Battle Ground Buzz

Local Students Earn Top Honors at National History Day Contest

Guest — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:40:39 +0000

(Photo from left: Irene Soohoo, teacher, Hannah Foster, Stephanie Massart, Avalon Tarbet-Mendoza, Nathan Runkle.)

WASHINGTON D.C.-- June 13, 2013 -- After months of intensive research and success at regional and state finals, Nathan Runkle, Avalon Tarbet-Mendoza, Stephanie Massart, and Hannah Foster from Pleasant Valley Middle School (Battle Ground Public Schools) presented their project at the annual Kenneth E. Behring National History Day contest, held at the University of Maryland College Park campus in the Washington, D.C. area June 9-13. “We were proud to represent Southwest Washington and place fifth overall at National History Day,” states Hannah Foster. “We cannot express the exhilaration of seeing more than 2,800 students from all over the country who had one thing in common: We had all done possibly the hardest work of our lives to share history with each other.” Hannah portrayed Celilo Falls and Judge George Boldt in the performance.

The group won the U.S. Constitution cash award and medal for their use of National Archives and Records Administration documents in the development of their junior group performance titled “Silencing Celilo Falls: Symbol of a Century of Loss, Turning Point in Native American Activism on the Columbia River.” The award was given to only one project in its division out of more than 600,000 students nationwide that participated in National History Day this year. “We were grateful for the opportunity to relate the story of what the loss of Celilo Falls meant to Native Americans when The Dalles Dam drowned it in 1957. We analyzed the tension between honoring the 1855 treaties and the pressures of development,” continued Avalon Tarbet-Mendoza. Stephanie Massart, who made finals last year as well, commented, “While touring the dam helped us a lot so did attending the ‘First Foods’ celebration at the Celilo Village long house in April. We felt out of place but were graciously welcomed to experience their culture.” Nathan Runkle appreciated Bellevue retired lawyer Alvin Ziontz’s help directly linking the Civil Rights Movement’s sit-ins with Native American fish-ins that led to the restoration of fishing rights of several tribes in U.S. v Washington 1974 also known as the Boldt Decision. Each fall over half a million students nationwide begin the year-long National History Day program, competing in a series of history contests in their local schools, regions and affiliates. The top students in each category are selected for participation in the national contest. Participating students choose their own topics of study and research from original sources based on the theme, Turning Points in History. National History Day students research historic documents and artifacts, conduct oral histories, search the Internet for information on their topics, and travel to historic sites. They present their work in a variety of ways, by creating exhibits, documentaries, performances, web sites, or historical research papers. Over 300 historians and other education professionals evaluate the students’ work at the national competition. $150,000 worth of scholarships were awarded at the national awards ceremony to select students, and approximately 100 students took home cash prizes between $250 and $5,000 for superior work in a particular category of judging.

Books, Meals and Activities in Kiwanas Park This Summer

gHerrington — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 05:53:27 +0000

Kiwanis Park will be a happening place for youngsters this summer, with plenty to read, eat and do, thanks to several local-government agencies, non-profit organizations and businesses. Other Battle Ground city parks will also have summer-activities programs. Kiwanis Park is at 422 SW Second Ave., Battle Ground. Access is south from Main Street on SW Third Avenue or west from SW Parkway on SW Fourth Street. Reading: The Maple Grove School “Wildcat Readers” summer program is coming to Kiwanis Park from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays from June 26 to Aug. 21. Students may borrow books and exchange them the following Wednesday. Maple Grove K-8 School will be staffing the program. “The goal is to reduce the summer ‘slide’ in reading skills by getting books into the hands of students,” said Hollie Rose, the reading specialist at Maple Grove School. Free meals: This summer, the Battle Ground School District’s free-lunch program is expanding to a second site. Lunches will be available to persons 1 to 18 on weekdays, July 8 to Aug. 16, at Kiwanis Park and Chief Umtuch Middle School, 700 NW Ninth Ave. In addition, free breakfasts will be available from 10:30 to 11 a.m. on the same days, but only at Chief Umtuch Middle School. Both the lunches and breakfasts must be eaten on site and are not for adults. They will be prepared and served by Sodexo Nutrition Services, the

