Polk County News
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 2, 2015 5A
Diversity: Cities battle reputations
Continued from Page 1A
“To be honest, (it’s not re-
ally diverse) at all,” Tanner
Earhart said. “I’d say 90 per-
cent of our school is white.
We have a very small popu-
lation of minorities.”
Earhart, an Asian-Ameri-
can, is a junior at Dallas
High School, but the lack of
diversity hasn’t led to a neg-
ative experience.
“I never had any issues
being left out or anything
like that,” Earhart said.
“From my case and my
brother’s ( Treve) case,
everyone has been welcom-
ing to us.”
Harkey Bal, a senior at
Central High School, had a
different experience grow-
ing up.
“I think (racism) still goes
on,” Bal said. “It never really
ends. Some people think of
you negatively. They don’t
like you or put you down in
some way. In my past, that
happened many times.”
Bal is a Sikhi, an Indian
religion that originated in
the 15th century. Prior to
high school, Bal experi-
enced racism from some of
his peers and from those
older than him — especially
during his middle school
years.
“(Some examples were)
how some people misun-
derstood me as an ‘Arabian’
and didn’t like my skin color
or the thing I wore,” Bal
said. “Also how I was such a
bad person and (they) didn’t
like me because of my cul-
ture and just misjudged me
as a person.”
Things improved signifi-
cantly when he entered
high school — so much so
that after Bal attended West
Salem High School for a
year as a junior, he chose to
return to Central for his
senior year.
“I believe (high school) is
a more mature environ-
ment where people have
some sense of respect,” Bal
said.
Earhart agrees.
“I don’t think race mat-
ters as much with (our gen-
eration),” Earhart said.
As Bal’s peers became
more understanding and
accepting, it’s his hope that
younger generations con-
tinue to promote a feeling
of openness and welcome
to all — a goal he’s much
more hopeful is realistic
than ever before.
“I think with every gener-
ation where people are un-
derstanding that everyone
is the same and equal, they
become parents and teach
their kids that everyone is
the same,” Bal said. “They’ll
see everyone is a human
and has a brain and a heart.
No one is different except
for their skin.”
Dallas residents KellyAnn
and Anthony Garthe, an in-
terracial couple — Anthony
is black and KellyAnn is
white — with four children
who moved to town four
years ago have experienced
what can happen when
people notice a difference
in skin color.
Anthony Garthe said
while shopping at a local
store, a female employee
asked all male employees
working to watch his move-
ments and referred to him
as a “dark-skinned person.”
When confronted about
the misunderstanding, they
said the woman continued
to be rude and didn’t apolo-
gize.
“Once you’ve blurted out
ignorance, it’s hard to suck
it back up,” Anthony said.
In an even more egre-
gious example of racism,
the couple said someone
scrawled the N-word on
their car.
Anthony and KellyAnn
describe those incidents as
“isolated” and consider Dal-
las their home.
“In general, I think Dallas
is great,” KellyAnn said,
adding there’s hope for an
even better future.
“It’s a changing society.
Our kids approach that dif-
ferently. Our kids are way
more OK with diversity,” she
said.
Seeking acceptance
Like Dallas, Falls City suf-
fers from a reputation of
being narrow-minded.
Lori Sickles and Laura
Britton, the owners of The
Boondocks in Falls City and
a lesbian couple who have
been together for 15 years
and married since 2004,
said that perception is un-
founded in their experience.
“I’ve been ‘out’ most of
my life and I’ve never had
any, any, kind of repercus-
sions,” Sickles said. “No one
has tried to make me feel
uncomfortable. Nobody
had felt uncomfortable
around me, I don’t think.”
“It’s probably there and
they just don’t say any-
thing,” Britton added. “But
you know what, we don’t re-
ally see it.”
There have been a couple
of instances in which peo-
ple have been made com-
ments, such as someone re-
ferring to The Boondocks as
“The Boondykes.” Britton
responded she thought the
comment was funny and
wanted to put it on a T-shirt.
Britton and Sickles use a
live-and-let-live philosophy
in their life, which they be-
lieve has helped people see
them not as a gay couple,
but one no different than
any other.
“I never try to hide my re-
lationship, ever,” Britton
said. “Because I know that
ignorance is all around us
and the more that we just
be ourselves, the more that
people say, ‘hey, they are
normal just like I am. They
have kids. They have pets.
They own a business. They
work their tails off. They are
just like us.’”
Continued from Page 1A
Showell was among the
delegation from Independ-
ence who traveled to Denver
to present why the town is
an All America City.
“You could see in the judges’
eyes, she made a difference,”
said David Clyne, Independ-
ence city manager. “There was-
n’t a dry eye in the crowd.”
At the 2014 National Civic
League All America City con-
vention in Denver, Showell
shared how volunteering
changed her life.
“When you give of your-
self to enrich the lives of
others, it isn’t just for oth-
ers, it’s for yourself, too,”
she said. “It felt so good, I
couldn’t let it go.”
Showell continues to be
an inspiration to others
through her volunteerism
and cheerful countenance.
“I don’t know that I’ve
known a more giving person,
a more selfless person,”
Clyne said. “She’s fun, always
cheery, in spite of how she’s
feeling.”
The Festival Carolers Concert
Sunday, Dec. 6th • 6:30 - 7:30 pm
SUNDAY, DEC. 6 TH
BOARD MEETING
HOURS: 9-3
503-838-2075
Directed by Solveig Holmquist
Free will offering ~ Cookie reception follows.
