By Kathy Cook Hunter
Scientists recently announced there are three times as many stars in space as they once thought – something like a sextillion.
That’s nothing new to Silverton, where there are also more stars sparkling downtown.
Looking like shooting stars swooshing through the sky, the holiday decorations light up and add to the season’s sense of wonder.
“Few people realize how quickly this project came together,” said Terry Thomas, who with fellow Kiwanian Tim Yount, chaired the effort to replace worn-out utility pole decorations Silverton Kiwanis Club has put up for the past 35 years.
Last spring the club’s community service chair, Kelly Miller, reported it was time to haul out from storage the Christmas tree-shaped decor, refurbish some of the most dilapidated ones and replace bulbs.
“It was costing us about $400 each year,” Miller said.
However, the décor was not only falling apart, there was a safety issue — the electrical connections were shocking city workers who helped put them up.
The club made the decision to go another direction and buy new decorations for the poles.
When a committee chose a design, it turned out the winner, the shooting star, is manufactured in nearby Albany.
“I went over to Albany and brought back a sample,” Thomas said, “and I showed it to the merchants’ group. That was in early August. We had thought this would be a one year-long project, but it was enthusiastically received, and they kind of pumped us up.”
In fact, a number of merchants signed up to pay for a decoration; some paid for more than one, each of which cost $312.50 (although total cost is closer to $500 each with new electrical boxes and labor added).
Also in August, Thomas and Yount presented the idea at the Silverton Chamber of Commerce monthly forum lunch, where more people agreed to contribute.
“We decided to try for 40 units in all, and in September we were at 30,” Thomas said.
As he surveyed utility poles to see which were fully visible, which were already too cluttered and which had power, passers-by were curious.
“Lots of people would stop to ask what I was doing,” Thomas said, and to his amazement, several wanted to donate on the spot.
Yount and Thomas made a display to leave in several locations, and that got more attention to their fund-raising effort.
“Tim knew what was happening around town and would tell me, and we’d go and do our dog-and-pony act,” Thomas said, adding he’d explain the technical part and Yount kept track of finances.
In September, Silverton’s City Council members voted to help with $6,000. Some groups, including Rotary Club, Silverton Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis Club, each pledged nearly $1,600 for five units; other businesses and individuals made generous pledges.
Notified that a certified electrician and certified boom truck were required for the electrical box installation, Rite-Way Electrical stepped in. Aaron Nofzinger of RWE said he’d buy the boxes at his cost, just under $6,000, and the city agreed to pay for it. The manufacturer, Crystal Valley Decorations in Albany, volunteered to donate a large storage rack that holds 40 star units.
“By the end of October I upped our order to 45 units,” Thomas said. “But by the first of November we realized we had a major potential problem: How would the boxes be put up on the poles?”
At that point, Portland General Electric said it didn’t have the time or crew to do it, but by chance another door opened.
“Portland Regional Sales Manager Joe Wisner of Wave Cable came to make a presentation to our club,” Thomas said, “and he heard me talking to the members about our problem. Warren McQuery, the commercial account representative for Wave, was there, too, and they had a ‘what can we do to help?’ attitude. The result was a Wave crew did it. It was worth $7,200, a huge contribution to our city, and it was accomplished by Dec. 1.” Wave’s crew of Dan Dyer and Kevin Worden did the work, with the company contributing their time.
Because the Kiwanis purchased the stars from a local manufacturer and enlisted local contractors, Thomas and Yount consider this project “green,” or environmentally friendly, and in addition, the stars’ LED lights use only 20 percent of the electricity of the old ornaments.
“This is about like the light in your refrigerator,” said Thomas.
Andy Peters, city maintenance division supervisor, sees another positive aspect.
“Terry’s a great guy to work with,” Peters said. “I love local organizations like Kiwanis because they do social networking. If it wasn’t for them, these things might not get done.”
In early December, Kiwanis Club had purchased 45 units, 43 of which were sponsored by at least 37 people or firms. More units will be purchased in the coming years.
City councilwoman and Kiwanis member Judy Schmidt says she is pleased.
“I’ve always been very proud of Kiwanis, which often operates behind the scenes,” Schmidt said, “and I appreciate that the city stepped up.”
Terry Thomas says the speed of the holiday pole décor project “just blows my mind. We were just going to have a demonstration project, and all this came together so quickly and positively. There were no negative comments – everyone was pleasant, helpful and willing to step in and make it happen.”
“Our goal was to have everything done and up by the first Friday in December, but the weather got in the way,” he said. “We did get the boxes and the decorations up, and we’re waiting for PGE to inspect the boxes and turn on the power.”
“I think it’s a testament of the sense of community and pride people feel,” Yount said, “because so many businesses contributed. It’s a real feel-good story, a valid, worthwhile project.”