school district’s contract food service. They are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s program to ensure that children who might otherwise go hungry have access to healthful meals during the summer. Activities: The Battle Ground Parks and Recreation Department is offering arts, crafts, games and more in four different parks from June 26 to Aug. 29. The program is geared for children ages 4 to 10. On Wednesdays, the activities program will be at Kiwanis Park from 10 a.m. to noon, then at Horsethief Park from 2 to 4 p.m. On Thursdays, the department will have activities from 10 a.m. to noon at Florence Robison Park and from 2 to 4 p.m. at Cresap Park. The Parks Foundation of Clark County and Riverview Community Bank are supporting this activities-in-the-parks summer program. For more information: www.cityofbg.org or call (360) 342-5380.

Parkway Practice Parade Prevails In Portland

Curtis Miller — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 04:26:41 +0000

by Curtis Miller If you live or work in Battle Ground, you may (should) have noticed the fall sounds of the Battle Ground High School Marching band this spring. I say fall sounds because it reminds me of the music I have come to associate with high school football. The happy melodies are definitely not out of place at spring time as far as I'm concerned. Click to watch YouTube video The BGHS Marching band begins marching practice in April. This is in addition to the practicing they have done all year in the band room. I spoke briefly with Victoria Carlson this evening. She's a Battle Ground senior and drum major for the marching band. She said that "going out her senior year with this band is the best any senior could ask for. They are an outstanding, amazing group that has spent many hours working together in the hot sun." Band director for 15 years, Greg McKelvey also expressed a high level of satisfaction when we spoke earlier today. After competing with other marching bands at the Portland Rose Parade, the Battle Ground High School Marching Band won first place in their division. At a celebration after the parade, band members were ecstatic when they received the news. Nothing satisfies quite like being rewarded for hard work. Just before Greg and I visited, he had received the judges scores from Saturdays parade and discovered that based on their score of 299, Battle Ground's band would have won even in the open division. They were judged in the "out of state under 99" division. There are 90 students participating in the BGHS band. Bands are judged in three categories: marching, music and general effect. The judging panel is made up of other band directors who do not have bands marching in the parade. "Marching band," according to Victoria "is a family. You have to count on everybody, put faith in the person standing next to you. It gives you a sense of unity - someplace to belong." More good stuff in Battle Ground. What a great place to live! Even some of our youngest community members clearly understand the power of humility and cooperation. Chief Um-tuts (alternative spelling) and Judge Strong (he was Captain Strong for only 63 days) would be very self satisfied to hear how long their legacy has lasted and what a powerful effect it has had. In a related story, our Rose Float entry received the Royal Rosarian award for craftsmanship and workmanship. Pretty good weekend for our little town in the big city! Both the band and the float will be in the Harvest Days Parade on Main Street in Battle Ground at 10am on July 20th. Get your spot on the parade route early, it's going to be packed!

Not Nothin’ but Roses

Curtis Miller — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 04:24:36 +0000

by Curtis Miller The million dollar heart of Battle Ground volunteers beats the big budgets of big city competitors.

