Editor, Manteca Bulletin,
I am writing this letter to let the people of Manteca know about what is happening around the front of the American Legion Hall, (McFall-Grisham Post 249). This is a memorial for the men and women, who lost their lives to protect our freedom, and also for the men and women that continue to serve in the armed forces fighting to preserve our freedom.

It is a shame that kids continue to skateboard on the rock and seat memorial, defacing the property with no respect whatsoever. They have taken the handrails of the steps and thrown them over the back fence, and then use the steps as their personal skateboarding playground. We have had numerous confrontations with these youths, explaining the significance of the memorials, but to no avail. They have chosen to talk with us with foul language, disrespect, and have used their fingers to express their disregard to authority or adults.

I have lived in Manteca practically all my life. I coached in the city for 28 years. I enjoyed coaching the youths of Manteca. It was enjoyable to teach them and watch them grow into good men and women. But as true to life, there is always the exception to the rule. We are finding that nothing is working to deter these kids from coming back. If you are a parent of a skateboarder in this community, please explain the true nature of such memorials and their importance to the History of this great land. I am in no way against children skateboarding, but when they take to places that are not for that particular hobby, they need to take it elsewhere.

We work hard to upkeep our hall, that we call our veteran home. It is important to us, as we also do things to help the community. Please help us keep this memorial beautiful, as it is, and take your skateboarding to the park that the city built strictly for skateboarding.