Thursday, November 17, 2005
More diverse perspectives
Post by BJP, Sandpoint Online.com staff
As promised, we did more "man on the street" interviews today. I took a trip to Yoke's in Ponderay to ask people what they thought of the Extreme Makeover project, and this time I got more mixed reviews, with some voicing concerns about dual burdens – the effects of more publicity on Sandpoint and the financial impacts on the family. Here is a sampling of what eight people I interviewed had to say:
Cindy, age 56, teacher
"It brings a lot of people to Sandpoint and gives us a chance to shine and show what we're all about. The down side is the publicity, of course, because everyone will want to move here."
Heidi, age 47, soils scientist
"I know some electricians working on it, and some are upset because local people are not being paid, but some think it's positive. It's kind of a pain in the neck that they've closed off Baldy ... but it's a one-time thing, and I think it's a worthy family."
Bill, age 61, retired
"The house is too big, too much. It's all done for the Extreme Makeover people, and I don't think they've considered the future ability of the family to afford the house – the utilities, insurance and taxes."
Barbara, age 73, retired
"I think it's a nice thing, and the world could use more nice things. The only thing I keep wondering about is the taxes."
Claire, age not disclosed, retired mother of 10
"I'm delighted that someone who's done what he (Eric Hebert) has done be appreciated. It just makes my heart feel warm that they're (the children) being taken care of."
Debbie, age 39, massage therapist
"I hate to see Sandpoint get more notoriety, but I'm happy to see the family getting the house, and I hope they'll be able to pay their property taxes in the coming years."
Judy, age 61, nurse
"I think it's wonderful. There are people who can use that, so if people apply and get accepted, more power to them."
Michele, age 38, bookkeeper
"I think it's great for the family, and I think it's a great project for Sandpoint to be involved in, but I wish they would have used more local contractors and suppliers."
We'll be seeking more comments from people on the street and more views from the building site, so, once again, stay tuned.
As promised, we did more "man on the street" interviews today. I took a trip to Yoke's in Ponderay to ask people what they thought of the Extreme Makeover project, and this time I got more mixed reviews, with some voicing concerns about dual burdens – the effects of more publicity on Sandpoint and the financial impacts on the family. Here is a sampling of what eight people I interviewed had to say:
Cindy, age 56, teacher
"It brings a lot of people to Sandpoint and gives us a chance to shine and show what we're all about. The down side is the publicity, of course, because everyone will want to move here."
Heidi, age 47, soils scientist
"I know some electricians working on it, and some are upset because local people are not being paid, but some think it's positive. It's kind of a pain in the neck that they've closed off Baldy ... but it's a one-time thing, and I think it's a worthy family."
Bill, age 61, retired
"The house is too big, too much. It's all done for the Extreme Makeover people, and I don't think they've considered the future ability of the family to afford the house – the utilities, insurance and taxes."
Barbara, age 73, retired
"I think it's a nice thing, and the world could use more nice things. The only thing I keep wondering about is the taxes."
Claire, age not disclosed, retired mother of 10
"I'm delighted that someone who's done what he (Eric Hebert) has done be appreciated. It just makes my heart feel warm that they're (the children) being taken care of."
Debbie, age 39, massage therapist
"I hate to see Sandpoint get more notoriety, but I'm happy to see the family getting the house, and I hope they'll be able to pay their property taxes in the coming years."
Judy, age 61, nurse
"I think it's wonderful. There are people who can use that, so if people apply and get accepted, more power to them."
Michele, age 38, bookkeeper
"I think it's great for the family, and I think it's a great project for Sandpoint to be involved in, but I wish they would have used more local contractors and suppliers."
We'll be seeking more comments from people on the street and more views from the building site, so, once again, stay tuned.