Sandy Helyer, this year's Battle Ground Rose Float Board President, sparkling with enthusiasm and amazement, called this a "fun year." The volunteers produced "Party Island," in keeping with the "Portland Party" Rose Parade theme this year. She says, "this is their float," when referring to the team that imagines, designs, builds, decorates and pays for the float. There is more to Battle Ground's Grand Floral Rose Parade Float entry than roses. There are also beans, bird seed, bamboo, quinoa, corn husks, crushed walnut, magnolia leaves, rice, raffia and thousands of other tiny textures, colorful, imaginative and miraculous combinations of intriguing, masterfully arranged and organic materials. It is flowers, flamingos, toucans, pelicans, surf boards, a walrus, trees, shrubs and four princesses (Lauren Harris, Danica Drinkward, Katie Wright and Sydney Roeske). It is the R.O.S.E (Royal Order of Selected Enthusiasts); a group of hard working volunteers who gather together yearly accomplishing the impossible since 1955 (when Gladis Mckinnis wanted to show off the new band uniforms and needed a float to go with them). It is the epitome of community at its finest - imagining what would be beyond possible as individuals and then collaborating to do it together. The "selected enthusiasts" are selected by each other. According to Jackie Lipps, the decorating lead this year, "there is room for anyone and everyone!" Starting in September every year, this microcosm of the Battle Ground community spirit begins meeting over potluck at the Dollars Corner Fire Station. They meet every month to dream, scheme and build enthusiasm. From what I can tell, the enthusiasm is not the hard part. These creative meetings produce renderings and a clay model of the float. Then, starting in February... they do it. They build ridiculously amazing creations, drive them down I-5 in the middle of the night with a police escort to Portland's Rose Festival Parade...and win! They win with a small town budget ($12,000 - $16,000) and Battle Ground's small town volunteers (who are a force to be reckoned with). Contributions from BG citizens of time, money and skill produce a masterpiece that astounds everyone involved every year. Take a look at the pictures of past floats! This year they won the Royal Rosarian Award for craftsmanship and workmanship! There is more to float building than flowers. An engine, drive train and radically adjusted chassis carry a pilot and co-pilot who navigate using on-board cameras. The float must be re-fueled en-route. A steel frame is welded together to create the super-structure. Plywood secured to the steel frame (and enough imaginative problem solving to build a rocket) provides the surface that receives the all-organic material. Decorating begins in April and ends in the nick of time the day before the Portland Rose Parade. Minor repair must be done after the trip down the freeway. I stopped by the Flex Building on Grace Avenue last Friday evening where the float was nearing the end of its evolution. I noticed two things. Well, first I noticed a gorgeous float that surprised and treated from every angle - including a close inspection of each little detail. Beyond the float, I noticed amazement and gratefulness. The spirit of humility and cooperation that is Battle Ground's heritage - connects people through this endeavor - miraculously. Regardless of role, those I talked to or overheard talking expressed amazement. Even though they had watched it take shape, participated in designing it months earlier and lent their elbow grease to giving it life - they felt amazed. Amazed at their team, their accomplishment and amazed that they made it. I suspect that a great deal of faith goes into this collaboration. Gratefulness oozed happily from the pores of this flowery, organic eco-system. There is a clear understanding that the power of synergy worked wonders. No individual effort could have produced this result. They are grateful to be successful, grateful to have given and received and grateful to know they are part of something important and bigger than themselves. The Battle Ground float is the essence of Battle Ground's heritage. It is what makes up the roots and foundations of our community. If the world became infected with the floral aspirations of the BG Rose Float volunteers, we would have world peace! If you've not seen the float, check out their web site or Facebook page. Make sure you show up at the Harvest Days Parade on Saturday July 20th at 10am. It's on Main Street. Consider volunteering for next year's float.

Too Much Snot

Curtis Miller — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 05:35:16 +0000

