Living on the Peninsula - Winter 2010

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2010 1

WINTER 2010

Supplement to the Sequim Gazette and Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader

Saluting Those Who ServeComing Back:Young veterans return to the peninsula

The Force of a Great IdeaThe military and the Red Cross:

Solferino to stand-downs

Military FormationPort Angeles High School Naval Junior ROTC

America’s Maritime GuardianCoast Guard protects nation’s heartland, ports & seas around the globe

‘Sounds good to me’From Iowa to Antarctica, as an offi cer and a lady

Volunteers Stand Up For Veterans

CCY

TTT

S

MMP

AAC

‘F

VV

Pg.10

Pg.15

Pg.19

Pg.28

Pg.40

Pg. 44

2 LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2010

(360) 681-2727141 TIMBERLINE • SEQUIM, WA141 TIMBERLINE • SEQUIM, WA

♦ ♦ North Peninsula’s #1 builder of sunrooms, North Peninsula’s #1 builder of sunrooms, solariums and garden rooms.solariums and garden rooms.

♦♦ Sun control specialists of windows, awnings and solar Sun control specialists of windows, awnings and solar screens - motorized and manual.screens - motorized and manual.

♦♦ Patio design experts; glass, wood or aluminum patio Patio design experts; glass, wood or aluminum patio covers, glass railings and wind walls.covers, glass railings and wind walls.

LICENSED • BONDED • INSUREDLICENSED • BONDED • INSUREDContractor Lic.#AAWNII*991DAContractor Lic.#AAWNII*991DA

www.asodinc.comwww.asodinc.com

Left to right: Cindy Birdsall, Melissa Tilley, Ashley Angevine, Dr. Sharon Jensen, Dr. Meg Gordon, Dr. Nicole Burton,

Katie Mulholland and Molly Dickson.

Blue Mountain Animal Clinic, owned and operated by Dr. Sharon Jensen,

is dedicated to providing the highest quality Veterinary Medical Care in a

friendly and relaxed setting.

Blue Mountain Animal Clinic consistently off ers thorough preventative, diagnostic,

medical, surgical and dental care in a comfortable client-centered manner.

At Blue Mountain Animal clinic we strive to off er not only sound medical advice

when your pet isn’t feeling well, but also to help you prevent illness to keep your

friend happy and healthy for a long lifetime together.

2972 Old Olympic Hwy • Port Angeles, WA 98362

(360)457-3842Dr. Sharon Jensen • Dr. Meg Gordon • Dr. Nicole Burtonwww.bluemountainvet.com • Molly Dickson, Offi ce Manager

OUR CLINIC OFFERS:Surgery Suite with Full Patient

Monitoring Capabilities includingBlood Pressure, Temperature, ECG, Oxygen

Saturation and Exhaled Carbon DioxideIntraocular Pressure Monitoring (Glaucoma)

Comprehensive PharmacyRadiology Services

HospitalizationOn Call Doctor Available 24/7/365

DENTISTRY:Ultrasonic Dental Scaling providesexcellent care for your pet’s teeth.

Exodontics available on site andendodontic care by referral.


(360) 565-3249 or (800) 542-7859 x249

www.clallampud.net

Top 10 Reasons To Conserve Energy10. It’s easy – especially as a customer of

Clallam County PUD.

9. Conservation is not only the least expensive resource available; it is also the most fl exible.

8. Conservation is considered a source of new energy, replacing the need for new generation.

7. Energy conservation reduces environmental costs (including air pollution, for example).

6. Energy conservation reduces social costs (including foreign energy dependence, for example).

5. Energy conservation extends the lifetime of equipment and reduces the maintenance cost by operating less hours and at less than maximum capacity.

4. e cost of energy is increasing and future costs will continue to rise.

3. e PUD is required to signifi cantly increase its conservation eff orts (beginning in 2012).

2. YOU WILL SAVE MONEY, and who couldn’t use a little extra in the bank!

1. Future generations will notice – whether you do or do not conserve.

Clallam County PUD off ers several conservation programs you can take advantage of. For additional information about conservation, including valuable energy conservation tips, visit our web site today!

www.clallampud.netWhat is Conservation?

Conservation is the wise and sustainable management and use of resources. ose resources could be electricity from the PUD, water from the PUD, or a wide variety of other valuable resources.

Clallam County PUD is required to meet new conservation targets beginning in 2012. In the past we have met the targets through our current conservation programs and our CFL distribution program. As of 2012, the CFL distribution

program will no longer count toward meeting the new conservation goals. ere’s little doubt that energy conservation is an important resource for future energy needs, but it’s also the right thing to do.

e PUD looks forward to partnering with you to conserve energy today, tomorrow, and in the future.


SPOTLIGHT

8 Winter Recreation A day at the ridge

9 Arts & Entertainment “The Final Forest — Big Trees, Forks, and the Pacifi c Northwest”

12 Good Gardening Dried hydrangeas as an art form

18 Food & Spirits A taste of Sequim’s Sunshine

DEPARTMENTS

10 Coming Back: Young veterans return to the peninsula

15 The Force of a Great Idea The military and the Red Cross: Solferino to stand-downs

19 Military Formation Port Angeles High School Naval Junior ROTC

25 Big Money, Big Trouble Iraqi service changed his life

28 America’s Maritime Guardian Coast Guard protects nation’s heartland, ports & seas around the globe

23 Heart & Soul Drawing from a dry well

50 Events Calendar

52 The Living End Differentiate between the warrior and the war

54 Now & Then Photographic journal

On the cover: A motor lifeboat from the Coast Guard’s Station Quillayute River at LaPush powers through rough 15-foot seas offshore of the mouth of the Quillayu te River in February 2010. Lifeboat crews aboard two of the vessels laid wreaths in the Pacifi c Ocean as a memorial to three Coast Guardsmen who lost their lives in February 1997, responding to a distress call from a dismasted sailboat in heavy sea conditions on the windward side of nearby James Island. Photo by Chris Cook - Forks Forum

12 198

28

32 Blue Collar Artwork Profi le of metal sculptor Ray Hammar

38 Veterans Are Unique

40 ‘Sounds good to me’ From Iowa to Antarctica, as an offi cer and a lady

42 Sarge’s Place

44 Volunteers Stand Up For Veterans

46 From a Grateful Nation

48 Quilcene VFW

32


Contributors

Patricia Morrison Coate is the award-winning editor of Living on the Peninsula magazine. She has been a journalist since 1989 and earned degrees in Spanish from Eastern Michigan Uni-versity and Indiana University. Coate joined the Sequim Gazette in 2004 as its special sections editor and can be reached at [email protected].

Chris Cook is the editor and pub-lisher of the Forks Forum and a resident of Forks. He is the author of “Th e Kauai Movie Book” and other regional bestsell-ers in Hawaii. His book “Twilight Terri-tory: A Fan’s Guide to Forks and LaPush” was published in May 2009. Cook is a graduate of the University of Hawaii.

Karen Frank received her mas-ter’s degree in transforming spirituality from Seattle University. She is a writer and spiritual director in Port Townsend. Reach her at [email protected] or www.yourlifeassacredstory.org.

Design:Melanie Reed is the award-winning lead designer for Living on the Peninsula. She has been a graphic designer for the Sequim Gazette since May 2004. She earned a bachelor’s degree in drawing from Western Washington University and also enjoys painting. Reed can be reached at mreed@sequim gazette.com.

Lorri Gilchrist graduated from Sequim High School and spent 20 years as an offi cer in the Navy. She is vice commander of the Sequim American Legion Post and president of the Olympic Peninsula chapter of MOAA. She helps with the Port Angeles Stand-down and at the Washington State Veterans’ Home in Retsil.

Beverly Hoffman writes a gardening column for the Sequim Ga-zette that appears once a month. She is an enthusiastic longtime gardener. She can be reached via e-mail at columnists@sequim gazette.com.

Elizabeth Kelly has lived on the Olympic Peninsula nearly a dozen years. She has worked for three news-papers as reporter and freelance writer. She also wrote as a technical writer. She has traveled to all seven continents and continues to be curious about the world around her.

Jerry Kraft is a playwright, poet and theater critic. He reviews Seattle theater productions for SeattleActor.com and the national theater website AisleSay.com. In addition to his writing and photography, he teaches memoir writing at the YMCA in Port Angeles where he lives with his wife, Bridgett Bell Kraft , and their daugh-ters McKenna and Luxie.

Viviann Kuehl has been a land-owner and resident of Quilcene since 1982, although her family ties go back to homesteading in Jeff erson County in 1905. She has written about the Quilcene community and Jeff erson County over the past 20 years.

Barb Maynes has worked in nine national parks, from Everglades in South Florida to the Kobuk Valley in northwest Alaska. She has served as the public information offi cer at Olympic National Park since 1994.

P.O. Box 1750, Sequim, WA 98382 360-683-3311

Patricia Morrison Coate: [email protected]

226 Adams St., Port Townsend, WA 98368 360-385-2900

Fred Obee: [email protected]

Vol. 6, Number 4Living on the Peninsula is a quarterly publication.

© 2010 Sequim Gazette© 2010 Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader

Contact us:

6

Mike McEvoy joined the U.S. Navy in 1964 and spent four years direct-ing aircraft on the fl ight deck, doing two tours in the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam. He’s been a veterans employment rep-resentative for 11 years in Port Angeles through WorkSource’s Disabled Veteran Outreach Program.

Kelly McKillip has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Marylhurst Col-lege in Oregon, and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Hayward State University in California. She works as a nurse at Olympic Medical Center and volunteers at Th e Dungeness Valley Health and Wellness Clinic.

Ashley Miller is a former Sequim Gazette reporter and now is a freelance writer with a journalism degree from Washington State University. She’s a stay-at-home mother of two energetic young boys, ages 1 and 3. Contact her at [email protected].

An editor’s personal note:Th is edition of Living on the Peninsula is the last to be designed by the Sequim Gazette’s talented graphic artist Melanie Reed. She and I have worked as a team, since the initial issue in March 2005 and with great fun and pride have produced 24 LOPs, some of them award-winners. I have greatly appreciated her creativity, her grace, her calmness during deadline crunches and seeing her grow personally and professionally. Melanie has made us all look great, from the cover to the back page. We will miss her and wish her family the best. Sincerely, Patricia Morrision Coate, Special Sections Editor


Winter RECREATION

O lympic National Park’s Hurricane Ridge winter schedule has been announced for the 2010-2011 season.

“Contributions from communities, organizations and individuals across the North Olympic Peninsula provided the additional funding necessary to hire the eight new staff needed to keep the Hurricane Ridge Road open seven days a week this winter,” said Karen Gustin, Olympic National Park superintendent.

Details about the range of winter activities and services provided on Hurricane Ridge are outlined below.

Hurricane Ridge RoadWeather permitting, Hurricane Ridge Road will be open

daily from 9 a.m. to dusk through the winter season.All vehicles, including four-wheel drive vehicles, are

required to carry tire chains when traveling above the Heart O’ the Hills entrance station in winter.

“Having a set of chains in every vehicle provides an extra measure of safety when sudden storms arrive or road conditions worsen during the day,” said Gustin. “In fact, this practice gives us more fl exibility in keeping the road open when conditions are marginal.”

Winter storms can close Hurricane Ridge Road; high winds and blizzard conditions are not uncommon. “Hur-ricane Ridge is well-named and despite our best eff orts to keep the road cleared and open, severe weather can force a road closure or delayed opening,” explained Gustin. “Our No. 1 priority is safety for our staff and visitors.”

Road and weather condition updates are posted on the Olympic National Park website (www.nps.gov/olym) or by calling the park’s Road and Weather Hotline at 360-565-3131. People also can follow “HRWinterAccess” on Twitter to receive road condition updates.

Hurricane Ridge Road also may close temporarily if the parking lot becomes full. To make best use of the available parking spaces, park staff urges Hurricane Ridge visitors to carpool or use the new Hurricane Ridge shuttle whenever possible and pay extra attention to making the best use of parking spaces.

“Ride-sharing and carpooling will conserve the limited parking spaces at Hurricane Ridge and we ask our visitors to help in this eff ort,” said Gustin.

Entrance fees are collected at the Heart O’ the Hills entrance station whenever the road is open. Olympic’s seven-day entrance pass, which allows a private vehicle to

enter any of the park’s roadways, costs $15. Th e Olympic National Park Annual Pass, good for one year aft er the purchase date, costs $30.

Hurricane Ridge shuttle vanAll Points Charters and Tours will provide twice-daily

van service from downtown Port Angeles to Hurricane Ridge Wednesday-Sunday.

Shuttle vans will depart from the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center on Railroad Av-enue at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and will pick up passengers at the Vern Burton Center at 9:05 a.m. and 1:05 p.m. before the 45-minute drive to Hurricane Ridge. Vans will depart Hurricane Ridge at approximately 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Scheduling details will remain fl exible during the start-up period for this new service.

Advance reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling All Points Charters and Tours at 360-565-1139 or 360-460-7131. Round-trip tickets will cost $10 per person; rates for special circumstances are

under development and will be made available soon. In addition, park entrance fees ($5 per person for anyone 16 years and older) will be required at the park entrance station. Park and national public lands entrance passes will be honored.

Hurricane Ridge Visitor CenterTh e information desk will be staff ed daily from 10

a.m.-4 p.m., except when rangers are outdoors leading snowshoe walks or assisting visitors.

Snack bar and ski shopTh e Hurricane Ridge snack bar and ski shop, with both

ski and snowshoe rentals, will be open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday through March 27; along with Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, Jan. 17) and Presidents Day (Monday, Feb. 21) and during the holiday period from Sunday, Dec. 26, through Sunday, Jan. 2.

Ranger-led snowshoe walksRanger-led snowshoe walks for individuals and fami-

lies will be off ered at 2 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Monday holidays through March 27. Th e walks last 90 minutes and are less than one mile in length. Space on walks is limited, so people should register at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center information desk 30 minutes before the scheduled walk.

A suggested $5 donation from each snowshoe walk participant helps the park provide snowshoe walks and repair and replace snowshoes.

Organized groups such as youth or school groups must make advance reservations for snowshoe walks. Group snowshoe walks are provided Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Monday holidays at 10:30 a.m. for groups holding reservations. Space is limited, so group leaders should call Olympic National Park at 360-565-3136 for reservations and more information.

Downhill ski and snowboard areaWeather permitting, the downhill ski and snowboard

area will operate from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through March 27. Th e ski tows also will be open Friday, Dec. 31; Monday, Jan. 17 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day); and Monday, Feb. 21 (Presidents Day). More information about the Hurricane Ridge downhill ski and snowboard area is available at www.hurricaneridge.com.

by Barb Maynes, Olympic National Park information offi cer

A Day at the Ridge

Sequim photographer Chris Menges spent a day at Hurricane Ridge in 2009, catching some spectacular views. Here are some samples. See the full set online at www.fl ickr.com/photos/stendex/sets.


&ARTS Entertainment

By Chris Cook

Some 20 years ago, Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Dietrich traveled to Forks to do interviews

and to learn on the ground the story behind the spotted owl logging versus environmentalist battle then raging on the West End.

Upon the publication in 1992 of the book he wrote, “Th e Final Forest — Big Trees, Forks, and the Pacifi c Northwest,” Dietrich received what to a journalist is a backhanded compliment when both sides argued he went too far in support-ing the opposition.

Time has brought “Th e Final Forest” acclaim as a realistic portrayal of a critical era for the West End commu-nities.

In the introduc-tion to an updated edition of “The Fi-nal Forest,” published in November by the University of Washington Press, the author writes: “As time went on, however, the book’s bal-ance that some initially judged as a li-ability began to be seen as an asset. ‘Th e Final Forest’ has captured a particular moment in time, a historically important debate. I began to hear nice things from both loggers and tree-huggers.”

Global interest in Forks and the West End due to the setting of the “Twilight” books and films in the region also

sparked a reissue of the book.In a letter to contributors to the new

version, Dietrich writes:“Th e original text is almost exactly

the same; but an update was overdue thanks to the many changes in the timber industry and the ‘Twilight’ phenomena. Th e book was originally published as a hardback by Simon & Schuster, then pa-perback by Penguin, and fi nally went out of print aft er about 15 years. I was asked by teachers to update it for classroom use, and I’m hoping it still has some life as a classroom text. We’ll see.”

Dietrich also comments on the changes that have come to Forks

and the West End due to the deep cut in logging

jobs and acreage due to the spotted owl controversy.

“Forks has be-come a commu-nity that bridges two Americas. Th e

Forks of 1990 is as ‘Gone With the Wind’

as the antebellum South, replaced by a 21st-century

Forks that is representative of a retail and information workforce in a nation obsessed with entertainment and escape. Just 16 percent of the male workforce was still working in the woods in 2009. Th e last great trees have been saved by the environmental old-growth campaign, but at the cost of a resource-based culture that was hard, dangerous and communal.”

‘The Final Forest — Big Trees, Forks, and the Pacifi c Northwest’

By William Dietrich, with a new epilogue by the authorSeattle: University of Washington PressPublished November 2010.$19.95 trade paperback320 pages, 2 maps

Cross-country skiing and snowshoeingOpportunities for cross-country skiers and snowshoe

walkers range from open, level meadows near the visitor center to extreme terrain in the park’s wilderness backcountry. Anyone skiing or snowshoeing beyond the immediate Hurricane Ridge area should sign-in at the registration box in the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center and be prepared for steep terrain and the possibility of avalanches.

“Although it’s close to town, Hurricane Ridge is subject to extreme winter conditions, including sudden storms, whiteouts and avalanches — planning and preparation for winter conditions are vitally important,” said Gustin.

Information about ski and snowshoe routes and trails is available at park visitor centers, the Olympic National Park website or the park’s visitor newspaper, Th e Bugler.

Overnight wilderness campingOvernight wilderness camping is permitted in the Hurricane Ridge

area with advance registration. Winter camps must be at least one-half mile from the Hurricane Ridge parking area. Overnight parking is not permitted at Hurricane Ridge; parking and shuttle options are explained at the time of registration. More information is available by calling the park’s Wilderness Information Center at 360-565-3100 or the Olympic National Park Visitor Center at 360-565-3130.

Avalanche informationUp-to-date information about weather and ava-

lanche risk is available from the Northwest Avalanche Center on the Internet at www.nwac.us/ or by calling 206-526-6677. Anyone planning to venture beyond the maintained downhill ski area or the immediate Hurricane Ridge area always should check with the Northwest Ava-lanche Center or a ranger for current conditions.

Hurricane Ridge webcam and weather station

Hurricane Ridge weather conditions are available on the park’s website at www.nps.gov/olym and clicking fi rst on “Photos & Multimedia” and then on “Webcams.” Th e webcam

image is updated every 15 minutes (although severe weather can cause webcam outages); weather station information is provided hourly.

Tubing and slidingTubing and sliding are permitted only for children 8 years of age and

younger at the small children’s snowplay area just west of the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center.

If conditions become too dangerous for sliding, the small children’s snowplay area will be closed. Visitors should check at a park visitor center for current information.

Olympic National Park Visitor CenterTh e Olympic National Park Visitor Center, at the base of Hurricane

Ridge Road, is open daily throughout the winter from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. More information about visiting Hurricane Ridge and other areas of Olympic National Park is available at www.nps.gov/olym.

By Chris Cook

‘TBt

B

‘The Final

Forest’ has captured

a particular moment

in time, a historically

important debate.

– William Dietrich


Story and photos by Jerry Kraft

For young military personnel serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, or anywhere in the world, the day of their impend-

ing discharge oft en seems like the ultimate destination. Everything aft er that day, their future lives as veterans, is oft en barely formed and not particularly well-planned. Th e sometimes diffi cult transition from military to civilian life, recovery from wounds both physical and psychological, decisions on employment and living situations as well as restoring relationships with family and friends, all are components of life aft er the military. It’s all part of the work that has to take place aft er service to the country, aft er that day they come home.

For Kris Nichols, an Iraq War veteran in Port Angeles, that day is unforgettable.

