Mailbag - October 2015

Houston Ghost Bike members John Lucci, Christian Wendenburg, Mason Courtney, Alexis Trevelise and Chuy Benitez (from left) pay tribute to David Rosenfeld at the Ghost Bike in his honor at Bissonnet and Newcastle, where he was hit by a car in May on his way to the Jon Trevelise Memorial Bike Ride. (Photo: hartphoto.com)

Pleased with Ghost Bike article

I was very glad that many “members” were included in the article on Houston Ghost Bike [Ghost Bikes: White bicycles memorialize riders, by Jennifer Oakley, September 2015]. Most of the time when the media does a piece on our group, it is about the people putting the bikes out, etc. Houston Ghost Bike is about the 1850-plus that make up its membership, and those that ride that have no idea that we exist. The few of us that put the bikes out do so for the honor of serving them. We do it for them and their loved ones. We were very pleased with your article. I think that you got the perfect mix of Houston Ghost Bike administration, regular members, victim families, cyclists and friends. It was an excellent and accurate representation. Thank you.

Richard Tomlinson

Happy and helpful news

You helped keep me afloat. Imagine my joy in learning that a few of my entries were finalists in The Buzz Magazines’ yearly photo contest [The Buzz Magazines 2015 Photo Contest, July 2015]. You really buoyed my spirits; notification came just one day after I awoke to rising floodwaters in our home. As dawn broke, we observed fish swimming across our driveway, boats motoring down our street, and helicopters surveying the damage! In the days following Houston’s historic May flood, The Buzz magazine kept the neighborhood informed with late-breaking tweets. It was there that we first learned of vital community meetings and other useful flood recovery resources. Thank you, Jordan (associate editor Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld), for discovering and passing along these valuable neighborhood links, and for your coverage of the wonderful volunteer efforts following the disaster.  

Jan Buchholtz

Scholar-athletes deserve limelight

Great to see all the recognition provided to the “Scholar Athletes” in your SportzBuzz section [by Todd Freed, August 2015]. The picture of Mr. Andre’ Walker, HISD AAD, presenting Rebekah Koehn with her award, set the tone for this positive and uplifting section. Proud parents love to see their children scoring touchdowns, making goals, hitting home runs, sinking that 3-pointer, etc.  But when all is said and done, it’s those grades that often win the day (and the many days that follow after hanging up the cleats and stepping off the field of sports). So a big “Congratulations” to all those recognized for their successes in the classroom – in addition to those on the sports field. And a big “Thank You” to Todd Freed and The Buzz team for prominently highlighting these achievements. 

With respect to Rania [Mankarious’] good work on the Safety Tool Box report [Back-to-school guide for families, August 2015], my wife (Janet Hildebrandt Dowlearn) said she wished this had been available to her when our children were of school age (vs. college students/graduates). 

Robert T. Dowlearn

Friendship touches heart

Loved seeing the Kvetchers on the cover of my Bellaire Buzz [Let’s Ride: Bicycling in Houston, by Cheryl Ursin, September 2015] and reading the related story. As I recently lost my mother, it was especially heartwarming to read about what Mark Mucasey and the group did for another member who lost his father. I have one word for Mark and this group: Mensches!

Arlene Lassin

Editor’s note: We are so sorry to hear about the loss of your mother, and we were touched as well by the kindness of the Kvetchers bike buddies.

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