text:
Yorkshire's largest police force is carrying out 180 separate investigations into child grooming – nearly three times as many as a year ago.
West Yorkshire Police, which said this time last year that it had just 65 probes into ongoing abuse under way, has identified 121 victims and 157 perpetrators of 'current' child sexual exploitation (CSE) county-wide.
It has also identified 190 perpetrators and 146 victims of historic abuse during its 40 investigations into 'legacy' cases, carried out as police nationwide come under intense pressure to tackle abuse in the wake of the Rotherham and Jimmy Savile scandals.
The dramatic increase has been praised by a leading charity, which warns that every child in the country is "potentially at risk of online exploitation".
Despite the force facing dramatic budget cuts, extra funds have been invested in West Yorkshire to help police deal with CSE.
The force has employed 24 civilian investigators, many of who are retired detectives and cost less to employ than warranted officers, dedicated to looking into historic offences.
They are helping the existing officers by gathering statements and evidence relating to older cases of alleged abuse, many of which date back to times when police lacked today's techniques to investigate grooming and did not view it is a priority.
This allows the force, which has lost 1,000 officers since 2010, to carry out time-consuming historic investigations while still looking at current cases, according to the Police Federation.


text:
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by Ester Roter (Shein) of Jerusalem[1]
|Uncaptioned. Ester Roter
Only now, at the beginning of 1947, will I try to write down the events that happened to me before I arrived in the Land. These days were difficult, and therefore they are etched so deeply in my memory. It seems to me that these things occurred only yesterday or the day before, despite the fact that about five years have passed since then. My happy days of childhood before the outbreak of the war, when I was with my parents and dear family, today seem to be as a pleasant, sweet dream that passed and is no longer. Perhaps it was never a reality… All those days seem to me as from behind a thick, unreal veil…
Prior to the Outbreak of the War
The vacation days were coming to their end, and with that, the anticipation of beginning of school. I had completed grade one in a fine fashion. In that grade, we only learned Yiddish, and we were to start learning Russian in grade two. There were already new books in Yiddish and Russian at home. They were beautiful and merry with their colored pictures. At time, I would approach them, and peer at them, as if to say: In another few days, we will start… A certain fear came over me as I was waiting for that happy, longed-for day when I would finally be able to put these books into my schoolbag and go to school with them. I cannot explain this feeling that I already felt already then, of fear that I would not succeed in this, and that fate was bringing difficult, terrible days for me.
And the War Broke Out
The war broke out on June 22, 1941. The city was bombarded at dawn. Echoes of the bombardment woke my parents. They jumped up and went outside. An astonishing site was revealed before their eyes: The Red Army was seen leaving the city in haste. It seemed that this was already the end of the retreating Red Army, and that it was already too late for my parents and
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others like them to leave the city along with the army. Had they known the full situation before, they might have accompanied the retreating army.
I continued to sleep, and the bombardment did not awaken me. I got up, as usual, with the warm June sun rays. It was only after I got up that I found out about the bombardment of the city and the hasty retreat of the Red Army. I got dressed quickly. I tied my wild curls back and ran outside. At that time, we lived in Grandfather's home in the center of town next to the marketplace. The area was primarily Jewish. Outside, I saw many Jews gathering in small groups and discussing what was happening. My parents, like most of the Jews of the town, did not leave. They had to concern themselves with my grandfather and grandmother. Escaping with the remnants of the Russian Army seemed too dangerous. And to remain?… It seemed that it was difficult to conceive of what was about to happen.
The Germans Arrive in Town
I recall well the day that the Germans entered town. It was literally in center of town, and it was possible to see very well what was going on in the entire city from Grandfather's house. Their entry was with great splendor and fanfare. The Ukrainians greeted them with joy and flowers. The Poles appeared less merry. The Jews hid in their houses, waiting for what was to come. The streets of the town were decorated with German flags and yellow Ukrainian flags.
The Jews were not left for long in false hope about the future. The decrees were not long in coming. When the evil began, it broke out without break, and without any possibility of catching one's breath and getting a reprieve. As we were still groaning from one decree, the next one came -- harsher and crueler than the first one. First, they ordered the Jews to bring their furs in order to contribute to the wartime efforts of the Reich. After this came the ban on Jewish children from attending school. All of the children, starting from age 12, were forced to wear the Blue Star of David as a sign of their Jewishness. The Jews were forbidden from selling anything to the gentiles, and the gentiles were forbidden from providing food provisions to the Jews. Thus did the tension of the Jews increase even before the aktions.
At first, the Jews attempted to circumvent the decrees to the best of their ability. People continued to conduct barter transactions with the gentiles in order to obtain a bit of food, and we children continued to study. A small group of children was organized, to be taught in secret. We studied Polish and Ukrainian. The conditions of study were not simple. We had to change the place of our studies each week. During the hours of study, someone had to stand outside constantly and guard us. I was among the few children who continued to study in this
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organized manner, but this did not last long. The danger increased continually. Our studies ceased completely when the large aktion came and our teacher was caught in it.
The Era of Atrocities and Fear
The summer ended. These were not easy days. Slowly, our human image and the source of faith in humanity were removed from us. Hunger tormented us. Many people went bankrupt. Here and there, one could see people swollen with hunger, but for most of us this was still a period in which it was possible to live somehow - and was a Jew not schooled in suffering and tragedy? During this period, they did not yet nullify our lives with force and suddenness, but rather in a gradual fashion… Nevertheless, this allocation did not satisfy the Nazi beast, and the period of mass murder began with the aktions.
The First Aktion
The first aktion took place at the beginning of winter. This was on a Wednesday afternoon. I was sitting with a neighbor when another neighbor entered and reported that she had seen Ukrainians dragging away a Jewish woman. We did not want to believe this, but we went out nevertheless to see what had happened. When we realized that this was something suspicious, and we all fled to my grandmother's residence. I was sent to call another neighbor who lived near our house. I went, but I did not reach her home. I stood for a few moments pondering what was transpiring, and I did not grasp what my eyes were seeing. Ukrainian policemen could be seen around, dragging men, women, youths and babies behind them. I stood for a moment and suddenly understood that something terrible was unfolding before my eyes. A deep fear overtook me, and, with a sudden instinctive decision, I turned back and ran to Mother. When I reached the door, I already saw her going out to look for me. Everyone was already worried about me. We all sat down in my grandmother's dwelling on the second storey of the building and waited. We sat that way all night, avoiding all light. We did not shut our eyes. My father and grandfather were not at home, and we were worried that we were already separated. Thus did we sit until 4:00 a.m. Then, we decided to go down to a small, back room on the first floor, which seemed to be safer at that time. About a half an hour after we went down to that room, we heard footsteps approaching the dwelling which we had left. We heard strong knocking on the door, and then a wild voice. Our hearts melted. We did not believe that we were indeed saved.
At 5:00 a.m., we heard light knocking on door of the room in which we were sitting. This was my grandfather. He joined us, and from his words, we found out what had happened to him. That whole time, he was
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in a neighboring house, when he suddenly heard footsteps and knocking on the door. All the men in the room went down to the cellar. From there they heard how all the women, who had remained in the house, were taken. The men were unable to help, so they continued to lie down in the cellar, frozen. Toward morning, my grandfather went out to go home. Along the way, he saw a flickering light that was lit for a moment and then went out in the small room in which we were. This light led him to us. He ended his story with sadness, The truth is, I thought that I had nobody left, and therefore I decided to endanger myself and go out. He was very perplexed, and from that time, he became very hard of hearing.
This aktion ended at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday. Then my father also appeared. We found out that, at the beginning of the aktion, he escaped to a certain house and hid there.
When we returned to my grandmother's dwelling, we found that it had been broken into. The rooms were desolate, and the cold was terrible. We were hungry, thirsty and in despair. The news on what had happened arrived later, when people already dared to leave their houses. We found out that about 500 Jews were taken in the aktion. Children were not taken in that aktion, and mothers who held their children next to them were also saved. Pieces of news of the atrocity arrived in quick succession. The 500 people were murdered by the Germans close to the city, in a place called Cygalnia (the brickyard). The Jews were shot into an open common grave.
We were distressed. All possibilities had been closed off. We understood what awaited us. They had already succeeded in domesticating us. We had already entered into a state of dulled senses and the lack of all options of a sit and do nothing state.
The aktion passed, and life, as is customary, returned slowly to its normal path. The story of our salvation seemed to be ludicrous and illogical, for people hiding in more secure places had been exposed and perished in that aktion. According to the Germans, the pretext for that aktion was the capturing of several Jews at the border with furs. Of course, it later became clear that the reason for stating pretext of this aktion was the premeditated, pernicious politics, the purpose of which was to mislead, subdue, and apparently convince the Jews that this aktion was a singular occurrence due to a one-time deed; and that there was no need to fear and suspect anything so long as they heed the commands and fulfill them with precision. Indeed, this was just a portion of the opium that was fed to the Jews in order to mislead them in a grand fashion… And this was only the beginning of 1942.
The Second Aktion
The second aktion was not long in coming. It took place on a Sunday at the beginning of the summer. It began very suddenly. My mother and I were in the city on our way
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to my friend, when we suddenly saw a Ukrainian policeman running. My mother fled, and I followed her. Our paths separated. Jewish men quickly took me into their home. My father and several other Jews fled to the Jewish cemetery where they hid until the end of the aktion. After a short time, my mother succeeded in finding me, and we remained in a hidden room at the home of a Jewish family. We returned home at night.
This aktion, which only lasted for a relatively brief time, was very cruel. Anyone who was in the path of the murderers, including elderly people and youths, children and mothers, were taken. This time, they did not pass over the communal officials. In this aktion as well, the Jews were taken to a place outside the city and murdered between Rozluch and Volosyanka.
The aktion passed, and those that remained returned to their torments. The hunger grew in the city. Many people went bankrupt. Potato peels became a desired commodity. Most of the Jews had already traded their property for a morsel of bread or a few potatoes. The nice furniture was removed and replaced with old, broken furniture. Clothing was reduced to a minimum. Incidents of Germans torturing the Jews became daily occurrences.
The situation became progressively worse in our home as well. I often felt pangs of hunger, despite the fact that the four adults withheld food from their mouths in order to provide for me, their only daughter, to the extent possible. At the time I did not realize, and I only found out later, that they went to lie down at 6:00 in order to skimp on supper, which they would then give to me.
My mother and grandmother sold everything in order to purchase food. At that time, my parents decided to move to the dwelling in which we lived before the arrival of the Russians. This was in a house on the other side of the bridge, close to the Jewish cemetery. During that era, the Jews began to better understand what was awaiting them. Hiding places were prepared in every house, so that they would not be as completely helpless as they were during the first and second aktions. Our plan was to escape to a hiding place at my grandfather's. In the meantime, the residents of the house in which we now lived decided to prepare their own hiding place, and we joined in as well. They decided to break the floor on the first floor to create an entrance to the cellar, and to camouflage the entrance. However, the Germans did not wait until the end of the preparations… The third aktion, later known as the Large Aktion, began the day after the commencement of the work of preparing the hiding place.
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The Large Aktion
It was early in the morning. We woke up to the call of our neighbor, who awakened my mother and told her that she saw a woman knocking on the door of a neighbor. After she told us what she had to say, everyone got up and fled from the house. We got dressed quickly, and my father ran to the communal office to find find out what happened. When my father tarried, my mother sent me also to call him. I ran and returned quickly to tell them that I did not find him there. When I returned, my parents and other residents of the house, one large family, were standing and preparing the little bit of provisions that we had. The food was packed, for we were going to escape to our grandfather that day, because the hiding place that we were going to prepare in our house was not yet ready.
Suddenly, shots were heard from all sides. We stood there without any possibilities. We were trembling like captured rabbits, surrounded by hunters. Without any choice, we went down to the unfinished hiding place, which seemed like our last resort for salvation despite its obvious shortcomings. Our eight-person family, as well as my good friend of the same age, sat there together. Despite this, Father decided to try to go to Grandfather and Grandmother, come what may. He indeed succeeded in getting to their house, but he no longer found them there. Their good hiding place that they had prepared had been broken into, and was empty. He returned in despair and joined us.
We all crowded into the cellar. My mother and I took the place closest to the door. We all sat there trembling from cold and fear. After sitting there for about a quarter of an hour, we heart the shouts of the Jewish policemen announcing that all the Jews must present themselves at the train station with 15 kilograms of luggage. I loved traveling by train very much, and I wanted to go up to our home to begin to pack our belongings - but my mother displayed exemplary calm… She said that in her opinion, we would not hold up the train, for it was impossible to fit all the Jews from the city and area (the Jews of the area were also gathered for this aktion) onto one train. We continued to sit there, waiting for what fate would bring us.
We sat quietly. The announcements stopped. Here and there, we heard isolated shots. There was a barn nearby, and we heard the mooing of the cows from afar. The isolated shots that we heard on occasion proved to us that there were other Jews who, like us, did not go to the train. The feeling that we were not alone strengthened us, and we continued to sit in the darkness, crowded, hungry and thirsty.
