It’s always good to report positive news, and we have much of that this week.

The Fillmore Rotary Sun Risers has raised the $7,800 needed to install the new gate at the high school track. This gate, which accepts electronic entry cards, will enable Fillmore’s many runners to access the all-weather track while keeping the facility secure. The battle to win public admission to the track has been waged for more than three years. Several runners, like Fillmore attorney John Scoles, had been running on the school track, before the expensive all-weather surface was installed, for 30 years. Being excluded after the new track was installed exposed runners to traffic dangers and other physical injury. Scoles suffered serious injuries recently when he was struck by an SUV while running at night.

So, congratulations and thanks are due to our Rotary Sun Risers for another job well done. See more details on page one.

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In other good news, the Fillmore Athletic Booster Club has raised approximately $9,000. The money will go to supporting sporting programs at the high school which are threatened with cuts. The school district is extremely challenged for funds this year.

Kudos to all of you Booster Club members for saving sports activities at the school.

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After these two outstanding achievements, we are faced with a major challenge – raising the $21,500 needed to send our 2012 high school graduates on the annual Grad Night Live cruise. This program, which was created by Raelene Chaney, Pat Askren and Scott Lee more than 20 years ago, to provide a safe alternative to drinking by minors on graduation night, has saved many lives. In the two years before the inauguration of Grad Night Live Fillmore lost 6 graduates in automobile accidents. Not one grad has been killed on graduation night since beginning this program. The grads have a great, all-night party on the water, and everyone has breakfast the next morning.

It’s always been an expensive challenge, but well worth the effort. Let’s all help out as much as possible.