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Support shown for immigrants By Alex Sobel Press Contributing Writer news@presspublications.com
Dramatic sky
Clouds form over a farm field in Jerusalem Township as last week's warm weather turns cold and windy. (Photo courtesy of Maggi Dandar mdandarphotography.com)
Therapy dog helped Vietnam vet By Kelly J. Kaczala Press News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com Mike Novitski has a special place in his heart for dogs. As a Marine in Vietnam in 1966, he and his buddies befriended a mutt from a village that protected their bunkers from the enemy, the Vietcong. The dog, Whiskey, always barked to warn the Marines whenever the enemy was near. The group always felt safe when Whiskey was around. “He hated the Vietnamese. He would always go from bunker to bunker to check on the Marines to make sure they were alright,” he said. By the end of 1966, Whiskey was found dead, likely poisoned by the Vietnamese, he said. The Marines had such high regard for the dog, they gave him a military funeral. They buried him in a box in the sands of Chu Lai, Vietnam. “This was our buddy. As a Marine, we were taught never to leave anyone behind. He was considered one of our own,” said Novitski. A month later, they were overtaken by the enemy. After multiple tours in Vietnam, Novitski came home in 1972. He thought he had left the battles behind. But there would
“I was working in a factory. An employee got his arm caught in a machine. I put a tourniquet on his arm. They brought in Life Flight. I felt I went back to Vietnam. I had tremendous nightmares, to the point where I could actually feel bullets ripping through my body. I could only sleep about 15 minutes. I had all the classic stuff.” Dogs, he found, have helped him deal with the enemy here, too.
Bear, the dog, is missing. be another enemy to fight: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which affects soldiers and others who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic or terrifying event in which serious physical harm occurred or was threatened. People with PTSD, according to WebMD, repeatedly re-live the ordeal through thoughts and memories of the trauma, including flashbacks, hallucinations and nightmares. Symptoms can range from anxiety attacks, insomnia, and difficulty concentrating to increased blood pressure, heart rate, rapid breathing, muscle tension, and nausea. “You’re hyper-vigilant. When you hear a car door slam shut, you’re ducking for cover,” he said.
Lost Bear “I’ve depended on dogs to be part of my recovery plan. These guys have been my therapy dogs,” he said of the Australian Shepherds he has adopted over the years. “Australian Shepherds are very loyal to one person,” he said. In 2005, his seven-year-old Australian Shepherd, Frank, helped him get through a “fist sized” brain tumor. “He was by my side all the time.” The dog later died in his arms from a massive heart attack caused by a tumor on its heart. He and his wife, Cheryl, looked for another one to adopt about a year and a half ago on a farm. The dog that most appealed to him was one least likely to be adopted. “He was the biggest of the litter, but Continued on page 2
This past Wednesday, the Welcome Toledo-Lucas County Initiative held a forum to discuss an ongoing project to make the area more welcoming to immigrants. Toledo has always been accepting of people of other cultures, so for some, it’s not about starting fresh, but continuing with and improving on what’s already here. “This is getting our community back to where we started. It’s a new idea that’s an old idea,” said Pete Gerken, Lucas County Commissioner. “We’re great, we’re still great, but I think we can be even better. And what worked before was immigrant ingenuity. Almost everyone came from somewhere, at some point.” Cindy Geronimo, Vice President of the Lucas County Land Bank, echoed this idea. “We have a long history of welcoming immigrants. We’re already involved in this.” The forum included members of the community who were encouraged to speak freely and openly about their experiences, both good and bad. Some of the thoughts expressed came from people who came to Toledo as immigrants. One woman spoke of her experience getting cancer very young and having to handle doctors when her parents couldn’t speak a word of English. Another man described the hardships and discrimination he faced when he came to this country many years ago. There were also many concerns about the project. Several people expressed worry that those coming may not contribute, that we might be “immigrating poverty,” or could become a “sanctuary city.” Cindy Geronimo countered this, saying what a benefit immigrants can be to cities, and how more often than not, they come with the skills and the mindset that Toledo needs to grow. “Immigrants are risk takers,” she said. “Sixty percent of immigrants will start a business.” Other concerns didn’t involve the immigrants themselves, but the Initiative. “Have we not been welcoming?” said one attendee. “I’m honestly offended Continued on page 4
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