Our Town North: Oct. 15, 2022

Spooky Season

acres of Ag land with 2

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Salem.

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Joe

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Smith

treatment

building & land,

large lobby,

N. Main St.

such as with ReVamp Thrift

is not the END but the start of a New Beginning. ReVamp Thrift needed to close due to safety and health concerns for the Volunteers AND the wonderful supportive Community Members who enjoyed “Treasure Hunting” and donating to this fabulous business.

Everyone’s support & devotion has not gone unrecognized… It has been greatly appreciated! So, be watching for what comes next for this endeavor sponsored by the Silverton Senior Center... Good Things are Coming!

Another very important AND BIG way to show love & support for the Silverton Senior Center is by Giving! Giving Tuesday is coming Nov. 29, 2022. This is a nationally recognized Day of Giving to Nonprofit Organizations, such as the Senior Center. Giving Tuesday follows: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday… all after Thanksgiving. Be watching for the End of Year Appeal Letter and how your giving can support nonprofit organizations, like the Silverton Senior Center, also known as Silverton Area Seniors, Inc. with a Tax ID # or EIN available, when it is Tax Time! Thanks!

Plus! Simple Qigong set to Music is Tuesdays/Thursdays at 9:45 a.m. for $8 and the first class is FREE!

Sticking points

By Stephen Floyd

Teachers in the Silver Falls School District (SFSD) are currently working under last year’s expired contract as labor negotiations drag on in the shadows of high inflation, housing costs and COVID-19 burnout.

Negotiations began in April, and teachers with the Silver Falls Education Association (SFEA) started the school year with nine of 16 contract terms settled with the district.

Both parties say they are negotiating in good faith, however, they remain far apart on critical issues such as cost of living increases and limitations on class size.

The next bargaining session is scheduled for Oct. 20. Proceedings are open to the public.

SFEA President Alison Stolfus said the union’s main goal is to ensure teachers are given reasonable workloads and adequate administrative support. A survey of union members last winter measuring burnout following the pandemic found a majority did not feel supported by district leadership, and Stolfus said current negotiations are focused on educators’ “post-pandemic reality.”

Class size, inflation, prolong SFSD labor negotiations

A major sticking point is how the district will define and manage class sizes. The district has proposed a case-by-case system with a committee that includes union members meeting regularly to discuss potential or actual class size challenges and offer recommendations to administrators, who would then resolve class size issues.

SFEA countered with a proposed hard cap on class sizes, such as no more than 20 students in a kindergarten class, no more than 23 students in first or second grade, no more than 24 students in all other grades, and no more than 180 assigned student contacts per term for teachers with multiple classes in a day. Special education classes would maintain a ratio of three adults for every five students, and a special education teacher would have a caseload of no more than 25 students.

The district came back Oct. 4 with a revised case-by-case system that would have principals share projected enrollment figures and staffing assignments with union representatives each June for the coming school year, and again the week before

school starts. For teachers assigned a large number of students, principals would create a support plan to help mitigate the burden.

While an agreement on class size was not reached, Assistant Superintendent Dan Busch said in an email to district staff that talks were “a healthy discussion that should lead to continued progress on this article.”

The parties are also far apart on cost of living adjustments (COLA). The district proposed a 2 percent COLA at the outset and SFEA countered with 9 percent to match current inflation rates.

In August the district returned with a proposed 2.25 percent COLA and the possibility of up to 1.5 percent more depending on enrollment. The union contended inflation is too high and countered with 8.5 percent on Sept. 28.

The district has argued it does not have enough money in the general fund to cover such an increase, and said enrollment remains below pre-pandemic levels, with numbers reported this September at 6.6 percent below enrollment in June of 2020.

SFEA said the district cannot afford to under-pay its teachers, given the high housing costs in Silverton and competitive wages elsewhere.

“Driving 13 miles out of Silverton could allow teachers to earn thousands more each year without any additional education,” said SFEA on its Facebook page Oct. 1. “Other districts are offering more competitive pay in addition to retention bonuses.”

Districts with better pay increases included the Salem-Keizer School District, which gave teachers a 4.5 percent COLA this year and a $750 retention bonus for those who remain through next March. This brought base pay to $45,478 per year for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree and no applicable teaching experience.

Under the expired contract, base pay at SFSD for the 2021-2022 school year was comparable at $45,335 annually. Annual base pay this year for licensed teachers in the Mt. Angel School District is $41,824, which included a 3 percent COLA, and $41,763 in the North Santiam School District, which provided a 1.5 percent COLA.

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Mayor’s race

By James Day

Silverton will have a new mayor come January, but the town still will be led by a Silverton native. Outgoing mayor Kyle Palmer, who has served in the position since 2017, is a lifelong resident, as are the two individuals running to replace him, Morry Jones and Jason Freilinger.