by Curtis Miller I got hay fever in a hay field. Makes sense. “They” say allergies are often caused by over-exposure. In this case, I see how that happened. My job, as a strapping, 95 pound 15 year old, was to chop down thistles in the hay fields before we cut the hay. Armed with a dubiously sharp machete, I wandered through acres of ripe, yellow hay, murdering thistles. Early one morning, after several days of botanical homicide, a well organized surprise attack from the plant population overwhelmed my capacities. There I was, innocently minding my business, humming Willie Nelson in a dense cloud of pollen. Suddenly, my exposure levels tripped the alarms. My eyes swelled shut with itchy, grinding sand. My throat made strangling frog noises while my nasal passages produced highly viscous mucus faster than my sneeze reflex could manage. Sneezing in overlapping succession, blind from the itch and brain numbed because all energy was focused on forward snot thrusters; I stumbled to the tractor path and collapsed in the dirt, convulsing with the C-4 like repercussions of battling a far superior enemy. I survived long enough to drag myself to the farm house. The foreman’s wife healed me with wet wash cloths, “There, there honey’s” and copious strawberry shortcake. I’ve had hay fever ever since. Hay fever is a lot like our culture. Too much snot. Kinda itchy. Here’s my theory: We (people) were made to be in relationship with each other. Like the parts of our body are relationship to each other. Each one has a specific task that only it can do. Not only can each organ perform its given function, it can do it gloriously. Investigating the processes of the human body is mind blowing. We are fantastically complex organisms functioning in harmonious and miraculous synchronicity, minute by minute, day by day, year after year. If we are healthy. When we do not respect the interdependent functioning of our body by providing appropriate nutritional, non-toxic fuel, resting, being physically active and thinking happy thoughts; we get sick. Our bodies respond by getting out of sync. Individual parts start stumbling and lurching in their jobs as they focus on dealing with their adverse conditions. With hay fever, and many other diseases (most cardiovascular), this is a result of inflammation. The toxin introduced is reacted to by swelling, rough surfaces and oversensitivity on the cellular level. Runny noses and watery eyes are among the least inconvenient results of this inflammation. In our culture, we have achieved a way of relating to each other that is toxic. Instead of being in right relationship with each other, both on a human and an institutional level, we rely on rules and impersonal institutions. We try as hard as we can to be independent, believing it is weakness to be dependent on each other. We continually generate new technology and systems to avoid the need for each other. This is understandable. We have proven ourselves unreliable. Even toxic. Of course we have. If our intention is independence, we will continually be robbing our neighbor organs of two critical things. First, we will take from them the opportunity to be glorious. We will steal their value by pretending we do not need them. Second, we will weaken them by removing the contribution to health they need from us. It spreads like a disease. Every organ in our body is sickened and threatened by the elimination of the life giving interdependent connections that provide the LIFE that each of us needs. We are thinking about our existence wrongly. We are not meant to function as independent organs, separated from the rest of the body. How silly. We are meant to function while intrinsically connected, giving and receiving from each other. Not because it is emotionally uplifting (though it is) but because it is vital. We are literally unable to survive independently. We are killing ourselves by trying. I admit, I do not have one relationship where I do not disappoint or feel disappointed in my neighbor organ. I’m sure you can relate vigorously. Contrary to my utopian hopes, the better I know someone, the more likely I am to disappoint and be disappointed. This unavoidable truth does not lead us to a logical supposition that being alone is better than being together. That’s the lie It leads us to the battle for each other. Fought with weapons of humility, forgiveness, mercy, kindness, generosity, compassion and hope. And love - that’s all you need. Forgive me if this sounds over-simplified. That’s not my intent. I’ve been married for 23 years and I have teenage children. I’m aware that this recommendation is not simple and it is not easy. It’s very complex and quite difficult. But it works. When we are healthily connected to our neighbor organs and my community can breath, heal, feel, think, act and react like a healthy body - we are possess together a power that is stronger than all others but one. It’s hard - but it’s worth it. Be the best kidney, kneecap, eardrum or thumb you can be. You are desperately needed.

Great – Grandparent

vwalikainen — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 04:40:10 +0000

What makes a great grandparent? That is a good question, but one that offers titillating speculation for this grandparent who is head over heels in love with her grandchildren! I will admit, however, this was not always the case. When our oldest daughter married and was soon pregnant, the thought of grandparenthood overwhelmed me like an immense gray raincloud wrapped in a saggy, soggy grandmotherly sweater. Grandmother? Me? Even though I had six children and enjoyed them as babies, I was not one who gushed over other peoples' babies. Therefore, the thought of being a doting, tottering grandma, retired to my sturdy shoes and rocking chair, did not fill me with grandmotherly glee. I am glad to report; grand mothering is coming more naturally to me than parenting ever did. Forget the sturdy shoes, but the rocking chair and a pile of books read with gusto to a grinning grandson on my lap, are highlights of my life! I wonder, though, is this enthusiastic love enough? Or, is something more required to be a great grandparent? Research shows some interesting trends.

