Desert Messenger

May 17, 2023 ww.DesertMessenger.com 7 Opinions expressed in letters to the editor do not necessarily represent those of the Desert Messenger. letters to the editor Readership of free community papers is now higher than paid daily papers and continues to grow. And more than 70 percent of readers make their buying decisions from free paper advertising and editorial. Your free community paper, promoting connections at a local level – right under your nose. 928-916-4235 www.DesertMessenger.com Email: Editor@DesertMessenger.com Human Trafficking Awareness Night By Becky Johnstone GFWC Womens Club will host a Blood Drive Monday, May 22, 2023 at the Quartzsite Community Cen- ter from 9 am to 1 PM. Walk-ins are always welcome, but you will have a shorter wait if you preregister. You can preregister on-line at http://www.Vitalant.org/Do- nate Our blood drive code is L1250. You can also call Vitalant at 877- 258-4825 or Becky Johnstone, our local Blood Drive Coordinator at 208-634-9304. You can also sign up at the Quartzsite Chamber Visitor Cen- ter, located at 1240 W Main Street, across from McDonalds between 10 am and 2 pm Monday through Sat- urday through May 6th. The Visi- tor Center will be open fewer days as our Volunteers leave town. The Blood Drive May 22th most current days will be posted on the answering machine 928-927- 5200 and on Google Maps. March's donors were emailed a $10 Amazon Gift Certifi cate and entered into a drawing for one of 2 $10,000 prepaid gift cards. You will be en- tered into a drawing for one of 3 $5,000 prepaid gift cards if you do- nate in May. There has been an on- going shortage of blood. Your blood is very much needed and appreciated. If you have doubts about whether or not you can do- nate, Vitalant can answer your questions. Many medications are approved and you are never too old to donate. Parker, AZ - The Colorado River Re- gional Crisis Services, in conjunc- tion with The Arizona Anti-Traf- fi cking Networking, will be hosting a free Human Traffi cking Aware- ness Night Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at Arizona Western College Room 107 at 6:00 pm. AWC is located at 1109 South Geronimo Avenue Parker, AZ. This event is free and open to the entire community. Learn about human traffi cking, grooming, statistics, and how close to home it is. For more information call 928-669-8620. May has arrived in Quartzsite as many of us are fl eeing to cooler climes and other pursuits, catching up with family and friends, bringing our wintertime stories back with us. And, if you're reading this, bring- ing your local news home, too. Last month's editorial deals with the sto- ries we hear, and the stories we tell, pointing to the advent of misinfor- mation, which has always been with us in some form, but which has spi- raled out of control with the advent of instant information. That's important to remember: lies and liars will follow us no matter who or what controls what we hear and see. Critical thinking often goes by the wayside. My take on this? Question everything. Use Google to cross-index things that sound bi- ased or slanted. All the controls in the world won't stop misinforma- tion, and I think it's a mistake to think Facebook or Google should be trusted to put people in charge of what you are able to see. In the 1970s, we were asked to Question Authority. Today it's easy to do. Joe Fasbinder VFW & American Legion host Memorial Day Ceremony Quartzsite, AZ - VFW Post 769 and American Legion 113 will host the annual Memorial Day Remem- berance Ceremony, Monday, May 29th. The program will start at 10:00 am. The location will be un- der the shade pavillion at Hi Jolly Cemetery. Chairs will be provided. Please show up early. Memorial Day honors the brave men and women who have sacrifi ced their lives in service to our country. These courageous individuals have given everything they had to defend our freedoms and way of life. Memorial Day reminds us of the high price of freedom and the debt of gratitude we owe to those who have made the ultimate sacrifi ce. It is a day to refl ect on their sacrifi ce and to honor their memory with gratitude. www.QuartzsiteVideos.com Watch Quartzsite Videos @

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