Jones is a corporate executive who has served on the Silver Falls school board, and the Silverton Planning Commission and Budget Committee. Freilinger is a financial services officer who has served on the City Council for 10 years, including this past term as council president.

The mayor’s term is two years.

“Having lived in Silverton my entire life I have a passion and dedication for the city and its residents,” Jones said. “As mayor, I want to provide a strong focal point between existing and new council members in their goals to build a stronger city government and also engage the public in finding ways to make our city vital and exciting, bringing a new life to its

Jones, Freilinger vie to replace Palmer in Silverton

I will lead the community in facilitating a public process to make these much-needed improvements.”

Here are the candidates’ views on issues raised at the Silverton Chamber of Commerce candidate forum Sept. 28 at the Oregon Garden:

Housing and the unhoused

businesses and the community.”

Jones vowed to hold town halls four times a year if elected.

“I am running for mayor because of my commitment and passion for the Silverton community,” Freilinger said. He added that during his 10 years of council service “we have been proactive about planning Silverton’s future, including funding important future projects within our existing budget.

“We are at the point where improvements can be made to parks and the downtown.

Freilinger: As chair of the city’s affordable housing task force he noted that the group is considering 40 items.

“We’re just tackling the list. There are no quick fixes and we don’t have a lot of money to throw at it.”

He praised the partnerships the city has developed with Sheltering Silverton, SACA and Habitat for Humanity.

Jones: “We need to understand what it takes to help them. Don’t let people fall into the cracks and get them to organizations that can help them,” Jones said.

Infrastructure

Freilinger: The city has postponed a plan for a new water treatment plant because the construction bids came in too high. He said that current economic conditions play a key role there. He also noted that the city has $2 million that must be spent on parks and that the funds “offered a great opportunity over the next 3-4 years.”

Jones: In perhaps the strongest moment of criticism during the forum Jones asked “Why did we wait so long?” on the water treatment plant. “We should have taken care of it 5-10 years ago.”

He also noted a need for more parking for downtown employees and the need for more vacuum trucks in the Public Works fleet.

Police

Both candidates said that they did not think an oversight board for the police would be useful and also advocated better pay for officers to keep Silverton-trained personnel from being “poached”.

Morry Jones

PHOTOS BY JAMES DAY

Jason Feilinger

Slew

By James Day

There will be a distinct changing of the guard for the Silverton City Council come next term. That’s because there will be three and perhaps four new councilors when the session begins in January.

Incumbent councilors Jim Sears, Dana Smith and Crystal Neideigh all chose not to seek re-election to new four-year terms. In addition, Council President Jason Freilinger is running for mayor against Morry Jones. If Freilinger is elected to replace outgoing Mayor Kyle Palmer, the new council will select his replacement. If Jones is victorious Freilinger retains his council seat and would face the voters again in 2024, along with fellow councilors Jess Miller and Elvi Cuellar Sutton.

Seven individuals are battling for the three open seats in an unusual and open free-for-all given no one has the advantage of incumbency. The field originally included eight candidates, but Jayla Kuenzi dropped out last month. The election is Nov. 8 and residents can hear what the candidates have to say at a 6 p.m. free forum on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at the Palace Theater organized by the Silverton Discourse Project.

Here is a brief introduction of the seven candidates, based on their petition filings, email exchanges, campaign statements, and the public forum on Sept. 28 at the Oregon Garden. The order of the candidates is alphabetical.

Makai Brusa

Brusa works in juvenile corrections with the Oregon Youth Authority at its MacLaren facility in Woodburn.

Brusa said that he had learned problem-solving skills while working with youths at MacLaren.

“I want to solve problems instead of make them,” he said. “That takes perseverance and working as a team.”

Brusa described himself as “not a politician” and said he “wants what is best for Silverton, to help others get involved and be a voice for those who are unheard.”

Eric Hammond

Hammond, a Washington State University graduate, is chief horticultural arborist with Trella Urban Forestry Technology. A board member of Sustainable Silverton, he is the lone candidate for council or mayor who is emphasizing climate change as part of his platform.

“I want to be part of ensuring Silverton is a livable and thriving city long into the future,” he said. “We can’t ignore what is coming at us, and we need to be thoughtful and careful about how to prepare.”

Hammond called for planting more trees, boosting the city’s water infrastructure and looking at infill, duplexes and smaller lots in the battle for affordable housing.

Gregg Harris

Harris, owner of Silver Falls Terrariums and vice president of the Silverton Mural Society, describes himself as a “newbie,” having moved to Silverton in March 2021.

“I am running in order to bring a moderately conservative ‘small town’ wise growth perspective to the council,” he said. “My vision for Silverton is a slow-growing town, a town that is so nice to live in that those who want to move here will be required to pay what our quality of small-town life should cost.”

Harris said his key issues include making the basic functions of city government, such as road repairs, run better and more efficiently and attracting more visitors and tourists.

