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It’s getting better…There’s wisdom as you get older

There’s one advantage to being a “senior citizen.” You get lots of mail. And phone calls.

Ever since I flipped the calendar over on the cool side of 65, all sorts of folks have been lining up to help me with all sorts of things.

They offer help setting up a retirement plan, and if I’d only give them all my money they’d be happy to do it.

They offer extra medical coverage to make up for any gaps left by Medicare. All I have to do is send them a bunch of money every month.  Read more... (554 words, 1 image, estimated 2:13 mins reading time)

State champions: Silverton JBO takes title

For the first time ever a Silverton JBO team has taken home a state title. The program’s Minor American squad, nicknamed the “Wild Bunch,” edged Glencoe 13-12 on July 14 to take the championship at Dierickx Field in Gladstone.

Silverton went undefeated in the tournament, downing Central 13-3, Tualatin 16-6 and Banks 12-9 to advance to the title contest. Head coach Ty Hurl called them the “Wild Bunch,” noting that “they never give up and just keep on playing their hearts out.”  Read more... (599 words, 1 image, estimated 2:24 mins reading time)

Out of the ashes: Silver Falls ecosystem shows signs of natural re-growth

By Melissa Wagoner

It has been a year since the Silver Creek Fire burned approximately 30 acres of forest near Camp Silver Creek, in Silver Falls State Park. Presumably ignited by lightning – the sparks of which smoldered for some time before dry, hot weather caused it to spread – smoke from the fire was first reported on July 12, 2018.

“The fire killed most of the understory plants, saplings and shrubs as well as many of the larger western hemlock trees,” Kevin McLain, a park ranger at Silver Falls State Park said. “Although this was not a crown-fire, we know that if the fire completely circles the cambium of a large western hemlock the tree will most likely die, and this is what we see in this case.”  Read more... (995 words, 1 image, estimated 3:59 mins reading time)

Denny Martin’s life celebrated at Evergreen

A Celebration of Life for Dennis “Denny” Martin will be held on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 2 p.m. at Evergreen Golf Course in Mount Angel. All his friends and family are invited to join in to tell stories, share memories and the love that Denny inspired.

Denny was an avid golfer and loved to play at Evergreen. If you would like to golf nine holes in Denny’s honor beginning at 11 a.m. prior to the celebration contact Stacy at 503-871-1505.

The event is hosted by Colleen Martin, Kevin and Stacy Palmer and Jenny Martin.

Claire Nida: July 29, 1936 – July 18, 2019

Claire “Memere” Nida was born on July 29, 1936 in Brockton, Massachusetts. She was preceded in death by her parents, Rose and Frank Bussiere, and sister Rita Tougas.

She is survived by her husband and best friend, Dwayne Nida, as well as by the family whom she loved so much: son Paul and Suellen Nida, daughter Tambra and Bill McCowen, grandchildren Jamie and Brad, and great-grandchildren, Ray, Ryan, Indra, Isis, Kaitlyn, Royce, Dag’r and Ryder. She is also survived by her sisters, Gloria and Jean, and nieces, Lynn, Marie and Jennifer.  Read more... (169 words, estimated 41 secs reading time)

Sister Jeanette von Herrmann: Jan. 4, 1946 – June 6, 2019

Sister Jeanette von Herrmann, OSB, was born into eternal life at 8:20 p.m. on June 6, 2019. She was 73 years old and had been a Benedictine sister for 38 years. Sister Jeanette will be remembered for her gift of hospitality, her ability to relate to every member of the community, and deep love of Benedictine life.  Read more... (410 words, 1 image, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)

Seeing double: Northwest twins to walk in Homer Davenport Parade

Is it Lara Ghio Gaitan and Vicky Ghio-Lopez, or the other way around? They’re not telling. Submitted Photo

By Melissa Wagoner

Three years ago Lara Ghio Gaitan and her identical twin sister, Vicky Ghio-Lopez, attended the largest celebration of twins in the country – the Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio.

