"Thanks" for front page coverage

     I can not find the words to express my gratitude to the dedicated employees at SouthBostonOnLine, Jeanne, Rick, Barbara, Kathy, Maureen, Bob and Kevin.  When the Adopt a senior program hit the front page so many calls, items, and donations flooded through this office that we were able to reach almost all of the 150 seniors that reside in the Old Colony Development.  While not every basket was valued at more than $30 dollars, each senior was given at least a little something between the donations that were given and the beautiful baskets that came as a result of your published article.

     Many of the seniors were brought to tears because it had been so long since they had been given anything that they had almost lost the true spirit of Christmas.  We know that had it not been for your paper and your attention to this program, our program would not have been possible.  We wish nothing but good tidings to you in the New Year and will hope to reach even more seniors next year.  Thank you again to our Christmas angels at South Boston Online and to all of the community members that contributed to this program.

Sincerely,

Heidi Fritz

The Old Colony Taskforce (2005)

Waterman Memorial

Dear Editor:

     I would like to commend Andrew Sq. Civic Assn. for dedicating the memorial to the late Russell Waterman, I was proud to be one of Russ's many friends. He was a good friend, a good husband and a good father, who many times walked the extra miles for others. He now rests with the Lord, but he will be always fondly remembered by his lovely family and many friends.

Charles A. Harrington

(former So. Boston resident)
Boynton Beach, Fl.

Drug Rehab Success Story

     Chris, as family knows him, was a beautiful, happy child. He was bright, articulate, and very tender hearted. He would hug everyone in a room with little prompting when it was time to say goodbye. We did all the usual things as a family, soccer, swimming, and cub scouts. Things seemed to change when Chris was in the 8th grade. Chris started to be friends with kids in his class that were older and were having hard times with divorcing parents or family conflicts. He empathized with his friends to the degree he took their problems on as his own.

      He became rebellious and angry. As he entered his freshman year of high school, he started spending more and more time with these friends. Although we were suspicious of his activities, he was so sincere that he wasn't doing anything wrong and just wanted to help his friends. We thought this was normal teen behavior. We all became involved with a local theater group. He loved to perform and then got interested in the technical side of theater. He stayed busy performing and was a teen leader within the group.

      In his sophomore year, he was caught at school with pot. While it was a minuscule piece, the no tolerance rule applied and he was suspended for the remainder of the year. Finally, accepting there was a serious problem, we sought family counseling. During this time, he continued to go out at night and many times did not come home until morning or days later. He became more and more rebellious, would come home high, and get in huge arguments with his father. Family members offered to help by sending him to military camp or other family members, but I could not turn my back on him. We joined a support group for teen addicts where the kids met together with a counselor
while the parents met separately. I think this became a place where he could "hook up". He continued to make bad choices and be involved in dangerous and illegal activities. ey were not moving forward. He liked moving forward. I knew he was okay. I owe many thanks to this program for giving my son the tools he needed to succeed in life and my son for using them.

K.R., the parent of a graduate

of a Drug Rehabilitation Program