Chuck Hawley

Hawley, who works as an engineer and writes children’s books, moved to Silverton in 2009 “after making a wrong turn while looking for a rental in Woodburn. Best wrong turn I have ever made,” he said.

“I love our little town and want to see where I can help it grow responsibly while keeping its small-town feel and traditions,” he said.

Hawley said he is “also very interested in finding affordable housing options so our long-time residents can afford to

live in the town they grew up in.”

April Newton

Newton, a Silverton High grad, received her bachelor’s in psychology from Portland State and her master’s in education at Oregon State. She served as a rural mail carrier for 15 years and currently volunteers with SACA and the Silver Falls School District. She also served four years on the city budget committee.

“This is the time in my life for giving back,” she said.

On the topic of growth she said “We can’t stop it. We just have to make proactive decisions and not just react.”

Helping downtown businesses thrive and increasing green space are among her goals, and she noted that current Mayor Kyle Palmer and the rest of the council were “doing great work.”

Jenny Ohren

Ohren is a Silverton High grad who moved back to town 10 years ago. She has worked in the hospitality, public health and social service fields. She is board president of the Silverton Coffee Club and board secretary for the Silverton Area Seniors.

“I am running to serve our community as a city council member to provide a listening ear to those who may have

felt unheard,” she said. “Through sincere and constructive engagement I will build participation in city affairs. By asking more questions I will express the untapped ideas that will bring solutions to our challenges.”

Key tasks for Silverton moving forward, she said, were finding more affordable housing, using economic development zones to create family-wage jobs, protecting property rights and better supporting the youth of Silverton.

Marie Traeger

Traeger works as a correctional counselor at the Oregon State Penitentiary after a 30-year career as a teacher in Silverton schools.

“I have always said that when I have time I will give back to our community,” she said. “I saw this as a great opportunity to give back to a community. In 2005 I lost my husband in a car accident and the community surrounded me and helped me through a very difficult time. I vowed back then that I would always find time to help others and give back.”

Key goals she identified include working hard for the next generation, supporting seniors, keeping businesses open and maintaining growth at sustainable levels.

Silverton candidate forum set for Oct. 18

A second election forum for Silverton candidates will be held Tuesday, Oct. 18, at the Palace Theatre.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the audience-question driven forum organized by the Silverton Discourse Project getting underway at 6 p.m. Concessions will be for sale.

On hand will be mayoral candidates Jason Freilinger and Morry Jones.

Six of the seven City Council candidates will be on hand: Makai Brusa, Eric Hammond, Gregg Harris, April Newton, Jenny Ohren and Marie Traeger. The seventh candidate, Chuck Hawley, will be away on a previously scheduled commitment.

Each candidate will give a two-minute opening statement, with a question-and-answer session to follow. Audience questions may be submitted in advance to ourtown@mtangelpub. com, or in person that evening. The event is scheduled to conclude at 8 p.m.

The candidates also participated in a Sept. 28 forum sponsored by the Silverton Chamber of Commerce.

–James Day

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Development could add 110 new homes

By James Day

Two major developments are proceeding in Silverton, with perhaps as many as 110 new homes coming on line in the next few years.

Two model homes already have been constructed for the West End Gateway development at the edge of the Silverton city limits just before the Silver Spur RV Park.

Larry Hilton of More Realty, the lead Realtor for the project, said that the development lost a bit of time because of how long it took to get the plat recorded. Thirty homes are planned for the first phase, with 40 more coming in phase two. Hilton said the units will be largely single-family, with one-and two-story models, although some houses will be zero lot line units with some common walls.

Hilton also noted recent challenges with rising lumber prices and higher interest rates, but said the developer still hopes to have one-third of the homes in the first

phase ready to go by next spring.

Smaller homes in the 1,300 square foot range, he said, are likely to sell for about $425,000, with larger two-story models with a three-car garage likely to go in the high $600,000.

Ground also has been broken for a 39-lot subdivision called Paradise Village at the corner of James and Jefferson.

Gene Oster, co-owner of the development, said that the plan is to sell the lots, but he did not rule out the possibility of building some units. The property is zoned for single-family homes.

While noting that there are “a few factors out of our control, like the weather,” Oster said that he hoped the lots will be ready to go by the spring.

The entrances to the development are on James Street, and a right-turn lane is likely to be added on nearby Hobart Road where it connects with Highway 214 to make it easier for residents of the development to access the highway.

LAND & LOTS

Two model homes at the West End Gateway development in Silverton. JAMES DAY

Tourism grants

$44,000 given to nine Silverton groups

By Melissa Wagoner

Nine grants totaling almost $44,000 were approved Oct. 3 when the Silverton City Council accepted the recommendations of the Silverton Tourism Promotion

Awards ranged from familiar community events such as First Friday, the Sidewalk Shindig and Silverton Arts Festival, to brewbased entries like the Homer Invitational Brewfest and the Fox Foundation Fall Line Stout and Ale Fest. Attractions like The Gordon House and Oregon Garden Resort Christmas Market earned allocations along with the Silverton Chamber of Commerce’s Silverton in Bloom and Paws in the Parks promotions.