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This aktion lasted for four days, and the little bit of food we possessed was used up. The thirst particularly afflicted us. We sat in quiet, when we suddenly heard the voice of a man speaking in Ukrainian to our neighbor, a Ukrainian girl. She opened up the door of her locker in the cellar. They broke into the other lockers one after another. They got closer to our hiding place, which was in the last locker in the cellar. The locker next to us had been broken into. The knocking of the Ukrainian policemen approached, and their voices grew louder. My heart stopped beating out of fear. I nestled up closely with my mother in order to quiet the chattering of my teeth and to draw from her the full quota of strength and hope that she had in her power to give me. We waited - and the moment arrived. They reached the door of the locker in which we were sitting. We heard the knocking on the door of our locker. It was clear to all of us that this was the end from which we had tried to escape. From fear, we continued to sit there, frozen and paralyzed. Suddenly… the knocking stopped. In the quiet that pervaded, we heard the voice of one of the Ukrainians: There is nobody here, don't waste your energy.
They left the cellar… and we began to breathe. It was hard to believe that we had been saved that time as well. This was on the first day of the aktion. We continued to sit there as each of us tried to express our feelings and thoughts at the moment we heard the knocking on the door. We all began to believe in some strong power that was watching over us and directing our steps. We continued to sit there for a day or two (I do not know exactly for how long, for we lost track of time due to the extreme darkness) until we once again heard them entering the cellar. The locker door of the Ukrainian girl was broken into. Then, they came to the door of our cellar. This time, it was the Germans - but they satisfied themselves with several knocks on the door of our locker, and they disappeared. We were once again saved with a new miracle. It is hard to understand why they passed over this locker. There was no difference between it and the other four lockers that they had broken into previously. However, as we saw, strange events took place that cannot be explained or understood with straight logic. After the second visit, we understood that there were still Jews in hiding, and that we were among many others. Needless to say, this feeling imparted us with a certain strength.
This terrible aktion lasted for four days. At the end of the aktion, we went to our dwelling, which had not been harmed or pillaged during this aktion. My mother gave the Ukrainian girl many presents. The girl told us that she told the Germans that we had already gone to the train. We were not certain about her trustworthiness, but we attempted to maintain good relations with our Ukrainian neighbor.
Almost every family, including our family, lost some of their relatives in this aktion. This time, my maternal grandfather, my aunt and uncle were taken. (My uncle later jumped off the train -
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and was saved). My paternal grandmother and grandfather, whom I especially loved and with whom I had grown up and been educated, were taken. We later found out the story of how they were captured. When Grandmother heard the announcements, she hurried to pack two suitcases, one for her and one for Grandfather. After she called other neighbors, they all set out for the train. Along the way, near our house, Grandfather attempted to escape in order to find out if we too had left. He was beaten by a Ukrainian guard when he attempted to turn to us. Only then did they realize that something is amiss, but it was too late.
The loss of Grandfather and Grandmother affected greatly. After that aktion, I sat and cried a great deal. I could not pass by the dwelling in which they had lived without bursting out crying. After some time, I got brave and went to their dwelling. I saw a terrible sight. The house in which I had grown up, ran, danced, rejoiced and played stood before me empty and ruined. Letters from my uncle in the Land of Israel were scattered on the floor. This was a terrible moment, and I have no words to describe what was transpiring in my soul. Only then did I realize that everything that had taken place around me affected me directly. Indeed, everything that had taken place happened in order to accustom me to the idea that death was lurking, and would soon catch up with me. I left the place and ran home with my remaining strength. I fell upon my bed and lay down paralyzed. My heart was about to burst from the great pain locked up within it. After some time I succeeded in bursting out crying, and the tears eased my pain…
That night, I spoke at length to my father. I told him that I was afraid of death, that I wanted to live… My father tried to calm me, or more precisely, to lead me to acceptance of what was awaiting us. He explained me that all of those killed go directly to Heaven, where things are good. There, they receive a recompense for every feeling of the pangs of death. He promised me that there I would meet my grandfather and grandmother, and that my parents would also be there. All of this calmed me. Indeed, from that time, I stopped being so afraid of death. Certainly, I did everything to guard my life, but death seemed very close. Again, there was something about it that was good and recognized. The fear that had overtaken me earlier was assuaged…
The Fourth Aktion
It was a Saturday, and we were all still lying in our beds. (At that time, another family, the Richter family who were friends of my parents, lived in our house). Suddenly, we heard strong knocking on the door and heard shouts from the other side of the house. We had nowhere to flee
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this time… Everyone instinctively searched for some sort of shelter. My mother jumped under the double bed. My mother's friend, Chancha Richter, who slept with my mother that night, jumped into the closet. I ran under the third iron bed that had no mattress, and upon which nobody slept. My father was the only one who sat quietly on his bed and began to get dressed. In the meantime, a policeman broke the door of the kitchen and even broke into our house. He approached my father directly shouting, Where are the others?! The policeman did not wait for my father's response. He bent down and began to beat my mother who was lying under the bed. I saw blood flowing from her leg, and no longer had the power to remain quietly in my hiding place. I came up from under the bed and pleaded with the policeman to stop beating my mother. I told him that I was already dressed, and would go. He looked at me, and with a final act of mercy stopped beating my mother before my eyes. He ordered us to get dressed quickly, and left the room in haste. All of this lasted for a few minutes. My father finished getting dressed and went out. My mother went out to the front porch in order to see what could be done, and returned immediately. On her way to the stairwell where all the residents of the house were gathering, she succeeded in telling me that I should not leave the house under any circumstances, but should go to hide under the bed. I decided to hide under the quilt. We debated for a few minutes. My mother suddenly ran out of the room, and I chose a place under the quilt, for I thought that they would certainly not look for me there.
I lay down quietly without moving. A policeman entered the room to check whether we had all left, and I continued to lie quietly. It began to rain outside. I heard shots and the barking of dogs. I lay down, trembling in fear. I was especially afraid of the dogs. In the eyes of my spirit, I saw a giant dog falling upon me and tearing me apart with his teeth. I felt sorry for myself. I understood that I would not be able to mislead a dog. I recalled all the stories of the good hiding places that had been revealed with the help of the German dogs. In the meantime, everything became quiet around me. Even the barking of the dogs became more distant. I continued to lie quietly, afraid to move a hand or foot. Hours passed in this manner. I got off the bed during the afternoon and walked about the room. I suddenly realized that I remained alone… I began to weep quietly. I knew now that instead of dying next to my father, I would die alone.
Suddenly, I heard someone calling my name. The closet door opened, and my mother's friend Chancha got out. It was easier for me, for I was no longer alone as the only Jew in the city, as I had thought. I resolved in my heart that I would never leave her if she would only agree to go with me together. I asked her if she would take me now (of course, I already understood at that time that we children were often an obstacle in the path of escape of the adults). Together, we tried to leave the dwelling in order to hide in the cellar or the attic. We tried to open
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the door, but to our dismay, the door was locked form the outside by a hanging lock. We were in despair. Having no option, we returned to our hiding places. After a short time, we again heard a strong knocking at the door. The door was broken into with force. In the room, we heard the loud voices of the Ukrainian policemen, including that of the infamous Vlochok. (As is known, before every aktion, they would bring in Ukrainian policemen from Stara-Sambor to perpetrate the deed.) The door of the closet was opened, and I heard how they captured Chancha. They demanded silver and gold from her, but she told them that she had nothing to give them. They continued to search through the room for hidden people and money. I continued to lie quietly, without moving a limb. The policemen lifted the quilt of the bed next to mine, and tossed it on the bedpost. Then they approached the bed in which I was lying. They felt through the quilt, but did not lift it up as they had done on the other bed. They lifted a pillow that was resting at the edge of the bed, and threw it in the middle, right where I was lying. From under the bed, they took out boxes with various things, and put them on the bed, that is, on top of me, searching for gold and silver, as they had told Chancha. They then took her and left. I remained quietly in my place, without daring to move. Then, I put my head out a bit in order to breathe. Again, I was not taken. Again, I remained alone, having attempted to protect my eight-year-old life. Even today, as a 14-year-old girl, I am unable to understand my behavior of that time. Apparently, this was the urge to live, an instinct of self preservation, a feeling of a pursued animal that urged me to continue and seek salvation.
After a short time, I again heard voices in the room - this time, quiet ones. For some reason, I let down my guard and raised my head. The lifting of my head caught the attention of two Ukrainian policemen, who approached the bed. I lay quietly, but some of my hair was apparently exposed. I heard their conversation as they approached my bed. One policeman said to the other: Here is a young Jewess - is it worthwhile to shoot her? I did not wait for an answer. It was clear to me that if I were to look at him directly, he would simply kill me. I jumped out of the bed and looked straight into the eyes of the policeman who asked the question. He shouted at me to lie down quietly. I heard him answer, Leave her, there is no reason anymore. I again lifted my head and asked them to save my parents. I told them that I would give them money in return for this, but they laughed at me. I was afraid to lie down, and decided to go outside.
I put my shoes on quickly and left the house in a hurry, leaving behind the two policemen to pillage anything they wanted. I went down the stairs. After thinking briefly, I went to our Polish neighbors who lived in the next house. I entered, told them what had happened to my parents. I asked them if they knew anything about my parents, and if perhaps they would be able to let me
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stay with them until the end of the aktion. Then I would try to check who is left of my family, and figure out what to do. I knew this family well. They had a daughter of my age with whom I used to play frequently. I often visited their house. But this time, they literally chased me out, Jewess, your presence here will endanger us all. Go, go. I stood there for another second attempting to hold back my tears. I suddenly felt how alone I was: without parents, without a protector, with a short skirt, with old, wet shoes (it was raining outside). I again lost my will to live. I went out and started to amble through the streets, looking for my parents, waiting for the moment when they would take me too, for what was awaiting me that was worse than death itself. On the street, I met the Ukrainian girl who lived in our house. In the meantime, she moved to live somewhere else, in a less Jewish neighborhood. The girl asked me to come with her to her dwelling. I realized that the danger existed that she might take me straight to the Germans. She was very friendly with the Ukrainian policemen who came to town. Despite this, she often said that she wanted to help Jews. Our relationship to her was honor her but suspect her. I agreed to her offer. I began to walk with her, or more precisely, to walk behind her, so that we would not be seen walking together. As we approached her house, I heard a voice calling my name. This was Bruner, a friend of the family and a customer of Grandfather's store. I then thanked the girl for her willingness to bring me to her house. I explained to her that anything could happen to me at any moment, and I preferred to be together with Jews. I entered Bruner's house, told him everything that I knew, and asked him about the situation. He told me that the snatchings have now stopped. The train already left the city, but the policemen are still present, and it was not clear if this was the end or simply a brief break. Perhaps another train would arrive and the aktion would continue.
I remained there for a brief time, and felt the stifling atmosphere of fear. I felt that I had no more energy to sit in a closed Jewish house and flee whenever I would see the face of a German or a Ukrainian policeman. I decided to continue wandering through the city. Outside, the rain had stopped, and the air was clear and pleasant. I wandered through the streets of the city, without even stopping at puddles. Before I stepped in such a puddle, I stopped for a moment and recalled the warnings of my mother not to walk in puddles. I then deliberately stepped into it, as if to say that I can do whatever I want… I no longer had a mother or father who would get angry, and I should enjoy the brief bit of freedom that I still have before they take me as well. I recall that aimless ambling through the streets, without any purpose, as I enjoyed the freedom after the stifling atmosphere of the hiding place. I walked and visited all those places that I loved, as if to bid them farewell… I was enjoying the clear air after the rain for the last time. I ignored
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my thoroughly wet shoes, and the incidents of people pointing to me, saying, See, a Jewess remains!… Here and there, I heard derogatory remarks about the little Jewess. I was already immune from these remarks. I was fully engaged with my inner world, recalling memories of my brief childhood and my dreams that would never be fulfilled.
On my strange walk, I passed the house of a member of the communal leadership. Awakening from my thoughts, I decided to go up and hear if perhaps they know something about my parents and my relatives. I went to them. They listened to my story in agony, and told me that they do not know anything about my parents. They added that the situation is still unclear, and they advised me to remain with them until it would be possible to clarify anything. There, I took off my wet shoes. They gave me big, warm boots to wear until my shoes would dry out. We all sat in the kitchen, as one of them looked out of the window to see if the Germans or Ukrainians were approaching. Once, two Ukrainian policemen were seen coming in the direction of the house. They all escaped to their hiding places. They left me behind, saying that I was small and could hide behind the bed. I did this. It was not pleasant for me to remain alone again, but I had no choice. Apparently, they did not want to bring me into their hiding place and reveal it to me. It is also possible that they were not looking for another person whom they would have to feed. (They were not bad people. They were not at all worse than the others, but such was the situation. Everyone worried only about themselves and those closest to them. They concerned themselves with a hiding place and food, and were not prepared to add another concern to their concerns.)
After it became clear that the incident with the policemen was a false alarm, we returned to the room and sat together until nighttime. We all ate something. They also gave me something to eat, and told me to go to sleep in the other room. It was hard for me to fall asleep. I only fell asleep after a long cry, and I woke up on occasion with nightmares. I got up very early in the morning, and entered the kitchen where voices were calling out. I entered - and good news awaited me. They quickly told me that my father had survived! He came to them at 12 midnight, and they told him that I was there. He looked at me and did not want to wake me up. He decided that he would come the next day to take me home. I did not have the patience to wait. They covered me up in a large sheet, gave me a pair of boots several sizes too large - and I went home. It was still dark outside. Encouraged about the news of my father, I hurried home. I would have actually run, but the large boots held me back. I finally reached the gate of our house. I knocked and called out Father. He heard my call, and came to greet me and open the gate. The gate opened, and my beloved father stood next to me, hale and whole. I fell into his arms crying, and asked about Mother. He told me that Mother had also survived. With this news, we went up to our dwelling.
