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Thursday, November 27, 2008
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Children tell why they're thankful this Thanksgiving THANKSGIVING 2008 City Editor Faith, family and friends.
Throw in an occasional dog.
All were popular themes mentioned by Brainerd lakes area children who responded to the Dispatch's question: What makes you thankful this Thanksgiving?
Second-graders of teacher Marti Sauer at Riverside Elementary School in Brainerd, fifth-graders of Jennifer West at Forestview Middle School in Baxter and several teenagers at PORT Group Home for Girls in Brainerd shared their thoughts. Some of the comments are sobering and may remind us of what's important in life.
The following is a sampling of the letters from fifth-graders:
On Thanksgiving Day me and my family pray and this is what I would say.
I'm thankful for God, the way he guides me through my life. I'm thankful for my family, the way they always watch out for me. I'm thankful for the laws that keep our country safe. I'm thankful for the food that keeps us alert. I'm thankful for my teacher because she gives me a good education. And most of all, I'm thankful for the world. This is what I pray on Thanksgiving Day. - Taiya Holmberg
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Caleb Meyer, Hannah Northburg and the rest of Jennifer West's fifth-grade class at Forestview Middle School in Baxter recently wrote stories about why they are thankful this Thanksgiving Day.
Brainerd Dispatch/ Kelly Humphrey
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
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I am thankful for friends and family. They are always at my side and cheering me up when I am down. They encourage me to move forward and make me smile every day.
I am thankful for food and shelter. The sweetness of pie, steamy soup, and tasty turkey makes me say, "Yum." On a cold, blustery day a toasty room with a cup of hot-chocolate warms my soul.
I am thankful for the blazing sunsets and sunrises and cool summer breezes. I also like how delicate, soft snowflakes twirl in the wind and how, in the darkness of night, the stars wink down at you. It all takes my breath away in the majestic sights.
I am thankful for all things. The name of this holiday reminds us of all the many wondrous things we can be thankful for. - Sophie Stubbs
Five things I am thankful for:
I am thankful for my family. My family is never mean and helps me when I need help.
I am thankful for food because if I did not have food I would die.
I am also thankful for school. Without school I would not have an education.
Chocolate is important to me because when I am sad chocolate makes me happy.
Money is really important to me because without it everything would be out of order.
These are five things I am thankful for. I am lucky to have these things. - Cooper Wolf
I am thankful for my grandmother. She is not hurting anymore. She is probably looking down on me. I am also thankful for my mother because she helps me with my homework even if she doesn't understand it. She works and goes to school at the same time so she can make more money. I am thankful for my dog. She was a little puppy when I bought her. I have begged for a dog for three years until I finally got Molly. Finally, I am thankful for Jake. He makes my mom happy and plays with me when I can. - Tayler Borders
Every Thanksgiving my mom does her best to make the perfect turkey. She goes out into the woods and bags a turkey with a shotgun. ... My mom then adds some sage, stuffing and rice breading to the turkey. This adds a unique flavor. My mom also puts out an excellent spread of cranberry sauce and fixings to complement the meal. With all this hustling and bustling when I finally get to sit down at the table I always remember to be thankful for the perfect turkey. - Scott Woodward
I am thankful for God, Jesus, family, friends and sports. All of these things help me a lot in life.
I am thankful for God and Jesus because they forgive our sin and they also taught us many great stories so we can believe in them. I believe they are always by my side and will always be with me.
I am thankful for family and friends because they always are there and pick you up when you're down. They are very fun to play and joke around with. I have many friends who do that in my neighborhood. We play a lot and always have fun.
I am also thankful for sports because they teach you many things and are fun to play. I play them in my neighborhood with my friends a lot. I am thankful that I have very good athleticism.
I am thankful for many things but I am most thankful for these. - Luke West
I am thankful for my wonderful mother and father and brother and sisters. They are kind and loving and they are thankful for everything I am thankful for. I am thankful that my father has a good job. I am thankful for my mother because she feeds me and keeps me well provided for. I am thankful for my brother and my sisters because if I didn't have them my life would be miserable and I would have no one to play with. I have one brother and six sisters. I am thankful that God has blessed us all, that he has kept us safe. I am thankful for our activities to keep us busy in our lifetimes. I like homework and swimming. It keeps me occupied. I am thankful for recycling or our world would be trashed. Most of all, I am thankful for our nation's freedom and rights, for our nation's beauty and I am thankful for God's blessings toward America. - Conner Collette
I am thankful for many things but the main things are my family, friends and the troops in Iraq.
My family is very caring. They help me with my homework and love me very much. My dog's name is Alexandra and she is playful and spunky even though she is 7. My grandparents always take my brothers and I fishing and hunting a lot. My grandma is very generous. My grandpa is always looking for someone to hug (me).
My friends are awesome. We hang out most of the time or have sleepovers. It doesn't matter what mood I'm in because they always make me smile or laugh.