In 2008 the Silverton City Council approved the establishment of a 9% Transient Accommodation Tax on guest accommodation fees. The ensueing revenues established the grant funding.

“It has been widely used by most of the events and tourism-based groups in the community,” Stacy Palmer, Silverton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, wrote in a Facebook post Sept. 16, when questions about tourism grants were discussed on Silverton Connections.

“The application period was moved from July to September this year,” she added, “but can be counted on annually. The chamber tries to make sure community groups know about the program but would love to hear suggestions for widening the audience. The funds are restricted to tourism endeavors and everything that helps promote our community to the visitor world is something we support.”

Silverton Tourism Grant Recipients 2022

• Silverton Chamber of Commerce’s First Friday: $10,026

• Homer Davenport Community Festival’s Invitational Brewfest: $10,000

• Silverton Sidewalk Shindig’s Annual Sidewalk Shindig: $6,500

• The Fox Foundation’s Fall Line Stout and Ale Fest: $5,000

• Oregon Garden Resort’s Christmas Market: $5,000

• Silverton Chamber of Commerce’s Silverton in Bloom: $2,791

• Silverton Chamber of Commerce’s Paws in the Park: $2,445

• The Gordon House: $1,000

• Silverton Arts Association’s Arts Festival: $1,000

“These were all really great applications and really performing the kinds of things we want happening in the community,” Mayor Kyle Palmer said at the meeting where the grants were approved.

The 2022 awards used only half of the $96,000 budget, and the committee encourages more applicants to apply in the future.

“The city is also looking for a representative of the lodging community to sit on the advisory board to help decide where the funds are distributed,” Stacy Palmer wrote.

Jason

For Mayor

Water

By Melissa Wagoner

Witches young and old met at dusk on Friday, Oct. 7 at the Silverton Reservoir and held the inaugural Silverton Witch Paddle. Taking to the water rather than the skies on all manner of crafts, from stand-up paddle boards to kayaks, an estimated 30 witch-garbed enthusiasts celebrated the season with camaraderie the likes of which many hadn’t known since before the COVID pandemic began.

“Now that we’re through COVID it’s nice to do things that are fun and lighthearted and not a big deal,” organizer Heather Desmarteau-Fast said. The event turned out to be far more popular than she expected.

“I put it out there to every female in my friend group,” Desmarteau-Fast said, and the gathering grew to include not only Silvertonians but women from as far away as Oregon City and Vancouver, Washington.

“I don’t know if I’ll advertise it next year

or keep it word-of-mouth,” DesmarteauFast said. While she was excited to see so many participants, she is hesitant to lose the event’s organic feel.

“The only requirement was to dress up and be nice!” Desmarteau-Fast laughed.

By all accounts, everyone in attendance did just that.

“I’m a sucker for anything that requires dressing up,” attendee Amoreena Martinez said.

“This was a great opportunity for my

Silverton Laundry

daughter and I to get in the spirit and do something outdoors with others from our community. The amazing weather helped. It was definitely a must-do adventure.”

Also excited to share the experience with their daughter were Danielle HeinzmanBaker and Brianna Wolterman.

“[W]e wanted to share an experience with her that brought our community together,” Wolterman said. “In times like this, when people are more isolated and have less opportunity to connect with others, it felt like an important experience...”

“I love that our community gets together and does things like this,” attendee Nicole Beaver said. “Not many places are like us.”

Which is why Desmarteau-Fast is already making plans for next year, when the witches will take to the water again.

“I think I’ve found my coven,” she said.

with

The Friday flotilla of witches on the Silverton Reservoir. COURTESY D.S. BLAIR

Something to Talk About

Parking issues Silverton businesses look to new civic center area for relief

By James Day

Silverton has held four public outreach meetings on downtown parking issues. The problem is simple: new development in the downtown area has led to parking challenges, for both business customers and their employees.

A possible fix lies just north of downtown where the city is building a new $19 million civic center on property that was once home to Eugene Field School. City departments have outgrown the current City Hall on South Water Street, and that building is seismically unsafe.

City officials already are planning employee and city vehicle parking behind the new building and visitor parking in front. A good chunk of the 2.7-acre plot has been designated for a park, although no designs have been commissioned or completed.

Attendees at a Sept. 26 public session at the City Council chambers strongly suggested using the park area of the parcel for parking and open space, perhaps splash pond areas or space that could be

Silverton Inn & Suites has 19 rooms, but just 11 parking spaces. Its guests often must park elsewhere in downtown. JAMES DAY

used for a farmer’s market.

On hand for the session were Realtors, a dentist, the owner of a dance studio, a developer and the manager of the Silverton Inn & Suites.