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It was clear that they had not slept all night. A light was burning in the kitchen. Mother prepared coffee. Father's friend Elisha Richter was also in the house. I had been a witness to the snatching of his wife Chancha. I told him everything that I knew and had heard about his wife before she was taken. The family that lived next to us, who had been with us in the previous aktion, had also been taken. The house was almost empty. Our house had been pillaged. Only a few old things, which the robbers did not succeed in taking, remained.
We all sat together, and each of us told our story.
Father's Story
As I have already stated, my father had left the dwelling and entered the stairwell, where the policemen were gathering all the residents of the house. He went down to the yard with all of them. There were many other Jews from the nearby houses there. He took advantage of the confusion, with the shouting and weeping, and began to run. The policemen shot after him. One bullet skirted his sleeve. He continued to run and did not stop. He managed to reach a nearby house where he hid in the cellar. After things quieted, my father left the cellar, and went up to our dwelling to see what had happened. It seemed to him that the dwelling was empty, so he decided to lock the door. He then escaped to the cemetery and the fields, where he hid until night. After he heard that the aktion had ended and that I had survived, he returned home. When he reached home and knocked on the gate, Mother opened up. She was weeping for me. From him she heard that I had also survived.
Mother's Story
After she left me in the room, she went out to the stairwell. There she saw that the policemen were surrounded by Jews who tried to offer them everything in return for their lives. There was a great commotion. Mother decided to take advantage of the commotion to save her life. She quickly removed the patch with the Star of David from her arm, opened the door of the large porch that was common to the entire house, and went out to the porch in security, pretending to be cleaning the fence of the porch. From below she heard the voices of the local Ukrainians and Poles pointing to her, Here is a Jewess. Mother answered them with self-assurance, stop joking; you know that I am not a Jewess. She continued to clean the porch in this manner until she reached the side of the porch that was hidden from the yard in which the Ukrainians were standing. There, she thought about jumping down, but she realized that there was no chance of landing in one piece from such a height. An old, disintegrating mattress had been tossed in that corner of the porch. Mother lay down on
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the porch, covering herself with the old mattress. Thus did she lie quietly. In that area of the porch, there was a window that looked across to the stairwell, between one end of the stairs and the other. There, my mother heard how they were all going down the stairs. She lay down quietly. When it quieted down somewhat, she opened the window and jumped into the stairwell. She ran to the door of our dwelling where she had left me, but she found that the door had already been locked from outside. She quickly went up to the upper storey and hid there. Another neighbor was hiding there with her baby. In the evening, the neighbor's husband came to inform her of the end of the aktion. My mother went down to the dwelling of this neighbor, where he remained until my father arrived.
This aktion took place on Saturday and lasted for about half a day. It was perpetrated with great suddenness, so most of the people were captured in their houses, without any possibility of escaping to the hiding places or the fields. This was the final aktion before the liquidation. There was indeed another aktion after this aktion, but it was perpetrated by Jewish policemen from Sambor, and lasted for a night and the following half day.
With No Way Out
It was the winter of 1942. It was already clear that the end was beginning. There was clear talk of liquidation, of transferring all the Jews out of the city and concentrating them in the Sambor Ghetto. Only few Jews remained in the city, and they tried to save themselves in any manner that they could. A large number tried to escape to Hungary, where the situation of the Jews was still secure. However it was not easy to reach Hungary in those days. It was the height of the winter, and crossing the border was fraught with danger, especially the danger of being followed. Some of those to be transferred collaborated with the Germans. Often, after they received a large sum of money from Jews, they would haul them directly to the hands of the Germans.
Some of the Jews of the city tried to hide with gentiles in the city or the region. Another group, the younger ones in particular, built bunkers in the surrounding forests and hid there, with light weapons that they succeeded in obtaining. However, the majority of the survivors sat and waited passively for the liquidation, which was indeed carried out in December 1942.
Another group of the Jews of the city chose to commit suicide rather than falling live into the hands of the Germans. The most common form of suicide was poisoning by coal fumes. The victims did not suffer much in this manner. I heard my father discuss this possibility with my mother. This
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was at night, and my parents apparently thought that I was sleeping - but I was awake and heard the entire conversation. From that time, I was very afraid of sleeping. I was also afraid of leaving my parents alone. One day I told my mother about my fear and about my concern that they were going to flee to Hungary and leave me alone in a different hiding place. My mother promised me that under no circumstances would she leave me against my will. These words of my mother calmed me a bit. At that time, my mother would frequently run from one of her Polish or Ukrainian friends to another, attempting to find a hiding place for all of us, some of us, or at least for me. Many parents tried to hide their daughters, for the most part, with the farmers of the area. My mother prepared a packet for each of us with necessities. She also sewed three small sacks, one for each of us, where we put the bit of money that we still had.
After a great deal of searching, my mother succeeded in finding a place for me with a Ukrainian family. I was not happy to leave my parents and to remain alone again, as had happened during the aktion. At the same time, however, I realized that my parents had found a good place for me, and this would be the only way I would be able to survive. The survival instinct again guided me, and I agreed to the advice of my parents. My father explained to me that they would be freer without me, and that they would find some way to escape and save themselves. My father told me, You must remain alive. You have seen and understood everything that happened. Most of our family has already been murdered. Someone must remain alive to tell the story of what happened. You, as a child, have great chances for this. They made me memorize the address of my uncles in the Land of Israel, and commanded me that if I survive, I must write to them immediately. I must tell everything to the relatives in the land, and they would take care of me. (My father had two brothers in Israel, and my mother had one brother.) Equipped with the blessings of my parents and their charge to me to continue to live in order to tell the story of what happened to our family and many other Jewish families of the city, I parted from my parents.
During the final days before leaving the house, I saw my mother standing all the time near the oven and weeping. She would look at me on occasion and weep again. The day of my departure approached. It was a cold, snowy day. My father set up a meeting with the gentile outside the city. I approached my mother to bid her farewell. She was standing, as usual, next to the oven and weeping. She hugged and kissed me, and we wished each other that we should survive and see each other again. I parted from her, trying not to think about what was going to happen in the future. Father accompanied me outside the city. Waiting there was the wagon with the gentile, who was to transfer me to another gentile with whom I would live. Father walked in front of me holding a blanket in his hands, and I walked behind him in order not to arouse
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attention. My father carried me up to the wagon, covered me well with the blanket, told me, Be successful, my daughter, and left. The wagon moved quickly, sliding over the white snow. Through my tears, I saw the precious image of my father getting smaller and smaller. He continued to walk straight, without turning his head toward me. His image disappeared in the distance. That was the last time that I saw him.
I went to a Ukrainian family in the village of Komarnik, and my parents went to the Sambor Ghetto along with the remnants of the Jews of the town.
With the Ukrainian Family in Komarnik
My first stop was the village of Borinya, where I stayed with a gentile acquaintance, and from where I was transferred to a Ukrainian family in the village of Komarnik. My parents did not know that family. The eldest son of that family, Pyotr, transferred me. He came the next day at 2:00 p.m. to fetch me. This Pyotr did not live with his parents, but rather in the village of Borinya. He wanted to reach his parents' home in Komarnik in the dark in order to avoid the attention of the neighbors. The journey from Borinya to Komarnik seemed endless to me. I lay down in the wagon, doubled over and frozen, constantly asking when we would arrive. We arrived at dark. I heard the barking of a dog, and Pyotr told me that it was their dog. Our journey ended.
When we arrived, the entire family came out to greet Pyotr. He descended from the wagon and called his parents aside. After a brief conversation with them, they all turned to me. They took me down from the wagon, brought me into the house, and sat me near the oven so that I could warm up a bit. They received me politely. After I warmed up, they gave me something to eat, and then we went to bed. I was a given a place in a joint bed where four other children were sleeping. I was very tired and I fell asleep quickly.
The house was a small cottage that consisted of three compartments - a medium sized dwelling area, a grain storehouse, and a barn. The room was low, made of wood. There was a bit of poured concrete on the floor. There were two small windows, such that if a person was passing outside, one would only see the middle of his body. The furnishings in the room were simple and typical of poor farmers. The oven occupied the lion's share of the room. In the room, there were two beds, a chest for dishes, and a large table with two benches on the sides. A closet was hanging on the wall, the size of a large chest. This was all the furniture in the house. The room was clean and neat. The seven-person family lived in the room. Aside from them, the following people were part of the family: Pyotr
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who lived in Borinya and who brought me there; another son who was taken to work in Germany, and two adult daughters who lived in Drohobycz where they were employed as household help.
The First Crisis
The crisis of my soul already began the following day. I suddenly found myself in strange, unfamiliar surroundings. In my great despair, I began to cry and beg them to take me back home. It was enough, I was not looking for places to hide and save myself, I wanted Mother and Father, and anything that would happen to them would happen also to me. The gentiles were good to me, and tried to comfort me. Pyotr succeeded in convincing me by promising to go to my parents and bring my mother. This idea calmed me, and I decided to really be good so that the gentiles would agree to keep us.
At the beginning of my stay, I was able to walk around freely in the room. I only fled and hid on top of the oven, below it, or in some other place when I heard the dog bark. Sometimes, the dog did not bark, so I did not succeed in hiding quickly. Then I would run to some place, and there was already a suspicion that the person who came saw me. They were very afraid, and they told me that my stay with them would only bring disaster to them. After a short time, they decided to no longer endanger themselves, and to return me to their son Pyotr when he would return; however, Pyotr simply did not come, and I lived in constant fear. I began to suspect that the farmers might kill me themselves out of great fear. (It later became clear to me that there was no basis for this fear.) I already understood that I should not wait for the arrival of my mother. In the meantime, all the Jews of the city were transferred to the Sambor Ghetto, and the city of Turka was officially Judenrein.
A new era began. We heard terrible things that happened to the Jews who were captured at the border as they attempted to escape to Hungary. We also heard about Jews who were captured in the forests and were even found with gentiles. All of this news was spread on Sundays, when the farmers returned from the churches in the nearby towns. In essence, the church was the primary source of information. There, they found out everything that took place. In this manner, they later found out about the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, albeit without exact detail. I recall well that on a certain Sunday they said that there was a large-scale Jewish revolt in the Warsaw Ghetto, and that many Germans had been killed. Incidentally, the words of the priest of the church had great influence upon these farmers, who for the most part were believers. At times, when the priest delivered a sermon from which one could understand that one should help the Jews, they returned home very encouraged.
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In the mean time, the Germans issued a decree that demanded that all gentiles of the area turn in the Jews who were hiding with them. Whoever did not do so would be put to death. The gentiles with whom I was hiding did not know what to do; they were afraid for their lives and the lives of their children. They sent urgently for Pyotr to discuss what to do with me, but Pyotr only came after three months. He received their shouts calmly and promised that he would come very soon to take me. At that time, he also brought them a few things, such as clothing, money, etc. I even began to take out money from the pocket that my mother had given me, and I gave them a bit of money on occasion. Thus did I succeed in remaining there. In the meantime, I learned Ukrainian with great diligence. I also diligently and quickly learned their prayers. Within a brief period I spoke fluent Ukrainian and properly pronounced the letters R and L, which are pronounced in a unique manner by them. They praised me and added that nobody would ever be able to claim that I was not a Ukrainian by birth, based on the language and the prayers that were fluent on my tongue. However, my external appearance was a disadvantage. They all had blond hair and blue eyes, and I had black hair. My dark hair attracted everyone's attention. I realized that they were proud that they had turned me into a good Christian, and I did everything in order to appear such… hoping that this would protect me, for they would want to protect and save my soul for Christianity.
After a Year
The days marched on slowly, and a year passed. Christmas arrived. When my hosts returned from the church in the city, they brought me a cigarette box filled with candies, and told me that my parents are still alive in the Sambor Ghetto and want me to write to them. I quickly wrote a letter, but I never received a written word from them that would prove their existence. Nevertheless, contact was maintained. From that Sunday, they would bring me weekly greetings from my parents. The contact was maintained by their brother-in-law who was in contact with the Jews of the Sambor Ghetto. Once, when this brother-in-law expressed the request of the gentile that my parents take me back, my parents, having no choice, gave their assent. This was in the winter of 1943.
My gentiles were completely desperate. Once again, they feared for their lives and the lives of their children. The liberation was tarrying in coming, and the danger to their lives was close by and real. Their primary goal was to extricate themselves from me as quickly as possible. The hope that my parents would take me from them encouraged them greatly. They decided to take me to the ghetto at the beginning of the summer. I was happy at the opportunity to return and live together with my parents, even though I knew that the possibilities of surviving with my parents were quite small. I thought a great deal about the meeting with my parents; how I could help them with housework and cooking at home.