“It’s just a place for twins to gather,” Ghio-Lopez explained. “There were newborns to 90-year-old ladies. Everybody just brings coolers and just watches the twins walk by.”

Enthusiastic about their experience – but not eager to travel halfway across the country each year – Gaitan and Ghio-Lopez began searching for something closer to home but came up empty-handed.  Read more... (365 words, 1 image, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

Something for the Soul August 2019

Silver Falls Library reveals Book Cart Drill Team

The Silver Falls Library Book Cart Drill Team will perform for the first time in the Homer Davenport Parade, Aug. 3 beginning at 10 am. Comprised of library staff, the seven member team will execute routines with book carts.

“The purpose of a library book cart drill team is to show the community that the library is a welcoming place with fun staff and a fresh approach to community engagement,” said Silver Falls Library Director Christy Davis.  Read more... (449 words, 2 images, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)

A ‘Wendy house’: Enchanting playhouse built as fundraiser for ASAP

Mailey Peterson looks on as Bailey and Lil’ Dawg enjoy the spacious playhouse front porch Brenna Wiegand

By Brenna Wiegand

Hard to believe half a dozen years have passed since the middle school after-school program began.

At the time, local pastors saw a need for something constructive to fill the 3-6 p.m. gap for kids who haven’t much going on otherwise. They formed the Silverton Middle School After-School Activities Program – ASAP – and held it at Immanuel Lutheran Church, on the corner of Oak and Church streets.  Read more... (707 words, 2 images, estimated 2:50 mins reading time)

Pirouette: Globetrotting ballet dancer thankful for her Silverton roots

She is a dynamic woman, a wonderful ballerina who has danced in galas on Broadway and across the world. Smart as a whip, charismatic as all get out, planning to major in biological science. Her work ethic is impeccable. Her favorite ballet is La Bayadere about the love of an Indian peasant for a princess. Last summer she was dancing in Alicante, a port city on Spain’s Southeastern Costa Blanca, and Prague in the Czech Republic. In a few weeks she is heading to Barcelona to dance at a gala, London, and Italy and earlier this year she was living in New York City.  Read more... (574 words, 1 image, estimated 2:18 mins reading time)

Veteran addition: Limbird to coach Foxes boys soccer

Marty Limbird is the new boys soccer coach at Silverton High. The Silverton resident has both youth and community college coaching experience. Submitted Photo

Marty Limbird, a long-time youth soccer coach in the Silverton area who also enjoyed fabulous success at Chemeketa Community College, has taken over the Silverton High boys soccer program.

Limbird, a long-time Silverton resident whose wife Liz teaches at Robert Frost, takes over for Derek McElfresh, who led the Foxes to the Class 5A quarterfinals last year.  Read more... (619 words, 2 images, estimated 2:29 mins reading time)

Swimming: A healthy, life sport for any age

Diane Brooke likes to everywhere – including the ocean in colder seasons. Submitted Photo

By Melissa Wagoner

Diane Brooke likes everything about swimming.

“[I]t makes me feel so joyful and good,” she explained. “The feeling of being in the water and weightless – it feels kind of magical. Swimming and flying are kind of similar – and flying is magical if you think about it.”

A swimmer from an early age, Brooke took lessons at the local pool in her small hometown in Pennsylvania. Then, when she was still a year away from the age required, she snuck into the junior lifeguarding classes and started what would become a 40 year lifeguarding career.  Read more... (674 words, 1 image, estimated 2:42 mins reading time)

Margaret Gersch: May 23, 1925 – July 3, 2019

Margaret Mary Bielenberg Splonski Gersch passed on July 3, 2019. She was born on May 23, 1925 to Matt and Kate Bielenberg in Receda, California. At the age of six, she and her family made the long trek to a newly purchased farm in the foothills above Scotts Mills. She attended Noble Elementary and Mt. Angel Academy.

