Orchards Community Advantage April 2024

Hoaxes & Hilaria

April Fools’ Day through the ages

By Donovan Darling, Staff Writer

Gregorian Calendar

April Fools’ Day is often credited to the calendar reform of 1582 in France, during the transition from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Before this change, the new year began with the spring equinox around April 1, consistent with traditions in other cultures such as the Hindu calendar.

However, with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar and the shifting of New Year’s Day to January 1, the observance of the new year got complicated. Some people were unaware or just refused to change and continued to celebrate the new year in late March through April 1, and these people were subjected to jests and pranks and mockingly called “April fools.”

A popular prank played back then involved placing paper fish on the backs of unsuspecting victims and referring to them as “poisson d’avril” (April fish), a term which supposedly symbolized both the innocence of a young, easily caught fish and that person’s gullibility. From there, a tradition of good-humored tricks, pranks and mischief began.

Hilaria in Rome

April Fools’ Day’s origins have also been credited to festivals like Hilaria in ancient Rome, celebrated by followers of the cult of Cybele. Hilaria, “joyful” in Latin, involved disguises and mockery, possibly inspired by Egyptian mythology. Another theory suggests a tie to the vernal equinox, with nature’s unpredictable weather fooling people.

The tradition spread in Britain during the 18th century, with Scotland adding a two day celebration. The first day, “hunting

the gowk,” sent people on fake errands (gowk meaning cuckoo bird, a symbol for a fool). This was followed by Tailie Day, featuring pranks on people’s butts such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them.

Modern Day

Nowadays April Fools’ Day has become a playground for elaborate hoaxes. Newspapers, TV stations and websites will often create outrageous fictional claims to fool their audiences. In 1957, the BBC reported a record spaghetti crop in Switzerland, complete with footage of noodles being harvested from trees. In 1985, Sports Illustrated published a fake article about a pitcher named Sidd Finch throwing over 168 mph.

In 1992, NPR had a Richard Nixon impersonator announce a presidential run. In 1996, Taco Bell announced the purchase of Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell, renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. And lastly, in 1998, Burger King advertised a “Left-Handed Whopper.” Google, on the other hand, has now become known for its annual pranks, from a “telepathic search” to turning Google Maps into Pac Man.

A Lifetime of Color and Creativity

Teaching tomorrow’s artists

By Kelly Romo, Contributing Writer

Janet

Hickok

knew that she loved drawing, coloring, and painting before she even started kindergarten. When everyone in her class was given a picture to color, she preferred to draw her own. Her mother was an artist, and her talents were passed down to Janet, who started participating in contests as early as 4th grade. She won her first art contest when she was only ten and got four dollars as a prize. Her passion for painting grew every day, and she knew from an early age that she wanted to become either an artist or a nurse.

Janet’s journey as an artist took a more significant turn when she had an inspired teacher in 6th and 7th grades. This exceptional teacher focused on the basics of art, like the color wheel, which she had to recreate using only the three primary colors and mixing the rest. The teacher taught as if she were educating high school or college students, which challenged Janet and helped her develop her skills further, laying the groundwork for her future as an artist and an educator.

Janet is enthusiastic about everything she does and loves to share her knowledge with others. She started to teach kids of all ages in her hometown in her consignment art shop, offering classes in drawing, pottery, and watercolors. When she moved to Alaska, she started teaching in different mediums and opened two studios. Eventually, Janet moved back to Oregon and got involved with Valley Art, where she started teaching again: it felt like coming home.

Janet’s passion for art education goes beyond the classroom, as she’s always looking for ways to help people learn about painting and other art forms. She’s been involved with many workshops, presentations, and events, establishing herself as a leader in the local community. She’s also an entrepreneur and has launched several businesses that focus on making art more accessible to everyone, regardless of skill level. Janet knows art can unite people and promote healing, growth, and creativity, and she’s committed to spreading that message.

