Thumbs up to Harry Blumenthal, Charles Rotmil and Julia Skalina for sharing their stories about the Holocaust during World War II.

It must be unbearably painful for those who survived the war to think back on what they experienced, what they saw, what they smelled during those dark times. But thanks to their courage to relive it all so that audiences can understand, such horrors are more likely to be avoided in the future.

Thumbs down to the delay in implementing a solution for the erosion problems at Camp Ellis in Saco. For years now, as the sand has continued to wash away, studies upon studies have been done with no action taken. Granted, whatever mitigation project is chosen will be an expensive undertaking that should not be done lightly, but it shouldn’t have taken this long to come up with a viable solution.

Thumbs up to the Town Council of Old Orchard Beach for approving an ordinance for The Ballpark at long last. The property has now been clearly defined as public, but not a park, and a commission will soon be developed to oversee its redevelopment and reuse. The ordinance makes it clear that The Ballpark is to be used as a sports, entertainment and events facility, which is the first step in giving the town some direction in bringing it back to life.

Thumbs up to all those who hoisted the Irish flag and sang traditional songs at Biddeford City Hall this St. Patrick’s Day ”“ and to those who celebrated elsewhere. Remembering our origins is what makes us who we are in this great melting pot of America and it’s important to pass on the lessons of heritage to our youth.

Thumbs up to the administration of Massabesic High School and the Regional School Unit 57 school board for approving a switch to trimesters. The change is expected to help student success by allowing credit recovery during the school day, which leads to more students graduating. As well, it will allow for greater focus on the core subjects of learning ”“ and that is expected to lead to better test results and smarter students.

— Thumbnails is a Monday feature of the Journal Tribune’s opinion pages. If you would like to respond, please write the Reader’s Forum via e-mail at jtcommunity@journaltribune.com or by dropping your letter off at our Biddeford or Sanford offices.