciative apples.
Yes your right about that , everywhere you go there's always going to be people that have no appreciation for the amazing dedication and help that they received from all the volunteers .
People have lost those values recently , they have been wiped away from every public school, television programs, music, and especially in the media and Hollywood ! They actually promote all these new ideals and plaster them all over television, radio ,and even in most advertisements .
Hopefully people will be able to educate themselves and their children to be respectful productive members of society ..
Steemonnnnnnnn @karencarrens thanks again
Yes and that's why I love Steem, we have a place that attracts great people and where good behavior is rewarded. Rock on!