Valley Art caters to a wide age range, from young children to adults. Janet adapts her teaching strategies to accommodate varying experience levels. The objective is not to create a specific resemblance but to allow students to play and enjoy the medium for what it can do. This approach makes art accessible and enjoyable to everyone, regardless of their prior experience or skill level, reinforcing the idea that art is not just about the end product but also about the process of creation.

Janet Hickok’s journey as an artist and an educator is inspirational. Her love for painting and eagerness to educate others has greatly benefited her local community wherever she has lived. She exemplifies how passion, dedication, and hard work can help anyone achieve their dreams.

If you’re interested in painting or want to learn more about the beauty of art, don’t hesitate to reach out to Valley Art and take a class with Janet. Valley Art is located at 2022 Main St., Forest Grove. She can be reached at 503-357-3703. For more information, visit www.valleyart.org

OREGON BLACK HISTORY SPOTLIGHT: JOE LILLARD

Through the Lens

Finding passion, purpose in photography

By Olive Gallagher, Contributing Writer

Photos courtesy of Tyler Mode

Professional photographer and avid weather-forecasting enthusiast Tyler Mode knew what he wanted to do ever since he first looked through the lens of a camera. Raised in Vancouver as one of five kids, he took a high school course in photography and never looked back. “That first click was magical, and I couldn’t put it down.”

With the first camera he received from his beloved grandfather who loved to travel, Tyler discovered, along with his talent, the joy of giving unselfishly of his time and talent to others.

Named Battle Ground 2022 Citizen of the Year, he’s continued to divide his time since earning a BA in liberal arts at Washington State University sharing his creative gift with many others while also working in the grocery store business. He took his first job as a clerk at 18 and worked his way through college with jobs at a grocery store and a radio/ TV station. After spending 16 years with Safeway working his way from clerk to assistant manager, he became store manager for the Grocery Outlet in St. John’s.

In 2010, he moved to Battle Ground and initially offered his services to photograph the high school football team. That led to photographing other groups and the subject of his first senior picture turned out to be Lori Lindberg’s son. That connection led to him providing services to Rocksolid, and as word got around about his

talent and willingness to contribute, others began to hire him. To this day, he makes a contribution from his fees back to the group that hired him.

Since his teen years, Tyler has also had a fascination with the weather and collecting data, and in 2019, began forecasting on Facebook.

Today, he lives alone with, as he puts it, “beaucoup equipment.” After suffering a brain stroke in March 2022 just as the world was shutting down with COVID, he credits his interest in forecasting with helping him during recovery, which he accomplished in record time. He added, “the stroke woke me up.” It made him realize he needed to make time to travel to a new country every year. This desire is now so important that he has established the Tyler Mode Media Travel Scholarship. He annually awards $1000 to assist a student to travel and raises the money for the gift through sales of his photography calendar featuring local landscapes.

It’s easy to understand why Tyler was chosen as Citizen of the Year. Along with the above-mentioned organizations, he’s also generously given his time and talent to restaurants like Mill Creek Pub and the South Pacific Cafe (now Playmakers), the Battle Ground Sweet Shoppe and the Boy Scouts of America. He’s grateful to friends like Lori Lindberg and Russell Brent for providing invaluable support and help in community building and relationships. As he simply summed it up, “We’re given two hands. One to help ourselves and one to help others.”

For more about Tyler, visit tylermodemedia.com.

Cows, Racing, and Western Wonderland

The history of Alpenrose Dairy

By Robert Matsumura, Contributing Writer

Pony rides? Baseball? Go kart racing? A person unfamiliar with the history of Alpenrose Dairy might frown in confusion at the mention of such activities in relationship to a dairy, but for those of us fortunate enough to have grown up in the Portland area during the last half of the 20th century, the name Alpenrose conjures up so much more than just dairy products.

It all began in 1896 when Florian Cadonau, a Swiss immigrant, moved to Oregon with his wife Agnes. The couple purchased a dairy at 35th and Vermont (known then as Hoffman Road) and started delivering milk to customers via horse-drawn buggy. At the time, many Swiss immigrants were moving to Portland due to the state’s fertile land and temperate climate. So similar were Oregon and Switzerland in this respect that in 1912, Paul Ritter, the Swiss Ambassador to the United States, while touring the state called Oregon “a second, but a larger Switzerland.”

