European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 03, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Page 11 letters dear Abby i applaud you for encouraging those who make disparaging re Marks about fat people to Chang their ways. Fat children in our society often receive no support from any source Peers teachers or family. And As heartbroken Mother so eloquently stated parents arc often blamed for the child s weight when blame if any should be placed on Meta Bolic and genetic factors. It s unfortunate that you did not take the Opportunity to explain the dangers of the Yoyo dieting  children who Start dieting at an Early age will probably end up fatter As adults than fat children who do not diet. People come in All colors shapes and sizes. If we would All be More accepting of the uniqueness of each person we would have a much healthier society. Abby the National association to Advance fat acceptance Nakfa can provide support to fat people fat children and their parents. Nakfa s purpose is to improve the Quality of life for fat people through pub Lic education advocacy research and member support. Please Tell your readers to Contact us Nakfa inc., . Box 188620, Sacramento Calif. 9s8i8. When writing please enclose a Long stamped self addressed envelope we can help them in their struggle for acceptance. Sally e. Smith executive director Nakfa dear Abby i am writing in response to your answer to heartbroken  it appears this woman is really trying very hard to help her daughter. But Abby there Are a lot of parents out there who just allow their children to become grossly overweight and deserve the looks they get from passers by. These parents just Don t seem to care what or How much their children cat Don t care if they get exercise and Don t have the time even to teach them How to cat properly. Because of their neglect the child withstands cruel teasing from his Peers and rude stares from strangers and often develops a Low self image. These children grow lip to be fat adults with High blood pressure High cholesterol Levels and heart prob lems. It used to be believed that Chubby children were healthier than thinner ones. We now know this to be untrue. It s cruel and unfair for parents to doom their children through obesity to such a dim and often Short future. A concerned observer dear Abby you recently printed a letter from heartbroken other who thought people were rude to stare at her seriously overweight daughter. 1 Don t stare at overweight children whenever isec one though i say to myself that s child abuse a fat child is obviously eating too much of the wrong kinds of foods. And where is the child getting these foods a Home. My 11-year-old daughter has a Friend who is grossly overweight because her Mother keeps their cupboards Well stocked with  this obese Friend is so accustomed to eating sweets that when i gave her and my daughter each a bowl of strawberries she said she could t cat hers without sugar children Are not responsible for the eating habits they learn at Home but unfortunately they suffer when those eating habits Are not in their Best interests. Abby How can we Stop this Subtle form of child abuse anti child abuse dear anti child abuse we can Stop rewarding children with cookies an Candy. Summer hire jobs employees defended in response to the recent letter Reader concerned about work  we would like to share some information with your readers regarding the 1989 summer hire program conducted by the Nord deutschland civilian personnel office. A Survey in regard to supervisors and employees impressions resulted in the following the question whether the summer hire employees assigned to the various activities were an asset or a added Burden revealed that 76 percent of All supervisors Felt that summer hire employees were a True asset to their organization helping them to accomplish their Mission in an outstanding manner especially because of the Lack of personnel during the summer vacation period. Only 24 percent Felt that employees were an absolute Burden because of their Lack of initiative Dis interest and no enthusiasm toward work. The answers to our questions whether employing activities had enough work to keep employees Busy throughout the employment program period showed that 75 percent had enough work and 25 percent did not have enough work for their summer hire employees. To our question whether the program is worthwhile and whether it should be repeated we Learned that every supervisor recommended the repetition of the summer hire program in 1990 since it is an excellent Opportunity for All family member youths to gain Good and meaningful Job experience. Some supervisors recommended that employment be limited to applicants who arc at least 16 years old. Others recommended that a competitive selection process should be initiated before assignment. Since we conducted two five week summer hire ses Sions this year which resulted in employment of those applicants