City Manager Ron Chandler moderated the discussion, and noted that he would

like the City Council to make a final decision on a direction by next fall, when the civic center is slated to open. That council-level discussion is scheduled to begin Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Silverton High library on Pine Street.

The addition of new businesses such as

MORRY JONES IS READY TO LEAD ON DAY 1!

DEEP ROOTS SERVING AND LEADING IN SILVERTON

For 45 years, Morry and his wife, Cindy, have been proud to call Silverton home. They have two boys born in Silverton and four grandchildren. Morry has served on the Silver Falls School Board and the City Budget Committee and currently serves on the City of Silverton Planning Commission.

PUTTING IN THE WORK AND INNOVATING BUSINESS

Morry's career began at age 24, putting on his steel-toe shoes and picking up an 8lbs sledgehammer to enter the tire business as a laborer. Over the next ten years, he worked hard to rise through the ranks to store manager. An opportunity presented itself in selling a liquid product for tires, Morry then began traveling the United States and the world. Morry introduced and sold products in more than 20 countries--working with many different nationalities, economies, and religions.

READY TO LEAD SILVERTON ON DAY ONE

Morry's campaign and leadership style for Silverton will always be centered on listening, working hard, and putting the best interests of our community first. Morry will work with our neighbors in Silverton to find out how we can do even better as a city. Just as he has done in the entirety of my career in business, Morry will roll up his sleeves and do the work to make our city better.

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Oregon Crafters Market, The Den food cart court and High Water Grill have led business leaders and other community members to raise concerns about parking in the downtown core.

In addition to the civic center parcel, Chandler noted that the council also will be looking at how to handle the four streets that surround the civic center site, which is bounded by Water on the west, A on the north, First on the east and Park on the south. Parking currently is free in that area.

Also among the considerations is what to do with the plot north of A Street, which also is city-owned and currently used as a dog park. Participants in the Sept. 26 session suggested it could be used for a park or perhaps a combo of a park and more parking.

Chandler also moderated a second outreach session Sept. 29. Earlier meetings were hosted by the Silverton Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club.

Children’s

By Melissa Wagoner

When Dr. Tim Richardson was in dental school at the University of Washington, he had a dream of becoming a traveling dentist. During the summer of 2006, he flew to Kenya with a Washington-based nonprofit to find out just how to make his dreams come true.

“I stayed in a little volunteer hut with no running water and no electricity. It was just how you picture the boonies of Africa. Just a little fishing village,” Dr. Richardson recalled. “I loved it.”

not everything met with his expectations.

“I didn’t feel like the nonprofit was dealing with people ethically or fairly on-site,” Dr. Richardson said. “And so, I made the decision – I’m not continuing with this organization.”

But, since he was already there, he did continued his research, meeting the local people and looking at their teeth. What he found shocked him.

“There were no cavities in the adult population,” Dr. Richardson said.

“But the kids had cavities and facial swellings – some life threatening.”

Only introduced to Western culture and foods five years prior, the local chiefs were also alarmed about the changes they were seeing to their children’s health.

“They asked, ‘What is this new tropical disease?’ Because this was a wellknown occurrence that was developing,” Dr. Richardson said. “And I said, diet.”

Namely sugar, a substance new to the Kenyans, which they had been told was a harmless source of energy. They were

alarmed to discover otherwise.

“I had a couple of chiefs offer to donate land to me to start a dental clinic,”

Dr. Richardson said.

But he had something else in mind.

He wanted to empower the people themselves to better their health through education. And he knew just where he wanted to start, with the schooling of a young man named Sam Ouma.

“We supported him to get a degree in community health,” Dr. Richardson said. “And we’ve also supported Sam’s two brothers.”

Contributing an estimated $1,000 each year, the Richardsons supported several young men in their goal of completing high school which, in Kenya, means attending boarding school. Then, they helped Ouma’s wife, Evaline Achieng, as well.

“Empowerment of women and helping raise them out of poverty, that speaks to me,” Dr. Richardson’s wife, Celeste, said of the relationship that has developed between the two women.

Through Evaline she learned there were many more children in the community who were in need of a helping hand.

“Evaline said… there are so many kids around here that are so intelligent and

Evaline Achieng, left, a nursing student sponsored by Acorn Kids International with Kenyan AKI student Vivian, far right, and her mother.

PHOTO

Living with Purpose

A virtual presentation by motivational speaker Ben Nemtin

Tuesdsay, Oct. 25 at 2:30 p.m. Admission free.

Donations to Acorn Kids International welcomed.

For more information visit www.acorndentistryforkids.com/ acorn-kids-international

just need a chance. Do you have any way to help sponsor kids?” Celeste recalled.

She began asking friends and family if they would be willing to help. It turned out, there were many people in her circle who wanted to contribute. That is how Acorn Kids International began.

“The purpose is to promote the health and wellbeing of kids around the world,”

Dr. Richardson said. “My goal is to raise $50,000, to have somebody work parttime and get logistics there. And we need somebody to write grants and fundraise.”