In The Good-Enough Grandparent, experts writing for Grandparents.com reassure us that nobody is perfect and it is okay, in fact, it is good for kids to notice our imperfections. What a relief to know that being "good enough" is good enough! In this article, Susan Davis Sherwin tells us that some parents have an exhaustive, exhausting list describing the perfect grandparents as being "available whenever they call, always engage the kids in constructive activities, and stick strictly to the parents' rules when they babysit" (Sherwin, 2013). Thankfully, the experts tell us that grandparents, who are engaged in their own activities, are sometimes distracted while babysitting, and who break some house rules are good enough. Children seem to understand that different adults have unique rules and they are able to adapt to those systems quite easily. In the same article, family and marriage counselor, Dove Pressnall, affirms, "Their grandparents' relative permissiveness gives children the opportunity to practice social skills and explore boundaries in a safe and loving setting" (Sherwin, 2013). So, really, by being a little distracted at times and breaking a few rules, grandparents are actually helping their grandchildren's social and cognitive development!

Another great way grandchildren benefit by spending time with their grandparents is by having the opportunity to engage in activities that the grandparents enjoy—going to museums, art shows, and eating in nice restaurants. These activities expand the child's world and mind. As they grow, it is healthy for them to know that LegoLand, Disney movies, and McDonald's are not all that the world contains, nor are their own personal favorite places the only places they can enjoy. At two, my grandson loves spending time with us. By meeting him at his level in addition to engaging him in my world, I anticipate a lifetime of wonderful growth with him and his siblings. He has nestled into a pint-size spot in my heart that was waiting to receive him and all the joy that he brings into my life.

Authors Grace Craig and Wendy Dunn in Understanding Human Development, tell us that grandparents can fill a variety of roles in their grandchildren's' lives. However, much depends on the individual circumstances that surround these relationships. For instance, the grandparents' health and age, geographic location, financial status, and cultural expectations and norms all affect these relationships in a variety of ways (Craig, G.J., & Dunn, D., 2010). If grandparents live far away, they will not be at every birthday party and other major events in their grandchild's life and therefore the emotional connection may be a little more distant. If grandparents are sickly or feeble, the relationship will differ from a relationship where the grandparents are mobile and in good health. However, in every circumstance, the parents and grandparents can work together to foster a close relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. It just might take a modest amount of purposefulness.

Online, Focus on the Family has much to offer to help grandparents connect with their grandkids. Most kids love stories; grandparents can read books or tell stories from their imaginations or real life experiences. Many children are fascinated with stories about the "good old days." Exploring the backyard, looking at bugs, flowers, and shrubs with a magnifying glass will interest old and young alike. When grandparents engage their grandkids in tea parties, arts and crafts, playing games, teaching skills such as knitting, or baking cookies, it connects the generations in real and tangible ways. River rafting, hiking, vacationing, rebuilding a car, or serving in a shelter are ways grandparents can connect with older grandkids. Kids are intelligent; they can understand the limitations of grandparents, while appreciating the unique ways grandparents bring added dimension and fullness into their lives (Schreur, 2011). All it takes is a little willingness on the part of each person. For instance, my grandson knows I cannot climb into his Little Tykes car with him, but he is happy to have me push him around in it. We both giggle and squeal as we take corners a little too fast—he puts his small feet on the dash and pleads, "Again!"

Are there any perfect grandparents? Not likely. Are there many great grandparents? Absolutely! In addition, there are many wonderful tools such as the ones mentioned above, that give grandparents a boost in the right direction. I am looking forward to exploring all the intriguing aspects of grand-parenting, including manyears of graceful aging and continued emergence into active grand motherhood—fit for the rocking chair and the walking trail!

