Laurels & lances: Giving back & letting go

Laurel: To a spirit of giving. Now that the Halloween candy has been eaten — what, you still have some left? — and the plastic skeletons put away, many people are turning their thoughts to the season of holidays that march from now until Jan. 1.

One part of those holidays is always food. Another is about giving to others. Operation Santa Claus brings those together as it seeks to raise $50,000 to put festive meals into 2,500 homes of families in need. That cost is only $20 for each ham dinner with side dishes and extras.

However the program — a cooperative push by Trib Total Media, Shop’n Save and the Salvation Army, only will be able to accommodate half its usual participants because of higher prices. That is unfortunate as there also is an increase in expected need. The Salvation Army will pick up where Operation Santa Claus leaves off.

“We don’t want to turn anybody away,” Salvation Army’s Maj. Laurie Greenfield said.

Donations to the program are a great way to get into the spirit of the season. They can be made by using coupons in any Trib newspapers, by purchasing $1 or $5 donation cards at participating Shop’n Save stores through Dec. 17 or by visiting osc.triblive.com.

Lance: To a bad thank-you. Everyone at North Allegheny School District seems to agree Dan Stack has been excellent at his job as safety and security manager for the district since July 2021.

On Oct. 25, people just couldn’t say enough about how great he has been in that position. He has improved the working relationship with local emergency responders and police departments. He’s made the buildings safer by implementing internal locks. He’s taken a hard look at who has keys to those locks.

And, on the very same day, the board voted to implement its own armed school police force, replacing Stack with a chief of police.

“I’m sorry this restructuring means he’ll be leaving the district,” board director Paige Hardy said.

The board made a judgment call many districts are facing in response to student safety. It’s a decision more of them will face if legislation in Harrisburg demanding armed presence in schools is passed. It is hard to say the board was necessarily wrong when they are making a choice to keep students safe.

It’s still an ugly way to reward someone for protecting kids.