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Nose for News by Sarah Stultz

A little less than a year ago, I was contacted by a few Albert Lea city staff members who told me that the plaque put up in memory of my daughter, Sophie, at the splash pad had been torn off its base.

We had put the memorial up as Sophie died in the middle of when we were raising money for the splash pad, and it included a little information about her, as well as the lessons she taught in her life.

It was clear from the pictures that I received of the damage that the act was intentional, and the city filed a police report at the time.

I, for one, was saddened to see the memorial damaged, not only because it was for my daughter, but because it represented a time when the community came together to bring something nice and fun for our children to the community.

I don’t think that instance was directed at me or our family in any way, but it was simply someone who was on a mission to damage some kind of property that day.
It’s hard to see people make senseless decisions that affect our own community.

Now we’re hearing of more vandalism in the nearby Fountain Lake Park — but this time the damage is much, much worse.

Police are estimating damages at more than $30,000 with streetlights and other lights broken out, an electrical panel damaged, landscaping damaged and rocks thrown about.

When I saw the extent of the damage in the photos from the Albert Lea Police Department, I let out a sigh. This is an area where our community gathers, where we as taxpayers have invested in beautifying over the years and where we have been proud to bring family and friends visiting our community.

It’s horrible to see this damage and even more so to know that someone intentionally made the decision to do it.

To the person or people who damaged the park, please know that the community sees you and we hear you loud and clear.

You may have felt unheard in your life, you may be angry or sad, or you may have simply been immature and reckless when you made the decision to break out lights, pull apart landscaping and take part in other destruction.

We’re sorry if something is not going right in your life, and you made the decision because of that to destroy public property — a park that is important to most in the community. But no matter what is going on in your life, it’s not an excuse for those actions.

We hope you will see that when you damage something like this park, you really are damaging all of the people who live here, too. Many are upset and many are now angry, too, and the community is demanding justice.

Though you probably want to hide and may even wish that it didn’t happen, we hope you will take responsibility for what has taken place. Though it won’t happen overnight, it’s not too late to turn the corner, make things right and get pointed in the right direction.

Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune. Her column appears every Wednesday.