She married John Splonski in 1946 living in a cabin in the hills before moving to Scotts Mills where she raised four children and resided until her death.  Read more... (293 words, 1 image, estimated 1:10 mins reading time)

Unlocking origins: Adoptees advocate for more resources

By Melissa Wagoner

Laura Antonson and Tyler Boland have two fundamental things in common; they both love plants – Antonson is a Landscape Design Architect and Boland is the Horticulture Manager at the Oregon Garden – and they are both adopted – a fact they have both struggled with.

“It’s uncomfortable growing up and copying someone else’s family tree, wondering where you fit in,” Antonson admitted. “There were times I thought, please just let me be their child because I have no roots. I couldn’t say the word ‘adoption’ until my mid-twenties. It was triggering and terrifying.”  Read more... (1450 words, 1 image, estimated 5:48 mins reading time)

Anybody smell…Burnt weenies?

If you see some local parents huddled around their phones eagerly awaiting the next Snapchat-y, Instagram or Facebook-y you’ll know their child was part of the Oregon Ambassadors of Music group now touring seven European countries to make the hills alive with the sound of music. The kids, led by Frank and Mandy Petrik, all had to raise over $6,000 to fund their musical adventure of a lifetime.

For several months now PGE has been installing a new power substation in Silverton. As the project nears completion I think you’d have to agree that it’s a pretty impressive piece of equipment. Is The Man the only one thinkin’ “Flux Capacitor”?? Can’t wait to see the huge Jacobs Ladder electric arc’s between the uprights on that bad boy…  Read more... (537 words, 1 image, estimated 2:09 mins reading time)

Kiwanis launches Imagination Library program

Along with the start of the summer reading program at the Silver Falls Library came the start of a new book program for the community – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL). The program, which is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Silverton, mails one free high-quality, age-appropriate book a month to children from birth until their fifth birthday.

In the program’s first three weeks, 125 local children enrolled and were entered into the DPIL registration system. Their first book will arrive in six to nine weeks.  Read more... (244 words, 1 image, estimated 59 secs reading time)

Superintendent retires: Andy Bellando leaves Silver Falls district

Andy Bellando and his granddaughter Elizabeth. Submitted Photo

By Brenna Wiegand

Silver Falls School District Super-intendent Andy Bellando retired July 1 after a 34-year career in education, the last 31 in Silverton.

Coincidentally, he and wife Rhonda just celebrated their 34th anniversary and now Bellando, 57, looks forward to more time with family and other pursuits.

Since he was hired in 1985 to teach agriculture, natural resources and general science at Silverton High School, Bellando has never looked back. He loved every minute of his seven-year stint at the high school, growing the Ag and FFA program from 80 to 350 students and increasing its teaching staff from one to three.  Read more... (1190 words, 1 image, estimated 4:46 mins reading time)

One small step…What happened to curiosity?

It was a hot summer night in a basement just outside Philadelphia, and the band was at full throttle. Two screaming guitars, drums and a bass guitar wailing away the time.

Then the rhythm guitar player’s mom came downstairs.

“You’d better come up here,” she ordered. “Something important is happening.”The date: July 20, 1969.

We dutifully set down the guitars and drumsticks and went upstairs, where Mrs. McDonnell had turned on the TV so we could see one of the biggest moments in history: astronaut Neil Armstrong walking on the moon.  Read more... (594 words, 1 image, estimated 2:23 mins reading time)

Rose Lewis May, 28, 2019

Throughout her life, Rose Lewis worked internationally for peace and justice, but Rose also acted locally with Silverton People For Peace (SPFP). As a dedicated member of the peace and social justice group, she was a regular at the monthly evening vigils even during winter weather and darkness, despite living seven miles from Silverton off a back country road. She also participated in SPFP’s annual King Observance and Homer Davenport Community Festival Parade entry. Rose passed away on May, 28, 2019,  at age 85.  Read more... (184 words, estimated 44 secs reading time)

Molloy an all-star: Ex-Foxes softball pitcher shines at Hamline University

Former Silverton High standout pitcher Alex Molloy has turned into a dominant performer for the Hamline University softball squad.