In 1916, Henry Cadonau, Florian’s son, along with his wife Rosina (daughter of the Swiss consul to Portland) took over the family business. Henry and Rosina established their own farm nearby at 45th and Vermont which they named Alpenrose Dairy. The next few decades saw Alpenrose expand its operations, thriving while other competing dairies fell prey to mergers and consolidations. However, in 1943 a fire destroyed a barn and other equipment, and the decision was made to relocate Alpenrose to its present location on Shattuck Road. For years the Alpenrose delivery truck was a common sight in Portland neighborhoods, delivering milk in glass bottles straight to the milk box at one’s front door. At its height, Alpenrose had 50 delivery trucks and 35,000 customers.

It was during the 1950s when Henry’s grandsons were playing baseball too near Rosina’s rose garden (and trampling some of her plants) that she tasked her husband with building a baseball field for the boys. It wasn’t long before the local Little League was playing there also, and dugouts, lights, and a scoreboard were subsequently added. In the following years two more fields were constructed, and Alpenrose became known for its excellent baseball facilities. For a number of years Alpenrose Field even hosted the Little League Softball World Series which was broadcast on ESPN.

As it turned out, the baseball fields were just the beginning of Alpenrose’s involvement in the community. A hundred Shetland ponies were purchased by the family shortly thereafter, and pony rides were offered to children visiting the dairy. The Cadonaus also brought the ponies to local events — making it possible for numerous children to experience their first horseback ride. Alpenrose trotted out their ponies to represent the dairy in many city parades as well.

Soon baseball and ponies were not the only attractions drawing people to Alpenrose. Uncle Ray, the father of Rod Birkland — a cousin of the Cadonau boys — being mechanically-minded, came up with the idea of a quarter-midget racing track. It wasn’t long before the idea became a reality, and child-sized race cars were zooming around a track a quartermile in length, set in a natural bowl shaped area with seating for up to 500 spectators. In addition to the midget racing track, a velodrome facility was added in 1967 for bicycle racing. Carl Cadonau Sr. was sold the idea by the owner of Kissler’s Cyclery, a longtime bicycle shop in Southwest Portland. At the time the Pan American games needed a location for cycling trials. The Alpenrose Velodrome was one of the first constructed in the U.S. for that purpose, and with the steepest bank of any outdoor velodrome in the world, it drew enthusiasts from around the globe.

With the popularity of the aforementioned facilities, the Cadonaus created a final addition to their burgeoning recreational wonderland — Dairyville. A dairy-themed village with Old West-style storefronts, the charming attraction featured a doll museum, a harness-maker’s shop, an ice cream parlor, a music shop, and a 600-seat opera house with a Skinner pipe organ (now located in Portland’s Keller Auditorium). For decades, Dairyland was the nexus of a plethora of community events, ranging from “Sunday Fundays” featuring kite flying and frog races to visits from Rusty Nails, a popular clown with a local television show for children. From trapeze acts to chariot racing, Alpenrose grew from just a local attraction to a major amusement venue for the entire region.

The winter holiday season saw Alpenrose transform into a magical place. Christmas in Dairyville featured Storybook Lane, an elaborate display with live animal displays and 300 Christmas trees set in a miniature town. Each year 400 volunteers gathered to set up and host this traditional event that drew thousands of families from around the area.

Rosina Cadonau became known simply as “Grandma” to generations of fourthgraders who field-tripped to Alpenrose to learn the operations of a dairy.

“Swiss Miss” taught the children how to milk a cow and then escorted them across the street for ice cream and cookies baked by “Grandma.”

Today, Alpenrose Dairy remains in operation, but Dairyville is closed. The race tracks and sports fields, too, face an uncertain future. A dispute between family members that ended in litigation resulted in Alpenrose being sold to the Kent, Washington-based Smith Brothers Farms. Smith Brothers continue to operate the dairy under the Alpenrose name. In July of 2021, items from the former Storybook Lane and Dairyville were sold at auction, bringing to a close one of Portland’s most cherished cultural treasures.