“I came home on Christmas Eve 2007. I was so excited. It meant not missing another Christmas, another holiday with my family. It was also a little terrifying because you’re transitioning from being thousands and thousands of miles away in a really foreign place to this whole diff erent life.”

He also found that his experience in Iraq left him with a diff erent awareness of the most ordinary things.

“I think the most unexpected diff erence aft er coming home was driving. When you’re over there, you’re always conscious of IEDs, not letting other cars get close to you, driving in the middle of the road, never on the side. It was hard to readjust to staying in my lane and I was constantly aware of looking in the mirror, making sure cars weren’t coming up too close behind me. When I had my little daughter in the car, I was especially careful.”

Nichols grew up in a small town in Texas, close to Fort Worth. “I’m a country boy,” he says, “Hazel was the kind of town where everybody knows everybody. I met my wife, Jessica, in Texas but she’s from up here so when I got out we thought it would be a good idea to move up here.”

Aft er boot camp, Nichols was sent to Advanced Indi-vidual Training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas to train as an aircraft mechanic, specializing in hydraulic and pneumatic systems on helicopters. Aft er 12 weeks of school, he was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, for the next four years. Th en he was sent to Iraq, where he served for 15 months.

“I fi rst arrived in Iraq at midnight and it was still really hot. When I got my orders for Iraq, I was ex-

cited and a little apprehensive. I wasn’t scared because I knew where I was

going when I signed up, but when you’re standing there looking at orders that have your name be-side the name Iraq, it was some-thing diff erent. We actually fi rst fl ew into Kuwait, then loaded our bags onto pallets and got on

Chinooks and Blackhawks

for Iraq. It felt weird. I defi nitely knew I wasn’t home.”Now that Nichols is home again he’s trying to fi nd a job

where he can use his mechanical skills and he’s also try-ing to negotiate his veteran’s benefi ts. “I have a 70-percent disability from PTSD, a Level II Traumatic Brain Injury, shoulder and wrist issues, some hearing loss and a back injury.”

Like many veterans, he is trying to manage his VA benefi ts and also move his family into a new life. For all that, he does not regret his military experience.

“I would say the best part of my military experience was just the opportunity to go to war for my country. It’s a good feeling to be able to say you went to war for your country. It’s amazing. It has made me more aware of life and all that surrounds me.”

Justin Olbu is another young man who went to war for his country. Growing up on Camano Island, Olbu went into the Marine Corps right aft er high school. Following boot camp in San Diego, he was stationed in Spain as part of a Quick React Force for the Mediterranean, then to Camp Lejeune, N.C., for three years with an infantry unit and then to Iraq and Afghanistan. He returned from Af-ghanistan last October aft er two years in the Middle East. Stationed in the Helman River Valley, he saw fi rst-hand combat on a nearly daily basis.

“A usual day was quite complex,” he says. “Usually it would be 100 to 110 degrees and in the wet areas even hotter, sometimes up to 120 degrees or so. Oft en we would be going through the fi elds or swamps. You don’t take the beaten path, so we’d oft en be going through ditches and such. Th ere’s no sewage system in that area, so anything that hits the ground ends up in the ditches. You constantly have to be aware of malaria and we take medications for that.”

Coming Back: Young veterans return to the peninsula

Above: This plaque in the home of Kris and Jessica Nichols exemplifi es what most

veterans see as the primary goal of their post-military life. Many local services,

agencies and schools are trying to ease the transition to civilian life.

Jessica Nichols is from the Olympic Peninsula, so when her husband, Kris, returned from Iraq, they wanted to make their home in Port Angeles. Since his discharge he has been busily engaged in coordinating his benefi ts and medical treatment and fi nding a civilian job. Kris is very proud of his military service.


Olympic Peninsula's Award Winning Builder

ESTESBL981DL

360.683.8756 800.630.4399www.estesbuilders.com

“Outstanding quality job, 100% on budget.” - W.M.

“You have an outstanding team of professionals that are fun to work with from design to delivery.” - R.B.

Distinctive custom homes for less than you may think.

Cost or Site Questions? Call Today!

In addition to the diffi cult terrain, there also is the enemy. “Th ere wasn’t a week that went by when we didn’t have some sort of contact on our patrols,” Olbu said. “It’s guerrilla warfare so if you get hit, there’s oft en 400 meters of open territory between you and whoever you’re engaging. Usually a fi refi ght would only last fi ve or 10 minutes, but sometimes they would go on for some time. Once the fi re breaks off , you could try to track the enemy, call for fi re or have them bring in the helicopters or drones to help search.” Olbu is 24 years old.

Olbu also has a list of disabilities from his ser-vice and he continues to work with the Veterans Administration for his treatment and benefi ts. When Olbu was discharged, he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

“I knew that if the Marine Corps wouldn’t meet the terms of my re-enlistment that I wanted to spend a little time with my family and then go to college. I’m enrolled at Peninsula College studying engineering. I’ve found a lot of support from the college. I think this has to be one of the best schools for veterans to go to in terms of getting the direction and support to get your education aft er your military service.”

Jerimiah Meyer, himself an eight-year Navy veteran, is a critical part of that support. In his position as veterans navigator he is involved in helping new veterans get their benefi ts and understand what their options are in civil-ian life. He is a part of VET Corps (Veterans Engaged

for Tomorrow), a program passed by Congress in 2009 specifi cally to help veterans reintegrate into society aft er military service.

“I work with Peninsula College, with WorkSource, with the county and with various other agencies, as well as with the VA to help these men and women to move forward. I think for a lot of veterans it’s more diffi cult to just decide what they want to do than it is to fi nd an actual job.”

He does acknowledge that it is a tough job market and that makes education an attractive option. “Peninsula College off ers a 50-percent tuition waiver for honorably discharged veterans, which the various GI Bills easily

cover. Many are also entitled to a living stipend and a book stipend. We can also help them translate their military job training into a civilian context. Oft en it’s just a diff erence in terminology. Th ere are a lot of people on the peninsula trying to help vets get into good jobs and good situations.”

One of those people is Trish Plute, the veterans coordinator for Peninsula College. She is charged with ensuring that veterans are enrolling in the classes they need and that they’re getting their ben-

efi ts. She has seen the number of veterans enrolled double in the past two years.

With more and more young people returning from the military to a tough economy, the needs of veterans and their families are the responsibility of all of us, all the fellow Americans whom they have served. Th ese young people have performed their duty to their country, oft en at great personal cost, and we have a moral responsibility to do all that we can to repay them and ensure that their civilian lives aft er military service are healthy, productive and happy.

Jerimiah Meyer is a Navy veteran who is engaged with VET Corps, a government initiative to help returning service members in their transition to civilian life, higher education and new jobs. Peninsula College has been a leader in offering and helping veterans to further their educations by coordinating their veterans’ benefi ts and academic programs.


GOOD Gardening

Dried Hydrangeas as an Art Form

Story by

Beverly Hoffman

Photos by

David Godfrey

Perhaps you are like me and have read the same Sequim Gazette want ad for about 20 years: “Wanted — dry hydrangea blooms. Call Su.”

Maybe you, too, were curious about what this person wanted to do with dried blossoms.

Had you called Su Howat to come to your garden, you would have met a woman who engages with life — both with nature and with people. As a young girl who summered on Cape Cod Bay, she fell in love with nature, observing the tides and their power to cleanse as well as compromise the beach, listening to the halyards clanking on nearby sailboats, standing on a bluff and looking at a dead beached whale.

Her connection to nature continued to thrive in Sequim, moving from Mercer Island as a young single woman, to where she could observe the many moods of the Olympics and could walk on the spit, a


GOOD Gardening

ATTENTION BUILDERS, CONTRACTORS & HOMEOWNERS:

We Buy Direct from Mills & ManufacturersYour Complete Source For Floor Coverings

& Supplies From Around The World

JOB SITE DELIVERY

Floors that last for

Generations™G

DISTRIBUTINGDISTRIBUTINGDISTRIBUTINGDISTRIBUTING™

• INSTALLATION • REFINISHING • RESTORATION • REPAIRS •

• IN

STA

LLATIO

N •

RE

FINIS

HIN

G •

RE

STO

RA

TION

• R

EPA

IRS

Each fl oor individually crafted by our own skilled employees

The Hardwood Floor Experts

360 683-8500190 Center Park Way, Sequim (Behind Jiffy Lube)

#CLASSHF997LO • www.classichf.comClaudio Gonzalez, Owner

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

Your Real Estate Specialist

Tanya Kerr, Designated BrokerCell: 360.670.6776

Offi ce: 360.457-85931134 E. Front St., Port Angeles

JohnLScott.com/TanyaKerrJohn L. Scott-Port Angeles -Th is Offi ce Independently Owned/Operated

reminder of her early days near the water. Her fi rst job in Sequim was working with

the original owners of Cedarbrook Herb Farm, Carmen and Don McReynolds. She did every job possible and she admits she had a steep learning curve. As Cedarbrook, the oldest herb farm in Washington, was passed on to their daughter Toni Anderson, Su continued to work there, where plans began to evolve about the possibility of growing lavender in this area. Toni, the owner, did much of the early research on varieties that might do well in our valley.

Su laughs at an early memory when she and friends considered growing lavender. One friend, Mary Lofstrom, thought it might be fun to grow, dry and sell lavender as a cottage business.

She whispered to the group, “But let’s not tell anyone else.” Someone must have whispered their secret, though, because now the valley morphs into a hue of purple in July and August.

While she worked at the herb farm, she married Jeff , a fi ne furniture craft sman, and together they had two daughters. With her passion for gardening awakened, she responded to an intuitive direc-tion to move even deeper into nature. She donned gloves and a shovel and began growing fl owers that could be dried and then hosted educational tours to show how her fl owers, such as larkspur (Consolida

ajacis), statice (Limonium), cultivated baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata), and ornamental oregano, could be used.

As the lavender farming grew in popularity, Su realized she was drawn more to hydrangeas with their spherical blooms in various hues of blues and pinks she loved. She began to advertise for the cov-eted hydrangea blooms, which she transforms into bouquets, potpourri and wreaths.

She feels that as winter hovers, she can stave it off a bit by having fall’s nature in her home. Around her home, she has planted her favorite, Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Goliath,’ plus a few more she continues to test.

Su spends time in her garden and was one of the fi rst students in the Master Gardeners program in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley. She feels that people without a connection to the land are more prone to become ill because they don’t breathe in fresh air, don’t enjoy the fl exibility of their bodies and feel a general disconnect with people and with the earth. A sense of gratitude seems to be a part of having one’s hands in the soil.

She loves the way she can choose plants for her garden by their scent … lots of the scented


GOOD GardeningHow to dry hydrangeas

1. Wait until the blooms are past their prime and have a slight leathery feel. To determine the ideal time to cut hydrangeas, look down from a bird’s-eye view on the fl owering mophead. Look for the tight buds that have formed in the middle of the blooms. If they look as though they’re ready to fall off , the time is right, if it hasn’t rained.2. Cut the stems to about 10 inches or to a pair of next year’s buds. Remove the leaves.3. Hang several stems on a string, knotting one stem, then farther down, knotting another, etc., so that there is adequate air circulation.4. Keep in a dark area where humidity fl uctu-ates very little.5. It takes about 10 days for the blossoms to dry. Hydrangeas can overdry, so be cautious.6. Blooms will last about a year.

Martha Washingtons geraniums (Pelargonium); by their names — she loves her ‘Granny’s Ringlets’ Cryptomeria; or because of the colors. She is a woman who explores all of her senses. In the fall, she loves to decorate her porch with lots of cornstalks and pumpkins, a garden vignette of its own.

Su’s connection to people runs as deeply as her connection to the land. She was the fi rst manager for the Open Aire Market, which began in the mid-1990s. She loved the interaction of farmers, craft s-men, gardeners, musicians and townspeople all attracted to a central location, sharing their stories, their produce, their art, their appreciation.

Now Su manages a second business, Hello, My Friend, ([email protected]) where she visits and is a companion to physically active clients who have dementia. She received some of her train-ing through Bridge Builders, a business of Mindi Blanchard’s that helps older clients maneuver fi nan-cial and medical tasks. Su uses creative listening as a tool and sits while her clients weave their stories that are part past, part present, part imaginary.

Su and Jeff have created a place where artistry takes free rein and where they can both feel free to feel and touch and smell the earth and all that it gives.

Free Vitamins for Kids!Free Vitamins for Kids!

Our Goal? Our Goal? Happy, Healthy Kids!

Come in and sign up today and receive a 30-day supply of children’s chewable multi-vitamins FREE WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED! Pick up a new bottle every 30 days. For kids ages 2 to 12.

The process is simple: bring in or call in your prescription numbers and name & phone number of your current pharmacy and the effi cient and friendly staff at Jim’s

will take care of the rest. So if you are ready for great food

and atmosphere at Toga’s and a great pharmacy with super customer service and

selection, try the real deal and keep it local by joining the team at Jim’s Pharmacy and Toga’s Soup House.

Jim’s Pharmacy and Toga’s Soup House are teaming up.Receive a

$20 Gift Certifi cateto Toga’s Soup House when transferring your

prescription to Jim’s Pharmacy

am at Jims Pharmacyy and Toggas Soupp House.

Recently Voted 2010 BEST Recently Voted 2010 BEST PHARMACY in Clallam CountyPHARMACY in Clallam County

KEEPING IT REAL AND KEEPING IT LOCAL!

424 East 2nd • www.jimsrx.com • 452-4200 • Open 8 to 7 daily • 8 to 5 Saturday • 12 to 4 Sunday

Idah JoeIdah Joe Toga with Joe Toga with Joe

Su Howat realized she was drawn to hydrangeas with their spherical blooms in various hues of blues and pinks she loved.


Th e Red Cross has taken on many roles since its inception nearly 150 years ago but the mission to support and

serve members of the armed forces remains as important today as it was at the start.

Th e story of the Red Cross begins in Solferino, Italy, in 1859. Swiss-born Henri Dunant had traveled to Northern Italy on business when he became witness to 300,000 soldiers fi ghting a horrifi c 15-hour battle. For several days aft er the surrender, the death toll continued to rise steadily on both sides until it reached almost 40,000. Delay in medical attention coupled with the lack of clean water, food, hygiene, simple fi rst aid supplies, comfort care and compas-sionate support did as much harm as the weapons to the wounded combatants who initially survived the battle.

Moved by the plight of these individ-uals, Dunant did his best alongside the townspeople and religious to organize volunteers to administer the most basic of aid: fl uids, nourishment, washing of bodies and wounds, comforting the dy-ing and assisting with communication to families. Dunant subsequently wrote an eyewitness account entitled “A Memory of Solferino,” in which he graphically describes the carnage of that battle and its aft ermath of intense human suff ering.

Dunant’s purpose in penning the memoir was to attract supporters to form humanitarian societies that would render assistance in times of war. Initially interested in working toward the ideal of peace, Dunant soon became resigned to the fact that warring would not cease and with ongoing improvement in weapons of destruction, support

during battles would be increasingly needed. He called upon philanthropic individuals to act with the same brav-ery and commitment in a compassionate cause as he had witnessed in the military combatants that day at Solferino. Spurred by Dunant’s moving account, the idea caught on like wildfi re and the Red Cross was born.

Governments and military leaders were quick to recognize the practicality that aid from a neutral force would have in reducing the casualties in their troops.

By the summer of 1864, 15 European diplomats were sent to Switzerland to create an international policy for humanitar-ian treatment of the sick and wounded during war. Th e document they constructed became Th e Geneva Convention, which has been modifi ed

over the years but remains true to its original intent. Th e now familiar Greek red cross on a white background, the reverse of the Swiss fl ag, became the symbol of neutrality to protect hospitals and trained noncombatants ready to render aid.

The American Red CrossInspired by the International Red Cross movement,

American Clara Barton and others founded the Ameri-can Red Cross in 1881. Th e organization received its fi rst congressional charter in 1900, then a second in 1905. Th e original purpose, which remains true today, was to give relief during wars and disasters as well as serve as the me-dium of communication between members of the armed forces and their families.

Th e Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) division of the American Red Cross today continues its mandate to serve all aspects of the military. For deployed members, the Red Cross operates alongside the troops to off er comfort and a line out, plus serves in military hospitals and clinics.

Stateside, the Red Cross aids at Veterans Admin-istration hospitals and nursing homes to render consolation and companionship.

The Red Cross on the Olympic Peninsula

Local chapters of the Red Cross, including the Olympic Peninsula Chapter, assist recruit-ers, reservists, members of the National Guard, veterans, retirees, families and nearby active members. Th e Red Cross encourages all armed forces personnel and families to attend their Get to Know Us Before You Need Us program.

Support begins the day a recruit signs on to any branch of the military. Red Cross ID

The military and the Red Cross:

Solferino to stand-downs

From left, are Red Cross workers Dick Holdren, Michelle Kelley, Bill Wheeler and Diane Holdren at the USCG Get to Know Us event.

Photo courtesy Diane Holdren

Above: Upon his return from Iraq, Col. Rick Holdren gave this plaque to the SAF manager for the Olympic Peninsula Red Cross Chapter, Diane Holdren.

Photo courtesy Diane Holdren

Right: Inspired by Henri Dun-ant’s work in Europe, Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross in 1881.

By Kelly McKillip


cards serve as the vital link to keep military members connected to their families especially in times of crisis or emergency. Th e local chapter recently expanded its work in Port Angeles to include recruits at the U.S. Coast Guard base. Its chapter offi ces are in Carlsborg and Port Townsend.

Calls from families of deployed members to the Red Cross may include news of a birth, death, illness or crisis of any kind. Th e caseworker quickly will verify the infor-mation through doctors, hospitals, funeral homes or other reliable, licensed sources. Th at confi rmed data is transmit-ted to the member’s military commander who will relay the news and make an informed decision to grant leave or take other action. Th is free service is available 7/24/365. In our area, the local chapter phone number (below) is the point of contact but soon there will be a single 1-800 number serving the entire country.

Local SAF coordinator and offi ce manager Diane Hol-dren oft en answers the calls for assistance. Holdren has a special understanding of the importance of the Red Cross to our military personnel and their families. Her son Rick was in Desert Storm and just completed a second tour in

August. Her grandson Steven is in Iraq with the Corps of Engineers. Another grandson Patrick just returned from Afghanistan. Steven’s step-father is working at the DMZ in South Korea.

USCG Capt. Bob Klapproth has been stationed all over the country, abroad and at sea and is a former commander of the USCG base in Port Angeles. Now serving in Seattle, Klapproth states that the military totally relies on the Red Cross for verifi cation of family emergencies and they don’t make a move until the information is received.

Further support to families by the Red Cross includes emergency fi nancial assistance, referral and advocacy in understanding rights and applying for humanitarian and hardship reassignments. Th e Red Cross off ers family support groups, confi dential counseling referrals and courses such as Coping with Deployment: Psychological First Aid for Military Families, which will soon be available through the local chapter.

Supporting our veteransAiding veterans is one of the important missions of the

Red Cross. In response to a greater need, the military asked the federal government to expand Red Cross assistance to those who have served but oft en are forgotten. Th ese stepped-up services include partnering with the Disabled American Veterans to provide transportation for vets to hospitals and clinics and assisting with the formidable paperwork required to apply for services.

Driving veterans to Seattle hospitals and helping with the paperwork that can take hours to complete are tasks taken on cheerfully by local volunteer Allan Mitchell. Mitchell remembers all too well his two-year hospitaliza-

tion to recover from a car accident upon his discharge from the military. His son also sustained injuries during his service that required a lengthy recovery time. Accord-ing to Mitchell, oft en the most diffi cult part of helping vets is getting them to fi le for benefi ts. Many veterans also are entitled to one-time disaster cash assistance.

In addition to the DAV, the Peninsula Red Cross chapter works alongside other organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and Voices for Vet-erans. A welcoming home reception for those returning from active deployment was held at the chapter offi ce in 2010 and may become an annual event.