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One day at the beginning of the summer, the gentiles came to me and told me to get dressed. We went to their brother-in-law in order to take me to my parents in the ghetto. I got dressed in the clothing of a Ukrainian village girl. I covered myself up and walked with the mistress of the house to her brother-in-law, with whom I was to be taken to Sambor. After a long walk, we arrived at the brother-in-law, who lived in the center of the village, whereas the family who hosted me lived at the edge of the village. I arrived at the home of the brother-in-law completely exhausted. Sitting on top of or under the oven for long period of time weakened my legs, and I had no power to get up and walk. When we finally arrived, the brother-in-law told us that something had occurred in the Sambor Ghetto in the meantime. He added that he was prepared to take me only after he clarified what had happened, and if my parents were still alive. After a brief consultation between the brother-in-law and my host, they decided that I should return with them, and he, the brother-in-law, would travel to Sambor the next day to find out what had happened. Thus it was. When the brother-in-law returned from his journey, he said that there had been a very large aktion in Sambor (in the summer of 1943, in which the children were liquidated from the ghetto). Many Jews had been liquidated, but my parents still succeeded in surviving. Under these circumstances, they decided to transfer me to the ghetto as quickly as possible. I prepared for the journey. Toward evening, the gentile woman took me once again to the home of her brother-in-law. The next morning, we were about to go to the ghetto. However, there was a very bad storm that night, and they decided that time as well to delay the trip. I once again returned to my usual place, while the brother-in-law went again to set up a meeting place with my parents. However, when he returned that time from Sambor, he told of the liquidation of the ghetto. The remaining Jews were taken outside the city and shot. My parents were among them. (When I was in Sambor at the end of the war, I visited the communal grave in which those Jews where killed during the liquidation of the Sambor Ghetto were buried.)
The ghetto was liquidated in the middle of the summer, in July and August of 1943, and I was saved once again. Now I was very suspicious that the gentiles, who were no longer able to transfer me to my parents, might look for another way to free themselves from me. However, this was no longer a simple matter. News of German defeats, or at least of the failure of their advances, began to reach us. The hope of a speedier liberation from the yoke of the Germans was awakened in our hearts. Therefore, the possibility of turning me over to the Germans was also not so simple. A year and a half had passed since the command to turn the hidden Jews over to the authorities had been issued, and I was again with them. Indeed, they intensified their surveillance of me. I no longer remained in the house. The gentiles would take me out of the house early in the morning and bring me to the storehouse atop the barn, where I would remain for the entire day.
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The Tribulations Prior to the End
It was summer. Everyone went out to work in the fields, and I remained alone in the storehouse. To my good fortune, there were Ukrainian books there, and I continued to study how to read and write Ukrainian. Throughout this time, they often changed my hiding place. I hid in a tall bean field, in haystacks, in nearby groves, in the forest near the house; as well as on top of the oven, beneath the oven, and, in the latter period, in a pit in the barn. At that time, I would also go into the hiding place that they had prepared for me in the barn. I would enter this place immediately after breakfast, and remain there until late in the evening. On day, I tarried in the house for a long time, as was unusual. This was a cloudy fall day, and I simply did not have the desire to leave my place on the oven and to go into the hiding place in the barn. I would be alone in that hiding place all day, and therefore, I did not like it much. That morning, I spent a long time eating the meal, and also spent more time remaining in the house. Plusia, the farmer's wife, urged me to finish my meal. She went out to check if the path to the barn was clear. She immediately returned, quickly and with a commotion, for she saw a German and Ukrainian a short distance away approaching the house. I was immediately sent under the oven, where I lay curled up and afraid. The German and Ukrainian went strait to the barn - my regular hiding place at that time. The only searched in the barn. When they found nothing, they returned to the village. This was a clear case of informing. After the Germans went away, the gentiles transferred me to the nearby forest, where I remained until late at night. (I will never forget the deathly fear that fell upon me when I was forced to remain alone in the grove, especially during the nighttime hours. I was afraid of wild beasts. There were many wild pigs and other such animals in the area. This fear of wild beasts and of remaining alone at night disappeared only after some years. Repeated nightmares of persecution and attacks by Germans and Ukrainians, and of wild beasts, afflicted me even during my first years in the Land of Israel…)
They brought me home at night, hungry and damp to the bones. The days continued to march on. We heard news of the advance of the Red Army, and also of revolts of the Jews in Poland. All of this encouraged me and imparted me the desire to continue to live. It would be unfortunate to be caught and put to death now in particular, when the future began to look brighter. The summer days came to and end and the winter days arrived, with the following dangers: the fear of footprints in the snow, and the difficulty of remaining in a grove or in the forest without freezing. Then
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a greater danger arose: One day, the Germans were seen in the city, and they were very close to the house. The possibility of bringing me to the grove was no longer in the calculations. My hosts remained without recourse, not knowing what to do with me. The farmer's wife took charge, for she had to protect the lives of her children. She grabbed a blanket, quick as lightning covered me in it, and ran me in the direction of the well near the house, where she buried me in the snow. This was the only possibility of hiding me without leaving any trace. I was indeed saved from the Germans, but there was only a hairbreadth between me and death - from freezing. After the Germans left, the gentiles quickly took me out of the snow and I slowly recovered.
Then, when the possibility of hiding in the area and in the grove no longer existed, they dug a pit for me in the barn, where I had to lie quietly without moving (indeed, there was no practical possibility of such). The pit was small, narrow and musty. My bed consisted of a bit of straw with a burlap covering. This was my most terrible hiding place. Were it not for the liberation, this pit would have led to my demise. I constantly saw mice in that dark pit, and they were so active that at times, I burst out in hysterical cries of fear. The gentiles sometimes heard my screams, and they threatened me that if I do not behave properly - which might lead to their deaths - they would simply throw me out.
I did the best I could to control my frayed nerves. I had no internal energy to continue to suffer. At times, continuing to live seemed to lack any purpose. To live? -- Why do I need life?… Who needs it… I was an orphan, and possibly the only Jewess in the region. What could I do with myself… I asked myself and repeated this and other questions to myself many times. I could not do anything else in that terrible pit, so I continued to ask, and think… This was the situation to which, perhaps, one should not go: The twisting of the thoughts was apparently dangerous.
The Echoes of the Hammer of Hope…
The spring days, filled with hope, approached. After the gentiles realized that, despite all my promises, they heard talking from the barn - they hastily took me out to the grove. There, I strengthened a bit: The clear air; the beauty of the budding trees and the blooming flowers; the wild berries and mushrooms - all of these enchanted me and distanced me from my thoughts… They healed me. However, this was during the day… The day was wonderful; the forest was green; the birds returned and filled the forest with their songs; and the heart was full of pleasure… However, the night was difficult. The fear of wild beasts, and the thoughts that afflicted me returned.
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I remained in this grove for the final month prior to the liberation. I received sufficient food. From afar, I could hear the sounds of the cannons - these were the echoes of the hammers of hope… The Russians were approaching. It was 1944. The Russians arrived. The liberating army passed through Komarnik on its way to the Hungarian border. I remained with the gentiles, for I did not know what to do with myself and my life that I had tried so hard to save…
One day, the gentiles informed me that a certain family was searching for me diligently, and I should return to the city. I traveled to Borinya. There, I remained for a short time with a certain family, and then I continued on to Turka. It then became clear that the Bruner family, who had survived, searched tirelessly for me in all the villages of the area. This is what happened. My parents knew that Bruner was not going to the ghetto, but rather, to hide with a gentile. Before my father was taken to the ghetto, he asked Bruner to promise that if he survived, he would not forget me, and do everything to return me to a Jewish environment and my uncles in Israel. Bruner fulfilled this promise. He spared no effort to find me. When he found me, he and his family took me in to his bosom, as if accepting a true daughter by birth. They were good, pleasant, and dedicated to me. They raised me, educated me, and fed me. Primarily, their good heart and trustworthiness slowly restored my faith in humanity. It was only thanks to them that I succeeded in overcoming the tidings of Job with respect to the loss of my parents. It is interesting: They told me, and I realized, that my parents had been killed; however, subconsciously, I continued to wait for years - perhaps, despite all, they would appear from somewhere…
I remained with the Bruner family for a long time. They took me to Poland. There, we parted, and I went to an orphanage in Bielsko. The Bruner family took me once again, and I went to Germany with them. There, we wandered from one displaced persons camp to another. We were in Regensburg, and then in Fernwald. I remained in the latter camp until April, 1946. Then I joined a group of children, with whom I went to Israel. After a period in the Atlit Camp, I reached the bosom of my family in May 1946.
The dream of many years was realized. The circle was completed in April 1958, when my first born son was born on Holocaust Remembrance Day. This son bears the name of my murdered father.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Posey gets $167M, 9-year deal from Giants
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — At age 26, Buster Posey can envision one day retiring with the San Francisco Giants.
For now, he is their new franchise man.
The Giants rewarded the NL MVP and batting champion catcher with a $167 million, nine-year contract Friday, a deal that includes a club option for 2022 that could raise the value to $186 million over a decade.
"It's hard to put into words what I feel right now, just an incredible feeling know that for the next nine years I'll be a part of this very storied franchise," Posey said. "I'm incredibly humbled to know I'll be a part of that."
Posey had been due to make $8 million this year. He instead gets a $7 million signing bonus, with $5 million payable Oct. 15 and the remainder Jan. 15, and his 2013 salary is reduced to $3 million.
He will make $10.5 million in 2014, $16.5 million in 2015, $20 million in 2016 and $21.4 million in each of the following five seasons. The Giants' option is for $22 million with a $3 million buyout.
"Obviously this is a big day for the Giants and a big day in Giants history," CEO Larry Baer said. "By any measure the largest and boldest commitment we've ever made to a player, and obviously that's a big deal. We don't make these kinds of commitments lightly. … In order to make a commitment like this we have to look at other measures, too, and look at the person. A nine-year commitment sounds like a lot but it wasn't scary to us when you look at Buster the person."
Posey's agreement includes a full no-trade clause and is the longest for a catcher and the largest in Giants history, surpassing Matt Cain's $127.5 million, six-year contract signed before the start of last season.
In addition, the deal is a record guarantee for a player with fewer than three years of major league service time — more than doubling the $80 million, seven-year contract Rockies slugger Carlos Gonzalez received before the 2011 season. It also is a record guarantee for a player with fewer than four years of service time, topping the $151.45 million over 11 years Colorado's Todd Helton was assured in March 2001.
"I don't know if we had a mountain to climb but we had a hill to climb to try to get on the same page," general manager Brian Sabean said. "If he's not the face of the franchise, he's certainly a player that comes around either once every baseball life or not that often."
The Giants captured their second championship in three years behind the play of the All-Star, who won the NL batting title and MVP award after missing most of 2011 following season-ending left leg and ankle injury.
Posey knows that there will be times things don't go as well as they have so far for him with a World Series and Rookie of the Year award in 2010 followed by another title and season of honors last year.
"You get kind of spoiled when you win the World Series in your first year," he said. "I can't see how you can play here and not want to spend your career here."
Posey received his deal a day after the Giants gave Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy contract extensions through 2016.
Posey batted .336 with 24 homers and 103 RBIs while playing 148 games for the NL West champions, including 111 starts at catcher and 29 at first base. During the Giants' 2010 and '12 championship runs, Posey has hit a combined .244 with four home runs and 14 RBIs.
Two of those homers and five RBIs came in last year's NL division series against the Reds, when San Francisco became the first team in big league history to rally from a 2-0 deficit to win a five-game series with three straight road victories.
"We've got a group of guys who are not going to rest on what we've accomplished so far," Posey said. "Nine years is a long time. It's exciting. I enjoy the challenge of trying to get better. I enjoy the ups and downs that baseball brings."
On May 25, 2011, Posey tore three ligaments in his left ankle and broke a bone in his lower leg in a devastating collision at the plate with Scott Cousins, then with the Marlins.
Posey received his nice payday two days after turning 26. He will donate $50,000 per year to Giants charities.
He could wind up playing his entire career in the Bay Area — and the Giants certainly hope that will be the case. The club posted a photo on its Twitter account Friday of Posey, Baer, Sabean, vice president and assistant general manager Bobby Evans and Bochy — with the hashtag "SFG4Life."
"It's truly one of the great days for Giants fans," Baer said. "Our fans will be very privileged to watch Buster for the foreseeable future, and ideally Buster will be wearing a Giants uniform for the entirety of his career, which is our goal."
The 2010 NL Rookie of the Year is represented by the same agency that negotiated Cain's deal last year, and both sides were eager to do something again this year to lock Posey up for the long-term.
"We're extremely pleased to reach an agreement that keeps Buster in a Giants uniform for a long time," agent Jeff Berry of CAA Baseball said. "Buster and the Giants have brought each other mutual success, and this contract reflects Buster's extraordinary accomplishments in just three years in the Major Leagues."
The contract includes the following bonuses: $100,000 for NL MVP, $100,000 for World Series MVP, $75,000 for NL championship series MVP, $50,000 for a Gold Glove, $50,000 for All-Star Game election, $25,000 for All-Star selection and $50,000 for a Silver Slugger.
In 2010, Posey wasn't even called up from Triple-A Fresno until late May but still batted .305 with 18 home runs and 67 RBIs in 108 games to help the Giants capture their first NL West crown since 2003.
Even with the injury, Posey plans to catch for as long as his body allows it.
"My passion is to be behind the plate for as long as I can," he said. "For anyone who's caught, it's a special position you can't describe until you get back there."
Yet he did once play all nine positions in one game during college.
San Francisco gave him $6.2 million when he signed in August 2008 as the fifth overall pick out of Florida State, the richest deal for an amateur joining the Giants.
For Evans in his negotiations, there weren't many players to use as a gauge for having so many accomplishments in such a short career. The Giants entered talks with the idea they would find a way to sign Posey for the long haul.
"The organization will be better off for it each day he's in our uniform," Sabean said.