While there are currently only four students whose education is being funded by AKI, the Richardsons hope to create a perpetual education fund that will help many more children and their families as well.

Sam is currently working as a mediator, while his wife, Evaline, is still working toward her nursing degree. Their two children, Roni, 14 and Tim, 10, are also in school. The family knows first-hand the difficult the process of earning an education can be life-changing.

“We are really realizing its power,” Sam said. “And we hope and pray that this can be expanded to cover more children who need an education.”

“It’s not lack of jobs, it’s lack of skills,” he continued. “And if we get a program to train them… real change can happen.”

Why

to Salem for

Firefighters climb for cystic fibrosis cure

A group of nine Silverton firefighters participated in the annual Portland Firefighter Stairclimb Challenge on Sunday, Sept. 25, at the US Bancorp Tower.

Silverton had the largest participation among all competing agencies, said Joe Boyd, executive director of the event.

The climb began in 2009 but did not take place in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has raised more than $1.5 million to fight cystic fibrosis, a rare genetic disorder that affects mostly the lungs, but also the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and intestines. Long-term issues include difficulty breathing and coughing up mucus as a result of frequent lung infections.

The event, which included 125 participants, raised $40,000. It is a supreme challenge of firefighter fitness levels.

Participants are required to go from the basement of the Tower to the top of the building, a distance of 40 floors

and 800 steps, in full gear, with an oxygen mask and bottle.

Non-firefighters also can participate and raise money for the cause, with some taking to the stairs in weighted vests to see how their times stack up against those of the firefighters.

The top finisher was Jasper Stenstrom, 29, of Graham, Washington, who scaled the tower in 6:42.1. Christie Choma of Gresham finished 14th overall in 10:39.2 and was the top female finisher.

Top Silverton finishers included Jamie Ruks (35th, 15:02.9), Claire Varney (37th, 15:33.2), Spencer Beachy (38th, 15:57.0), Phil Sowa (40th, 16:38.0) and Deasal Conner (51st, 23:07.7). Conner finished first among women 60 and over, Sowa was second among men 60 and over and Varney was third in the female no-age-given category. Silverton firefighters have participated in the challenge since its first year, Boyd said.

– James Day

Silverton nurse gifts grant to Bridgeway

By Melissa Wagoner

When Silverton-based nurse Holly Perez received a call from the Maps Community Foundation informing her she had just been chosen a Community Award recipient for 2022, she was caught off guard.

“My daughter Sofia nominated me,” Perez said. “I was not aware of this; therefore, it was quite a surprise.”

It was a good one. As a winner, she was able to designate a non-profit to receive a $1,000 grant. Perez selected Bridgeway Recovery, a drug, alcohol, mental health and mild medical treatment facility in Salem. She’s well aware of Bridegway’s work, having been a LPN with the Medically Managed Withdrawal Detox Program for the past four years.

“I chose Bridgeway… because not only do I truly love working for this company, but the people who come to Bridgeway for help are inherently good people who are at a time in their lives where they are struggling,” Perez said.

“It takes great bravery to ask for help and being able to provide that assistance through medically managed detox is my way of giving back to my community.”

Perez was recognized by Maps as a community member “going above and beyond to ‘Make a Difference’,” in a press release Sept. 14. She said she was humbled and honored by the award and the nomination letter her daughter submitted.

“My mom has been a nurse for 12 plus years and consistently goes out of her way to help the community in any way she can,” Sofia wrote. “She has assisted with homeless shelters around Silverton/Marion County, used her spare time to help neighbors with projects and necessities, and even took in a family of four one Christmas, who was in the process of finding their own place.”

“It just feels good knowing how much my children see me,” Perez said. “How much they see what I do and the impact for good it has on them. My hope is they will continue doing the same.”

Dawn

Dawn,” a dear best friend, died suddenly at the age of 64, due to unknown natural causes. A great teacher, her compassion for conservation was ardent. She was an avid volunteer, and she worked diligently to make earth a better place. “Volunteering is finding out where our heart belongs” was one of her favorite sayings.

was born to Air Force veterans Dorothy J. (Atwood) and Benjamin T. Williams on June 21, 1958. She was the only girl between her brothers James and Matthew. Growing up she reached for relief through books and this refuge continued through her life, as did her love of horses.

After graduating from Laconia High School, New Hampshire in 1977 she joined the U.S. Navy. She was an Ocean Systems Technician, and trained in leadership and management, going on to be an instructor. She received awards and commendations. While stationed in Bermuda, she volunteered as a tour guide, but her favorite duty station was Eleuthera, the Bahamas.

She met Barry Lee Olson while in the Navy and they married on June 30, 1982. After retirement they moved to his hometown of Silverton, Oregon. She

enrolled in college and graduated from Oregon State University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology (Cell Biology).