On Oct. 7, 2010, the Red Cross was among the groups off ering support during the Clallam County Veterans Stand-down sponsored by Voices for Veterans. Unknown numbers of vets are homeless or living in primitive condi-tions in the hills above Port Angeles and in the West End. Many have psychological or physical disabilities from their military experiences and fi nd coping with day-to-day life impossible.

Th e stand-down, which took place at the fairgrounds, served 253 individuals by off ering meals, medical and den-tal care, psychological support, clothes, supplies, haircuts and help with understanding and applying for services.

Dunant’s legacy continuesBy the time Henri Dunant was co-recipient of the fi rst

Nobel Peace Prize in 1901, he was too feeble and without the means to make the journey to receive it. But his great idea continues stronger than ever in the U.S. today. Th e American Red Cross currently serves 1.4 million active duty members, 800,000 National Guard and Reservists, 24 million veterans and 3 million family members.

Th e Red Cross is a nonprofi t organization funded by contributions. To contact the local chapter regarding ser-vices, volunteering or donations, call, write or e-mail.

American Red Cross/

Olympic Peninsula

Chapter www.peninsularedcross.orgwww.redcross.org

• Clallam County Offi ce

151 Ruth’s Place Ste. 1-DCarlsborg, WA 98324P.O. Box 188, Carlsborg, WA 98324360-457-7933

• Jefferson County Offi ce

1925 Blaine St., Suite 106Port Townsend, WA 98368P.O. Box 1672, Port Townsend, WA 98368360-385-2737

16 LIVING ON TH

ww

•

15CaP.36

•

19PoP.36

The staff of the Olympic Peninsula Chapter of the American Red Cross welcomes inquiries regarding their services to the military. Back row from left, are Helen Lee, Sarim Ourn, Allan Mitchell and Diane Holdren. Front row, from left, are Sherry Nagel, Bill Holman and Executive Director Michelle Kelley.

Photo by Kelly McKillip

Col. Rick Holdren and Bill Wheeler chat at the welcome home reception for members returning from active duty.

Photo courtesy Michelle Kelley


SouvenirsSouvenirsWashington & CanadianT-shirts • Jackets • Gifts

Jewelry • Red Hat Accessories • Imported Clothing and Gifts

What’s In StoreWhat’s In StoreLocated in the Landing Mall115 East Railroad Ave., Port Angeles

360-457-1427360-457-1427

Twilight Twilight MerchandiseMerchandise

Twilight Twilight MerchandiseMerchandise

Key chains, magnets,Key chains, magnets, clothing, mugs, clothing, mugs,

shot glassesshot glasses

Local Fresh MilkFamily-owned & operated byJeff and Debbie Brown & Ryan and Sarah McCarthey

Garden Garden Manure Manure AvailableAvailable

Look for our tasty wholesome raw jersey milk

in 40 locations in Western Washington

1915 Towne Road • Sequim 98382

[email protected]

DungenessValleyCreamery.com

Visit us Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Phone: 360-681-4482Phone: 360-681-4482www.olympicoxygen.com • 540 W. Hendrickson Rd., Sequim www.olympicoxygen.com • 540 W. Hendrickson Rd., Sequim

Complete Oxygen Services• Medical Oxygen • Oxygen Concentrators

• Portable Oxygen • Liquid Oxygen • Nebulizers • CPAP & BiPAP Service with private fitting room

• Medical Oxygen Production Plant • Other Medical Gases Available • 24 Hour Emergency Services

JCAHO accreditedDirect Billing of

Medicare & Insurance • Free Delivery

Left to right: Dave Needham, Josie Mannor, Todd McClain, Left to right: Dave Needham, Josie Mannor, Todd McClain,

Robin Libera, Frank BeutlerRobin Libera, Frank Beutler

Olympic OxygenA Divison of Olympic Ambulance

Buy • Sell • Consign

Unique One-of-a-Kind Pieces!Contemporary

Gently Used Estate Sales – Call Us

FurnitureHome Furnishings

820 W. Washington St., Sequim • (just east of the Costco roundabout) • 360.683.5333


&FOOD Spirits

Enjoy World-ClassEnjoy World-Class Asian CuisineAsian CuisineRight HereRight Here on the Olympic Peninsula! on the Olympic Peninsula!

920 E. First St.Port Angeles

360.452.3322

Open Mon. - Fri.11 am - 9:30 pm

Sat. & Sun.12 noon - 9:30 pm

Featured in ASIAN RESTAURANT NEWS magazine, Sept. 2009

Read the article at:www.a-r-n.net/jin_e

Tendy Deng,Owner/Chef,Has studied at Martin Yan’s

Chinese Culinary Arts Enrichment

Workshop

C H I N E S E Restaurant News TOP 100 Award Winner for 2009

V O T E DB E S T CHINESE FOOD 2004-20099999

Tucked under the porch in the heart of Sequim at 145 W. Washington St., Th e Sunshine Cafe has been a

culinary landmark for more than 35 years. Owners and chefs Allen and Dianne Drake are commemorating 10 years of serving tra-ditional family fare and all-day breakfasts. Th e hash browns are a daily creation you won’t fi nd anywhere else on the peninsula.

If you are a breakfast-anytime person, the menu selections of 11 breakfast spe-cialties, six pancake/waffl e combinations and a half-dozen omelets and scrambles to choose from will make you rise and shine all day. Or make a meal of the Sunshine’s soft ball-size cinnamon rolls, plump with pecans and raisins, then drenched in a caramel topping.

With more than 25 hot and cold sand-wich varieties, including creative burgers, delicious sweet potato fries are a local favorite. Hot homemade soups like clam chowder, tomato pesto and pumpkin gin-ger are without a doubt going to warm and

comfort you down to your toes. Th e Drakes are big fans of soup and have large recipe collection to choose from daily.

Sunshine blends, bottles and sells three of its own hand-craft ed vinaigrettes — Ya Ya’s Raspberry Lavender is a Sequim fa-vorite.

Th is casual, cozy cafe is a family aff air. Th e camaraderie of the staff and whole-some, fresh food with fl air makes you feel like you’re back home in your grand-mother’s kitchen.

The Sunshine Cafe is a go-to place where Sequim residents are sure to bring their visiting family for a taste of Sequim’s sunshine.

A taste of

Sequim’s Sunshine

The Sunshine Cafe Hours: Sunday-Monday 8 a.m.-3 p.m.Wednesday-Saturday 7 a.m.-3 p.m.Closed Tuesdays145 W. Washington St., Sequim360-683-4282Children under 10 eat free


It is too easy to stereotype high school students as directionless, uninvolved youths more focused on their iPods and torn jeans, their piercings and

unkempt appearances than on working their way into the world of adulthood. One never would get that impression aft er spending a while with the members of the Port An-geles High School Naval Junior Reserve Offi cer Training Corps or NJROTC for short.

Since its creation in 1996, hundreds of cadets have added this program of classes and extra-curricular activities to their academic schedule and added a wealth of experience, knowledge and responsibility to their school years. Under the direction of Leo Campbell, a retired Marine Corps major, and instructor Ken Laughman, a U.S. Navy retired chief petty offi cer, nearly 140 students are taking part in NJROTC.

I was able to look in on a recent, three-day “mini boot camp” experience at the high school and talk with cadets, their parents and the lead-ers of the program. Watching their drills and formations, exercise and training, I got not only a sense of the structure of the program, but also a real sense of the enthusiasm and commitment of these young people to service, citizenship and the military life.

Th is is not a recruitment program, Campbell empha-sizes. Many of the students participate with no intention

of ever going into the military, although for those who do there are advantages in their enlistment. Th ey begin their careers at a higher pay grade, and more importantly, they have a much better understanding of the per-sonal responsibility and dedication to duty and higher authority that service requires. Talking with the leaders, with the cadets and

with the parents, a single objective emerges again and again.

“Th e program is about leader-ship,” Campbell said. Th at also was the fi rst answer I got from Tori Bock, a fourth-year cadet who is part of the award-winning color guard, drill team and the PT, or Physical Training team. All of the cadets are engaged in rigorous physical training as a part of the program, in addition to the classroom work and

a variety of special teams and activities. When I asked Bock what she liked most about ROTC,

and what she got from it, she said, “Everything. I love the class and the extra activities in the morning and aft er school. You’ve probably seen the color guard or the drill team around town. I also really enjoy the physical training. What ROTC has done for me is that it’s formed me into

a diff erent person. It’s made me into a leader, more open and less afraid to talk to people. It’s made me unafraid to take charge. I know that this is one place where I can re-ally shine, so I’m not afraid of anything I have to do. And I think ROTC has helped me become a person who can do all this, can do anything, really.”

Campbell also said that the creation of that “can do” attitude is central to the program’s goals. As a collaboration between Port Angeles High School and the U.S. Navy,

military formationP o r t A n g e l e s H i g h S c h o o l N a v a l J u n i o r R O T C

Story and photos by Jerry Kraft

Left: With nearly 140 students in the program, Port Angeles High School has a vigorous and highly valued ROTC program. NJROTC is a collaboration between the school and the Department of the Navy.

Below: Cadets are very serious about their commitment to ROTC and to getting everything from the program that they can. More than just a class or an activity, it is a great maturing experience for young adults.

BOCK


Junior ROTC holds regular classes during the school day and students can earn academic credit for their participa-tion in four ways: as a regular elective, as science credit for classes in naval science (which includes meteorology, oceanography, etc.), as a vocational education credit and as a physical education credit.

“We are a certifi ed curriculum,” Campbell said, “certifi ed by the state and also nationally certifi ed in the fi eld of naval science.” He also is very proud of the level of involvement the program has with the larger community through events such as “Clean Up the Town” and Special Olympics, as well as Veterans Day events and involvement with the Port Angeles Senior Cen-ter. “Th ey know that if they call on us, we’ll be there,” Campbell said.

“We have 138 students in the program this year. Th e Navy likes to see at least 100 in a program, but our average keeps moving up each year. It’s defi nitely a program both for boys and girls and we currently have just about a 50-50 split. We also have a tendency, not always the case, but clearly a tendency, for girls to be in our leadership roles,” Campbell said.

“We have a ‘Distinguished Unit,’ which means that we are among the top 10 nationally. In the past we’ve also been recognized as the top unit in the Northwest Region and one year we were recognized as the most improved unit in the nation.” He believes that much of the attraction for new cadets is a result of the success of the program and much of the success is due to the willingness of the youths to fully commit to the work and discipline.

“Some of these kids are here at 6:15 in the morning to

work on competition teams for air rifl e, drill team, physical fi tness and such. Some will stay aft er school for two or three hours. If you go to our wall of plaques, you will see tons of awards that this unit has won and that’s because they want to strive and make themselves the best. I’ve learned that

the harder you make it, the more kids will step up to the challenge. Th ey don’t want anything handed to them,” Campbell said.

Th at was apparent in the boot camp exer-cises I watched. Campbell explained that the camp was a three-day process to challenge the endurance of the cadets by putting them through high-intensity physical fi tness and high-intensity drill. Th e day starts at 5 a.m. and goes nonstop until 10 p.m.; they sleep in the gym and the next day again begins at 5 a.m., culminating in

an awards ceremony on the fi nal day. “We have a lot of parents who come and support us,” Campbell said.

One of those parents, Marcy Childers, was fi lled with pride for her cadet daughter, Nicole. “She’s a sophomore,” Childers said, “So this is her second year in the program. What I most love about it is the camaraderie, the sense of family. Th ey all support each other. I think my daughter gets a sense of leadership and respect for the people above her, as well as the people below her in rank. Again, it’s the family environment. Everybody watches out for everybody else. We’re very

proud of them.”Campbell also talked about respect. “Th e respect is

very important, both the respect they get from other stu-dents and other cadets and, even more, the respect they develop toward themselves, from everything they do. I’ve had teachers tell me they can always tell the students who are in ROTC by the way they open doors, say thank you, listen to others,” Campbell said.

“Many of my seniors are in real leadership roles, both in ROTC and in their other classes. I think they carry what they get from this program into the world and into their lives. In my classes I usually don’t have to tell students to police themselves, to sit up straight, to pay attention and not be talking. Th ey’ve developed discipline and it’s the best kind of discipline, which is self-discipline.”

Th e cadets in the Port Angeles High School ROTC program are not teens playing soldier, they are young people learning that hard work, responsibility, dedication, honor, courage and service are the qualities that separate a child from an adult. Underlying all the other goals of the program, ROTC is about character building and it is both gratifying and maybe a little surprising to see how many of these ordinary teenagers are fully committed to being the best individual, the best citizen, the best leader that they can be.

Almost to a person, the cadets will tell you that the program is fun and challenging, but it may be some years later before they fully realize how that fun and activity, the drills and exercises, classes and teams gave them a real advantage in leading their own lives.N. CHILDERS

Left: The color guard has won many awards. This year the group is comprised of, from left, Tawny Burns, Tori Bock, David Springob and Kevin Catterson, not pictured. Here they are practicing for the awards ceremony at the end of their mini boot camp.

Below: Retired Major Leo Campbell and Chief Petty Offi cer Ken Laughman bring their years of experience and leadership to the cadets.

LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2010


683-3901 • 385-5354Air Flo Heatingwww.trane.comLicense#AIRFL1206DG

Imagine coming home every day to an environment that’s as fresh, clean, and healthy as it is comfortable. Now is the perfect time to make that a reality, with a Trane high performance heating and cooling system. And with 5.9% APR fi nancing*, it’s never been so easy to own one.

Or... Choose Up To A $1,000 Instant Rebate Or Zero Interest If Paid In Full Within 36 Months.*

Just purchase your qualifying Trane system between August 15 and November 30, 2010.

Maximum comfort, lower heating and cooling costs, and aff ordable payment options - that’s the Trane diff erence.

Plus... Get up to $1,500 in Federal Tax Credits.** Ask your dealer for details. Hurry! Tax Credits end December 31, 2010.

Interest will be charged from the purchase date if the purchase balance is not paid in full within the promotional period or if you make a late payment.*

Energy prices have skyrocketed and so has demand for systems that cut usage. Trane’s XLi high effi ciency systems are among the most cost-eff ective options available today. Maximum comfort and lower heating and cooling costs-that’s the Trane diff erence.

One Change May Dramatically

Reduce Your EnergyConsumption.

INSTANT COMFORT.GET UP TO A $1,000 INSTANT REBATE!*

PLUS UP TO $1,500 IN FEDERAL TAX CREDITS** PLUS UP TO $2,000 IN UTILITY REBATE

CALL NOW FOR NO INTEREST ON HIGH-EFFICIENCY TRANE EQUIPMENT.

We take customer satisfaction to the highest dregree.

It’s Hard To Stop A Trane.®

We pick up for FREE!We pick up for FREE!DONATE used building materials and home furnishings

SHOP for new treasures

DISCOVER green solutions

On the web: www.aroundagainstore.org

765 West Washington St. • Sequim • 683-7862

Check out our New Warehouse!

Now over 6000 sq.ft. of showrooms!

A 501(c)3 non-profi t

21

Landscape and Tile

Headquarters for any size home...

Wide selection of tile, landscape materials& masonry supplies.

Port Angeles 4001 Tumwater Truck Rte

457-3371

Sequim 490 South Blake Ave.

681-2877


Therapy for the Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist & Hand

360-417-0703708 S. Race St. • Ste. C • Port Angeles

Lynda G. Williamson • OTR/L, CHT, CEAS

We giveWe give you the you the

FreedomFreedom to doto do what you want! what you want!

Offering PILATES.Call for info. on the Olympic Peninsula

Sequim-SunLand137 Fairway Dr.360-683-6880800-359-8823

www.sequimproperty.com/sunland

Port Angeles711 E. Front St.360-457-0456800-786-1456

www.portangeles.com

Sequim-East842 E. Washington St.

360-683-4844800-431-0661

www.sequimproperty.com/east

Port Ludlow9526 Oak Bay Rd.Port Ludlow, WA(360) 437-1011

www.windermereportludlow.com

REALTOR®

4 convenient locations to serve you.

LOCALfood source!

...the Peninsula’s one-stop

• Crafted Gifts and Art • Greeting Cards • Handmade Soaps

and Lotions • Homemade Soup and

Baked Potatoes To-Go• Custom Gift Baskets• Gift Certificates Available

“Where we value food and the people who produce it.”

www.theredroostergrocery.com

134-½ W Washington St. Sequim, WA

(360) 681-2004Open 7 days a week

• Organic Groceries • Seasonal Produce • Wine, Beer & Hard Ciders• Fine Chocolates • Honey • Gourmet Cheeses • Farm Fresh Eggs and Dairy • Herbs and Spices

Jamestown Family Jamestown Family Dental ClinicDental Clinic

Open to the CommunityOpen to the CommunityMonday - FridayMonday - Friday

NEW PATIENTS NEW PATIENTS WELCOMEWELCOME

Discounts for cash and Seniors 65+

1033 Old Blyn Hwy., Sequim 1033 Old Blyn Hwy., Sequim 681-3400681-3400

Experienced, friendly personnelExperienced, friendly personnel

• Gerald Biss, DDS• Gerald Biss, DDS General Dentistry General Dentistry

• David Woodcock, DDS • David Woodcock, DDS Root Canals, Implants and Root Canals, Implants and Restorative Dentistry Restorative Dentistry

• James Emerson, DDS • James Emerson, DDS Board Certifi ed Specialist in Board Certifi ed Specialist in Crown, Bridge, Implant Crown, Bridge, Implant Restorations and Dentures Restorations and Dentures

• Laraine Gau, Hygienist• Laraine Gau, Hygienist

• Rachel Stewart, Hygienist • Rachel Stewart, Hygienist

Karen’s Sequim Sewing Center

FLOOR MODEL SALESave up to 30%!

We’re making room for new merchandise that’s on the way!


&L ast Sunday I lay sprawled on the bed feeling like ev-ery last drop of life force had been drained from my body. Mentally, physically and spiritually depleted, I

felt like I had the fl u. For once, even my mind stopped.What went wrong?I try too hard. I push. I want to learn everything im-

mediately and do it at an expert level — a constant life cram course.

Th en it struck me that I was like my dad. It’s always a surprise to me when I recognize a trait as a variation on one of my parents’ habits.

Whenever he was prescribed physical therapy or pool exercises to deal with his body’s break-downs, he would go at it hard and fast. My mother and I would be swimming along enjoying ourselves and he would be doing the equivalent of pumping iron at warp speed with those Styrofoam dumbbells made for pools.

Slow down, I’d say. You’ll hurt your-self.

I think he was constitutionally in-capable of that, however. He’d progress with his rehab program for a week or two, then something else would go wrong or his pain level increased and that would be that.

It’s a pedal-to-the-metal crash-and-burn way of living. You go-go-go then collapse.

I’ve been working on a new exercise program while trying to learn every-thing there is to know about cameras, photography and the fi ne art business, and keeping up a busy social life, and thinking about selling the car and the house.

Maybe you can balance fi ve or six plates at a time, but I had too much on each one of my plates and too many plates on my table.

And even worse, with all those plates I had spinning in the air, I’d neglected to feed myself spiritually.

Hence the crash and me lying on the bed like a dying fi sh gasping for air.

Having understood the problem, I resolved to fi x it immediately!

When I searched my brain for ac-tivities that would nourish and restore me, however, I encountered emptiness. I’d tapped out the current vein but hadn’t located a new one yet. Th ere was no new source of energy, nothing that I could grasp to propel me off the bed and into action.

I had to wait.I had to rest.Rest is boring and it isn’t on anybody’s “bucket” list

either.When I started kindergarten, the only complaint the

teacher had was that I resisted lying down on my little

nap mat with the rest of the children. I wanted to keep playing.

I still meander around the house at night picking up stray copies of 2-month-old Seattle Times sections and reading them (in case I missed something vital), rather than just stopping and going to bed.

It’s a greed for life, I think, and maybe a fear of death. “Get it while you can,” Janis Joplin sang and I keep try-ing.

Like any other kind of greed, my cram-it-in style actu-ally sucks the life out of me and fails to nurture spiritual growth. Spiritual development is more like the maturing

of trees — a slow accumulation of new layers and the lengthening and deepening of roots.