For those of us who grew up in Portland with the good fortune to partake in the sporting events, pony rides, fireworks, and holiday fun that was Alpenrose, we will forever miss this magical place. But we should all thank the Cadonau family for their generosity, decades of hard work, and a community spirit that transformed a regular dairy into a place that will reside in our memories forever!

Erica Lenz, DDS Tooth Docs

101 N.W. 12th Ave., Battle Ground 360.667.5676

drlenz@toothdocs.net

www.toothdocs.net

Angie Parker Resolution Fitness

1311 N.E. Grace Ave., Battle Ground 360.687.9509

resolutionfitnessbg@gmail.com

www.resolutionfitnessbg.com

Dr. Erica Lenz started her career as a dental assistant. She graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center with two regional awards. Erica moved “home” in 2017, partnering with Dr. Brady Smith at a franchised dental office in Camas. In 2021, while their Camas office continued to flourish, they created and opened Tooth Docs Battle Ground. In 2022, their Camas office officially changed names to join the Tooth Docs family. Their third office located in Salmon Creek just opened in February 2024. Dr. Lenz believes her staff feels truly understood and valued thanks to her unique personal perspective starting out as a dental assistant. She is loved by her patients because of her ability to relate and her inviting personality. Her skill set and services include: endodontics, periodontics, implantology, oral surgery, clear aligner therapy and all aspects of general dentistry.

What started out as a hobby for many years has now turned into a growing business and Kaylee is loving it! Crafting handmade cards started Western Fancies, but greeting cards are not the only thing she offers. Kaylee also creates many other paper goods, such as notepads, stickers, gift bags, gift tags, hand-stamped wrapping paper, junk journals, address books and so much more. Along with paper goods, she offers design services for logos, social media, flyers, letterheads, business cards, etc. Kaylee also has a mailing service, social medial marketing package and Canva in-person class. How can she help you and/or your business today?

A place for everybody! This has been Angie Parker’s motto for more than 12 years. Her family-operated gym strives to provide support and encouragement for those in their fitness journey. As a trainer, it has always been her goal to understand and listen to her clients’ needs. Their goals drive Resolution Fitness’ tailored programs. She believes people are often more capable than they may believe, and the right environment yields results. She has refined this approach for more than 20 years in the fitness industry. The strength that some carry within is inspiring and keeps her challenged to never be afraid of change or challenges.

Women in Business

Aphena Coman

All The Wishes

Vancouver Farmers Market

360.953.6495

aphena@allthewishes.org

www.allthewishes.com

Ashley Venneri Face Forward Esthetics

819 S.E. 14th Loop #115, Battle Ground 360.600.5699

faceforwardesthetics@outlook.com

www.faceforwardesthetics.glossgenius.com

Marcy Sprecher Rocksolid Community Teen Center

12919 N.E. 159th St., Brush Prairie 360.885.2181

marcy@rocksolid-teen.com

www.rocksolid-teen.com

Washington native Aphena Coman, a mother of seven, started her business with the hopes of empowering young women to believe in themselves and the power of entrepreneurship through hard work and determination. All The Wishes is a purposeful crystal and handmade jewelry business that started in 2021 when Aphena found her biological father on ancestry DNA. He was married to an incredible artist, Cynthia Jones-Taylor. Destiny brought them together, and Aphena set out to build the business of her dreams. All The Wishes grants wishes to women, children and disabled men — from providing gas and groceries for single mothers to employment opportunities and more. She does this through generous donations from the community and her donation of 10% from every sale. Find her at the Vancouver Farmers Market.

Born and raised in Battle Ground, Ashley grew up volunteering and helping people in the community. She’s always enjoyed meeting new people and connecting with them. After graduating from Battle Ground High School in 2020, Ashley went to school, started her own business and became an esthetician. She loves that she can spend time with her clients getting to know them and help them reach their beauty goals. Ashley has a flexible schedule that allows her to adjust her calendar to meet the needs of her clients’ early-morning or lateevening appointments. She offers a variety of services, including sugar hair removal, brow lamination and tinting, lash lifting and tinting, and facials. Being an esthetician in her hometown and meeting and helping both men and women is what Ashley treasures about her business.