She began work at OHSU and eventually returned to her alma mater to work in Skeletal Cell Biology focusing on Osteoporosis research. She collected and processed data which led to co-authoring at least 15 publications. A favorite part of her job was education of the next generation of scientists and physicians, supervising and training them in laboratory techniques for research projects.

In 1995 Dawn joined the Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA) and as the league’s Silverton chapter president, she worked tirelessly to mobilize the local chapter on pressing conservation challenges across the state.

From national director, to serving on the executive board, she will be remembered most for her selfless leadership and commitment to achieving the mission.

She is survived by her brother Matthew Williams.

Military Honors ceremony and circle of close friends gathering was held Oct. 8 to celebrate her life.

In

Ernest Carl Kimlinger was born on May 6, 1936, in Silverton, Oregon to Norbert and Veronica Terhaar Kimlinger. Except for his service in the U.S. Navy, Ernest lived most of his life in the Mount Angel and Woodburn areas where he raised a variety of berries. Ernest was loved by many and will be missed greatly.

He is survived by his brothers Raymond of Santa Maria, California, and Bernard

of Molalla, Oregon as well as sisters Dorothy Forde of Dublin, Ireland; Wilma Lee of Silverton; Mary Beth Schindler of Mount Angel; and Irene McNeely of North Bend, Washington; and many nieces and nephews.

A Rosary and Funeral Mass was held on Oct. 4 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Mount Angel where he was a member.

High

By Melissa Wagoner

The Silverton Friends of Music’s Children’s Choir

back after a two-year hiatus

to the COVID

“We felt it was finally time,” board president Sarah Weitzman said. “And we wanted to roll it out at the beginning of the school year.”

Opening for enrollment in early September, tryouts for the three choirs – beginners, intermediate and advanced –were held on Sept. 29.

“Last time it was just [arranged by] ages. But this time it’s different with the skill grouping,” Weitzman added. It’s largely the only change SFOM made because the initial choir’s design – started in 2018 – was such a success.

“We had a really, really good turnout and we were really growing strong,” Weitzman said of those first years when the choir averaged 50 participants. “We were excited to continue growing the program.”

And while, so far, attendance has been down – there were 32 students enrolled when Our Town and Weitzman met – Weitzman is confident that enrollment will increase for the spring term.

“Our experience is that spring semester – January to

May – tended to be better,” Weitzman confirmed. “Right now there’s basketball and volleyball and soccer we’re competing with. And January to May is longer, too. It’s more beneficial. And that’s nice for them to get the more in-depth rehearsal.”

In the meantime, Weitzman and choir director Julia Fabrizio are just happy to offer choral instruction once more. They are still welcoming new students, grades first through eighth, to give it a try.

“We have a variety of schools involved,” Weitzman

Silverton Friends of Music Children’s Choir

Open to students in grades 1-8

Terms run September – December and January – May

Tuition is $100 per semester, scholarships available

Rehearsals Thursday evenings at the Trinity Lutheran Church, 500 N. Second S., Silverton.

For information visit: www.silvertonfriendsofmusic.org

said, explaining that the choir is not affiliated with any one school. Instead it open to any student interested in learning to sing. “Last session we even had some home school and private kids.”

Meeting each Thursday at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Silverton, tuition is $100 per semester with scholarships available so that money will not be a barrier to enrollment. Rehearsal times vary depending on which choir a student joins but the upcoming performance dates will be the same.

“We hope to do one for First Friday in December – at the Tree Lighting,” Weitzman said, adding they are planning another holiday concert in December as well.

Choir Director Julia Fabrizio getting to know members of the Silverton Friends of Music’s beginner choir. MELISSA WAGONER

Coaching lifer Don von Weller marks 50 years in football

Fifty years. That’s a long time to be out on torn up fields trying to teach kids about football. But that’s what Don von Weller (Silverton High Class of 1969) has been doing since 1973 when he was asked to coach fifth-graders.

And von Weller, 71, a graduate of Western Oregon University (then-Oregon College of Education) who earned his master’s at Lewis & Clark College, has never left the sidelines. Whether it’s youth teams, middle school or his current post with the Silverton High freshman squad, he just keeps on coaching.

In fact, his coaching life has surpassed his professional life in longevity – he retired from the classroom in 2014 after 40 years of teaching history and geography. But he keeps on coaching.

He still remembers his first trip to a Silverton High game. The Foxes were playing Amity. Von Weller, who grew up on a farm in the Evergreen area, was six years old.

“The atmosphere was incredible,” he told Our Town. “To a six-year-old it seemed like the whole town was there. The athletes were incredible. I knew

immediately that I wanted to be part of that.”

Von Weller describes himself as a belowaverage athlete and “the skinniest kid on the freshman team.”

But he kept working, and by the time he reached his senior year he was a starting defensive back. Along the way he earned a series of lessons that have helped guide him through his coaching career.