I know this, but I don’t always do what I know. When I was a teenager, I scorned the people in my church because they didn’t act in accordance with their beliefs in their everyday life. Hypocrites, I judged.

As I grow older, I recognize how hard it is to do what we know is good for us and good for the world. It might be optimal if I stretched each morning, meditated twice a day, baked my own bread, took a brisk one-hour walk, called up family and friends weekly, petted each one of my cats

(and played with them), learned a new language (good for the brain), read spiritual books and literary fi ction, wrote in my journal, refl ected on my experience, stared out the window and slept for eight hours every night — but how do I fi t that in without racing along never stop-ping to sink into any one thing because I have one eye on the clock and the other eye on all I have left on my to-do list (that’s when the third eye comes in handy).

I can’t. What I really need is to do what fi lls me — not follow some prescription for the “perfect” life.

So how do I fi nd new water for my inner well, the kind of living water that satisfi es a soul thirst?

On the wall of my offi ce is a collage of words and pictures I cut out of magazines years ago to represent my spirituality symbolically. Th ese are clues for my path-way. In one spot is simply the large word “Wait” while another piece of paper states “Th ere are no simple answers.”

In the collage, there’s a duckling watching its own refl ection, a snow leop-ard and a woman sitting in a tree staring at the waning moon. Each represents an answer to my dilemma or a pathway to new life. In the bottom left -hand corner is a toddler tangled in a fi shing net and sometimes that’s me, too.

If you fi nd yourself stuck or trying to get fresh water out of a dry and dusty well, making a dream collage or a collage representing your spiritual life helps. Just fi nd a bunch of magazines and rip out words or pictures that attract your atten-tion. Don’t think too much; trust your gut. When you’ve got a pile of pictures, use a mat board or stiff piece of paper to lay out an arrangement that seems meaningful to you and paste everything down. Th en put your collage up in a place where you’ll see it every day, like a bathroom or hallway.

Deep underground the reservoir starts fi lling up again, sometimes slowly, sometimes with a torrent of new ideas

or decisions. Don’t draw up all the water at once, drag-ging bucket aft er bucket to the surface and exhausting yourself.

Take your time.Let yourself be.Even though life ends, we can only live one minute

of it at a time, use just a small portion of energy, a bit of courage. Listen for your inner voice and if it’s quiet in there right now, wait and have faith that the drought ends for us. We’ll turn around in surprise one day and see that the ever-fl owing river is there.

By Karen Frank

Drawing From a Dry Well

HEART Soul


American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry®

Quality Cosmetic & Restorative Quality Cosmetic & Restorative Dentistry.... with a Gentle TouchDentistry.... with a Gentle Touch

360-683-8683360-683-8683485 West Hendrickson Road, Sequim, WA 98382

www.cedarcreekdental.com

Melissa Marr, DMD and Michael McDade, DDSMelissa Marr, DMD and Michael McDade, DDS

Welcoming Dr. Michael McDadeWelcoming Dr. Michael McDade

www.therapeut icas soc ia te s . com/Por tAnge le s

Your Choice for Better Living!

360-452-62161114 Georgiana St

Port Angeles, WA 98362 Beth Welander PT, DPT, Director

Full Professional Services for Less

[email protected]

Cell: (360) 460-4903 • Offi ce: (360) 681-4211ACCREDITED LUXURY HOME SPECIALIST

CERTIFIED NEGOTIATION SPECIALIST

SENIOR REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST

Claire KoenigsaeckerREAL ESTATE BROKER

Dockside Lunch 11-4, Dinner 4-9, Wed.-Sun.

Fresh local seafood, steaks, pasta, cocktails, wine & beer.

Waterfront dining at John Wayne Marina

paspaspasp tata,ta,, coco cocktcktcktailailailss, s, winwinwine &e &e & be beerer.

www.docksidegrill-sequim.com • 360-683-7510 • Reservations Recommended2577 W. Sequim Bay Rd. at the John Wayne Marina

Pelican Room 4-9pm. Offering more fi ne dining and retail wines in a lounge-like atmosphere


Sometimes veterans are not the only ones in the mili-tary; war makes its impact felt on all those who share the same experiences.

Bob Bissen went to Iraq to make money. In 2004, aft er working six years driving trucks from

Port Townsend, Bissen heard about a job where he could make $100,000 a year as a truck driver in Iraq and it sounded good.

He fl ew to Houston for orientation and training, his fi rst trip away from the West Coast. He was happy to be one of the 400 chosen from 1,000 applicants.

“I passed with fl ying colors and on a jet we went,” he recalled. He landed in Kuwait, where he spent a week.

Although he knew he was in for a culture change, it was totally diff erent.

“Th e fear factor was unreal,” said Bissen. Making the trip of about 100 miles to enter Iraq and

arrive at his base camp near the border was the scariest thing he’d ever done.

“It was a combat zone,” he recalled, “and the chances of life or death was about 50/50.”

He had not been trained for military combat yet he was supplying fuel to military bases in Iraq and facing combat conditions on every trip, made in a convoy of about 20 tanker trucks moving through the desert dust.

“Th ere was not one day that we didn’t get shot at or see trucks that had been shot up,” said Bissen. “Aft er awhile, we got used to seeing trucks upside down along the road, either wrecked or burning on fi re.”

At the time, the news was full of reports of people get-ting shot or taken hostage for ransom or publicity. Foot-age of a carpenter getting his head sawed off was widely distributed.

“We didn’t want to get caught,” he said.Bissen became a bobtail driver, assigned to take

care of any problems the truckers might run into. His truck carried medical supplies, tools and food, and he was prepared to change tires, help those whose trucks were on fi re or blown up.

At various times, he pulled people out of burning trucks, drove through a wall of fi re, helped people who had been shot.

He wore 80 pounds of protective Kevlar gear to work each day.

“It was survival,” said Bissen. “I’d do whatever I could to save my partners and myself. I was always the

last into the gate; I made sure my guys were safe.” A routine developed. Coming back from work, Bis-

sen and his co-workers would go rest in their rooms, eat, then in the evening they would talk about the day over smokes.

“Cigarettes were big over there,” recalled Bissen. Th at was how people worked out their emotional reactions, he explained.

Counselors weren’t readily available and they were poorly trained. One day a counselor came to talk to him. His roommate accidentally ran over a little girl and killed

her, and they were concerned about him. Th ey wanted Bissen to let them know if the roommate needed help,

but they ignored any impact on Bissen.“It was the fi rst time I saw PTSD (post-traumatic

stress disorder) where I knew what it was,” said Bis-sen.

About eight months in, Bissen was hit in the forehead with shrapnel and experienced the sensations that others had felt as he helped them.

Big Money, Big TroubleI raq i serv ice changed h is l i fe

Story and photos by Viviann Kuehl

This insignia was worn by drivers like Bissen in Iraq.


“I felt the adrenalin, the pain going through your body when I got hurt.”

Still, he kept working.“What brought me home was on a certain night an

IED went off between me and another truck in front of me. My ears were bleeding, and I couldn’t hear anything for a week. I’d taken my helmet off ; I thought it was a safe area. Th e truck in front was blown away and my truck was peppered with shrapnel all over the front of it, and I said, ‘Th at’s it. I’m going home.’”

He had been working in Iraq, facing the same combat conditions as the military but without military training or a weapon, for just over a year. Most of the crew that he’d felt part of, and protective toward, was gone.

He had $80,000 in pay. Coming home, he lost his medi-cal coverage.

“It’s a big transition coming back to the U.S.,” said Bis-sen. “Over there you learn a diff erent way of life. You are physically and mentally challenged every day to survive. It was chaos and you were working together just to get through.”

His friends told him he seemed diff erent and they didn’t like being around him, but he felt everyone else had changed.

Looking back, Bissen said, “Before Iraq, I was passive and easy-going. Someone could piss in my Wheaties and I’d eat them. Now if someone looked at my Wheaties, I’d rip their throat out. I think I scared people just by the way I treated them. I had no tolerance, no patience.”

On Th anksgiving Day, he got word that his best friend had been killed in a traffi c accident in Kuwait. It was a hard blow.

Bissen fi nally went to a counselor, who told him he had PTSD.

“He gave me a bunch of neat stuff to make me sleep,” said Bissen, “but methamphetamine was my drug of choice. It made me forget about all the bad things and my best friend. I felt important again. I got really into the meth world and I quit seeing my counselor. On meth, my problems were solved.”

Bissen began a round of court appearances and jail, with a domestic violence charge and a series of probation viola-tions. He was in the county jail for 30 days when his young-est daughter was born. Being off drugs in jail, he began to realize he had problems and he had to do something.

“Aft er 30 days I was not completely out of the fog, but I could make rational decisions,” said Bissen. “I had to buckle down. My daughter was born addicted to meth and the state took her. We had to fi ght really hard to get her back.”

Bissen went through the Intensive Outpatient Pro-gram (IOP) for substance abuse treatment at Safe Harbor Recovery Center in Port Townsend, graduating from the program in eight weeks and continuing on in treatment for another year.

Safe Harbor owner Ford Kessler encouraged Bissen to join a veterans support group.

“I talked to Ford because I knew I had a diff erent problem I needed to address,” said Bissen.

“My stories were diff erent than other people’s but I didn’t think of myself

as a vet. I was just a semi-truck driver doing a job, but the vets in

the group asked me, ‘Were you in danger? Did you get shot at? Were you doing a job? Were you

in a military zone, doing what the military would do,

without a gun?’ “ They wel-comed me as a

vet. It made a tremen-

dous dif-

ference. I don’t feel alone when I am in this room. I can talk about anything that happened here or there. I’m getting better about feeling safe.”

Kessler, a Vietnam veteran, knows about PTSD and its problems personally and professionally. He got sober in 1979 and became a drug and alcohol counselor two years later. He was fi ve years sober when his PTSD issues started coming up. He dealt with them and became a veterans group facilitator.

When he retired as a Marine, he decided to start his own agency and found one in 1996 in Port Townsend that he has reshaped.

“I think one of the most important things for vets is being able to tell their story in a nonjudging place, in lan-guage we understand. It gives them some freedom in un-loading some of that baggage we pick up,” said Kessler.

Over the past eight to 10 years, Kessler has been using his experience to lead the special veterans support group. Th ere have been as many as 19 participants and as few as three.

“It’s the one place that vets get to go and speak the same language. We understand each other,” said Kessler.

Th e group addresses an inability to communicate, anti-social behaviors, fear, relationship issues, substance abuse issues and problems with the judicial system. Th e goal is to be living life on life’s terms, to fi t in society and become part of society, said Kessler.

“We don’t know the true cost of war because there are so many people out there that have committed suicide or had drug and alcohol deaths as a result of war, but they are not on the (Vietnam Memorial) wall, and nobody’s ever going to know the true reason they died,” said Kessler.

“It takes a lot of courage for veterans to ask for help. It takes a lot of support and understanding to help these guys heal, but by no means does that mean they can have inappropriate behavior because they are vets. Th ey are held to the same standards as the rest of society and maybe a little higher. PTSD is a ‘get out of jail free’ card.”

“I’ve tried to get sober numerous times and this time it’s on my own free will,” said Bissen. “Getting into help-ing others helps me stay sober. It helps me move along in my life.”

Looking back at his stories of Iraq, drug use, treatment and the veterans support group, Bissen said the most important thing is, “People can change. I would want someone else to know there’s help out there.”

Ford Kessler, owner of Safe Harbor Recovery Center in Port Townsend, works with Bob Bissen, who is recovering from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq as a civilian fuel truck driver for the military.

‘The truck in front was blown away and my truck was peppered with shrapnel,

and I said, ‘That’s it. I’m going home.’


Charming Consignments

Clothing and Accessories for Women & Teens

– All Sizes 0-4X

Name Brands – Some New (w/tags)

Tue-Sat 10 to 5

629 E. Front St.Port Angeles, WA

360-452-9863Accepting Consignments Call for Appointment

[email protected]

Turn Your Closet

Clutter Into $$$!GO GREEN • SHOP GREEN

Dr. Richard (Bud) DaviesDDS

FAMILYDENTIST

The SMILE FactorA series of facts about the importance of oral hygiene

Dr. Davies is accepting new patientsHis offi ce is located at 321 N. Sequim Ave., Ste. C. (360) 683-4850

I am grateful to be a dentist today. Many services we provide were not possible a few years ago. At our clinic we provide natural looking crowns or caps in one appointment, implant tooth replacement, teeth whitening, denture stabilization, cleanings and much more to beautify and maintain our patient’s teeth. We do what it takes to keep you smiling. And that makes us smile.

DISTRIBUTIONNext publication date:

Ad reservation deadline:

the Sequim Gazette at

or the Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader at

360-385-2900

is an award-winning, quarterly lifestyle magazine spotlighting the Olympic Peninsula’s true treasures – its people, places, climate and culture.

Living on the Peninsula has unrivaled circulation and is delivered to all Sequim Gazette and Port Townsend Leader subscribers, direct mailed to Port Angeles and available in the West End.

We’re creating a more comfortable world for mankind.We’re creating a more comfortable world for mankind.The Infi nity air purifi er by Carrier doesn’t just fi lter

air, it captures and kills up to 99% of airborne germs viruses and bacteria in treated air.

Ask about CARRIER REBATES

PUD up to $1900

302 Kemp StreetPort Angeles452-9813

“Everybody Calls Us!”Cont.# ALLWEHC150KU

Hurry – Rebates

End Soon!


A small fi shing vessel capsizes in the Strait of Juan de Fuca during a storm. Th ree men are in the water fi ghting hypothermia. A rescue

boat fi nds the fi shermen and brings them to shore, back to their families.

A hiker is lost in the woods. Using thermal imag-ing and special night vision equipment, the bruised and battered outdoorsman is found and fl own to the hospital in a bright orange helicopter.

A large oil tanker is leaking into the ocean. Valu-able and sensitive maritime habitats and mammals are put in danger, some dying with each gallon of sticky, black liquid fouling the water.

A suspicious boat is reported just off the coast. Upon closer investigation, the vessel is found to have nearly a ton of cocaine on board. Th e men and women involved are arrested and the drugs are intercepted before being introduced onto America’s streets.

All four of these scenarios are examples of what the brave men and women in the U.S. Coast Guard do every single day. When called upon, the Coast Guard defends the nation at home and abroad alongside the other armed forces. Using the land, sea and sky, the Coast Guard is “Semper Paratus” or “always ready.”

In a nutshellTh e U.S. Coast Guard is one of the fi ve armed

forces and the only military organization within the Department of Homeland Security. Protecting against hazards to people, maritime commerce and the environment, the Coast Guard defends sea borders and saves those in danger.

By law, the Coast Guard has 11 missions: ports, waterways and coastal security; drug interdiction; aids to navigation; search and rescue; living ma-rine resources; marine safety; defense readiness; migrant interdiction; marine environment protec-tion; ice operations; and other law enforcement.

Th e U.S. Coast Guard uses a variety of platforms to conduct its daily business. Cutters and small boats are used on the water and fi xed and rotary wing aircraft — aka “helicopters” — are used.

Th e Coast Guard has more than 40,000 enlisted men and women. Nearly 87 percent of the active duty workforce are men, 13.1 percent are women.

Lt. Kelly Higgins is a pilot at the Port Angeles Air Station. She joined the Coast Guard nine years ago as a high school graduate in Portland, Ore.

Higgins is one of only two female pilots sta-tioned at the Port Angeles base. With her hair pulled back neatly into a bun and a blue baseball

America’s Maritime

28

Two rescue swimmers are lowered from a helicopter during a practice mission.

Photo courtesy of the USCG

Coast Guard protects nation’s heartland,

by Ashley

Miller


By Chris Cook

The Coast Guard’s Quillayute River Station is located in LaPush on the Quileute Indian Reservation.

Th e primary missions for its crew are search and rescue and law enforcement. Station Quillayute River’s area of responsibility stretches north to Cape Avala and south to the Queets River, and west 50 nautical miles off shore.

A Coast Guard report describes the Quillayute River Station:

“Th e jagged rock frame and unpredictable surf zone make the (Quillayute River) inlet a challenge to navigate. Subsequently the station’s boat crews are trained to con-duct rescues in rough weather using two 47-foot motor lifeboats, which are capable of operating in 50-knot sus-tained winds, 30-foot seas and 20-foot surf. Th e station is able to respond to distress calls over marine band radio or telephone. Th e station personnel also are trained to assist the local police department, fi re department and park ser-vice with emergency fl ood response when the numerous rivers inland of the station rise above normal levels. Th e station also performs approximately 100 safety boardings a year on various commercial and recreational boats in its area of responsibility.”

Th e crew of approximately 30 personnel consists of boatswains mates, machinery technicians, food service specialists, seamen and fi remen.

Th e station was established at LaPush in 1929 and was moved from a historical station building near First Beach at LaPush in 1980 to its current modern facility near the Quillayute River.

Station facilities include barracks, gym, operations and administrative buildings, all constructed on tribal land under a 50-year lease.

Coast Guard’s Quillayute River Station: Patroling and protecting the West End’s Pacifi c Coast

Guardiancap on her head, Higgins easily can be mistaken for “one of the guys.” It’s only upon closer observation one notices her feminine jaw line, delicate features and elegantly applied mascara.

Higgins’ confi dent stature and authoritative voice makes it clear that she doesn’t feel like the odd-woman-out.

“I’m very happy with my choice (to join the Coast Guard),” she said. “I love serving my country and, for me, this is the best place to be.”

Port Angeles historyTh e Coast Guard’s presence in Port Angeles

began 145 years ago on Aug. 1, 1862, with the ar-rival of the Shubrick, the fi rst revenue cutter to be home-ported on the Olympic Peninsula.

Th e Air Station was commissioned June 1, 1935, becoming the fi rst permanent Coast Guard Air Station on the Pacifi c Coast. Its location on Ediz Hook was chosen because of its strategic position for coastal defense of the Northwest.

During World War II, the air station expanded to include a gunnery school, training aerial gun-ners and local defense forces. A short runway was added to train Navy pilots for carrier landing and the station began hosting independent units such

as Naval Intelligence and Air Sea Rescue System for the Northwest Sea Frontier.

By the end of 1944, the air station had 29 aircraft assigned and officially became Coast Guard Group Port Angeles.

Two years later, the fi rst helicopter arrived.Th e last fi xed wing aircraft , Th e Grumman

HU-16E Albatross, or the “Goat,” was retired in 1973. Since then, the air station has been home to helicopters only.

Just this year, Group Port Angeles dissolved and became Air Station Port Angeles/Sector Field Of-fi ce, complete with 126 active duty personnel, four reservists and nine civilian employees.

Th e small boat station supports the air station as a training platform to better prepare for real life emergencies.

Lt. Winston Wood, a pilot, has served in the Coast Guard for more than 20 years and in the Army before that. He describes the Port Angeles base as one of the most highly sought aft er loca-tions.

Far left: The Response Boat-Medium (RB-M) is an all-aluminum, 45-foot boat with twin diesel engines with water jet propulsion. This small boat is the primary non-heavy weather, multi-mission capable boat for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Middle: The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Blue Shark stands at attention during a commissioning ceremony.

Photos courtesy of the USCG

Above: Scott Bigelow, AMT I; Justin Brown, AMT II; Lt. Kelly Higgins; and Lt. Winston Wood, left to right, pose for a photograph in front of one of three helicopters at the U.S. Coast Guard Port Angeles base.

Photo by Ashley Miller

ports & seas around the globe

Top: The Coast Guard’s Station Quillayute River crew poses along the Quillayute River. The station’s covered mooring is pictured to the right and the Quileute Marina to the left.