BATTLE GROUND VILLAGE’S OUTDOOR MARKET IS HOLDING A PUBLIC SERVICE DAY

jriddle — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 00:29:58 +0000

Battle Ground Mayor, Lisa Walters will be available to answer questions

Battle Ground Village’s Outdoor Market is presenting a Public Service Day on Saturday, June 8^th, from 10am-4pm. Mayor Lisa Walters and a few other City Council Members will be on hand to answer visitor questions and talk about current and future City projects. The Battle Ground Police Canine Unite will be performing demonstrations, and the Clark County Fire and Rescue will have a fire engine on display. Children of all ages can come by the Information Booth for a free Fireman’s hat!

“Battle Ground has terrific Public Servants,” says Jennifer Riddle, Market Coordinator. “We are very excited that many of them will be joining the Outdoor Market on June 8^th.” The Village’s Outdoor Market draws residents and tourists alike with its fresh local produce, beautiful arts & crafts, food vendors, and family-fun entertainment. Returning produce vendors and nurseries, Yacolt Mountain Farm and Nursery, Charter Oak Farm, Hill’s Naturally Grown, Jacki’s Heirloom Garden, Five Sprout Farm, and ZK Flowers and Produce are being joined by new-to-the-market farmers, Moon Bear Produce, Foxglove Farms, Gorilla Nursery, and Foxfire Farm. The Outdoor Market is also home to artisans and crafters who are quite simply the finest in the region and offer a wide range of items, from original handmade jewelry and wood art, to tutus and fused glass. “We are family and pet friendly, with live local musicians and kid activities, like face painting and pony rides. It’s a perfect place to spend a Saturday afternoon--shopping, eating, relaxing and listening to music,” explains Susan Walters, Market Manager. A list of vendors, details of all the Market events, and special happenings, including what is coming up in June, July, August, and September, is located on the Battle Ground Village website: www.bgvillage.com. Battle Ground Village Outdoor Market hours are from 10am-4pm every Saturday through September 28^th, rain or shine. Parking is free and is easily accessible. If you are interested in becoming a vendor, the registration forms are on the Battle Ground Village website.

Young Historians Bound for National Competition

gHerrington — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 05:44:09 +0000

For the sixth time in the past seven years, Pleasant Valley Middle School students have won slots in the National History Day competition in College Park, Md. Two teams of four students each, their teacher, Rene Soohoo, and some parents will make the trip for the annual event at the University of Maryland, outside of Washington, D.C., June 10-14. They qualified by finishing first or second in their categories at the state- level event in Bellevue on May 4. They will be competing against middle school students from across the country. The two teams and their events: Junior Group Performance – Eighth graders (pictured, from left) Nathan Runkle, Avalon Tarbet- Mendoza, Stephanie Massart and Hannah Foster will perform a mini- play about their topic, “Silencing Celilo Falls: Symbol of a Century of Loss, Turning Point in Native American Activism.” Celilo Falls, just upstream from The Dalles Dam on the Columbia River, presented an iconic sight of Northwest Indians fishing for salmon from rocks and platforms. The falls were submerged when the dam was built in 1957.

According to the Oregon Historical Society: “Archaeological evidence suggests that Native peoples (had) lived and fished at The Dalles for more than 11,000 years. Prior to Euro-American settlement, the area was the center of a vast regional trade network that stretched from present-day British Columbia south to California and east to the Great Plains. Every year during the height of the salmon runs, thousands of Native peoples gathered in The Dalles-Celilo area to fish, trade, and socialize. Lewis and Clark called it the "great mart" of the Columbia River.” Junior Group Exhibit – Pleasant Valley seventh graders (pictured, from left) Jethro Abatayo, Jackson Smithline, Christian Cha and Adam Johnson will present their exhibit, “Tet Offensive: Turning Point between ‘the end is in sight’ and Chaotic Withdrawal” from Vietnam. As the students’ exhibit makes clear, the Tet Offensive, launched by the Viet Cong against the U.S. and South Vietnamese in January 1968 was instrumental in turning the opinion of war-weary Americans against the lengthy conflict. The students’ exhibit includes mention of CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite’s visit to Vietnam a month later. Cronkite, whom some polls showed to be “the most trusted man in America,” filed a report that concluded: “It is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy, and did the best they could." Watching that report, President Lyndon Johnson is said to have turned to an aide and uttered one of the most famous lines in American political history: "If I've lost Cronkite I've lost Middle America."