Molloy, a sophomore with the Pipers of St. Paul, Minnesota, was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Midwest all-Region team.

Alex Molloy

Molloy was a workhorse pitcher, leading the Minnesota Interscholastic Athletic Conference in innings pitched (178 1/3)) and complete games (21). She tied for second in wins with 18 and was fourth in ERA at 2.07. She pitched four shutouts and struck out 97 batters  Read more... (684 words, 2 images, estimated 2:44 mins reading time)

Briefs July 2019

Silverton Eagle Scout leads Rose Festival Color Guard

The Cascade Pacific Counsel of the Boy Scouts of America were asked to lead the color guard of the Portland Rose Festival Parade last month. About 200 scouts and adult leaders from around the Counsel marched in the parade. Among the front of the group was Eagle Scout Ethan Frederick of Silverton.

Ethan was selected to be in the center of the group, partly due to his experience leading the Hometown Parade at the Homer Davenport Community Festival. He felt honored, excited and proud to be afforded the opportunity to set the pace of the parade.  Read more... (256 words, estimated 1:01 mins reading time)

The Forum: July 2019

Breaking ground

On behalf of the many members of the St. Edward’s Cottages project planning group and St. Edward’s Church, I would like to thank the many community folks who attended the cottages groundbreaking ceremony.

On a beautiful day the community came together to learn more about the cottages project and hear about how the cottages will help unhoused women in Silverton. Those who attended the groundbreaking learned what the four cottages would look like, where they will be located and about the many wrap-around support services the women will receive.  Read more... (317 words, estimated 1:16 mins reading time)

Beneath the surface: Early detection of Alzheimer’s plays crucial role

Maxine Davis with her daughter Christy as an infant – and Colonel Sanders. Submitted PhotoS

By Melissa Wagoner

Christy Davis of Silverton recently had to say goodbye to her mother, Maxine Davis, for the last time – but first she had to say hello. 

“Immediately she was stressed out because she was supposed to know me,” Christy said of their initial greeting during her last annual visit.

Suffering from Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Maxine’s memory was slowly declining over the past six years to the point that she no longer remembered her own children.  Read more... (1064 words, 1 image, estimated 4:15 mins reading time)

Heavenly Yogurt: Silverton couple serves up frozen sweetness

April, Kayla and Mitch Sattler of Heavenly Yogurt. Nancy Jennings

By Nancy Jennings

April Sattler has found herself doing what she’d done as a 16-year-old – working in a frozen yogurt shop. Except this time around, Sattler, 50, and her husband, Mitch, 47, are the owners of Silverton’s Heavenly Yogurt, which officially opened on May 18.

“We wanted to get involved in this lovely community. I prayed to God to give us the opportunity to do that – and we wanted to bring affordable prices to families somehow. We didn’t know ‘what,’ but He opened this door, which led to many others,” April said. “The interaction part of meeting and talking to friendly faces
is another big plus to us,” Mitch added.  Read more... (502 words, 1 image, estimated 2:00 mins reading time)

‘Teach-In’: Silverton minister holds peaceful rally to demonstrate public process

Reverand Michael Carlson

By Melissa Wagoner

Reverend Michael Carlson is not a politician, nor is he particularly politically-minded. What he is, is a citizen concerned about the welfare of his country and the citizens who reside in it.

“Personally, I have been dismayed by the administration’s abuse of power, especially its disregard for the rights of immigrants,” he said. “They are not ‘animals’ as the president claims, but human families trying to escape violence and poverty in their own countries. The administration seems to believe that showing even more cruelty to them than they have experienced in their places of origin would deter them from trying to protect their families by coming to the US. That reflects a total disconnection with any responsibility for the needs of others.”  Read more... (795 words, 1 image, estimated 3:11 mins reading time)