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Delivery times vary depending on your location and the shipping method you choose. Estimated shipping times are listed on the shop's main page under "Announcements" and in the shipping policies.
Within Canada is approx. 4-10 business days and to the USA approx. 10 to 21 business days, this delivery time is based on standard shipping (slowest). Shipping upgrades are available during the checkout process.
Once I ship the item the delivery time is in the hands of the Postal Service. I have zero control over how long the postal service takes to deliver a package. The postal service does not consider a package lost until 30 days has past.
No. This is the time allotted for me to process your order and have it ready for shipping.
My vinyl decals will adhere to most smooth, non porous surfaces. Walls painted with Low VOC, Teflon, and other similar paints are designed to be "non-stick" and the vinyl may not adhere. If you are unsure please send me a convo and I can send you a test decal. Before applying a decal to any painted surface be sure to all the paint time to cure. On walls it is recommended to wait 3 weeks after painting before applying decals. For wood signs it is best to wait 24-48 hours. The longer the better.
With each order I include a test/practice decal and application instructions.
Once the decal is applied to the glassware it is hand washable in warm water. They are not dishwasher safe.
All decal sizes are listed as an overall dimension (+/- 0.5")from the highest point to the lowest point and the points from farthest left to farthest right.
Yes, some of our decals do come in two or more colour combinations. You may request your custom decal to be more than one colour as well. There is an additional charge if the decal is done in two or more colours.
Since each colour has to be cut separate your decal will arrive with each piece/colour separate. Meaning; if you ordered a decal that said "Hello Sunshine" and wanted "Hello" in Black, and "Sunshine" in yellow, you would receive two decals; the Black Hello and the yellow Sunshine. It would not come as one decal as each colour is separate, and will have to be applied separate.
Orders will be shipped to the address you have on your Etsy Account, as they appear on the order I receive. Please check your address prior to submitting an order and upon checkout! Anything returned to me due to an incorrect address will result in new shipping charges, which will be the responsibility of the buyer. There will be no refunds on missing packages due to an incorrect address. Once a package is returned to me, you will be refunded the purchase price, minus the actual shipping charge, as the Postal Service was paid for attempting to ship the package. Actual shipping charges may be higher than what you paid and are non refundable.