who signed up for both sessions for a period of 10 weeks we asked whether that period is too Long or to Short. The majority of our supervisors 72 percent Felt that two five week or one 10-week session if desired by applicants is appropriate in length. Twenty eight percent Felt that the employment period is too Long since youths Reader expresses thanks the phone Call from the states was the Type that every single one of us living overseas fears the most a member of my family had been involved in a serious Accident please come As soon As possible the Hospi Tal nurse said your daughter has been seriously in  my daughter spent two weeks in the Scuro into Sivc care unit of an american Hospital with a compound basilar Skull fracture brain lacerations sub Dura he Matoma and serious ear canal damage. My daughter had wonderful care from a dedicated professional hos Pital staff. I too had wonderful support and an outpouring of care from another dedicated and professional staff my co workers at he 7th medical come Heidelberg. These colleagues did All my work sent cards prayed and donated 23 Days of leave through the leave trans Fer program. I wish to thank everyone for their incredible support during what was a very stressful time for me. To the Many leave donors some of whom wish to remain Anonymous who made it possible for me to stay with my daughter while she recovered to those who gave Many hours of time to initiate this program for me to col. Roberts who taught me what army family really Means to everyone at he 7th medical come your kindness has been overwhelming. I thank you. Barbara Wood Heidelberg West Germany were not Given an Opportunity to take vacations which in our opinion is not a valid Point since All applicants could decide whether they wanted to work Only one or both sessions. The biggest problems supervisors experienced were that employees had to be supervised constantly that they did not have any interest in work at Alt and that they did not have a positive Outlook toward their work. The majority of All supervisors however was pleased with the assignments made by this office. We also asked our summer hire employees what their impressions were and what recommendations they have for improving the program. The most often heard complaint was the pay rate. Almost exclusively they complained about being paid below minimum wages. Some employees did not like the Type of work assigned to them and a few did not like to get up Early in the morning. They said other disadvantages were no annual leave no summer vacation and the tact that they missed out on other activities and to shows. The majority of summer hire youths however did not Sec any disadvantages in the program at All. The majority of summer hire students appreciate the Opportunity to gain paid working experience Dur ing summer vacation. The suggestions from both supervisors and summer hires Are being looked at to improve the program next year. We arc particularly enthusiastic about working with Odds department of defense dependents schools to tic summer employment in with academic achievement. Overall this Community considers the 1989 sum Mer hire program a rewarding Success. The program is and has been for Many years an excellent program which provides meaningful Job experience to the youths within our communities overseas. It will be even better next year. Brenda b. Seymour civilian personnel officer is. Military Community activity  pen pals i am 24 years of and would uhe to have pen pal. My hobbies Are mute Moutos Reading and Watt tag Tetter. Tania Pitco 36 0 Orange  London w4 40d. England i would like to have pen pats. My hobbles Are music books and  am 31 years old. Elton derbyshire106 while loss Road Warrington Cheshire England wa5-1 is t am looking Lor pen pats irom around the  Agullon . Pot Motok South cot Abalo Philippines i am interested m having pen pals. My hobbies Are writing pen pals Cook ing. And gardening Tarn 26 or 1j hernia r.  years of. Bay wan. Negro it rental i am 24 years old and would he to have pen  Cajes Cajes residence Quezon St. Tagum Davao Philippines please place my name in the pen pal column. I am 23 years  Morales Morales meat Vendo Tagum Davac Philippines t urn a 19-year-old student who would enjoy having some pen pals. My hobbies Are cooking writing and a slanting to music. Mary Kaye Davicco gourdes College to Box 125cagayan de Oro City 9000 i am interested in having a pen pal. I am 23 years old and enjoy going outland meeting people swimming dancing and Reading. ""60 Crest re Hollis hid London nw2.7lx England european edition col Oene e. Townsend Usan commander editor in Chloel it col Suzanne l. Phillips Usan Deputy commander editor m cruet Marie Kominicki Mert Proctor Deane b. Mcdermott production manager managing editor circulation manager this newspaper it an authorized unofficial publication Lor member of the military services Oversea. 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