Safety Is Not Our Number One Goal

Curtis Miller — Tue, 28 May 2013 02:40:37 +0000

by Curtis Miller We are not meant to be safe. It’s not even a meaning. It is only a description of an always temporary and most often imagined state. We are meant to be alive - to be glorious and awake. Too much safety is dangerous for a fully alive life. Climbed the mountain and asked, “What’s the meaning of life?” Hermit guru swami witchdoctor answers, “To be safe.” Sounds limiting doesn’t it? Especially since you have to climb back down... It’s just not a useful purpose. The only time safety is celebrated is when danger has been survived. Really - the celebration is for being alive. Relishing it because it is sweeter for the danger. Our warriors - the soldiers and fighters and protectors and rescuers and rebels that fought and died and the ones that will fight and die - they did not and do not sacrifice for our safety. They sacrifice for life. Safety is good for nothing at all if it is a place to hide from the risk of being fully alive. Those who have faced the fear of death and dying that all of us carry have discovered something we all need to discover. Death is not the authority, it is the distraction. When we loosen our grip on life, our attempt to protect it, define it, guarantee it or control it - only then will we find it. All the other attempts dilute and drown it. True warriors do not just fight against evil, they fight because good is worth fighting for. Truth and justice, love and faith, the hope of goodness prevailing - those are worth dying for. When belief is strong enough to loosen our grip on life, we find it. There is nothing so dangerous as a man who is not afraid to die. We have forgotten that the price for our life is not intended to buy our comfort. Our life is paid for so that it can be lived. We are given the opportunity for wakefulness; those moments when our experiences crash into our un-governable emotion. It is to be had in the midst of pain and dying. None of us will escape it. Striving for safety and comfort in the midst of this broken world denies and deadens the wondrous capacity to be aware, awake and affected. It is silly to avoid all but joy, pleasure and peace. By themselves they are unremarkable. Without contrast they cannot be measured. It is only in contrast to their opposites that they are so powerfully redeeming. Watching my beautiful, innocent daughter put on her makeup with careful artfulness. Remembering she was a little imp only such a short time ago and will be gone from the safety of my home all too soon. Listening to her explain how she feels when she is dancing. Knowing that the last time she danced, she tore her meniscus and has just danced the first time in six months. Hearing the satisfaction and passion in my son’s voice as he shares a new discovery. Having heard the frustration and watched the hours of inquiry as he looked for the answer and fought to turn on the pathways in his brain that would allow him to hold it and own it. Listening to them laugh with their mother at silliness and inside jokes. And then there are the sad and painful moments that lasted much too long. Holding my tiny, blue stillborn son in my hand. My soul crushed by the cruel reality that all I hoped for with him must be set aside. Moving out of our dream house, watching my children’s hearts break. Closing down my 17 year dream and business. Waiting so long to start whatever came next. You - I know for sure this is true - have experienced the ridiculously joyful, serene moments that make life hopeful and deeply satisfying. Those blasts of knowing you are alive - completely alive and so fortunate to be aware of it. You - have also experienced the dark, endless pain of loss, disappointment and regret for unfixable things. The good cannot rise up without the bad. It cannot raise us unless we have been brought low. Monuments and yellow ribbons, flowers and flags at graves, The Star Spangled Banner, moments of silence, prayers and stories of honor, respect and kindness offered as they should be... All of these are only working when they make us remember. What we remember is the pain of our loss, the gratefulness for what we have been given and the worth of those who are gone that makes remembering needful. Remember. Tell. Be.