“I learned that if you keep going and keep your head up and keep fighting and keep battling, good things will happen to you. And the coach will find a place for you,” he said.

Von Weller said that his WOU and Lewis & Clark education just “got me started. The real learning came from being a regular every year at UofO and Nike coaching clinics. I always saw more knowledgeable coaches around me and knew I wanted to be a lifelong learner. I can always get better.”

Von Weller took a class on football safety in August and noted with pride that efforts Silverton has made in the past few years to change the way the players tackle has helped

reduce head injuries.

John Mannion, who coached the Foxes for seven years from 2010-16, called von Weller

a “huge asset to the program. He had a calm, reassuring demeanor and was great for the players, especially the younger ones.”

Mannion noted that the freshman teams “always played well on the field but more importantly the players always came back to play in future years for the Foxes.”

That’s the key, you see. If a person has a good experience playing a sport or participating in an activity such as band or theater, they’ll continue to participate. And your program will have continuity … as well as a greater likelihood of success.

One of Mannion’s traditions at Silverton, which continues even though he has moved on to Mountainside in Beaverton, was to watch video and lift weights at 8:30 on the Saturday mornings after the games. Mannion calls it one of the favorite pieces in the life of a coach.

“Don was always there with me, either congratulating the players after a win or cheering them up after a loss,” Mannion said.

“Our players do have fun,” said von Weller. “High school athletics is such a great thing to be a part of.”

I often gravitate toward von Weller at summer practices or before games because he’ll always have a player to talk up and

promote, usually someone who was a freshman for him a year or two ago who was making his presence felt on the varsity.

A few years ago the Foxes were hosting West Albany in the Class 5A quarterfinals. I noticed a player in the defensive backfield that I hadn’t seen before. I sought out von Weller.

“Oh, yeah,” he said, “he’s a freshman. They just brought him up for the playoffs.”

That was my introduction to Jordan McCarty, who eventually quarterbacked the Foxes to the 2022 Class 5A championship as well as leading the basketball squad to a runner-up finish.

“There is such a tradition here,” von Weller said. “Our freshmen come in with high expectations.”

And von Weller, who has coached three generations of athletes from multiple families, continues to try to help them fulfill those dreams.

“Football teaches you about adversity, which comes to everyone in life,” he said. “And the best thing of all is seeing young guys have success.”

Von Weller has no timeline for retiring from coaching. Every year there are new skinny freshmen ready to become part of the tradition. And every year there are seniors finishing the journey, athletes that von Weller has worked with and watched throughout their high school careers.

Don von Weller JAMES DAY

Last winter my middle daughter turned 11 and friends and family took turns congratulating her, making comments about how much she’s growing up and what a lovely human she’s become.

Then, one week later, my oldest daughter turned 13 and things got a little weird. There were still a lot of wellwishes and congratulations but there were also a lot of folks who wished me luck because, according to them, I am going to need it.

I have to say, it caught me by surprise. Sure, I’ve heard all of the stereotypes about how teenagers can act. And yes, I know some of them are true – after all, I was one myself. But I also know that the mopey, eye rolling, back talking, cell phone loving depiction so often portrayed in movies isn’t the whole story.

Nor did my lovely 12-year-old daughter go through any kind of wild overnight metamorphosis on the eve of her 13th birthday – I checked, and she’s still the same girl. So, what gives?

Well, I’ve been giving it a lot of thought over the last six months, and I’ve come up with a theory – the fear of the dreaded T’s.

First it was the terrible twos.

“I hope you’re ready for two!” everyone around me seemed to say.

So, I steeled myself, waiting for the little monster to emerge. Then…nothing.

Sure, she had her moments – doesn’t every toddler? But we worked our way through them just as we would work our way through the trials of every age.

What good then did all those doomsday predictions do me – or us (as my daughter was more often than not in the room)? Was the repetition of negative stereotypes helpful? I’m not sure.

Now, apparently, I’m back there again. Facing the

dreaded T’s.

This time I’d like to think I’m a much more seasoned parent. Enough that I’m inclined to ignore the negative hype and in favor of looking forward to the many positives the next seven years might bring.

And no, I’m not naive. I know within a stereotype there is often a nugget of truth and that there is every possibility a whole plethora of annoying “teen behaviors”. I just don’t want those to be my focus.

So, I’m blocking my ears – or trying to – and tuning out what I’ve come to see as a tired rhetoric. Instead, I’m filling my mind with the sage advice of my friend, Ted Hays, who said it is the job of every parent – and the community as well – to see the good in all children and to recognize those innate gifts that have been inside them since birth. And then, to nurture them. If we don’t, we are not only letting them down but letting ourselves down as well. I like that. It’s simple.

As I set out on my journey as the mom of a teen, I hope to keep those priorities in mind. Not to inhibit and cut my daughter down by expecting the worst, but to build her confidence and help her grow her into her best self at every age.

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