Photo by Cheryl BarthContinued on Page 30


In an average day, the U.S. Coast Guard …• Saves 13 lives.• Responds to 64 search and rescue cases.• Rescues 77 percent of mariners in imminent danger.• Keeps 959 pounds of cocaine off the streets.• Saves $260,000 in property.• Interdicts 10 undocumented migrants trying to enter

the U.S.• Services 49 buoys and fi xes 21 discrepancies, such as

buoys moved by a hurricane.• Provides a presence in all major ports.• Screens 679 commercial vessels and 170,000 crew

and passengers.• Issues 200 credentials to merchant mariners.• Inspects 70 containers.• Inspects 33 vessels for compliance with air emissions

standards.• Performs 30 safety and environment examinations of

foreign vessels entering U.S. ports.• Boards 15 fi shing boats to ensure compliance with

fi sheries laws.• Investigates 12 marine accidents.• Responds to and investigates 10 pollution incidents.• Does security boarding of fi ve high-interest vessels.• Escorts four high-value U.S. Navy vessels transiting

U.S. waterways.• Identifi es one individual with terrorism associations.• Has six patrol boats and 400 personnel protecting

Iraq’s offshore oil infrastructure, training Iraqi naval forces and keeping sea lanes secure in the Arabian Gulf.

“A small town with bigger cities close by,” Wood said. “It’s absolutely beautiful here and my top choice of where to be.”

Becoming a ‘Coastie’Th e U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the smallest of the fi ve

federal service academies, off ers a prestigious higher edu-cation experience, with emphasis on leadership, integrity, physical fi tness and professional development. Th e ultimate goal is to prepare young women and men for careers as com-missioned offi cers in the U.S. Coast Guard, well-known for

its humanitarian missions. About 300 high school graduates enroll in the academy annu-ally, leaving four years later with a Bachelor of Science degree and commission as an ensign — an offi cer in the Coast Guard of the lowest rank.

Following graduation, newly commis-sioned ensigns report for duty aboard cutters and at sector offi ces such as Port Angeles in ports nationwide. Graduates of the academy are obligated to serve fi ve years in the U.S. Coast Guard, though many choose to stay and make a rewarding, lifelong career of their maritime military service.

Careers for Coast Guard offi cers include aviation, engineering, afl oat operations, marine environ-mental safety and environmental protection, law enforce-ment, homeland security, fi nance, intergovernmental opera-tions, personnel and training, port operations and waterways management, intelligence and communications.

Justin Brown, an Aviation Maintenance Technician II stationed in Port Angeles, describes being a pilot in the Coast Guard as “the best job I’ve ever had. I recommend the Coast Guard to anybody looking for a worthwhile, fun and stable career.”

Two pilots practice fl ying helicopters at the U.S. Coast Guard Port Angeles Air Station.

Photo courtesy of the USCG

t

p

T

P

338 W. First St. Port Angeles(360) 457-8527

E-mail: [email protected]

Get to know your Port... the Port of Port Angeles

Question: Why are the large ships docked at Terminal 1?

Answer: The usual vessel docked at Terminal 1 is an empty oil tanker. The Port Angeles harbor is a natural deepwater port which allows large

vessels (up to 1,000 feet long) to berth at Terminal 1 for topside repair services.

Topside repairs consist of structural work, inspections, etc. that can be done to a

vessel without using a dry dock. Topside repairs at the Port’s Terminal 1 keeps approximately 20 companies working

and 600 employees employed.a


Tires • Brakes • AlignmentWheels • Batteries • Shocks

The LES SCHWAB Warranty

FREE • Road Hazard Warranty (Limited)• Mounting • Air Checks • Rotations• Flat Repair - Passenger & Tubeless Light Truck Tires

“If We Can’t Guarantee it, We Won’t Sell It!

Serving The West Since 1952 With Over 400 LocationsSequim 802 E. Washington......................................................360.683.7261Port Angeles 2527 E. Hwy 101 ............................................360.452.7691Port Townsend 355 Sims Way ............................................360.385.0124

Monday-Friday 8am - 6pmSaturday 8am - 5pm lesschwab.com Les Schwab Credit Plan

90 days same as cash (OAC)

Dr. Nathan Gelder & Dr. Brian Juel

321 N. Sequim Ave., Suite BSequim, WA 98382

681-TUTH (8884)

EXPERIENCE30 combined years of dental excellence

INTEGRITY2nd opinions always complimentary

COMPASSIONAfter all, family is our middle name

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU www.sequimfamilydentistry.com

More Choices, Better Coverage, Great Service

369 W. Washington, Sequim

360-683-3355

Representing more companies than any other agency in Clallam County, we specialize in providing more choices, better coverage and great service.

Call today to discuss your needs and receive multiple options from several of our carriers.

For instant quotes, visit www.jimcarl.com

Advertise your business in the next

Call today! Sequim Gazette 360-683-3311 or Port Townsend & Jeff erson County Leader 360-385-2900

Receive up to $1,5000000 rebate on an approved installed product

360 681-3333782 Kitchen-Dick Road • Sequim

Call today for program details Call today for program details and schedule your free and schedule your free in-home assessment in-home assessment

and estimateand estimate

In all of us,a green heart

“We are the Peninsula’s “We are the Peninsula’s Leading Installer of Leading Installer of

Ductless Heat Pump Systems”Ductless Heat Pump Systems”

Hard to heat your home?

IIIIIIIIIIIIImmmmmmmmmpppppppppppoooooooooossssssssssssssssssssiiiiiiiiiiiiibbbbbbbbbbbbbbllllllllllllleeeeeeeeee ttttttttttttoooooooooo iiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnssssssssssttttttttttttaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllllll dddddddddddddduuuuuuuuuuccccccccccttttttttttttwwwwwwwwwoooooooooorrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkkkkk?????????????

Mini-Split Air Conditioners and Heat PumpsMMMMMMMMMMMMMMiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnniiiiiiiiiiiiii---SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSppppppppppplllllllllllllliiiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttt AAAAAAAAAAAAAAiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrr CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCooooooooooonnnnnnnnnndddddddddddddddiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttttttiiiiiiiiiiiiiiooooooooooonnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrsssssssssss aaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnddddddddddddddd HHHHHHHHHHHHHHeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttt PPPPPPPPPPPPPPuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmpppppppppppsssssssssss

Take advantage of theTake advantage of the“Northwest Ductless Heat Pump Project”“Northwest Ductless Heat Pump Project”

Th e Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society promotes birding,

conservation of habitat, and biological diversity on the Olympic

Peninsula through our education and conservation eff orts.

For more information & reservations,

visit www.olympicpeninsulaaudubon.org or contact (360) 681-4076

For additional information, see

www.olympicbirdfest.org

or contact (360) 681-4076

Olympic Peninsula BirdFestApril 8-10, 2011 • Sequim

“Come Bird With Us”

San Juan Island CruiseApril 10-12 • 3 days/2nights

• Birdwatching • Historic Sites • Parks

$600 pp double occupancy • $675 pp single occupancyRoundtrip cruise from the John Wayne Marina in Sequim aboard the

MV Glacier Spirit with overnight accommodations at the historic

Roche Harbor Resort on San Juan Island. Reservations Required.

cc

Ol mpic PO

ALL EVENT E-MAIL INQUIRIES: [email protected]

BirdFest Annual BanquetSaturday, April 9 at SunLand Golf & Country Club • $35

Silent Auction Preview & Refreshments: 5:30pm • Dinner: 6:30 pm

Speaker: Chris Peterson, Executive Producer, “BirdNote,”

as heard on KPLU FM

Th e public is invited to attend the preview & banquet

Photo by Michael Packer


Metal sculptor Ray Hammar doesn’t view the world in the same way as most people. In his artistic vision, a discarded crescent wrench takes

on new life as a one-of-a-kind latch, rock screens morph into decorative panels and cone liners are reborn as bells. Retired clutch plates are things of beauty, old pipes become arbors for new vines and fi beroptic crystals are reborn as jewels in a garden gate.

Hammar designs and fabricates beautiful and func-tional art and architectural pieces from recycled metal, plastic and glass. Although he has been creating unique art pieces in his Sequim studio for little more than a year, his entire life is a study in rugged individualism.

Hammar grew up in Parma, Idaho, on a dairy farm that was 100-percent self-sustaining. Nothing, he says, was ever purchased from the outside and by age 18, he was ready to leave and make his way in the world. Over the course of the next few years, he began three diff erent businesses: roof-ing, demolition and exercise consulting. He put himself through college, studied exercise physiology and obtained a degree in counseling.

A setback with a silver lining

At age 34, he closed the companies, moved to southern Utah and began a landscaping business near Zion Na-tional Park. Hammar eventually moved to Port Townsend, returning occasionally to Utah to complete projects.

Th roughout those years, many of his eff orts and resources had been donated to his favorite charity of animal rescue and welfare.

During the demolition phase for one of the charitable projects, Hammar contracted and became very ill with valley fever. Although the fungal lung disease is common in the Southwest, his condition initially was misdiagnosed and proper treatment delayed. It took a year to recover from the illness, which exhausted his physical strength and all of his resources. To someone who had been indepen-dent and fi t, the silver lining in the 12-month ordeal was not immediately obvious. When he recovered his health, he took various manual labor jobs and spent a year working in the shipyards in Portland, Ore.

Eventually Hammar returned to Port Townsend. Although he didn’t realize it yet, he was embarking on a new path and some of the generosity he had extended to others over the years would return to him. A friend allowed him to use the welding equipment in the back room of his business to create gates and other useful objects. Another friend recommended he use steel for his creations. Unable to aff ord the expensive material, he began gleaning dis-carded machinery from local farms. As his projects were expanding, a man he barely knew in Port Townsend named Dan, who had been known to commit other good deeds, surreptitiously bought Hammar a welder of his own.

Th e gift allowed Hammar to resume his old habit of

Blue Collar ArtworkProfi le of metal sculptor Ray Hammar

Story and photos

by Kelly McKillip

Above: Ray Hammar fashioned this garden gate at Sequim’s Vision Landscape Nursery from a variety of recycled metals.

Below: Hammar fulfi lled homeowner Gunvor Hildal’s request to make a garden gate that refl ects sun, water and light.

Middle: Sparks fl y as Ray Hammar fashions objets d’art from recycled materials.

Far right: Ray Hammar’s kinetic sculpture twirls in the breeze at the Sequim home of Liz Tomisato and Bob Klapproth.


donating his eff orts to charities and good causes, such as the trellis in the small Port Townsend Master Gardener Park dedicated to Mary Robson.

Hammar also had a fortuitous meeting with metal artist Gray Lucier at Waste Not Want Not in Port Angeles. Lucier became a mentor and friend, introducing Ham-mar to the conclave of Port Angeles artists at his Second Saturday Art Walk parties. Th e overture opened the world of art to Hammar; catapulting his life into a new endeavor he named Blue Collar Artwork.

Artful recycling Hammar still fi nds the medium for his art from scrap

yards and farms but those fi nite resources are actively sought by other metal artists as well. Proactively he took up traveling around the Northwest to meet with CEOs of industry to discuss mutually benefi cial ways they could discard their retired machinery.

Stacked neatly in his studio are rusted grates and wheels, cables, industrial cut-outs, water pipes, rings, nuts and bolts, railroad tracks, marine chains, ball hitches, ball bearings and plastic from surfb oards.

Wielding his welder, he turns what-nots into objets d’art such as the 8-foot kinetic sculpture purchased by Liz Tomisato and Bob Klapproth. Th e piece twirls as it catches a breeze in the landscaping of their Sequim home, echo-ing the fl owing motion of the dry river bed they created. Tomisato liked Hammar’s sculpture so much that she bought a smaller version for a friend.

Hammar also enjoys doing the op-posite of what’s usual and customary, such as the mailbox he created for Lorrie Campbell’s Port Angeles home. He placed the design elements on the top of the re-ceptacle rather than below. Hammar also created two metal patio panels that serve as outdoor walls in Campbell’s garden. She is delighted with the pieces and hopes to have more soon.

Collaborating with clients on custom projects is a favored aspect of his business because he believes that everyone is an artist and children are artistic geniuses. He estimates the fi nished pieces are about 80 percent his design concept. Clients like to be involved and usually love the piece they help create.

Such was the custom gate by Hammar that graces Gunvor Hildal’s Port Angeles garden. Hildal says that Hammar is an in-spiration and fulfi lled her request to make a gate that refl ected sun, water and light while echoing the design elements of the fence her husband had built.

For indoor environments, Hammar builds balcony and stairway railings, tables and dragons to sit upon them. Ever practical, he creates wall sculptures that double as pull-out ladders. He generally prefers the natural aged patina of metal but occasionally will paint a piece if required.

Hammar takes great pleasure in col-laborating with fellow artists who are not afraid to share ideas. He creates bird baths in concert with popular Sequim metal artist Dana Hyde. In Port Angeles, he craft s decorative panels with Lucier and Bill Calhoun. Many sculptures have been designed and produced in partner-ship with Maggie Moret, who also has inspired Hammar to expand his chari-table works in the cause to fi ght cancer. Moret’s 10-year-old son Elliot Hill also has worked with the two adults to create some nice pieces of his own.

Hammar began to study the meth-ods of admired metal artists who were successful and realized that in addition to creativity, collaboration and charity, a good business sense and a quicker pace are essential to his vision of creating amazing pieces in a higher realm.

Does life imitate art or art refl ect life? At Blue Collar Artwork, perhaps both apply.

Hammar invites artists of all ages to his Sequim studio to work with him and create beautiful sculptures of their own.

Visit Hammar’s gallery at www.bluecollarartwork.com. Contact him by e-mail at [email protected] or at 360-821-1927.

A simple metal ring takes on a new personality under the practiced hammer of Ray Hammar.

Hundreds of options & packages available!

If you encase your columns with concrete, they WILL deteriorate in the ground quickly because of the moisture. WE BACKFILL

WITH GRAVEL

Commercial/

Residential/

Custom builders

of options & packaggggggggggees available!

rrrrrrrreeeeteteteteteteteteetetetetteeetettetettteete,eee,e,e,e,e,e,ee,e,eee,eeee,e,ee,e,, tttttttttttttttee ee eee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey yyyyy y y yyy yyyyy yyy

Garages – Workshops – Home Offices – M

other-

in-

law A

partm

ents

– H

orse

Sta

lls –

Pole

Ba r

ns –

She

ds – M

ulti-Purpos

e – Buildi –

es –

Garages – Workshops – Home Offices – M

other-

in-

law A

partm

ents

– H

orse

Sta

lls –

Pole

Ba r

ns –

She

ds – M

ulti-Purpos

e – Buildi –

mes –mmmmmSee

our photo gallery online

Call for a FREE estimate: 360-683-3215 • 360-670-6227TimberAndIron.com • TimberAndIronCabins.com

Lice

nsed

& B

onde

d Li

c# T

IMBE

IE90

5OT

Dave Richardson3343 Old Olympic Hwy., Port Angeles

LLC


360379-4179

The “GOOD OLD FASHIONED THRIFT STORE” that we all remember. Come hunt for unique treasures. We carry a little bit of everything and you will fi nd things that you won’t fi nd anywhere else. Owners Bonnie and Warren Osmer have been in business at this location, serving the community for 7 years. Shopping and donating here helps support local non-profi ts. Just ask us.

811 Nesses Corner Road, Port Hadlock

Bonnie & Warren Osmer

DINNER NIGHTLY at 5 pm360.385.3450 Pa

intin

g by A

ndre

a Law

son

Voted (again)the Leader 2010

Located on Port Hadlock’s Historic Waterfrontwww.ajaxcafe.com

Carrying a full assortment of Notions & Threads

Major Brands • Quality Fabric

(360) 385-5797 • (360) 683-4010 10853 Rhody Drive, Port Hadlock

www.sunshinepropane.comContractor Lic. #SUNSHP*077QP

Your Radiant Heat & Gas Fireplace Experts!

Sunshine Propane is a full-service, employee-owned company.

Satisfaction always guaranteed.

UNDERGROUND PROPANE TANK OWNERS – IMPORTANT NOTICEProtect your investment. Underground tanks require periodic inspection & maintenance. As with any buried steel, corrosive forces are working on the outside of your tank. We are trained in measuring & fi xing corrosion issues. Call us for a consultation.

LtoR: Dave Lemley, Ron Flanders, Mike Ewing, Richard Chawes & Dave Monroe

Come on in and meet the rest of the crew.

Sunshine Propane, your tank protection specialist.

Open Mon-Fri8am - 5pm

Keeping the peninsula warm for over 30 years!

For new computer setup or program installation

Over 30 years experience Home or Business location I come to you – no hauling Reasonable rates and fast,

competent serviceServing the Olympic Peninsula


Start your year off right... Schedule an appointment today.

ADMIRALTY DENTAL CENTER600 Cliff Street • Port Townsend • 360-385-7003

www.AdmiraltyDental.com

Hand crafted cement tiles Natural stone fl ooring & wall tiles

Hand carved river stone sinks & statuary Artisan home/garden furnishings & accents

830 Water Street, Suite 200 • Port Townsend • 360-379-2410www.joglonorthwest.com

414 Kearney 360 385-2883


617 Tyler St.Port Townsend360.385.1199

150 South 5th Ave.Sequim

360.681.3280

4569 Lynwood Center Rd.Bainbridge Isl.206-780-1902

www.panedamore.com

Olympic Peninsula’s only authorized service center

for Apple warranty repairs.

PCs, Macs & Cell Phones CompTIA A+ Certified Service CenterWe make house calls & do networking!

Stay Safe and Legal with Hands-Free Cell Phone Accessories Flash Drives, Speakers, Webcams, Anti-Virus/Spyware

Printers, Ink, Blank CD/DVDs, Photo & Print Paper

Port Townsend ComputersVisit our store at 1200 West Sims Way, Suite B

Port Townsend • M-F: 10-6; Sat: 10-4

360-379-0605

with purchase of entrée of equal or lesser value & two beverages

Happy Hour

4-6 Daily

Lunch & Dinner Wed.-Mon. 11 am-3 pm & 4 pm-closing Closed Tues.141 Hudson St. at Point Hudson, Port Townsend • 360-385-0700

* Not valid with any coupon, discount or holidays. One per table.

Northwest Cuisine at its finest

Open Mon. - Sat. 10-6 • 2328 W. Sims Way, Port Townsend 360-385-3970

“It’s quite simple really why we (or any artist should) shop at Akamai - you don’t run into attitude! You just run into knowledgeable people who really know the products and can help you get the results you’re after. Again, not their results, your results, it’s great!” – Suzanne Lamon and Frank Samuelson

www.AkamaiArt.com Art and Craft Supplies for Everyone!

720 Water Street •Port Townsend360.385.3838 • 1.888.785.3838 • www.TheGreenEyeshade.com

9:30am - 6pm Daily • Open Friday until 8pm


A Taste of Port Townsend to Go!

Handcrafted Wines from FairWinds Winery From Aligoté to Port, we off er a wide selection of award-winning wines and wine-related gifts. Come out and see us!

1984 Hastings Avenue West • Port Townsend360-385-6899 • www.fairwindswinery.com

Tours & TastingsMemorial Day • Labor Day

Daily 12:00 noon - 5:00 pmSept. - June: Fri. - Mon. 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm

Let us help you create a beautiful, successful

landscape.

Open 7 Days a WeekMon-Fri: 9-6 • Sat & Sun: 9-5 • 321 Four Corners Rd., PT • 360-379-0807

TreesShrubsPerennials

AnnualsGrassesBamboo

NativesGarden Art & Supplies

Compost TeaBulk Topsoil, Mulch, Bark & Compost

Castle Hill Mall • 1240 W. Sims Way

©2010 Bank of America Corporation SPN-108-AD | ARR23410


Veterans, no matter which branch of the military they served in or where they were stationed, share a common bond. Th e adage “it takes one to know

one” defi nitely applies to military veterans. Th is is one of the reasons I have the job I do. As the veterans employment representative, one of the prerequisites for my job is that I myself must be a veteran.

Designated as a Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) specialist with WorkSource, (formerly known as the state “Unemployment” Offi ce), I work with veterans to help them in their transition from the military to the civilian workforce. WorkSource is not the “unemployment” offi ce any more. As our name implies, we are a work source. Our job is to help people fi nd work and prepare them to get a job. Th is can be anything from job referrals to helping with resumes to actual retraining. I spe-cialize in veterans, all veterans.

