Volunteers’ work again damaged by vandals

People with no shame have again vandalized the kiosk at Reflections Lake.

The kiosk and the interpretive sign are possible only by donations of material and labor and historical research.

Primarily, it was an Eagle Scout project that involved many Scouts and other volunteers. The people who shot up the sign represent the exact opposite of what an Eagle Scout, and Scouting in general, represents.

Alaskans for Palmer Hay Flats State Game Refuge said in a statement, “To say this act of selfish, arrogant destruction is disheartening to our community is a serious understatement.”

The kiosk was also damaged last year by vandals with axes or other cutting tools.

The Hay Flats group has worked tirelessly so that once forgotten part of the Valley’s ecosystem could be restored and made available to the public.

Of course, the members and volunteers weren’t thinking about the kind of public that shot up the sign.

They were thinking about people who recently went to the lake area and skied and skated and generally had a good time. They were thinking about people who can go there in the summer and see all kinds of birds and wildlife, even salmon.

It’s refreshing to see a place preserved for those kinds of activities when so many people seem to want to build, build, build until there are no places left in the Valley core where people can still see a little of what Alaska once looked like here.

It’s just a shame these things happen for a variety of reasons, but one that comes to mind that isn’t so obvious: This is another black mark for responsible gun owners to overcome with the anti-gun people.

Finding the people who committed this crime should be a priority for gun owners and for all of us.

The courts will prosecute these vandals, but the authorities may need our help. If you hear people talking about this, contact the state troopers.

Once caught, the person or people who did this should have their weapons taken from them and they shouldn’t be allowed to have weapons for a period of time the court deems appropriate.

The Hay Flats volunteers say the trooper case number is 10-12303.

To see a photograph of the damage, go to Page 3 of today’s paper.