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Vintage Jumpers
We have continuously and in large quantities of top vintage of '50, '60, '70 & '80 Retro Fashion for summer and winter. They are classified separately, such as: dress, shirt, table cover, skirt, bags, belts, accessories, shoes, .... etc..
We offer our customers the opportunity to choose by themselves the quality and quantity that they need.
Prices depend inversely on the quantity of goods and there is always the opportunity to participate in the delivery of goods.


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Editor Manuel Auad and writer David Apatoff have done a bang up job here in presenting Dorne and his exquisitely drawn work to a new generation. It has been said that Dorne was the Jack Kirby of his day and with his expressive characters and knobby knuckled hands it is easy to see why.
I love the format of the book and the fine quality of the printing. Other nice elements include interviews from Dorne taken from period sources such as Famous Artists Magazine and Pageant. There is even a graphic tribute to Dorne drawn by the great Jack Kirby himself.
Albert Dorne (1906-1965) was a self taught artist who worked his way to fame and riches through sheer determination and hard work. He described a childhood in which he would skip school to draw from the sculptures and paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, claiming to be the youngest artist ever granted a sketch permit from that revered establishment.
Dorne worked at a studio for no pay for an entire year sleeping just a few hours and holding down a night job in order to get his foot in the door of the industry. He went on to found the Famous Artist School correspondence course which influenced countless artists.
It is obvious that Dorne had a gift and flair for drawing people but what surprised me was the range of expression and stylization that he achieved over his four decade career. He was at ease in any approach to the figure from total exaggeration to fairly straight forward depictions.
As with the previous volume on Robert Fawcett, This book also has several vignette pages that focus on Dorne's skill in depicting hands, characters, attention to detail and complex picture architecture. This book is a feast for anyone who enjoys vintage illustration or simply likes to look at great drawing. Gotta go now, Albert Dorne is calling, and I have to figure out how to draw better.
Get your copy of Albert Dorne Master Illustrator