Returning veterans in particular may experience diffi culties unique to them. In order to comprehend these diffi culties, it’s necessary to give a brief overview.

Each and every person who has been in the military has had experi-ences that they will remember for life. Every veteran has, at the least, gone through basic training. Th is basic training, also known as “boot camp,” provides physical training and instills a sense of honor and integrity. Each recruit is trained beginning with the basics: when to get up and when to go to bed; what to wear and how to wear it; how to care for clothes and equipment and how to maintain cleanliness of body and surround-ings. Daily life is highly structured. Following orders and a sense of discipline are paramount.

Following basic training, many continue on to schools that train them in whatever specialty that will be their primary job while serving in the military. Th ere are liter-ally hundreds of specialties, some more technical than others, that are an important part of a large and powerful machine that is the United States military. From linguistics to computer technology; from administrative to medical; dental to accounting; electronics to mechanics; policemen to fi remen; cooks to feed the body and chaplains to feed

the soul. Almost any job in civilian life has a military counterpart, but not all military jobs have a civilian counterpart.

Not all people in the military go into a technical fi eld requiring class-room training. Some go directly to their fi rst duty station where they receive on-the-job training in mili-tary tactics and equipment. Th ings that were taught in basic training are fi ne-tuned. Working as a team and watching out for each other to provide strength and heightened se-curity is emphasized over and over.

Employers recognize the value military service brings to the work-place. Veterans bring experience, skills and leadership abilities that strengthen the workforce. Respon-

sibility, professionalism, a can-do attitude are a few. Th ey can remain calm under fi re and stay calm, cool and col-lected under stressful situations.

Federal tax benefi ts are available to employers that hire veterans. Some of these are quite substantial. Employers hiring veterans can ask WorkSource for assistance in obtaining these credits. Th ese benefi ts also are explained and claimed on IRS Form 5884.

So why would a military veteran have trouble getting

a job? It’s obvious they are well-trained, well-disciplined, responsible and loyal. Th ey can be counted on to make it to work on time and can think on their feet to accomplish a task. Th ere are even advantages that entice employers to hire veterans, so why?

Why does every employment offi ce in the country have a veterans representative?

All veterans have at least two things in common. Other than the fact that each swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, each left a way of life they were used to for a life of structure and discipline. Th ey left their comfort zone; to leave a way of life for something unknown takes courage in itself and the adjustment they had to make was diffi cult at best.

Someone who never has been in the military never can fully understand what it’s like. Th ey can watch mov-ies, read books, listen to lectures, talk to veterans and try to imagine themselves in their place, but they never will quite get it. As one veteran friend of mine said, “Th ey (non-military citizens) have to understand that they will never understand.”

Another thing every veteran shares in common is readjusting back into civilian life. Th eir experiences may have reshaped their outlook and they may fi nd themselves lost. Th ey have gone from a fully structured life where they know what to do, when to do it and how it needs to be done, to one without the structure they were accustomed to. For many, they go from a position of leadership and responsibility to one of anonymity where they have to redefi ne themselves, their thinking and where they have to reshape their future.

Coming back home is a happy and joyous occasion. In preparation, most leaving the service undergo TAP (Transition Assistance Program) classes that help them to adjust to civilian life. In addition to the normal physicals and administrative procedures necessary, attendees of the TAP classes hear a barrage of speakers that tell them about the services available for veterans, ranging from the

Veterans Are Unique

By Mike McEvoy, DVOP Veterans Services

WorkSource Clallam & Jefferson County


educational benefi ts of the GI Bill to employment services and services available to their families.

Do they listen? Many don’t. Th ey’re tired and for the most part only are

interested in going home. Combat veterans in particular fi nd it diffi cult. I can remember the diffi culty I had when returning home from Vietnam. Like many others, I came home to a broken marriage and had to get to know fam-ily and friends again. At the time I thought “Gee, they’ve changed.” Th ey hadn’t changed, I had. I saw everything and everyone diff erently. I also didn’t have a lot of marketable skills related to my primary job.

I had spent four years and two tours to Vietnam as a “yellow shirt” or fl ight deck director on an aircraft carrier.

When I returned, the attitudes of people in the civilian world were um ... let’s just say less than wel-coming. Nor were there the supportive systems in place that there are now. My job, directing aircraft on the fl ight deck, a demanding and important job, translated in the civilian world as qualifi ed to be a “tug driver” or a tow tractor driver. I will never forget it. I didn’t have the help of a veterans representative at the employment offi ce nor were there programs like the Transition Assistance Program to help ease me back. I was lucky, I had an understanding and supportive family.

Th e attitudes of people today are much diff erent, thank goodness. Also there are many, many more supportive services available for not only the veteran, but also the family of the veteran.

I ended up going back into the service and retiring aft er serving 20 years. Th is time when I got out there were classes and professionals to tell me all the available resources and how to access them. But did I fully listen and take notes?

No! Like so many others, all I could think of was going home and living a non-military life. Th is time though, I was a little savvier; with the help of the VA I returned to college and began the career I have now.

For the combat veteran, perhaps one of the biggest problems is deceleration. In a war zone you push the limit on everything. Readjustment as a civilian can be more dif-fi cult than when they had to adjust to military life. You’ve got to get a job. Unless you had a specialty where you could slide right in to a civilian counterpart, you may have to start at the bottom again. Some were in charge of men and machines worth millions of dollars and starting again at the bottom can be a blow to the ego.

Unlike the military, the “real world” doesn’t feed you, clothe you, house you or tell you when or where to work. In uniform you always had a paycheck, no matter what. When you get out, you’ve got to get a job.

Th at’s where I come in. I in-terview veterans and help them become job ready in the civilian

world. I spent 20 years in the military and I know where they’re coming from. Th e interview is thorough but not invasive. I don’t pry into someone’s personal life; there are other professionals that are qualifi ed for that. I can, how-ever, recognize when a veteran needs assistance outside my area of expertise. I also know that it’s necessary to meet their basic needs before trying to put them to work. My job of translating a veteran’s military skills and expertise into what’s called “civilianeze” and then building a resume from that is all for naught if a veteran has no place to live, needs counseling or doesn’t know where his or her next

meal is coming from. What about the kid who never had a job before enter-

ing the military? He graduated from school and went right in; suppose that same person wasn’t trained in a trade that is useful in the civilian world — think about it. (I’ve run into this from time to time in my work.) Let’s say he and others like him trained as a sniper or were in the infantry. Th ey were trained in the ways of war and now they are returning home and getting out.

Th ey’re sitting in the TAP class and what is being said goes through one ear and out the other. Th eir minds are elsewhere. Th ey have money saved up, friends, family and perhaps a girl or boyfriend waiting for them, and Whoopee! I can’t wait! When they get out everything is great! Family, friends and all are happy to see them. A good time is had by all! Th en reality sets in. Th ey’ve left the nest. Th ere is no living with Mom and Dad again, not in

the long run. Th ey have spent their money and now they’re broke — don’t have a job and are essentially homeless. Th ey didn’t listen in the TAP classes and now they are lost.

It is imperative for that veteran to keep busy. Th ere are ever-increasing programs available to help that person. As the veteran employment representative, and myself a veteran, I know that every person in the military does more than whatever job they are designated for. Th ey’re called “collateral duties” and they do translate to a civilian job. During the interview, I speak in depth with the vet-erans and if necessary, key on what collateral duties they performed that would help them on the job.

I think the saying goes “Idle hands are the devil’s tools” or something like that, and one wrong turn could ruin a

veteran’s future. It is extremely important veterans get to someone who can get them going. Th ey need someone who speaks their language, someone who understands. Any veterans service organization can help. Send them to me.

Please, if you see a veteran, especially a recently released veteran who is just sitting around, realize he or she may be lost. Send them my way. Th ey may not be looking for employment but I can speak with them and point them in the right direction.

For whatever reasons, they took the oath. Th ey walked the talk. Th ey laid their lives on the line and now we need to be there for them.

Oh yes, and don’t forget to thank them. Th ose two words “Th ank You” are some of the most powerful words in any language.

Reach Mike McEvoy at 457-2129 in Port Angeles or 379-5020 in Port Townsend.

If you see a veteran who is just sitting around, realize he or she may be lost. Send them my way. — Mike McEvoy

Mike McEvoy talks about employment opportunities with U.S. Marine Corps veteran Sandra Guoan of Neah Bay. McEvoy helped her get an apprenticeship in construction with the Laborers’ International Union of North America.

Submitted photo


Looking back over her multi-faceted and adventure-fi lled military career, retired Commander Alda Siebrands said it was

a long process where every occasion that came to her opened a window to new experiences. She noted that, during her 24½ years of active service in the U.S. Army and U.S. Coast Guard, she was able to witness an evolution in opportunities for women in the military.

Born in northwestern Iowa on a farm near George, Siebrands said that one of the fi rst win-dows to open onto the wide world outside Iowa was a required college course in anthropology. “I found it fascinating,” she said. Completing her educational degree from University of Iowa in 1972, Siebrands said there were few to no jobs for teachers. But her anthropology classes had whetted an appetite for seeing new places and she submitted an application to the Peace Corps.

Aft er a lengthy process of paperwork, Sie-brands was accepted by the Peace Corps and spent two years in a teacher-training program in Costa Rica. “Th at started the ball rolling on a world of adventure,” she said. “I felt comfortable there and with the motorcycle they let me use, I went all over the country.” She also traveled to many small one- and two-room schoolhouses near the border of Panama by boat or by horse-

back. “I think everyone should have the experi-ence of living abroad,” she said. It opens peoples’ minds and takes away the fear some people have of travel, she added.

Aft er completing her contract with the Peace Corps, Siebrands had what she called, “an in-ternational living experience.” Traveling with a backpack, she toured extensively throughout Mexico, Central and South America. “I had the language and felt comfortable with the culture,” she said. She was in the midst of turmoil and strife much of the time as this was during the years that Salvador Allende was assassinated in Chile and serious unrest was taking place in Argentina, she said.

Returning to Iowa in 1975, she wondered, “What do you do, as a woman, aft er those kinds of experiences?” She had talked with the mis-sionary her home church supported while in Ecuador, who said her daughter had joined the Air Force, and that gave her an idea of what to do next. Although she had no exposure to the military at that time, Siebrands went to the Army recruiting offi ce in Des Moines and took tests to be an Army medic. During those years, there were limitations as to how many women the medical corps could use. Th ey needed strong corpsmen, she said. “What could a lot of ‘weak’

Alda Siebrands in the Army during Offi cer Training Course, May 1976

Right: Alda Siebrands receives graduation certifi cate from Defense Intelligence Agency school, May 2000

40

On “the ice” with Polar Star, December 1989

‘Sounds ‘Sounds good to me’ good to me’From Iowa to Antarctica, as an offi cer and a lady

By Elizabeth Kelly


women possibly do?” she laughed. Siebrands said that was her fi rst real experience of being

looked at in a diff erent category as a woman. “When they called to say I was accepted into a ‘delayed enlistment pro-gram,’ meaning I would have nine months before actually being sworn in, I liked the idea,” she said. “Th ey suggested I try to become an offi cer by way of a direct commis-sion. Th ose days, no women were going through ROTC (Reserve Offi cers’ Training Corps) or the academies,” she said, and the only way to join as an offi cer was by a direct commission. “So I applied.”

Knowing that she had nine months before her Army career started, Siebrands decided to do something she had always wanted to do — drive to Alaska in her Volkswagen van that she had purchased in Costa Rica. She was in Port Angeles getting ready to catch the ferry to Victoria when she called the Army to see how things were progressing and learned that she had been accepted as a candidate for offi cer. “I was sworn into the Women’s Army Corp (WACS) in Omaha, Neb., as a second lieutenant,” she said.

Th ere were representatives from diff erent branches of the Army there, but aviation wasn’t available to women then, she said. “Th e Communications Corps seemed like the best way to go, so I chose that. But they also told me there were some slots for paratroopers,” she continued. Siebrands said the timing was right. Always willing and ready when an opportunity arose, she said she thought to herself, ‘Sounds good to me!’ She went directly to Fort Benning, Ga., and trained to be a paratrooper.

“When I had my choice of bases to be assigned to, I chose Fort Bragg, N.C., because I’d never been to North Carolina,” Siebrands said. Th at turned out to be benefi cial of course, because “Fort Bragg happens to be home to the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division,” she said. “I remember sitting in a helicopter as a paratrooper, looking at the back of the pilots’ heads thinking, ‘I need to look into this.’” Th e seed to become a pilot had been planted.

In 1977, aviation opened up to women and in 1978 Siebrands attended a nine-month fl ight school at Fort Rucker, Ala., northeast of Mobile. Aft er her training, she had some options, one of which was to deploy to Korea. She served one year in Korea and was able to fl y sev-eral times into the potentially volatile DMZ (demilitarized zone) that serves as a buff er zone between North and South Korea.

By the time Siebrands re-turned to Fort Rucker as a helicopter fl ight instructor, she was a captain and honing her expertise as a pilot. “When you teach something, you really get to know it,” she said. She was approaching the end of her obligation to the Army when they said she was needed in Nicaragua during its revolution. Th e idea didn’t sit right with her and she de-cided that the time to leave the Army had come.

For a year, 1982-1983, Siebrands fl ew for Petroleum Helicopters Inc. (PHI) in the Gulf of Mexico fl ying people to and from the oil rigs off the coast of Louisiana, but “I was just basically a bus driver,” she said. Th e time seemed right to travel around the world. She was able to work oc-casionally during her round-the-world trip doing small jobs in various countries with the Army Individual Ready Reserve program, but travel was the goal, and she literally saw the world: China, Th ailand, Nepal, Burma, Japan, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia. When she came back to the U.S. she took an Army reserve job in St. Louis, Mo., and was ready for the next opportunity to come up in her life. It came by way of a casual remark from a friend, who said, “If I had it to do over again, I’d have joined the Coast Guard.” Probably thinking that sounded good to her, Siebrands joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1984 and stayed on for another 18 years.

By then women had equal opportunities in the military and were getting the same pay for the same job in the same time frame, she said. As a Coast Guard helicopter pilot, Siebrands was able to complete three tours of duty in Antarctica, fl ying polar operations with Operation Deep Freeze in 1989 and 1990. “I had the perfect job,” she said, fl ying scientists to the dry valleys to study geology or to the Emperor penguin rookeries, or helping other USCG personnel working on the icebreaker ships at McMurdo Research Station. “It was a great experience,” she said.

Under the supervision of the National Science Foun-dation, all the work that takes place on the Antarctic continent (known as “the ice” to those working there) is in support of the scientists who go there to research a variety

of projects. One of the Coast Guard cutters Polar Star or Polar Sea makes a yearly tour to Antarctica to break up the sea ice so the once-a-year supply ship, the MV Green Wave, can dock long enough to be off -loaded of food, fuel and other essentials. Th e ship is reloaded with trash and waste that has been contained for a year on the continent and returns to the U.S. — all accomplished in a two-week period.

In 1994, while she was stationed in Port Angeles, Sie-brands accomplished a daring and dangerous rescue for which she received a USCG medal for exceptional hero-ism. She was piloting a helicopter on a routine fi sheries patrol when a 9-1-1 call came in informing her that two people were in trouble in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. “It came to my mind immediately that we had no rescue swimmer on board,” Siebrands remembered, and that would mean that she, as the pilot in the left seat, would have to go in the water, if necessary.

And necessary it was. Th ey had managed to save one of the men but the second man was unable to get himself into the basket to be hoisted up. So Siebrands jumped from the helicopter into the water and managed to get both him and herself back up and inside the cabin of the chopper. Th e USCG made a detailed and descriptive video of the rescue and anyone interested can view it by typing “Alda Siebrands” into a search engine and clicking “Helicopter Pilot Risks Life — Coast Guard Heroes.” Th e opening scene of Port Angeles harbor with the Olympic Mountains in the background immediately captures your attention.

Siebrands retired from the Coast Guard in 2003 and has lived in Port Angeles since, enjoying landscaping and bird-watching. Aft er all her world travels, she said Antarctica was her favorite place in the world. Th ere will be more trav-els in the future, she said. With an attitude of saying “yes” to life, Alda Siebrands is an extraordinary woman with a zest for life who always will be a citizen of the planet.

Right: At home in Port Angeles, Alda Siebrands

shows artifacts collected around the world.

Photo by Elizabeth Kelly

Commander Alda Siebrands, USCG


property located at 250 Ash Ave.Volunteers are lining up to begin work

on renovating the building, creating apart-ments for families of veterans on the second fl oor and rooms for single veterans on the ground fl oor.

Th e inspiration for Sarge’s Place came from a program that aids men upon release from a corrections facility.

“In 2007, the Shelter Provider Network put on a presentation of a housing project

for men exiting prison,” Fleck said. “Th e owner discussed the case management

and support she was providing to the men and how well they were doing with their housing. A couple of us leaned into each

other and said, ‘We could do a supported housing project for vets that’s peninsula-wide.’ We knew there was a large population of homeless veterans due to Voices for Veterans stand-downs (resource events for homeless vet-erans) that were occurring in Forks and Port Angeles. It seemed a logical project to pursue,” Fleck explained.

“We formed a meeting the next week which included veterans, social service agencies, veterans organizations, city, county and state entities as well as service organiza-tions. Th e birth of Sarge’s Place had begun. We are so grateful for the collaborative eff ort of this project, but the Sarge’s Place advisory board has had a core group of about eight people that have consistently worked on this project and attended monthly meetings for nearly three years. It is that dedication that has helped to move this project forward from vision to reality.”

Fleck said 12 transitional beds will be available for single veterans in the downstairs portion of the building, eight

for men and four for women. Th e sleeping quarters will be separate, but the kitchen and living space will be commu-nal. Th ere will be three two-bedroom apartments upstairs for veterans and their families. A veteran will serve as the live-in caretaker and be responsible for management of the building when Sarge’s Place manager and Iraq veteran Matt Breed is off -property.

Th e seed money for the project came from First Fed-eral.

“Th ey heard about our meetings and they donated $50,000 as our seed money. Nothing could have been done without this money. It was the spark that allowed us to garner further monies from other entities,” Fleck said.

Th e name “Sarge’s Place” captures the spirit of the veter-ans project. Cheri Fleck’s husband, Rod Fleck, an Air Force veteran and the attorney/planner for the city of Forks, came up with it. “It fi t perfectly. We just were incredibly lucky that Matt Breed was a sergeant when he was in the service. We ended up with a sarge by accident, but it seems like a beautiful coincidence.”

Funding also came from the Benjamin N. Phillips Me-morial Fund, which has helped to employ Breed, who is the case manager for the project. Some $6,500 came from the Albert Haller Foundation in Sequim to aid in buying kitchen equipment.

“Th e biggest piece of the pie was $487,000 from Sen. Patty Murray for the purchase and remodeling of the exist-ing two-story building in Forks,” Fleck said. “We also are grateful to the Band of Brothers Motorcycle Club, Rough-necks Motorcycle Club, Sue Zalokar and others who have specifi cally fundraised for this project,” she added.

“West End Outreach Services (WEOS), a division of Forks Community Hospital, has allowed me to work on the development of this project over the last three years,”

by next summer, veterans will have a new home away from home in Forks at Sarge’s Place.

Cheri Fleck, president of the North Olympic Regional Veterans Housing Network, announced on Nov. 17 that funds for buying the building and land that will house the veterans center are in place. Th e nonprofi t organization now owns the building.

Fleck said in an e-mail announcing the completion of the purchase of the Peterson Building in Forks: “It is with great happiness that I write this e-mail to you. Wow … it seems unbelievable … three years ago this seemed like such a dream to help veterans on the peninsula. And here we are, on Nov. 17, 2010, with a signed purchase and sale agreement for the building which will serve as Sarge’s Place. What a wonderful day it is.”

A groundbreaking ceremony to offi cially kick off the refurbishing of the two-story building was Dec. 4 at the

By Chris Cook

Matt Breed began demolition and remodeling work on Sarge’s Place in the days after the sale of the building was completed in mid-November.