The troops in Iraq are awesome. They are risking their lives to fight for our country. Many of the troops die and families are destroyed but I think all families should be happy.
Those are things I'm thankful for. - Margriet VanDerwerker
I'm thankful for my mom and dad. They tuck me in bed at night. They give me good food to eat every day. They let me know that I'm loved. I'm a lucky kid. - Carolyn Lundgren
I am thankful for my dad because he spends time with me. He takes me hunting with him all the time. My dad has been taking me hunting since I was 3 years old. This year we saw two does but we missed both of them. I love being with my dad. - Colton Jacob
I'm thankful for my Kinship Partner. She plays with me and takes me places. I would have no one to play with if she were not there for me. We paint and color. We ride bike and we ride on scooters. I'm thankful to have her for my friend. - Alexis Simpson
Last summer my grandma had a heart attack. My grandpa had a car accident a few days later. My family was very sad, especially my mom because it's her mom and dad that it happened to. I'm thankful that they're doing better. - Tyler Fleischhacker
I am thankful for jobs. Jobs help our world. Garbage trucks clean up garbage. Firefighters put out fires. If they need to get up high they use a ladder truck. If there were no jobs the United States wouldn't be a good place to live. Doctors help us by saving people and fixing broken bones. If someone is about to die they would hop in an ambulance and go to the hospital. - Eric Martin
I am thankful for food to eat, because some kids in the world don't have much to eat. Some countries don't even have much money for food at all. A lot of countries are very poor. I am very lucky to live in the United States, because I have food to eat. - Amy Ulanowski
I am thankful for a school where I can learn my ABCs, learn to spell words and where I can learn about the U.S.A. I am lucky I have awesome teachers. I am lucky to have awesome friends at school. - Jacob Mitchell
I'm thankful for my German shepherd because he protects me. He plays with me. He keeps me company so when I'm bored I let him in and let him play with me. I love my German shepherd. - Jordan Swenson
I am very thankful for the people I love. Like my mom and dad. I am also very thankful for staying sober for five months. It's wonderful! I'm happy that I get to go home and see my family on the weekends.
I used to take everything for granted. ... But now I can go home and be thankful to wake up in my own bed. I'm thankful I am still able to attend school, so I can finish school with my diploma.
I always complain about the kinds of clothes I have and wear and how I am never good enough, but now I think about how I am lucky enough to have a roof over my head and to have food on the table.
I am excited for Thanksgiving so that I can be with my family and love them. I miss them a lot! I am just thankful to at least be alive.
Thank you, Lord, I'm thankful that I've got people who care about me. Like my mom, my dad, my counselors, my probation officer, my friends. I'm thankful I got help when I needed it before it got too late. This place helps me realize the true Brigid who doesn't need drugs and that I can just be myself the best sober. I am very thankful for the realization in my self. Thank you again. - Brigid
I am thankful for my aunt and uncle. Whom I now call mom and dad for taking me in and adopting me when my biological mother passed over to the heavens above. I am thankful for my sisters who try so hard to make me laugh and be happy even though it seems impossible for me to do sometimes.
I am thankful for my dog. She is my one true friend who doesn't lie or start drama! She listens to me and is always there for me to cry on her shoulder. I am thankful to have a family that cares about me.
I am thankful for being in a safe home. I have a wonderful family that cares about me a lot. I am thankful for being safe with myself. I haven't self-harmed for one year. I am thankful for being able to see. I am thankful for going to school for an education so I can go to college and become a veterinary assistant.
The last thing I am thankful for is my life. I've become a better person throughout my 16 years of life. I no longer want bad things to happen.
I have a good family and I am thankful for them!! - Leslie
I am thankful for my parents, my job and my sobriety. Here are the reasons I am thankful for all these things.
I am so thankful for my parents. They have stuck through a lot with me in my life. When I turned 14-15 I started using drugs and alcohol. I would come home very messed up. I would totally just flip out. The cops would come and everything.
I am also very thankful for my job. If it weren't for my job I wouldn't be where I am today. I just had gotten my job in June. I am a housekeeper at a local hotel. It's the first time I had a real job. I am very proud of myself.
The last thing I am thankful for is my sobriety. There are way better things in life than drugs. I think I would have died. I don't want that, neither did my parents.
That's what I am thankful for. I appreciate all that God has given me. I thank him every day! - Courtney
I am thankful for my counselors because they are teaching me right from wrong. I am thankful for my family and the friends that I can hang out with and express my feelings to. I am thankful for the food we have to eat. I am thankful for my life and my pets also. I am thankful that I can watch movies and listen to music and have some freedom. I am thankful that I can call my parents and talk to them. I am thankful I can talk to my brother and see him too. - Becky
KATHI NAGORSKI may be reached at kathi.nagorski@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5859.
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