text: Junk song Motor cars, handle bars, Bicycles for two. Broken hearted jubilee. Parachutes, army boots, Sleeping bags for two. Sentimental jamboree. Buy! buy! Says the sign in the shop window. Why? why? Says the junk in the yard. Da da ya da da da, Da da da, Da da ya da da, Da da da da da da da. Candlesticks, building bricks, Something old and new. Memories for you and me. Buy! buy! Says the sign in the shop window. Why? why? Says the junk in the yard. "Junk" Song by Paul McCartney from the album McCartney Released 17 April 1970 Genre Folk rock Length 1:54 Label Apple Writer Paul McCartney Producer Paul McCartney McCartney track listing 13 tracks Side one "The Lovely Linda" "That Would Be Something" "Valentine Day" "Every Night" "Hot as Sun/Glasses" "Junk" "Man We Was Lonely" Side two "Oo You" "Momma Miss America" "Teddy Boy" "Singalong Junk" "Maybe I'm Amazed" "Kreen-Akrore" "Junk" is a song written by Paul McCartney in 1968 while the Beatles were in India. Please note the text from Wikipedia is imported without editing or authentication. Junk (Anthology 3) ©1970 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission.


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Title: Three Bags Full
Series: Sheep Detective Story #1
Author: Leonie Swann
Publisher: Doubleday
Our rating:
Publication date: June 2005
Genre: Cozy mystery
Length: 352 pages
Click to see price on Amazon
Review Summary: A fun and endearing slow-paced cozy mystery featuring a small flock of sheep as detectives.
Plot Summary/Blurb
When George Glenn of Glennkill on the coast of Ireland is found dead in a field, apparently murdered with a spade, his faithful flock of sheep don't know what to think. Spurred on by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world), they try to recall what they learned in the detective story that George once read them, so they can gather clues and track down suspects.
Three Bags Full Review
This is such a cute idea! The sheep are wonderful characters and the story, if a little confused and slow in places, follows their meandering path as detectives.
The sheep are from different traditional breeds so it's easy to believe they might have different characteristics. There's Mopple the Whale, a plump Merino who never stops eating but has the best memory; Zora, a sure-footed blackfaced ewe who likes to perch on a cliff ledge looking over the abyss to the sea far below; Sir Ritchfield, the lead ram, who's getting old and deaf these days but still has the sharpest eyesight; Othello, a black sheep whose had a past life in a circus; and many more. They all stand out as unique and memorable personalities.
Then of course there are the human characters. We get to hear their conversations whenever the sheep can listen in, which is often enough, since many of them visit the field and George's caravan where he seems to have hidden certain things (whose significance is clearer to us than to the sheep). He was also more popular with the ladies than with the men of the village.
George's character is slowly revealed too. The sheep, naturally enough, rate him on the basis of the grazing he provided and the stories that he read to them every day. It's only when another shepherd comes along who is more interested in sheep as meat than as individuals, that they truly come to see how lucky they were. And we have to piece together George's human history from indications that mean nothing to them – that he owned a gun, for example.
The author is German so I was reading an English translation, and unfortunately the translator clearly wasn't Irish. I kept forgetting we were in Ireland at all because there was no Irish dialect or rhythm in the dialogue. There are none of the 'typical' Irish names – no Brendan, Patrick or Michael; no Bridget, Mary or Siobhan – and George, the patron saint of England, seems to me a decidedly unlikely name for a man born in the Republic of Ireland in (presumably) the 1960s. Of course we don't want all the stereotypes rolled out, but a few minor characters with more common Irish names would have helped give a sense of place.
It's very funny in places because of the sheep's childlike (or sheeplike) interpretations of various signs and clues. They are simple-minded but logical and often adorable.
The solution to the mystery was a little anticlimactic for me. The motives didn't quite ring true. But I did like the way the author built up the final scene and I loved Fosco who enjoyed his Guinness in true Irish style!


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Two Days of World-Class Professional Women's Cycling Announced
Published on Feb 18, 2014
For the First Time in Race History, Professional Women Cyclists
Will Compete in a Circuit Race and a Time Trial Presented by SRAM
LOS ANGELES (February 18, 2014) – The 2014 Amgen Tour of California will feature more professional women's racing than any previous race of its kind on U.S. soil when America's largest cycling event hosts two days of action-packed competition. Invitations are now being extended to the world's best women cyclists to convene an elite international roster of competitors to assemble in downtown Sacramento May 11 to compete in a circuit race surrounding the California Capitol. The following day, a field of nearly two dozen of the world's top-ranked time trialists will have the opportunity to race against the clock during a time trial in Folsom.
The 2014 Amgen Tour of California, held May 11-18, will begin in the state capitol of Sacramento with circuit races for both the men and women. Shortly after the men roll out from the start line at the steps of the Capitol building to kick-off the eight-stage race, the women will take to the street to show off the power and technique that they are known for throughout the world. By invitation and application, women from the top professional, national and composite teams will compete along a four-corner,1.25-mile circuit course surrounding the Capitol for the overall title as well as part of the $10,000 purse being offered by race organizers. Cyclists not already selected for the next day's time trial will have one last opportunity to gain a spot based on their finish.
"As a founding sponsor of the Amgen Tour of California Women's Time Trial, we're proud to again join with AEG in showcasing some of cycle sport's fastest and most celebrated athletes on the roads of California," said Alex Wassmann, SRAM Road Sports.
The very next day, Monday, May 12, the Women's Time Trial will be held in the gold rush town of Folsom, preceding the men's time trial over the same yet-to-be-announced course. This invitation-only race (plus the top three finishers from the day before not already qualified for the time trial) also includes a prize purse of $10,000.
"Through the years, AEG has been proud to provide a worldwide platform to the top women cyclists in the world. We've staged a women's criterium from 2008 to 2010, and a time trial since 2011," said Kristin Bachochin, executive director of the race and senior vice president of AEG Sports. "This year, we're thrilled to announce not one but two days of professional women's racing with the inclusion of a circuit race and a time trial – more opportunity for the stars of the sport to shine, and more reason for cycling fans to come out or tune in to follow the best racing event on U.S. soil."
The women's races will both be streamed live on the Amgen Tour of California Tour Tracker app, and online at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.
About the Amgen Tour of California
The Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race created and presented by AEG that challenges the world's top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course that traverses hundreds of miles of California's iconic highways, byways and coastlines each spring. The teams chosen to participate have included Olympic medalists, Tour de France contenders and World Champions. More information is available at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.
About SRAM
SRAM is a global manufacturer of high performance bicycle components, founded 1987 in Chicago, Illinois. We believe in the Power of Bicycles and so we create components and experiences that inspire consumers and expand the potential of cycling. To learn more about us, please visit www.SRAM.com or Facebook/SRAMUSA.
About Amgen
Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology. Amgen focuses on areas of high-unmet medical need and leverages its biologics manufacturing expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be the world's largest independent biotechnology company, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential. For more information, visit www.amgen.com and follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen.
About AEG
AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, StubHub Center, Sprint Center, The O2, Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE and Best Buy Theater Times Square; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), two Major League Soccer franchises, two hockey franchises operated in Europe, management of privately held shares of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Amgen Tour of California cycling road race; AEG Live, the organization's live-entertainment division, is a collection of companies dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring and a variety of programming and multi-media production. For more information, visit AEG today at www.aegworldwide.com.
# # #
Media Contacts:
Michael Roth, AEG
Eileen Tanner, GolinHarris
Diana Valdez, GolinHarris


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The Red Kangaroo theme is a basic website template. It has a common 2 column design with area's for full column spread work, shown on the front page design.Main features:
- Choice of 4 header background colours and designs
- Easy to code DIV structure
- PDF documentation with How To's for modifying the theme
- PSD files for logo, background image and more included
- W3C compliant HTML and CSS
- Tested in IE6, IE7, IE8, FF2, FF3 and Safari 3 on Mac and PC
- Support for fluid/liquid width (just uncomment lines in the CSS)
Thanks! I hope you like it.


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Wealthy Couple Accused of Welfare Fraud Nabbed in Florida
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota couple who allegedly lived in expensive homes and owned a yacht while taking more than $160,000 in state welfare benefits has been arrested.
Reports indicate 62-year-old Colin Chisholm III and 54-year-old Andrea Chisholm are being held in Florida.
The Hennepin County Attorney's Office said that they were deported from the Bahamas Monday and arrested when they landed near Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Chisholms' son and dog were turned over to family members.
They are expected to appear in extradition court Wednesday to say whether they will fight extradition.
The Chisholms are charged with a one count of wrongfully obtaining public assistance more than $35,000, a felony charge.
Court documents allege the pair illegally obtained food stamps and other benefits from 2005 to 2012.


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Terry wrote:How do we find your gallery, or anyone's gallery for that matter?
Provided you see the word "Gallery" right between "FAQ" and "Members" in the light blue part of the header on the right side, clicking on this word will take you to all galleries. Public as well as private. If you don't see that, once again your PC screen may be set up different and may require a little tweaking.