Open Wed. - Sun., Closed Mon.-Tues. • 10115 Old Olympic Hwy. (Rock Plaza) Sequim

360-681-ROCK(7625)

Book Your Party Now!

Become a Certifi ed Fairy Princess in our Princess Room

Kids Shows • Parties • Build Your Own Stuffed Animal

Securities and investment advisory services offered through FSC Securities Corporation, member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor. Tracy Wealth Management is not affi liated with FSC Securities Corporation or registered as a broker/dealer or investment advisor.

105½ East First Street, Suite APort Angeles, WA 98362

(360) 452-9080

she said. “WEOS has worked for years aiding the homeless and has supported this project since its inception. And I certainly would be remiss not to note the individuals and families that have donated their time, energy and goods to Sarge’s Place as well. We have a team of volunteers waiting in the wings to aid us with demolition, painting, gardening, etc. We are still seeking funding for new furnishings for the project. We will need couches, chairs, large dining room set, washers and dryers, kitchen dishes, etc.,” she said.

A main goal of the project is to support veterans in need of housing, plus provide a boost in bettering their lives and more.

“Sarge’s Place will provide any person that served within the military with assistance, encouragement and needed support services to foster lasting stability while assisting veterans in reaching personal goals to help break the cycle of homelessness,” Fleck said. “To this end, we will provide structure in a respectful, clean and sober environ-ment with warm and dry transitional housing (for up to two years), veteran resources, mental health referrals, medical and dental referrals, employment services, AA/NA and life skills groups.

“Any veteran, or relative of a veteran, will be able to come into Sarge’s Place and get assistance for veteran-related issues, even if they are not living within the house. We want this to be a welcome building for anyone that has served or has had a loved one serving or has served in the past.”

Matt Breed served as an Army sergeant in Iraq. Today he is the manager of Sarge’s Place in Forks. Here he stands alongside a demolition derby car used last summer to publicize the veterans’ home and resource center at the annual Forks Old-Fashioned Fourth of July celebration.

s Id o gg, e

m

n r

dd d ek ll -o s,/

o-

Hours:Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm

Saturday 9 am - 3 pm

Fax 360 452-3367www.everwarmhh.com

contr. lic #everwi*088nl

(360) 452-3366 or 1-800-750-7868257151 hwy 101

(Midway between Port Angeles & Sequim - Look for the Big Yellow Rocking Chair!)

You’re invited to our

33 DVI Gas Insert 564 Diamond-Fyre

New models on display!


To donate clothing, personal hygiene items and outdoor gear or to volunteer provider services, write to Voices for Veterans, P.O. Box 2810, Port Angeles, WA 98362; visit www.voicesforveterans.org or e-mail [email protected].

“Company, stand down!” For combat soldiers, these words are second only to “You’re going home” in their power to evoke sighs of relief.

“In a combat situation, a stand-down is to pull back from the confl ict area to rest and recuperate, get medi-cal attention, get food and prepare to go back out again,” explained John Braasch, president of Voices for Veterans, an all-volunteer, nonprofi t support organization on the Olympic Peninsula.

Six years ago, Braasch, a Vietnam veteran, said he and other vets helping in the annual head count of the homeless in Clallam County “saw a surprisingly substantial number of people identifying themselves as veterans. We thought we might be able to take a small portion of the homeless population and make a little diff erence.”

Th e volunteers rallied, securing support and services for a stand-down from private and public organizations in the areas of employment, education, health care, mental health, housing, legal issues and veterans benefi ts. Vets also were off ered clothing, camping gear, dental exams and haircuts. Th e idea was, with hands outstretched, to off er veterans a one-day opportunity to meet some of their needs without governmental strings attached. Th e fi rst stand-down was in October 2004 at the Clallam County Fairgrounds in Port Angeles.

“We had invested a lot of time and eff ort and a fair amount of money,” Braasch said. “We really didn’t know who would show up, if anybody. It wasn’t like we could put an ad in the paper (to reach homeless vets). I believe about 100 vets came and not all were homeless.”

Braasch emphasized that the vast majority of veterans returning from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan rejoined society and went about rebuilding their lives. But others left the service with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a distaste for anything that smacks of the government.

“A vet comes home and he’s not the same and home’s not the same. Or he comes back and he has no place to go and no networks. It’s not as he imagined it to be,” said Bra-asch. “PTSD led to a lot of self-medicating (with drugs and alcohol) and for those reasons, people separated from the normal avenues of community. Some went to the woods so they wouldn’t be messed with by anybody.”

Voices for Veterans volunteers understand in off ering their services they need to tread gently.

“At the stand-down, we don’t re-quire that they register — we do have a check-in sheet and ask they try to get help from three service providers, to sit down and get legitimate help from somebody,” Braasch said. “We wel-come them and thank them for their service. It’s really kind of emotional for a lot of vets to be treated like a guest in

our living room — to hear, ‘We love you and you are happy and safe here.’”

During the stand-downs, which have expanded to include Forks on the fi rst Th ursday in May and Port Townsend on the last Monday in July, vets receive a hot breakfast and lunch. Th ey can choose their own clothing or have a personal shopper select what they need. Braasch said volunteers do keep track of the people who receive outdoor gear because they feel an obligation to the donors that it goes to those who need it the most. About 40 people volunteer to put on each stand-down and Voices for Vet-erans has a core group of 15.

Veterans are encouraged to have a health check-up provided by Dr. Ed Hopfner and his wife, Phyllis, of Port Angeles. Braasch credits their stand-down participation with saving lives by diagnosing cases of diabetes and coro-nary disease. In the Port Angeles stand-down in October, Voices for Veterans provided 107 medical services ranging from vaccines to blood sugar checks to consults for fungal rashes, migraines, cataracts, chronic pain and malignant hypertension. About two dozen vets received services for bad and/or abscessed teeth and others received vouchers for eyeglasses.

“It’s been a tough inroad for guys way back in the West End but slowly they’re starting to come out. Some we’ll never get to,” Braasch said, noting, however, that one year a vet will come alone and the next will bring a buddy or two. “We try a little outreach but we’re aware not to get too close.”

Volunteers stand up for veteransBy Patricia Morrison Coate

Brad Collins leads the crew from the Serenity House of Clallam County in serving lunch.

From left, are Jim Graham and Tom McKeown from the Mt. Olympus Detachment of the Marine Corps League and Jim Dickson at the check-in table.


(360) 683-8544Jakdej Nikomborirak, M.D.Diplomate, American Board of Sleep Medicine.

❃ Fully Accredited ❃by the American Academyof Sleep Medicine

Most Most Self Referrals and Insurances Accepted.

Sleep studies are conveniently performed in Sequim. (★ PATIENT’S PORTION OF COST IS USUALLY

LESS THAN AT A HOSPITAL-BASED FACILITY.) Please check with your insurance provider.

Bringing healthy sound sleep to the Olympic Peninsula for the past 11 years.

• parasomnia (abnormal behavior during sleep)

• narcolepsy, etc.

• sleep apnea • restless leg • insomnia

“Dr. Jak” treats all types of sleep disorders including:

1-800-422-7854 • Phone: 452-7278 • Fax: 417-01222058 W. Edgewood Dr. • Port Angeles

• Containers • Drop Boxes • Recycling • Residential Refuse

It seems the grapevine is working. In 2010, among the three sites, 385 veterans attended, of whom 102 were homeless, including six women. Signifi cantly, 110 veterans attended the stand-down in Forks, a half-dozen more than the much larger Port Townsend.

Of the Port Angeles event, one Serenity House volun-teer wrote, “I hope to immediately rehouse an 80-year-old veteran who is sleeping in his car. Th is was very memo-rable; I am amazed at the generosity of the merchants, the volunteers and the service providers. Th is year was better than last. It just keeps getting better.”

Braasch said oft en veterans who come for their fi rst stand-down are “star-struck that somebody would take the time and eff ort to help them.” One told him it was the fi rst time he’d felt welcome and comfortable since he left Vietnam. “Th eir reaction is, ‘You’ve done this for me? Nobody’s been this kind and patient since I got out.’ If we weren’t there for them, they wouldn’t be getting help and those guys know the stand-downs are for them. And we know by the grace of God or a stroke of fate, it could be us.”

Individuals are moved as well: A DAV volunteer wrote, “One gentleman came to get … burial benefi ts for his

veteran daughter. I held his hand because he was crying when I made the suggestion of helping to get awards that his daughter earned (Bronze Star) but never received.”

Voices for Veterans, started with a handful of veterans in Clallam County with empathy and an action plan for

their own, was the fi rst such group nationwide and now is a model program at the federal level.

“It’s really fulfi lling and satisfying,” Braasch said. “If we don’t see someone a second year, we say it’s a success story.”

County veterans representatives

pause for a meal at the Port Angeles

stand-down. In center is Delmar

Sayer from Jefferson County and at right is Scott Buck from

Clallam County.

Submitted photos


Working quietly behind the scenes over the years, the Clallam County Veterans Association has been the glue that holds

together 13 service groups in support of local veter-ans. Th e county owns the Veterans Center building at 216 Francis St. in Port Angeles, but CCVA can recommend changes and repairs, said association vice president, Marty Arnold.

“We have been in this building since the early 1930s and it is home to the only central meeting place for large groups,” he added. Besides housing the CCVA offi ce and records, the building has formal and infor-mal rooms used for ceremonies, awards programs, dances and dinners.

“We fed between 350 and 400 people here on Veterans Day this year,” Arnold said. He explained that the money for the dinner came out of the general CCVA budget.

Dale Koelling, secretary of CCVA, said that the county veterans program serves its homeless, low-income and disabled veterans and their families through a program mandated by RCW (Revised Code of Washington – Department of Veterans’ Aff airs) 73-04-080, which is funded by Clallam County taxpayers. “If a veteran has economic needs and meets the crite-ria, he brings it up to CCVA,” Koelling said.

Veteran status requires 180 days of continuous active duty (or 90 days for Guard/Reserve activated for Operation Desert Shield/Storm) and discharge of service must be under honorable conditions.

“What you want when you walk in the door (of CCVA) is your DD-214 (separation papers),” Arnold said. “Everything is computerized now and the form DD-214 information is put into the computer and tells us everything we need to know.”

Th e Department of Defense form DD-214 is the formal Report of Separation from military service and contains information normally needed to verify military service for benefi ts, retirement, employment and membership in veterans organizations.

Benefi ts for veterans include pensions, home loans,

education and health care and vary on eligibility. “Benefi ts have changed since the GI Bill was fi rst

enacted,” Koelling said, “and the military pays into the benefi ts program.” It takes an expert to sort out the complicated regulations, he added.

Helping out veterans at Peninsula College is Jeremiah Meyer, a Washington state employee who works as a “veterans navigator” to sort through the educational benefits offered. They have a group that meets once a month at the college, Ar-nold said. “Meyer points them in the right direction and helps with job placements, VA loans, hous-ing and jobs.”

One of the main tasks of the CCVA is to monitor the county veteran relief funds. “Th e county receives funds through taxes that are dedicated for veter-ans’ relief,” Arnold explained. “When a vet fi lls out an appli-cation for assistance (rent, food, utilities, medical/prescrip-tions) the county does the research and submits the paper-work to the CCVA,” he said, “and there is a lot of paperwork,” he said. Th e funds are then released by the CCVA.

Eligibility for assistance includes being a vet-eran; completion of fi rst enlistment or medically discharged under honorable conditions; having been a resident of Washington for 12 consecu-tive months prior to application and low income.

Story and photos

by Elizabeth Kelly

ananananddd d heheheheallalalalthhththt c cccararaarre ee e ananana d d dddd vavavav ryryry oo o on nn nn elelele igigigiggibibibibililililitititity.yy.y.y.y. ttttssss hahhahahh veveve cc chahahhangngngggedede s ssininincecececec t tt thehehhhh G GGI I BiBiBiB llllllll wwww wasasasasas fi fi fi firr rrstststst

KoKoellelllillililingnggngng sss ssaiaaiaiddd,d, “ “““anaananddd thththhee e mimiimimimillillilililiitatattatatataryyryryryy ppp p payayayayaysss ininintottoto sss p pprorogrgrama .””. I It t tatakekees ss ananan e e expxpxpxpererere t t t totooto s ssororort t tt ouououout t tcacacacacacateteteteteted d ddd rererereregugugugugulalalalallaatitititittionononono s,s,s,s,s, hh h hh hee ee daddadadddeddeded.d.d..

g g ououout t veveteteraransns aa at t PePenininsns lula a CoCollllllegegegee isis MMeyeyyerererer, , , , aaa WWaWWashhiningtgtonnon s statatatetet e empmppplololoyeyeyey e whwhwhooaa ““veveeteteteterarararansnsnsns nnavvigiggata oror” toto sorort t ththrorougugghhh ttioionanall beb neefifitsts offffere ded. ThThT ey h havve e a a mmmmeeeeeeeetstststs oo o oncncncnceeee aaa momomontntnthhh atatat tt thhehe ccollolllelegeg , ArArA -““MeMeyeyer r eemm inin rerectctioionns with ments,

hous-bs.”of the sks of A is to he county elief funds. ty receives fundsaxes that arefor veter-

f,” Arnold“When a

t an appli-assistance

d, utilities, prescrip-ounty does

ch and submits the paper-e CCVA,” he said, “and there aperwork,” he said. Th e funds leased by the CCVA.ity for assistance includes being a vet-pletion of fi rst enlistment or medically d under honorable conditions; having ident of Washington for 12 consecu-s prior to application and low income.

Dale Koelling, left, and

Marty Arnold, right, pose

with Marine Corps

plaques at the Veterans

Center.

From a nation


Each application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. “Th is year to date we have provided 157 veterans in

the county with assistance amounting to nearly $80,000,” Arnold said. “Th e money is issued to the landlord or power company or hospital or vouchers are given to local grocery stores,” he added. “Th e veteran doesn’t receive any money directly.” Each check requires three signatures, Arnold further explained.

“One of our biggest problems,” Arnold said, “is that people don’t know what we do here. We really need help pointing out what is available to veterans,” he said. CCVA puts out a newsletter every month announcing events coming up and meeting times and dates. “Anyone can attend the meetings,” he said, adding that representatives from the city of Port Angeles, as well as from the county administrator and commissioners’ offi ces oft en attend.

“We are a great work source, too,” Arnold said. “We work with unemployed veterans and the state employ-ments agency to keep a handle on jobs available in the county.”

Koelling said that the CCVA also coordinates Voices for Veterans, a nonprofi t corporation of Washington state dedicated to assisting the homeless veterans on the North Olympic Peninsula by way of a “stand-down” — an oppor-tunity for needy veterans to “come and get assistance,” he said. Taken from a military R & R (rest and recuperation) term, standing down is a rest from all military activity to

be refi tted, rejuvenated and retrained for the next active duty. Stand-downs were held at the Clallam County fair-grounds, in Port Townsend at the Elks Lodge and in Forks at the Forks Elk Lodge in 2010.

“We assist homeless or needy veterans with legal, medi-cal, food, clothing, housing, even baby clothing and pet food,” Arnold said. Th ere are up to 250 needy veterans in Clallam County, he said. “We can even get a guy a haircut. Sometimes all someone needs is a new haircut to have a totally diff erent attitude,” Arnold said.

Stand-downs are publicized for two weeks in advance by putting up fl iers and announcing at meetings and in the monthly newsletter. Voices for Veterans coordinates the yearly stand-downs with 20 diff erent organizations on the peninsula.

Th e CCVA is dedicated to the Clallam Country veter-ans and their families. Th eir brochures states, in part: “… We honor your sacrifi ce and your dedication. We thank the fallen for giving the last full measure of devotion to their nation. To these families and the living, we pledge to ensure your access to that which is granted by a grateful nation.”

“We (CCVA) work with Toys for Tots; organize Vet-erans Day ceremonies; maintain the fl ags; provide honor guards, bagpipers, “Taps” buglers and rifl e salutes for fu-nerals or other occasions, working with the funeral home and the families; coordinate parades; support Boys & Girls

Clubs and baseball teams; and we support the NJROTC (Navy Junior Reserve Offi cers Training Corps whose mis-sion is “… to instill in students the values of citizenship and service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment”) at the high schools, providing scholarships for college,” Arnold elaborated. “We really want the residents of the county to know and appreciate the work being done by the veterans associations,” he said.

In one corner of the main meeting hall at the Veterans Center is a small table with a symbolic setting for one in honor of the POW/MIA (Prisoners of War and Missing in Action). Th e glass is upside down, symbolizing that the absent one cannot toast with the group; the small table symbolizes the frailty of one prisoner against his oppres-sors; a slice of lemon on the bread plate reminds everyone of the bitter fate of the prisoner; and salt on the bread plate is symbolic of the family’s tears as they wait. Everything on the table represents an aspect of those who cannot be with them. Th ey are reminders that all who served with them and called them comrades, who depended on their might and aid, have not forsaken them.

Koelling was in the U.S. Army from 1969-1975, serving in Vietnam in 1971-1972. He was a captain and an infantry platoon commander.

Arnold served in the U.S. Navy from 1960-1980 as a chief petty offi cer, also in Vietnam. He worked on destroy-ers and geographical survey ships.

Above, left: Grand Army of the Republic bulletin board listing meeting dates at the Veterans Center in Port Angeles. Above, right: Veterans Center, 216 Francis St., Port Angeles. Below, right: Symbolic table remembering Prisoners of War and Missing In Action veterans.


The Veterans of Foreign Wars keep serv-ing long aft er their wars are over.

Quilcene’s VFW Post 3213 was founded in January 1945. Since then, more than 300 veterans have come through the post, one of seven on the Olympic Peninsula, said post Quartermaster Bob Prill.

“Aft er the Second World War, the guys came back and got together,” said Prill. “Each one was just a little segment of the whole organization.”

Some of the 44 members of the founding group were in World War II and one was a prisoner of war in Germany.

Army or Navy servicemen ranging in age from 18-63, most had served in France, a few had been in Belgium, Italy, Germany, England or Ireland, several were in the Pacifi c, and other individuals had served in India, Siberia and Burma. A couple had served in Alaska, then consid-ered foreign because it was not a state at the time.

Some came from local established families; two were born in Quilcene, two in Leland and one on the Ducka-bush. Seventeen were born elsewhere in the Northwest, and others came from across the country, from Maine to California, from Nebraska to Arkansas. A couple were foreign born, in Norway and Canada.

Th ey were farmers, soldiers, sailors, truck drivers. A few were career Army men. Also included were just one logger, a fi re warden, a pipe fi tter, an engineer, a carpenter,

a real estate/insurance man, a student, a road foreman and a painter.

Th is diverse group was united by their war experiences and willingness to serve. At home they served their com-munity as part of the organization.

“Th e charter mandate is to help veterans and their spouses, and just to do community work,” explained Prill, the post’s fi nancial offi cer.

As the group formed, and as it grew, they enjoyed each other’s company as they helped individuals and held fundraising activities.

A traditional fundraiser since before the local post was chartered, the VFW has been selling red pop-pies every year as a reminder of the sacrifi ce made by troops everywhere, inspired by the red poppies growing on the graves of World War I troops buried on Flanders Field, masses of red among the rows of white crosses. Th e poppies are made by disabled vets, who are paid for their work. At the last Quilcene Fair, selling poppies netted the post $85.50, said Prill.

Along with annual dues (now $20) or the lifetime mem-bership fee (scaled according to age) the fundraisers kept the group solvent for doing their good deeds.

Land was donated to the VFW and they decided to build a meeting place. “It took a long time to acquire the money to make the building,” noted Prill. Th ey kept at it and in 1965 the post had its own building, built by members and the auxiliary. Th e dedication ceremony and celebration included legendary politician Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson along with VFW offi cials.

Quartermaster Bob Prill checks the fi nances of Quilcene VFW Post 3213

Quilcene VFWQuilcene VFWS T O R Y A N D P H O T O S B Y V I V I A N N K U E H L

Quilcene VFW Post 3213 display at the Quilcene Historical

Museum


• N o w L e a s i n g •

Sequim Downtown Retail

DT Sequim’s newest retail building in over 35 years.

