The wife and I try to make it a point to catch the last four minute segment of CBS news on Friday’s when Steve Hartman hosts “On The Road with Steve Hartman.” We enjoy his feel good non political segments of “real” news and last Fridays offering made me man up and admit there are times I’m very wrong .
Like most gray hairs I’ve too often pitied the poor future of this nation considering what or whom we’re leaving it to . We’ll often be quoted mentioning the poor work ethic or incessant internet games playing of a generation we deem unable to fill our shoes . So very sure we all are that the fault of the countries inevitable downfall will sit squarely upon their shoulders .
This week Steve Hartman went to Sackets Harbor N.Y. to interview a group of high school kids who’ve taken over the towns EMT services. Seems that all who were able to do the job … wont , leaving the town with out one of its most essential services .
” Someone has to stand up and do it ” said one , a 17 year old with a newly issued drivers licence.
And that’s exactly what they did. That group of small town High Schoolers took the necessary courses needed to be able to save a life, learned to drive an ambulance and already have a number of successes to their credit . They have to work harder at school to make up for missing some of it and donate much of their own free time in order to help others in their community .
” The hardest part is to tell someone their loved one is gone ” explained another 17 year old.
And so that is the job we’ve walked away from leaving it to a group of 16 – 17 year olds . And they are doing it very well , thank you. The future of this country isn’t ours to whine about any more, it’s theirs and it looks like a pretty good start after all .
