Just Sayin': Moms' poignant Trail of Truth

I recently traveled to Washington, D.C., with a contingent of mostly Long Island moms and others, all of whom have lost children or other loved ones to fentanyl poisoning or other overdoses.

We were there for the Trail of Truth, an event with a powerful purpose to memorialize our loved ones while using the magnitude of our collective loss to create change.

The event, in September for the second consecutive year at the “National Memorial Cemetery” at Union Square Park, included an art installation of black “tombstones” made of corrugated plastic with the names and photos of children and other loved ones lost to the opioid epidemic.

Alexis Pleus, executive director of Truth Pharm, which raises awareness about substance abuse, said that the 2,250 tombstones nearly doubled in number from 2022. Despite the tropical storm that hit the area, we set them up row after row, state after state.

I find it discouraging that not one media outlet from Washington or Long Island covered this event. We cannot afford to become opioid epidemic-fatigued. In 2021, there were 5,800 opioid deaths in New York State. Long Island had 699 opioid deaths in 2021 and 517 in 2022.

I suggest Newsday consider posting death statistics from overdoses every week, as it did for COVID-19. Perhaps this will keep the issue front and center, where it belongs.

— Carole Trottere, Setauket

Recruited athletes get edge with colleges

An often-asked question by many regarding high school athletic scholarships is: “How much does being a recruited athlete impact getting into college?”

An article at BestColleges.com, stated that Harvard University admits 3.4% of its applicants. Recruited athletes were accepted at as high as an 83% rate.

I can personally attest that these acceptance rates give recruited athletes a major advantage over non-athletes.

My daughter was recruited by five top universities. During recruitment, there is bargaining with coaches on the scholarship amount and comparing one college’s offer against another.

Receiving a full scholarship is rare unless you are a NCAA Division I football player.

To increase the financial amount of a scholarship, a coach may even tap into an academic allocation.

I don’t suggest parents emphasize sports over academics, but recruited athletes have a much better chance of being admitted to that college.

— John Appelt, Garden City

Ways to speed up play on golf courses

Acknowledging that we’re in a world with more important issues, and the warm summer days have passed, I offer suggestions to fellow frustrated golfers who are tired of long, five- to six-hour rounds.

Here are steps to speed up play:

Play from the proper tee box based on your ability. Forget the color of the tee marker and move up.

Putt out, which eliminates the tedious marking of your ball and concede those six-inch putts.

Most important, leave those golf club head covers in the car. Each golfer in a foursome taking head covers on and off is a waste of time.

Try these steps and play in four hours. One can dream.

— Michael Palermo, Seaford