To the Editor:

Last August, I vividly remember watching footage of the flooding from Tropical Storm Irene in Wilmington, including homes/buildings carried down streams, from afar. As with many of these noteworthy but ever frequently-reported stories, it was promptly forgotten. However, last week, I visited Wilmington for the first time while attending a conference near Mount Snow, and then the reality of what happened to this picturesque community nearly one year ago became readily apparent in a way that television reports could never fully portray.

From my conversations with locals, it was obvious that there were many failures at the federal and state government level, as well as failures at the corporate bank and insurance levels.

However, what I was most interested in hearing were stories of how the community banded together to help one another rebuild after this tragedy and the positive, noncondemning spirit that seemed prevalent.

This gives me hope for our country as we are all weathering another crisis which may be far more destructive and which is far from over.

I am grateful for my visit to the Deerfield Valley and to the people I met there and am hopeful that all freedom-loving Americans can similarly band together against the many unseen and unnatural forces that are seeking to destroy our nation.

Sincerely.

Dr. Michael Pravica

Henderson, NV