Beer and Gas – Bookends of Battle Ground

Curtis Miller — Mon, 27 May 2013 06:06:48 +0000

by Curtis Miller The difference between a Gas Station and a Service Station is Bob and Steve. The difference between a Bar and a Joint is Andy and his crew. Bob and Steve are a couple of old friends who should be retired. Instead, they run a service station at the West end of town called Wayside. It’s the first one as you arrive. They will pump your gas, clean your windshield and check your oil. They will recognize you if you’ve been before and visit with you like a friend. Andy could be making it big in the corporate world. Instead, he runs a joint at the East end of town called Main Street Station Bar and Grill. It’s the first one as you arrive if you’re coming in from the sticks. He curates (quite possibly) the finest Pabst Blue Ribbon nostalgia collection in the nation, a great selection of beer on tap and a you’ll-eat-more-than-you should pizza selection. According to Andy, PBR tastes best out of the bottle. I spent Tuesday evening with friends in Andy’s joint. We took over the alcove in the back and listened to Andy tell stories about the ancient and recent history of the place. Did you know it was a movie theatre in the 40’s? Still has room for the screen above the dropped ceiling. That is so cool! At one point, Andy and I stood together, looking over his home away from home. He pointed out people he knew (all of them) and told me their names and bits of their stories. No secrets of course - you can’t do that if you run a bar. But, he knew every single person and spoke of them as friends. I’d go just because of that. I bet he’ll remember which beer I like. I ate lunch with Bob and Steve on Wednesday at the BG Bakery. They told me their stories from all over town - covered multiple decades. Both Wayside and Main Street were restoration rescues with two primary ingredients. The first ingredient was a desire to invest something into their community. Neither was an easy money, get-rich-quick and move on sort of scheme. These guys have taken up residence for the long haul. They are pouring their hearts into a place, a people and a story. The second ingredient is an understanding that they were not starting something new. They built on existing history. They are joining with the past and creating a future with it. After spending time with Bob, Steve and Andy, I attended the Revitalize Washington Main Street Program conference in down town Vancouver. The focus was on the impact of breathing life into the Main Street section of town through cultural and historic preservation work. I came away with some powerfully confirmed suspicions. I’m always a little suspicious - that there is more to “it” than we think, that more could be done better, that we are more than we think we are, that the story is bigger and more exciting than we think it is. “...recent studies demonstrate that preservation is a powerful economic engine: creating jobs, increasing tax revenues, raising property values, and encouraging community reinvestment. Historic Preservation is not about nostalgia; it is a forward-looking, economic development and community revitalization strategy.” Battle Ground may not have much for the historic register. It does have a rich cultural heritage and a wonderful collection of small businesses. Investing ourselves in its restoration will pay off. There are three critical nouns and two critical verbs in a community that is fully alive: People - the main characters in the story Space - the physical setting of the story Story - the interconnected drama, adventure, comedy and romance with history, present and future plot lines. Restoration - The process of acknowledging value in the past story and bringing it forth into the present. Innovation - building on the wisdom of the past to create new ways to engage the future. People in space sharing story produce restorative innovation for the people, the space and the story. In any [thing] that is alive there is memory, expectation, action (reactive and self-generated) and growth. We are alive and we have the capacity to remember and then direct our expectations and actions in such a way that our growth will be positive and transformative. We will always have challenges, tragedies and unforeseen drama. But wouldn’t it be better if it wasn’t another repeat of the past? The power of a story in the telling is only valuable if it is put into action. The told story of the past has to become part of the story to be told in the future. It is invested for the purpose of production not just memory. Bob, Steve and Andy have looked into the past. They’ve taken successes and failures into account and built a plan respecting both. Stop by and participate in what they’re doing. Decide for yourself if their role in the story counts for restorative innovation.