This new 12,000 sq. ft. complex has seven retail spaces and a city-approved full-service restaurant site. Contact us to inquire about a tour and friendly lease terms.

6 8 3 - 3 3 1 1 o r 4 6 0 - 5 0 5 1Locally owned and developed by Olympic View Properties.

As the years rolled on, the older members died and as activity slowed, the building was rented out to become the Loggers Landing res-taurant and lounge. In 2008, the VFW sold the building to the restaurant owner and became the richest post in the state, said current post Commander Orville Fisk.

Fisk joined the post in 1970, aft er moving to Quilcene, and for the past seven or eight years has been commander.

“I like it,” said Fisk, who enjoys meetings at the district level. “It’s something to keep up with. If you don’t keep busy doing things, they plant you. You have to stay active.”

Even with a small active membership, the post has been busy.

“We don’t just sit around and drink beer,” said Prill.

“We do take care of widows and vets and anybody else who needs it,” said Fisk.

Th e VFW pays for ongoing home care for a veteran. Th ey recently replaced a water tank for one veteran’s widow and reroofed a house for another.

Th e VFW supports the Voice of Democracy essay contest for youth and the post provides two annual $1,000 scholarships for Quilcene High graduates and is aiming to increase it to three. Th ey also bought a $4,000 bass saxophone for

the school band.Th e VFW fi nancially helps to support South

Jeff erson Little League and the Bikes for Read-ing program in partnership with the Masons. Ongoing outreach supports the local food bank throughout the year.

“Th ere’s a lot of people going to the food bank now. Th ey have 1,700 people a month,” said Fisk. “Th at’s why we kicked in $500 for Th anksgiving and we’ll do another $500 at Christmas. We told her if that wasn’t enough, we’d take care of it.”

Th e VFW also helps with $500 toward a vet-eran’s fi nal expenses for burial or cremation.

Th e post meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Quilcene Com-munity Center.

Fisk, a Navy veteran of the Korean War, was stationed in the Marshall Islands during Cold War nuclear weapons testing in 1954. He remembers a bomb exploding that was sup-posed to be 10 megaton, but turned out to be 35 megatons. It was the largest bomb ever set off by the U.S., he noted. Th e blast obliterated the 12-mile island and made a crater a mile deep. Test equipment melted 15 miles away.

On the deck of his ship 29 miles away, the light was so bright he could see his own skeleton and it felt like a blow torch, recalled Fisk.

“It was quite an experience,” said Fisk.

“Th ey’re really beautiful as they go off . You can’t look at it right way, then aft er a minute you can use heavy welding glasses, then three or four minutes later you can look at it with your eyes.”

Fisk’s back was damaged when the troops were ordered to sit on the deck, with backs turned, dur-ing the explosion. He recalled “a thing rolling right over the top of us, palm trees and sand and stuff falling on the deck. We thought the ship was on fi re, but it was igniting any dust that had been left any-where.” Dust that hadn’t been cleaned was on fi re.

“We saw the sound wave coming in the air, kind of a gray dreary thing going along.

“When that thing hit us, it blew us alongside the ship, when it hit the ship, it danced along too,” said Fisk. “We ran as fast as we could, 15 knots, not very fast but as fast as we could go, to Eniwetok (Atoll),” said Fisk.

“I have cancer from it. Th ey cut it off my face and back several times.”

VFW Commander Orville Fisk in 2010 and as a

sailor in the early 1950s.


ECEvents CALENDAR


Dec. 31• First Night celebration, sponsored by Jeff erson County Historical Society, 360-385-1003, jchsmuseum.org.• New Year’s Eve cruise views wildlife at Protection Island. Sponsored by the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, 360-385-5582, 800-566-3932, ptmsc.org.

Jan. 1 • Port Townsend Shorts — 7:30 p.m. at Pope Marine Building on Water Street, Key City Public Th eatre presents dra-matic readings of literary works in con-junction with Port Townsend’s monthly Gallery Walk. Free admission; www.keycitypublictheatre.org.

Jan. 14• Second Saturday Art Walk — 11 a.m. at the kiosk on Railroad Avenue and Laurel Street, Port Angeles, the second Saturday of every month. Guided tour discusses the techniques and artistry of the various pieces. Some of the artists with work on display will be available to answer questions about their work as the tour progresses through downtown. 360-457-9614 or www.portangeles downtown.com.

Jan. 14-15• Port Angeles Chamber Orchestra Con-cert No. 2 — 7 p.m. Jan. 14, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 301 N. Lopez Ave., Port Angeles; 7 p.m. Jan. 15, Sequim Wor-ship Center, 640 N. Sequim Ave., Sequim. 360-457-5579.

Jan. 15 • Th e Colin Ross Trio, with guitarist-vocalist Mig O’Hara, original music, jazz standards and blues classics — 4 p.m. at the Bay Club. Sponsored by Port Ludlow Arts Council, 360-437-2208, plvc.org.

Jan. 29 • Port Angeles Symphony’s Young Artist Competition — 9:30 a.m. Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 301 N. Lopez Ave., Port Angeles. 360-457-5579.• Snowgrass ninth annual bluegrass concert — 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Port Angeles High School auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles. A bluegrass gala, mid-winter evening of American string band music to benefi t the Port Angeles First Step Family Support Center programs. Tickets $10 for adults; $7 for seniors and youth. 360-457-8355 or www.fi rststep family.org.

Feb. 5 • Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra concert — 10 a.m. dress rehearsal, 7:30 p.m. concert, Port Angeles High School auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave., Port Ange-les. 360-457-5579.

Jan. 13• Stand-up Comedy Night. 8 p.m. Key City Public Th eatre, 419 Washington St., Port Townsend. $15 general admission, VIP tickets include two free drinks and priority seating for $25. www.keycity publictheatre.org.

Jan. 7 • First Friday Art Walk — 5-8 p.m. in downtown Sequim. Fun and free self-guided tour of local art galleries, artists’ studios, the Museum and Arts Center and alternative art venues on the fi rst Friday of every month from 5-8 p.m., 360-460-3023 or www.sequimartwalk.com.

Feb. 4-20• “Nunsense.” 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Satur-days Feb. 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, Wednesdays Feb. 9, 16; 2 p.m. Sundays Feb. 6, 13, 20; Th ursdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Presented by Olympic Th eatre Arts, 414 N. Sequim Ave, Sequim. 360-683-7326 or http://olympic-theatre.tripod.com.

• Port Townsend Shorts — 7:30 p.m. at Pope Marine Building on Water Street, Key City Public Th eatre presents dra-matic readings of literary works in con-junction with Port Townsend’s monthly Gallery Walk. Free admission; www.keycitypublictheatre.org.

Feb. 10• Award-winning playwright Lee Bless-ing kicks off the 15th annual Playwrights’ Festival with a reading of his one-man play “Chesapeake.” 7 p.m. Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2333 San Juan Ave., Port Townsend. www.keycitypublictheatre.org.

Feb. 11-27• Th e 15th annual Playwrights’ Festival — Productions and staged readings of new works by local and regional playwrights. Key City Playhouse, 419 Washington St., Port Townsend. For specifi c play performances, dates and tickets, see www.keycitypublictheatre.org or call 360-379-0195.

Feb. 19-21 • Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby — Sponsored by Gardiner Salmon Derby Association. http://gardinersalmon derby.org.


ECEvents CALENDAR


• Home of the Hottest Slots in Town • Over 100 Electronic Slot Machines• 7000 Square Feet of FUN!• River’s Edge Deli • Paddle Rewards Program• Weekly Events• Free Shuttle Service

360-452-3005

631 Stratton Rd., PAwww.elwharivercasino.com

BUY $20 GET $5 FREE SLOT PLAYPlayer Must Redeem this coupon at the Player’s Club. Casino reserves right to cancel. Must have a Player’s Club card to be eligible. One coupon, per week, per customer. Not valid with any other offer, discount or coupon. Coupon void if altered. Expires 12/31/10.

Feb. 26• Port Angeles Symphony’s Applause Auction. Live and silent auctions, din-ner. Reservations required. 360-457-5579, portangelessymphony.org or [email protected].• Port Townsend Community Orchestra Winter Concert — pre-concert chat, 6:45 p.m., concert 7:30 p.m. at Chimacum High School auditorium, porttownsend orchestra.org.• Barston String Quartet performs with Seattle Symphony musicians — 8 p.m., Port Ludlow Bay Club. Sponsored by Port Ludlow Arts Council, 360-437-2208, plvc.org.

Feb. 26-27 • KONP Home Show — 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Port Angeles High School, 304 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles. 360-457-1450, [email protected] or www.konp.com.

February TBA• 20th annual Shipwrights’ Regatta — Sponsored by Wooden Boat Foundation, 360-385-3628, woodenboat.org.

March 5• Port Townsend Shorts — 7:30 p.m. at Pope Marine Building on Water Street, Key City Public Th eatre presents dra-matic readings of literary works in con-junction with Port Townsend’s monthly Gallery Walk. Free admission; www.key citypublictheatre.org or 360-379-5089.

March 7-8• “Here, Th ere & Everywhere — 7 p.m. Key City Playhouse, 419 Washington St., Port Townsend. Monologues by contemporary women playwrights from around the world. $15 suggested dona-tion, March 7 program benefi ts Ameri-can Association of University Women’s scholarship foundation. 360-379-0195 or keycitypublictheatre.org.

March 12• Port Angeles Symphony concert — 10 a.m. dress rehearsal, 7:30 p.m. concert, Port Angeles High School auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles. 360-457-5579, [email protected], or olypen.com/pasymphony.• “Second Coming of Joan of Arc.” 3 p.m. Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellow-ship, 2333 San Juan Ave., Port Townsend. keycitypublictheatre.org.

March 12-13• North Peninsula Building, Remodel-ing and Energy Expo — 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at Sequim High School, Sequim, sponsored by the North Peninsula Building Associa-tion, Port Angeles.

March 18-20• Victorian Heritage Days, sponsored by the Victorian Society in America – Northwest Chapter, www.victorianfestival.org.

March 19• Sequim Technology and Media Fair, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Sequim High School. www.sequim-techfair.com, 425-610-9058, or [email protected].

March TBA• 29th annual Fort Worden Kitemakers Conference at Fort Worden State Park, kitemakers.org.


THE Living END

Tom Brokaw has pointed out that the war was not an issue in the recent political campaigns. Th e United States is now

in its ninth year of fi ghting in Afghanistan and Iraq, the longest wars in American history. Brokaw says the reason war is not an issue may be that most people are focusing on their economic security. Unless they or a family mem-ber is in the armed forces, not much is being asked of the general populace in the war eff ort. Brokaw states that the all-volunteer force comprises less than 1 percent of the American population.

I am asking you to think about that. Already more than 30,000 service personnel are returning with physi-cal and mental health issues. Th ey have been away from their families and that has caused more stress for both. Th e economy has changed and some can’t fi nd jobs. All the folks and programs that you have read about in this magazine are working hard to help the military families, veterans and their families and our communities remain healthy and productive.

On the Olympic Peninsula we talk about small-town values — well, here is a big one. Take care of each other — these families, active duty and vets, need you! Th e ac-tive duty and guardsmen need your validation that their fi ghting was appreciated. Th eir families need you to show their service member respect so they can be proud and bear the burden of their absence more easily. Th e veter-ans need your help to get jobs, have a home, get medical assistance.

Some of you know that I write a monthly column in the Sequim Gazette outlining events, programs, service orga-nizations and other items that you can help or participate in to show appreciation or help for these veterans and their families. Please check it out the second Wednesday of the month to see where the need is locally.

Our elected representatives listen to numbers — that

is why the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and Military Offi cers As-sociation of America have a voice at the table. Th ey have the numbers to make Congress sit up and listen. Please consider joining one of these service organizations so you make your voice heard.

Locally the Clallam County Veterans Association works with all the service groups on the peninsula to plan events such as the Veterans Day ceremony, see where the needs are and work programs to help. From the articles in this magazine you can tell individuals, as well as groups, are making a diff erence — donating money or items for the stand-downs or the Wash-ington State Veterans Home and volunteer-ing their time and talent. Anything you do, including saying thank you to a vet, helps!

House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner, D-Calif., reminds us to separate the warrior and the war. Even if you do not agree with the wars, please remember the lessons of Vietnam and how our troops were treated. Filner says half of the homeless around the United States are Vietnam veterans — 200,000. At the Port Angeles October Stand Down there were 56 homeless veterans. He points out that there have been more suicides by Vietnam veter-ans than died in the original war — more than 58,000.

Here on the peninsula there are many people working to make sure the war and its impacts on real people, our friends and neighbors, are not ignored, forgotten or put last on the list. We realize these veterans have put their lives on the line for our way of life and there are things we can do to show our appreciation and support.

I am sure many of you reading this have done some-thing to help. Th ank you! I am asking you to continue

thanking veterans for their service, remembering the ones who have not come back, helping the ones who were injured, giving of yourself in some way to show that their sacrifi ces are appreciated and respected.

Th e NJROTC program at Port Angeles High School is 140 cadets strong under the leadership of retired U.S. Marine Corps Major Leo Campbell. Th ese young people are the next generation of warriors and leaders. Th ey are

learning leadership, teamwork, a sense of responsibility to their country and commu-nity, and the opportunities the military of-fers. Th ey perform community service and work hard to raise money so the drill teams can compete — and win many awards! Th ey too need your encouragement and support. Th ey too need to feel part of the community. Th e Military Offi cers Association, Marine Corps League and many service organiza-tions give time and money in support of this program. Please support the cadets’ eff orts when they conduct fundraisers.

Th e active duty Coast Guardsmen and women are there for us in emergencies. We can show our appreciation by saying thank

you when we see them around town. Th e service clubs in the area try to help by providing savings bonds for the Sailor of the Quarter program, calling cards so they can keep in touch with families, etc. Please make them feel they are a part of our community while they are here.

Please open your hearts to include the service people and veterans and their families. We can be the community that these people need to keep them healthy and produc-tive.

Th ank you for reading this issue and for your support of the programs highlighted. Th ere is much more work ahead of us.

By Lorri Gilchrist, retired

U.S. Navy Commander


business DIRECTORYProducts, services and ideas from across the Peninsula. To advertise in Clallam County, call Debi Lahmeyer at 360-683-3311. In Jeff erson County, call Sara Radka at 360-385-2900.

Our nursery nurtures inspiration,education, and vision for all who visit.

131 Kitchen-Dick Rd., Sequim360.683.2855

www.visionlandscapenursery.com

Home & Garden

Michael McDade, DDS and Melissa Marr, DMDMiMMi hhchaelll MMcDDaddde, DDDDSSS anddd MMMellilissa MMarr, DMDMDD

American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry®

360-683-8683360-683-8683485 W. Hendrickson Rd., Sequim

www.cedarcreekdental.com

360-452-7278 or 800-422-78542058 W. Edgewood Dr. • Port Angeles

Keeping the Peninsula Clean & GreenContainers • Drop Boxes

Recycling • Residential Refuse

TANYA KERRDESIGNATED BROKER

Direct: 360.670.6776

Offi ce: 360.457.8593

Email: [email protected]

1134 E. Front St., Port Angeles, WA 98362

CUSTOM STUFFSCREENPRINTING • EMBROIDERY • SUBLIMATED COMPUTER GRAPHICS

VINYL SIGNS & BANNERS • PERSONALIZED PROMOTIONAL ITEMS

124 W. RAILROAD AVE - P.O. BOX 993PORT ANGELES, WA 98362

800.462.8593 360.452.6549 FAX: 360.452.0884www.captaints.com

631 Stratton Road • Port Angeles(360) 452-3005

www.elwharivercasino.com

Pacifi c Rim HobbyyModel Cars - Boats - Trains

Planes - RC & Supplies138 W. Railroad • Port Angeles

(360) 457-0794Monday - Saturday - 10-6 • Sunday - 12-5

800-800-1577ourfirstfed.com

Bus To Seattle/SeaTac360-417-0700

www.dungenessline.us

Operated by Olympic Bus Lines

“WE SET THE PENINSULA STANDARD FOR QUALITY WORK & CUSTOMER SATISFACTION”

360-681-3333 782 Kitchen-Dick Road, Sequim

SERVING ALL OF

CLALLAM &

JEFFERSON COUNTIES

For all your Real Estate Questions,

email us at [email protected]

105½ E. First St., Ste. A • Port Angeles(360) 452-9080

Schedule a FREE consultation or plan to attend a FREE seminar luncheon!

Call for dates and details.Don Skanchy, cep, csa

20 Years Experience1-888-344-6299

360.681.4411By Appointment

Marie-Claire BernardsM.Ed., ATP®

www.thewillowpond.com

Angel Therapy PractitionerAnimal Communication

Intuitive Consultant

Health & Wellness Real Estate Retail Services

338 W. First St. • Port Angeles(360) 457-8527www.portofpa.com

134-½ W Washington St., SequimEntrance behind Doodlebugs

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30-6:30, Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-4(360) 681-2004

www.theredroostergrocery.com

LOCALfood source!

one-stop...the Peninsula’s

414 N Sequim Ave, Sequim (360) 683-7326

olympic-theatre.tripod.com

54 LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 201054 LIVING ON THE PENINSULA | WINTER | DECEMBER 2010

Snow covered streets of Port Townend

It’s hard to identify the exact location of this winter street scene, but it looks like the uptown residential district of Port Townsend and there was a big snow around 1917,

so those are two guesses. Th e Uptown District still has some tree-lined streets that become awfully quiet when covered by a blanket of snow,

but today’s picture stands in stark contrast to yesteryear’s. Instead of the lone horse-drawn sleigh, cars and trucks line the street testifying to a distinct lack of off -street parking in Victorian neigh-borhoods.

Today’s photo by Fred Obee. Yesteryear’s from the collection of the Jefferson County Historical Society

&NOW Then

FHS 1927 - present

The landmark brick-walled Forks High School opened in 1925 as Quillayute Union High School. Th e students of

several smaller schools were brought together in the new district high school, thus the “Union” name.

By 2008, Forks High School’s brick front was known through-out the country and much of the world as the setting for large sections of author Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling “Twilight” saga book series.

In the summer of 2010, all but the front entrance section of the building was demolished to make way for a new addition to Forks High School. Fundrais-ing is under way to create a gateway to the new school entrance using the facade of the building.

Th e red, wigwam-looking structure to the right is the Quillayute Valley School District’s woody biomass boiler building under construction.

ntntntttt wwwwasasasa k k knononoownwnwn t ttthrhrh ououououughgghghgghgh---asasas ttthehehe s s setetete tititiingngngg ff forororo l llararargegegegeseeeseellllllllll ininininng g gggg

fff

ooooool l l ngnggng

bubut tstststarararkkkInInInstststdrdrdraawawlinenea dparbo

ToYeYeYeofoHHH

1927 photo (top) Quillayute Union High School

“Pride of the Forest” yearbook.2008 (middle) and 2010 (right)

photos by Chris Cook, Forks Forum.


Port Angeles/Sequim (360) 417-0700 Outside the area toll free (800) 457-4492

www.dungenessline.us

Late night or early morning fl ight?Ask us about special hotel rates!

Serving: Port Angeles • Sequim

Port Townsend • Discovery Bay Kingston • Edmonds • Greyhound

Amtrak • Downtown SeattleSea Tac Airport • Seattle HospitalsSSSSSSSSSSSSeeeeaa TTTTTTTTaaaaaaaaaaaaccccccccc AAAAAAAAAAAAAiirrppppoorrttt •• SSeeaattttllee HHHHooooooosspppiittaallssssss

Olympic Bus Lines is an independent agent of Greyhound. You can

now purchase your Greyhound tickets locally at your only

nationwide reservation location on the Olympic Peninsula.

Living on the Peninsula - Winter 2010

Documents

Transcript of Living on the Peninsula - Winter 2010