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One of the first standouts on the hardwood for Valparaiso University, Stephanie (Greer) McCalment is one of the top all-around threats ever to put on a Brown and Gold uniform, and on February 28, she will be inducted into the Valparaiso University Athletics Hall of Fame.
The first 1,000-point scorer in school history, McCalment still ranks sixth in school history having scored 1,224 career points. She holds Valpo's single game scoring record, having poured in 39 points against Kent State as a senior.
McCalment also ranks among the top 10 all-time at Valpo in field goals made (4th), free throws made (6th), and free throw percentage (7th). Her defense also made her a constant threat on the court, as she ranks second all-time with 286 career steals, a category she led upon her graduation. McCalment also ranks among the top 20 all-time in assists, making her truly an all-around player.
As a senior she earned Third Team All-North Star Conference honors while helping the Crusaders set a school record averaging 91.4 points per game as a team.
Since her graduation from Valpo, McCalment was a teacher for eight years and is currently a nursing school student. She currently resides in West Lafayette, Ind.
The Valparaiso University Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will be held on Saturday, February 28 at 3:30 p.m. in the Ballroom at the Harre Union. Tickets are still available for the banquet through Friday, February 20. The cost of the banquet is $30 per person and reservations can be made by calling Sharon Jackson at (219) 464-5471 or (800) 803-7184 ext. 72. The inductees will also be recognized at halftime of both the men's and women's basketball games on the same day.
Athletics-Recreation Center (ARC)
1009 Union Street
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Staff Directory


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New Nissan Altima for Sale in Colorado Springs, CO
10 Matching Vehicles Found
VIN: 1N4BL4CWXLC124745Model Code: 13210
VIN: 1N4BL4CW6LN311467Model Code: 13210
VIN: 1N4BL4CW1LN311733Model Code: 13210
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VIN: 1N4BL4CW6LN311274Model Code: 13210
VIN: 1N4BL4DW5LC175553Model Code: 13410
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VIN: 1N4BL4EW9LC121753Model Code: 13610
VIN: 1N4BL4EW5LC120227Model Code: 13610
VIN: 1N4BL4FWXLC123896Model Code: 13810
MPG Disclaimer:
Based on model year EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.
New vehicle pricing includes all offers and incentives. Tax, Title and Tags not included in vehicle prices shown and must be paid by the purchaser. While great effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, errors do occur so please verify information with a customer service rep. This is easily done by calling us at (888) 491-2693 or by visiting us at the dealership.
The Rocky Mountain package is $895 will be added to all new car pricing. Package includes: tint, wheel locks, door edge guards and invisible bra.
*Must qualify for all applicable rebates. Prices include all active discounts and $799 dealer handling fees. Exclusion may apply. Tax, tag, dealer installed accessories, electronic filing fee and title extra. See dealer for details.
**With approved credit. Terms may vary. Monthly payments are only estimates derived from the vehicle price with a 72 month term, 4.9% interest and 20% downpayment.


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Last night, Saturday Night Live ran a little sketch pairing off some tech pundits with Foxconn workers over complaints about the iPhone 5, and we were lucky enough to be one of the tech-whiner targets.
In an all-too apt lampoon of how first-world-problem-y whining about the iPhone 5 is, our own fictional Dennis Metcalf got to moan about the iPhone 5 being too light (which may or may not be an opinion that I actually sort of have). The sketch definitely nails how irrelevant detailed tech coverage can seem in the grand scheme of things, but that's our job, right? We point our iPhone 5 cameras at the sun and pore over the results so you don't have to! But you should really just go watch the skit yourself, and have a good laugh at us Apple-hating Apple fanboys. We did. [Hulu]


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Colorado man dies in fall on Maui
WAILUKU, Hawaii – A man from Colorado who was hiking on Maui has died in a fall.
Maui Police on Monday identified the man as 60-year-old Lynn Wyatt Huff of Boulder. He fell Saturday while walking in the Waihou Spring Forest Reserve.
The Maui News says fire crews from Makawao and Kahului responded to the incident on the west-facing slope of Haleakala around 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
Fire officials say the man and three other hikers were on the Waihou Spring trail within the reserve when he slipped and fell approximately 50 feet. The approximately 1-mile trail follows the Waihou Springs State Forest Reserve tree plantation road before making a loop and descending into the Kailua Gulch, which marks the end of the trail.
The trail is considered moderately difficult.
Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.


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pokatok needed a new web page design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 11 designs submitted by 4 freelance designers.
This school is a private religious school. They cover education levels from kindergarten all the way thru elementary and high school. It is mainly for girls but at some levels there are boys and girls on the students groups.
This school is one of the best schools in its community so the design needs to reflect that, as well as a modern and fresh image, and also some religious touch could be used.
Accepted File Formats:
PSD layered
Please download the website description from here:
And the images from here:


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The tightrope walker who crossed an Arizona gorge on a 2-inch-thick cable is eyeing New York City as his next stunt, hoping to cross between the Chrysler and Empire State buildings.
Nik Wallenda said Sunday that he wanted to brave the heights of Manhattan, shortly after crossing the Little Colorado River Gorge, 1,500 feet above the ground, in northeastern Arizona near the Grand Canyon.
The Chrysler Building, which stands 1,050 feet tall on 42nd Street, is a little over half a mile from the Empire State Building, which is on 34th Street and is 1,454 feet tall.
U.S. & World
Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said Monday that officials would not allow such a feat, which could put "thousands of New Yorkers at risk."
"I don't think it would be wise," he told reporters.
In 1974, while the World Trade Center towers were still being built, tightrope walker Philippe Petit crossed between them, after training for years. He didn't have official permission -- he and his crew sneaked in at night and rigged the cable, and Petit performed the walk later that morning.
Wallenda's 22-minute walk in Arizona was monitored by people around the world on television and internet livestreams.
They watched as the winds tested the Florida daredevil, and listened as he called on God to calm the swaying cable and as he paid homage to his famed great-grandfather. The stunt was the leading trending topic on Twitter on Sunday afternoon.
"It was unbelievable," he told reporters later. "It was everything I wanted it to be. It was extremely emotional. I got to the other end and started crying."
During his walk, Wallenda paused and crouched twice as winds whipped around him and the rope swayed. Gusts had been expected to be around 30 mph. He said they sent dust flying into his eyes.
"It was strenuous the whole way across. It was a battle. The winds were strong, they were gusty," he told reporters. "But there was never a point where I thought, 'oh my gosh, I'm going to fall.'"
Wallenda stepped slowly and steady throughout, murmuring prayers almost constantly along the way. He jogged and hopped the last few steps.
"Thank you Lord. Thank you for calming that cable, God," he said about 13 minutes into the walk.
The Discovery Channel broadcast the event live. He wore a microphone and two cameras, one that looked down on the river bed and one that faced straight ahead.
The 34-year-old Sarasota, Fla., resident is a seventh-generation high-wire artist and is part of the famous "Flying Wallendas" circus family — a clan that is no stranger to death-defying feats.
--Shimon Prokupecz contributed to this story


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A Ballymoney Museum Promotion
Marathon Mac On-line!
An amazing new website, www.marathonmac2012.com, has been launched which will encourage people from all over the world to come and enjoy the exciting McArthur Centenary events this summer in Ballymoney. Visitors to the website can learn more about McArthur, and even see a gallery of pictures which includes images from the archives of the International Olympic Committee in Switzerland. There is also a full programme of the centenary events and information on how to register on-line for the McArthur Festival of Running in July 2012 in Dervock.
Councillor Ian Stevenson, Mayor of Ballymoney, was very impressed with the new website: "This brilliant website is essential to help us promote the story of McArthur across the world and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund for their support in setting it up. Kennedy K. McArthur is well known in North Antrim, but we are only just beginning to realise how famous he is in Sweden and South Africa. With marathonmac2012.com we can now show the world how important he is to the people of Ballymoney and we invite everyone to join us in our commemorative celebrations this summer".
The exhibition "Marathon Mac and other centenary stories" will be on display in Ballymoney Museum until 22 September 2012. Admission is free and opening hours are Monday-Thursday & Saturday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4.30pm and closed Sunday. For further information see www.marathonmac2012.com or contact Ballymoney Museum, Ballymoney Town Hall, 1 Townhead Street, Ballymoney, BT53 6BE, Tel: 028 2766 0230 or Email:email@example.com.
Keith Beattie talking about K K McArthur [Youtube]
Celebrating Kennedy Kane McArthur [YouTube]
Keith Beattie talking about K K McArthur [Youtube]
Celebrating Kennedy Kane McArthur [YouTube]


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Orange Ribbon Carafe
A beautiful carafe with a bright, citron-colored flair will brighten any occasion.
Each Cheryl Saban Carafe is designed and crafted with love in our Los Angeles studio. Featuring a tapered mouth for easy pouring and bulbous base, they hold about 30 ounces of liquid and stand ten inches tall.
Every Purchase Gives Back
As a brand with beauty, joy, and hope at our center, we also believe that every person deserves a bright, safe, and prosperous future.
Cheryl Saban is committed to the wellbeing and education of women and children, and each purchase makes a direct and positive step toward that goal.
The Artist's Process
While Cheryl Saban artisanal glass is hearty and substantial, we still recommend washing all pieces by hand!
Please allow 2–4 weeks for your glassware pieces to be handblown, packed, and shipped. All of our products are sent directly from our studio in Beverly Hills, California.
We take great care to lovingly pack and ship our glassware. In the unfortunate event there are discrepancies or damages to your order, please contact us within 5 business days of receiving your items and we will make it right.