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Posted on 06/14/2004 4:06:23 AM PDT by George Frm Br00klyn Park
King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Charley Reese
Reagan Stories
>Lots of people have Ronald Reagan stories to tell, and so do I. Like many of the others, my story shows just how aware and connected Reagan was to the real world.
A retired school teacher in Orlando, Fla., Sara Trollinger, had become so distressed working as a volunteer for one of those outfits that try to talk people out of suicide that she became determined to create a home for distressed teenagers that would provide a Christian environment.
At the time I interviewed her, she had just risked her life savings making a down payment on property she couldn't hope to pay for if her dream didn't generate enough contributions. It so happened that Reagan was scheduled to make a one-day trip to Orlando the next week to deliver a speech.
Since Sara's project was just the type of private initiative Reagan liked, I arranged for my column about her to appear on the day Reagan was in town. I didn't make any direct appeal to Reagan in the column. I just told the story of Sara and the House of Hope she dreamed of establishing. She had faith that a Christian environment could salvage lives. And the results have proven her correct.
Sure enough, Reagan read my column on Air Force One en route back to Washington. Touched not by my writing but by Sara Trollinger's faith, Reagan whipped out his personal checkbook and wrote House of Hope a check for $1,000. I heard about it that afternoon when White House staffers called me, wanting more background information on Sara.
Well, the publicity generated by Reagan's donation opened the doors, and donations poured in. Today House of Hope is a most successful operation and is credited with salvaging the lives of thousands of troubled teenagers. Sara has become a national figure, and thanks to her there will soon be 40 Houses of Hope in 27 states. The original old house has expanded to 10 acres with 24 buildings and five homes, all paid for and with not a dime of the taxpayers' money.
The check wasn't the end of it, though. Reagan and his wife visited House of Hope. Their interest in and support for House of Hope made all the difference in the world. Sara Trollinger's faith in God was rewarded in the form of Ronald Reagan, who, unlike the current president, was a voracious reader of newspapers, magazines and books.
I've been amused by some of the pundits who talk about the mystery of Reagan. There was no mystery. The pundits and regular inhabitants of Washington were so cynical, they refused to believe that Reagan was exactly what he appeared to be — a kind, brave, humorous man with firm convictions. Reagan is one of the few men in public life who was exactly the same in private as he was in public. He had no hidden agendas; he never tried to manipulate people or to trick them; he did not wear one face in public and another when the cameras were turned off. He was exactly as he appeared to be.
And he was far, far more intelligent than his political enemies thought he was. Like another intelligent president, Dwight Eisenhower, Reagan recognized the advantage of having your political opponents underestimate you. It required real ideological blindness not to see that only a very smart man could have accomplished all that Ronald Reagan achieved in his lifetime. It required outright stupidity to mistake kindness and faith for weakness.
As the reaction to his death and his many political victories illustrate, the American people could always see what the pundits and cynics couldn't — here was a genuine American hero, a man you could trust to always do the right thing as he saw it. No one can ask more of any man.
© 2004 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
BUMP
Another great testimony to the faith and commitment held by President Reagan...thought you all might enjoy this one!
ping material for The Master PING list? :)
I bet we could have a Reagan Story every day- and that would make a hell of a book...
hmmmmm....
"One hates to say it, but Osama bin Laden makes more sense than Bush."
If you'd like to see the context, you can link here: http://reese.king-online.com/Reese_20040419/index.php
Reese's hatred of all things Israeli has rendered him an addled mouthpiece for the Palestinian cause. He's a jackass and will be just one of the many pundits and politicians whom history regards with scorn when assessing our current president.
Great article ! Thanks for the post and ping.
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.
Okay, this seems as good a thread to ask this on as anywhere; Friday evening, as my wife and I were watching the Reagan funeral that took place at his library in CA, the funeral ended with all the family and friends exiting the service, and pausing briefly at his casket, and then exiting. As the camera panned through the crowd, my wife and I both noticed Scott Baio (yes Cha-chi, Charles in charge) was there at the funeral. It was my belief that the CA service was for friends and family, so that begged the question, "How is Scott Baio at the final service for Ronald Reagan?" Does anyone know? I thought that maybe he and Ron Jr are friends, so that is why he may have been there, but other than that I have no idea. Any knowledgable freepers out there have any idea why Cha-chi was there??? It's been driving me crazy all weekend!!
Bump!
Thanks, George. President Reagan was a once in a lifetime leader.
Will save for later.
Your reaction was the same as mine...I'm thinking Scott's a friend to one of the Reagan "kids".
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