Rocksolid Community Teen Center has been a huge part of Marcy’s life and heart for 18 years. Working alongside a great staff and providing youth with a safe place to go after school for youth development and group mentoring, along with many other life skills and programming, brings her great joy. Marcy feels like this work was set out for her to accomplish. Having spent 50 years in Battle Ground, she is able to give back to the community that gave so much to her growing up.

Grants Enrich Local Nonprofits

Camas-Washougal Community Chest announces 2024 grant awards

The Camas-Washougal Community Chest and its partners, the Camas-Washougal Rotary Foundation and the Camas Lions Foundation, are pleased to announce the award of 34 grants totaling $134,000 to non-profit organizations delivering services, exclusively, to children and

families in Camas and Washougal. The Rotary commitment to Service above Self also adds volunteers to the mix as they work to make a difference in our community.

The grants will fund such diverse services as emergency food assistance, aid to families in crisis or needing emergency services, safe temporary shelter for at-risk youth, a Safe Stay overnight car park program at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church and water quality monitoring in the Lacamas Creek watershed. New organizations receiving grants for the first time will offer services such as a Community Arts Night program – a free opportunity to experience the benefits of creativity and artistic expression, bringing songwriters to the Washougal Arts fair and staffing and equipping for three litter cleanups at Cottonwood Beach.

Some of the nonprofit organizations being funded in 2024 include the Inter-Faith Treasure House, Akin (formerly the Children’s Home Society) at the East County Family Resource Center, Janus Youth Programs, Pink Lemonade Project, Family Promise of Clark County, and Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership. First-time grantees include Enspire Arts, Washougal Songcraft Festival and Watershed Alliance of SW Washington. For a complete listing of the grant awards see the grant summary below.

Thanks to CWRF, CLF and major donations from the GP Foundation, GP employees, Camas School District employees, City of Camas and City of Washougal employees, Port of Camas-Washougal employees, Windermere Foundation,

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mindy Schmidt President

Marianne Reiter Co-Treasurer

Susan Bennett Co-Treasurer

Cari Corbett Secretary

Richard Reiter Campaign Chair

AJ Bogue

Stuart Bennett

Andrew Gustely

Doug Hood

Dave Pinkernell

Doug Quinn

David Ripp

Joelle Scheldorf

David Scott

Ann Stevens

Mary Templeton

and Watercare Industrial Services, CWCC is well on the way to funding these grants. To reach its 2024 fundraising goal, however, the CWCC needs additional donations from individuals and businesses in Camas and Washougal. More information and donation forms can be found on the CWCC’s website at www. CamasWashougalCommunityChest. org. The CWCC, CWRF and CLF are registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organizations for federal charitable tax deduction purposes.

2024 Projects and Programs

 Akin (formerly Children’s Home Society) – East County Family Resource Center

 Boy Scouts of America – Cascade Pacific Council

 Girl Scouts Troop 45703

 Camas School District – Principal’s Checkbook (aka Camas Family Community Resource Center)

 Camas Farmers Market

 Camas Robotics Booster Club

 Camas Washougal Historical Society

 Camas Washougal Parent Co-op Preschool

 Dance Evolution

 Enspire Arts

 Family Promise of Clark County

 Fort Vancouver Regional Library Foundation – Washougal Branch

 Friends and Foundation of the Camas Library

 Friends of the Columbia Gorge

 General Federation of Women’s Clubs Camas - Washougal

 Impact CW – St. Matthew Lutheran Church

 Inter-Faith Treasure House

 Janus Youth Programs

 JD Currie Youth Camp

 Journey Theater Arts Group

 Kiwanis Camp Wa-Ri-Ki

 Lacamas Watershed Council

 Lifeline Connections

 Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership

 Pathways Clinic

 Pink Lemonade Project

 REACH Community Development

 ReFuel Washougal

 Silver Star Search and Rescue (SSSAR)

