Leadership Butler County’s Class of 2013 scored a winning touchdown, hit a grand-slam home run, and executed a slam-dunk — all over the period of several hours on the evening of Jan. 25.

Despite wintry weather that cancelled other local events that evening, Leadership’s charity sports memorabilia auction was a big success, raising $16,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butler County — an organization whose good work often goes unnoticed by the general public.

It was the good-hearted, generous, sizable crowd of people who ventured out on snow-covered roads who made the evening fun and successful. For most, understandably, the overriding hope was to obtain something special from one of their favorite professional athletes. But what set them apart from many other sports fans was that they were willing to dig deep into their wallets and pocketbooks to do so, knowing that their money would be put to good use in a worthy cause, rather than the money going to an individual or entity motivated by profit.

The Leadership class’ auction planning and legwork were exemplary, collecting many top-quality items on which sports fans could bid. The auction featured more than 100 signed jerseys, helmets, footballs, baseballs, signed photos and other items representing the various sports.

The event was a big help to Big Brothers Big Sisters, but it also demonstrated the leadership skills of Butler’s Leadership group.

Cheer The announcement that the city has purchased a second police dog is good news to residents concerned about crime and the ongoing illegal-drug problem.Meanwhile, the purchase makes good on what city officials said when a fundraising effort was getting under way for obtaining the city’s first police dog, Gunner, who started patrolling in November.At that time, officials said they were hopeful that enough money could be raised for a second K-9 that would help ensure more thorough coverage, since the first dog could not be on duty at all times.Not only did the fundraising collect enough money for Gunner, but the generous community response has made possible acquiring the second dog more quickly than envisioned.A different officer will handle the second dog, which currently is named Blade.Since last April, when Island neighborhood businessman Denny Offstein offered the city a $10,000 interest-free loan to kick off the K-9 program, about $90,000 has been raised, of which about $55,000 has been spent to date.Like Gunner, Blade’s duties will consist of general patrolling and illegal-drug detection.Seeing the first K-9 unit on patrol should be making some people with illegal intentions feel uncomfortable. After Blade’s training is complete, the dog and its handler will make the city’s criminal element feel even less welcome.About the fundraising, Mayor Maggie Stock said, “I think it really speaks a lot for the community.” And, over time, the community is destined to get its money’s worth.

JeerSome residents of the Woodlands area of Connoquenessing Township want the Butler County commissioners to do more to fix their ongoing water problems, which they claim stem from Marcellus Shale gas drilling.Their right to embrace such an opinion is without question.But believing that the county should be working harder to resolve their problems doesn’t give them the right to make allegations about which they have no evidence.Yet that is what happened at the commissioners’ Jan. 23 meeting, at which a Woodlands resident accused county leaders of being compensated by drillers to ignore their alleged water plight.“Maybe this county is paid off,” the resident said.Without evidence to support the allegation, that comment was inappropriate, out of order and slanderous.Woodlands residents have a right to attend commissioners meetings and speak during times set aside for public comment.But they should do so respectfully, realizing that solutions to difficult problems take time.Perhaps Woodlands residents are right that the commissioners could and should be doing more on their behalf, but allegations without any evidence are not the way to achieve that end.