Location: Business Office
8585 Suver Rd. • Monmouth
320 SE Fir Villa Rd, Dallas
EARLY ADMISSION SUNDAY 6AM-9AM $5
REGULAR ADMISSION $1 ★ FREE PARKING
ESPRESSO BAR PROVIDED BY
dallastlc.org ~ 503-623-2233
Furniture Upholstery
JOIN US AT THE POLK COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS.
All types: for homes, offices, equip-
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Stephen
Heart: Showell is
an inspiration
Trinity Lutheran Church presents
LUCKIAMUTE
DOMESTIC WATER
COOPERATIVE
Monday 7:00 p.m.
December 14th
EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer
Dori Showell is happy to volunteer to help .
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POLKPRODUCTION@MINETFIBER.COM
Winters Sewing
503-838-4999 or 503-375-9266
Emmy
Joseph
Matinees are all shows
before 6pm. New pricing for
matinees are: Adult $7.25
Children $6.75 • Senior $7.00
Pricing does not reflect
3D showings.
440 E. St • Independence, OR 97351
www.winterssewing.com
Serving Polk County 16yrs
C OME
ENJOY SOME EXCITING BASKETBALL
W ESTERN O REGON
WOMEN ’ S TEAMS .
THIS SEASON WITH YOUR
MEN ’ S AND
Annual
Christmas Bazaar
Sat. Dec. 5th - 9 am to 2 pm
• Holiday Greens: Wreaths, Swags, Centerpieces
• Lush Poinsettias • Handmade Crafted Gifts
• Homemade Bakery items: holiday cookies,
breads & candy • Silent Auction
• Soup and Pie Luncheon served all day
Raffle Prizes: Trip to the Coast for two,
$300 Gift Card, Six more cash prizes
T HE MEN ’ S TEAM IS RANKED IN THE
NCAA D IVISION II TOP 25!
S EASON
TICKET PRICE PER TEAM :
S EASON
$100
MORE INFORMATION CONTACT :
503-838-8917
For more information contact:
Pat McConnell 503-787-1713
St. Philip Catholic Church
825 SW Mill St., Dallas
COMBO PRICE
FOR BOTH TEAMS :
F OR
$60
OR VISIT
WOUWOLVES . COM / WOUTICKETS
“Wheelchair Accessible”
GO WOLVES!
Friday and Saturday Dec 4 - Dec 5
THE NIGHT BEFORE(Digital) (R)
KRAMPUS (Digital) (PG13)
CREED (Digital) (PG13)
THE GOOD DINOSAUR (Digital 2D) (PG)
THE GOOD DINOSAUR (NEC DOLBY 3D) (PG)
THE HUNGER GAMES
MOCKINGJAY PART 2 (PG13) (Digital)
SPECTRE (Digital) (PG13)
SECRET IN THEIR EYES (Digital) (PG13)
VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN (Digital) (PG13)
THE GOOD DINOSAUR (Digital 2D) (PG)
THE HUNGER GAMES
MOCKINGJAY PART 2 (PG13) (Digital)
(12:15 2:40 5:05)
(12:10 2:35 5:00)
(12:45 3:45)
(12:00 2:20 4:45)
7:30 9:55
7:25 9:45
6:45 9:35
7:10
9:30
(1:00 4:00) 7:00 9:55
(12:00 3:05) 6:15 9:15
(11:45 4:45) 7:15
(2:15)
9:40
(11:30 1:50 4:10)
6:30 9:25
Sunday December 6
THE NIGHT BEFORE(Digital) (R)
KRAMPUS (Digital) (PG13)
CREED (Digital) (PG13)
THE GOOD DINOSAUR (Digital 2D) (PG)
THE HUNGER GAMES
MOCKINGJAY PART 2 (PG13) (Digital)
SPECTRE (Digital) (PG13)
SECRET IN THEIR EYES (Digital) (PG13)
VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN (Digital) (PG13)
THE GOOD DINOSAUR (Digital 2D) (PG)
THE HUNGER GAMES
MOCKINGJAY PART 2 (PG13) (Digital)
(12:15 2:40 5:05)
(12:10 2:35 5:00)
(12:45 3:45)
(12:00 2:20 4:45)
7:30
7:25
6:45
7:10
(1:00 4:00) 7:00
(12:00 3:05) 6:15
(11:45 4:45) 7:15
(2:15)
(11:30 1:50 4:10)
6:30
Monday through Thursday Dec 7 - Dec 10
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THE NIGHT BEFORE(Digital) (R)
KRAMPUS (Digital) (PG13)
CREED (Digital) (PG13)
THE GOOD DINOSAUR (Digital 2D) (PG)
THE HUNGER GAMES
MOCKINGJAY PART 2 (PG13) (Digital)
SPECTRE (Digital) (PG13)
SECRET IN THEIR EYES (Digital) (PG13)
VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN (Digital) (PG13)
THE GOOD DINOSAUR (Digital 2D) (PG)
THE HUNGER GAMES
MOCKINGJAY PART 2 (PG13) (Digital)
(2:40 5:05)
(2:35 5:00)
(12:45 3:45)
(2:20 4:45)
7:30
7:25
6:45
7:10
(1:00 4:00) 7:00
(3:05) 6:15
(4:45) 7:15
(2:15)
(1:50 4:10)
6:30