30,000+

Number of individual services funded

34

Total number of grants awarded

$134,000

Total value of grants awarded

 St. Anne’s (Episcopal Church) Safe Stay Program

 Unite! Washougal Community Coalition

 Washougal School District – Principal’s Checkbook

 Washougal Songcraft Festival 2024

 Watershed Alliance of Southwest Washington (aka Vancouver Watershed Council)

 West Columbia Gorge Humane Society

For more about CWCC, CWRF and CLF grant awards contact:

Mindy Schmidt, President CWCC, 360-567-8423

Kathy Bussman, President CWRF, 503-936-5915

Tim Eubank, Communications Chair CLF, 360-949-5951

Richard Reiter, CWCC Campaign Chair, 360-834-7807

Website: www.CamasWashougalCommunityChest.org

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April 5-7 | Booth #332

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April 27-28th | Booth #917-919

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We are a family-owned small business, serving Clark County since 1997. Our wonderful staff sets us a part from the rest, always striving to offer the best quality service and furniture.

Coffee Comradery

Locally-owned artisan coffee stop

By Angie Helvey, Contributing Writer

Photos by Lisa Kuhlman

Sometimes the day can feel a little overwhelming before a cup of coffee, but once you take that first sip, there’s an audible sigh of relief, and you are ready to take it on! However, not all coffee is created equal, and neither are coffee shops. The Human Bean is proud to serve a delicious selection of expertly crafted drinks made with the highest quality coffee, delivered conveniently via drive-through and always topped with a chocolate-covered espresso bean.

The Human Bean franchise began in Ashland, Oregon in 1998 and now has over 300 locations across the U.S. Co-owner and Director of Operations Aly Koehke started at the Canby location over 15 years ago before teaming up with franchise owner Josh Veentjer. They currently co-own seven stores in Oregon and Washington, recently acquiring the three Southwest Washington

locations in November 2023: Salmon Creek, NE Fourth Plain, and NE 23rd off 162nd Ave.

Aly still works regular shifts as a barista and loves getting to know her staff and customers. “It’s important to me to support our employees, and part of that is being there and working alongside them,” she says.

Whether you’re thirsting for a classic beverage or looking to try something new, The Human Bean’s lattes, mochas, and cappuccinos will satisfy your cravings! Classic coffees like the vanilla mocha or cafe latte are available, along with more decadent options like the Salted Caramel Mocha or the Snowy Mocha, their signature white mocha.

Drinks are available hot, iced, or blended with some specialty frozen options like the Granita (frozen espresso), Frozen Hot Chocolate, and real fruit smoothies. Every creation is handcrafted by talented baristas ready to help you navigate the menu to satisfy your taste buds.

For the ultimate pairing, enjoy your beverage with a wide variety of hot breakfast sandwiches, muffin tops, cookies, bagels and more. Some gluten-free options are also available. A special “Little Beans” menu includes kid-size hot chocolates, steamers, smoothies and Italian sodas.

Try the new Bright Energy drink if you’re dying for a boost but aren’t in the mood for coffee. It’s all-natural, clean caffeine, and can be blended with any syrup flavors. “It’s made here in the U.S. from green coffee beans, so it tastes great, but you don’t get the jitters and the crash that come with a lot of other energy drinks on the market,” says Aly.

The Human Bean sources specialty-grade Arabica coffee that’s sustainably roasted for a smooth flavor. The purchasing relationship through the Farm Friendly Direct Program ensures growers and their local communities receive above-fair-market pricing. Serving high-quality beans that are ethically sourced and processed through environmentally friendly methods is a cornerstone of the business.

Building authentic human connections is perhaps The Human Bean’s greatest mission. That means not only giving the best quality and service but also genuinely engaging with their community. “We love getting to know our customers,” says Aly. “Whether they’re a regular or stopping by for the first time, we make sure they feel welcome.”

For location information and more, visit thehumanbean.com/ or give them a call at 541-608-0564. Delivery is available through DoorDash, UberEats, and GrubHub.