My commendation to the individuals responsible to and for the safety of lives and real estate in our communities.

At the moment, I would like to mention one individual who comes to mind, and happens to be my brother-in-law, Wade Garrett who works at the Vidalia Police Department.

For days on end in the past weeks he has tirelessly worked from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on the Vidalia Riverfront protecting us from intruders who venture to gain access to and on the levee that protects Vidalia and Concordia Parish.

Many people either do not realize or are uneducated to know the damage they can cause by traveling up and down the levee. True, the levee is patrolled daily by inspectors of the government, but that is for our safety in checking the territory for sand boils or possible breaks in the levee.

Additional thanks to our governmental leaders for all they have accomplished so far in aiding our safety on both sides of the mighty Mississippi. Both mayors Hyram Copeland and Jake Middleton, with the assistance of Louisiana and Mississippi governors, have accomplished an almost impossible mission.

We all in the Miss-Lou must truly realize we are presently living in recorded history of the most disastrous floods ever, lest we not forget Noah’s Ark!

Like Shakespeare’s saying — the world is but a stage and everyone is an actor — let us act sensibly and avoid a disaster by staying off the levee and do not stop on the bridges to sightsee. Be responsible.

Mike Straczuk

Vidalia resident