Bouquets in the snow

We will never know the hundreds of acts of kindness shown to neighbor and stranger during the icy, snowy days last week in northeastern Louisiana. We can present bouquets to the men and women who worked day and night to help keep the residents warm and safe. Here are a few bouquets in the snow:

To meteorologist Don Wheeler of Delta Community College who was ever vigilant and on the mark with his forecasts; Louisiana State Police for reminding drivers that in the South we don't know how to drive in ice and snow — to slow down and if possible stay off the roads; the officers of the Monroe Police Department and West Monroe Police Department and deputies of the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office, and the hundreds of law enforcement personnel in other parishes who were on duty and on call 24 hours; the firefighters and first responders on the scene at wrecks and homes when people were sick; to the vigilant parish and city supervisors and crews who kept the streets and bridges passable; to the government and elected officials whose decisions to close put the safety of citizens above all else; and finally to those who to despite the hardships, trudged to work each day so we could fill up our vehicles, buy groceries and get help if we needed it.

To the Ouachita Parish 911 dispatchers who are skilled at determining how to pinpoint emergency calls made from cellphones. Different manufacturers, cell tower locations, even sunspots can interfere with wireless accuracy. The staff at Ouachita 911 can locate a caller within seconds.

To the Monroe Transit System for a clean audit by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. The audit looked at 17 categories and found no deficiencies. Thanks for a job well done to the staff and general manager Marc Keenan.

To Kim Mulkey, Tech alumnus, former Lady Techster assistant coach and head coach at Baylor for 15 years, on her gracious comments during her first trip to campus since leaving in 2000. "I tell people in Texas all the time, no matter where my career takes me, Louisiana will always be my home," she said.

To the "Rayville Revival" taking place under the leadership of head football coach Lent Bursey and boys basketball coach Damon West. These men have brought a resurgence to athletics at Rayville High School which is changing the lives of the students in their programs.

To everyone who took homemade sleds to the levee at Forsythe Park Wednesday for sliding in the snow and to all those amateur snowmen makers who created fine snow sculptures with little or no training at all. The snowmen were so well made that many were still standing late Thursday afternoon.