Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Appeal tribune. (Silverton, Or.) 1999-current | View Entire Issue (May 24, 2017)
Appeal Tribune Wednesday, May 24, 2017 3B SILVERTON HIGH SCHOOL MOLLY J. SMITH / STATESMAN JOURNAL FILE Community members light candles at a vigil for Douglas Bonham and Matthew Kutnerian Albrecht at Bethany Charter School in Silverton on March 7, 2016. Many students from Silverton High School, where Matthew was a junior, attended the vigil, some wearing Seattle Seahawks gear or shirts honoring his memory. Memorial garden to be dedicated ANNETTE UTZ FOR THE APPEAL TRIBUNE When Karyn Kutnerian’s son, Silver- ton High junior Matthew Kutnerian Al- brecht, was killed in a car accident along with Bethany Charter School teacher Douglas Bonham in March 2016, it was a time of shock and deep sorrow for Kut- nerian and other community members. In Matthew’s memory and for all those students and staff members of SHS who have lost their lives while still part of the school, Karyn created the Sil- verton High School Memorial Garden. A public garden dedication will be held at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, on the school grounds, 1456 Pine St. “I just didn’t know how to cope with the loss and it’s still a battle,” Kutnerian said, her voice shaking. “I just wanted to do something to honor him. This doesn’t erase the pain but it helps to ease it.” SHS Vice Principal Jodi Drescher and former Principal Mark Hannan had wanted to put in a memorial garden eight years ago but due to budget constraints and limited staffing, it just wasn’t possi- ble, Kutnerian explained. The communi- ty rose up to see the dream realized. “After my son was killed, one mother in the community, Jennifer Jacobsen, started a GoFundMe account to help me pay Matthew’s funeral expenses. I am a single mother and breast cancer survi- vor,” Kutnerian said. “A little over $8000 was raised by the Silverton community in my son’s name, and what was left over after funeral expenses was used to fund the SHS Memorial Garden Project and Matthew Kutnerian Albrecht’s Memori- al Fountain within that garden.” She has been working with Drescher for the past 14 months to see the project through to completion before Matthew’s class graduates in June. A private dedication and initial plant- ing took place on Saturday, May 20. A marble slab etched with the names of those lost while affiliated with SHS has been installed. It currently dates back to 1978 with the intention of including earlier names as well. “I need to give a big shout out to Kraemer’s Nursery and E & R Nursery for all the plants they have donated and to Melissa Kuenzi, a landscape architect who did the design work,” Kutnerian said. She also thanks others who have do- nated their time and skills to the project: Jeremiah Runion for directing efforts in preparing the garden area and putting in ground lighting, Silverton High School senior students for the physical labor of preparing the ground, Wes Kuenzi for doing the electrical wiring, and Dan Shacher for tunneling a conduit under the walkway. A special account (Silverton High School Memorial Garden) has been set up at Silverton High School to accept do- nations for the care, maintenance and expansion of the garden. Donations can be made and are tax deductible. Contact Melissa King at 503-873-6331 for more information. Anyone who would like to donate gar- den art memorializing one of the stu- dents or teachers, or would like some- thing special included in the public dedi- cation, contact Kutnerian at kkutner- ian@gmail.com or 503-789-8668. “I just hope we can provide a way to honor and remember those who have passed and create a support network, a safety net, for all those who have faced loss,” Kutnerian said. KARYN KUTNERIAN/SPECIAL TO THE APPEAL TRIBUNE The dedication of the Matthew Kutnerian Albrecht fountain in the new Silverton High School Memorial Garden took place earlier this month. TRUST THE HOMETOWN EXPERTS AT SILVERTON REALTY SERVING THE EAST VALLEY SINCE 1975 Marcia Branstetter Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 318 Mary Cam Broker 503-873-3545 ext. 320 Micha Christman Offi ce Manager 503-873-1425 Becky Craig Broker 873-3545 ext. 313 Michael Schmidt Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 314 Ryan Wertz Broker 873-3545 ext. 322 SILVERTON SILVERTON SILVERTON MT. ANGEL #A2316 PRIVATE & SECLUDED 4 BR, 4 BA 82.000 ACRES CALL MARCIA AT EXT. 318 $799,000 (WVMLS#706727) #A2383, A2384 CREEK FRONTAGE 2 LOTS 1.1 ACRES & 1.09 ACRES CALL MARCIA AT EXT. 318 $179,000 & $162,000 (WVMLS#715865 & 715869) #A2387 VINTAGE HOME 3 BR, 1.5 BA 1752 SQFT CALL MARY AT EXT. 320 OR MICHAEL AT EXT. 314 $279,900 (WVMLS#716395) #A2396 MANY UPGRADES 2 BR, 1 BA, 1096 SQFT CALL MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322 $233,700 (WVMLS#717811) SALEM SALEM SILVERTON TURNER #A2311 HOWELL PRAIRIE FARM 3 BR 2 BA 26.77 ACRES. CALL CHUCK AT EXT. 325 $538,750 (WVMLS#706154) #A2391 GREAT DUPLEX 2 UNITS 6 BR, 5 BA 2800 SQFT CALL CHUCK AT EXT. 325 $369,900 (WVMLS#716730) #A2354 3 HOME INVESTMENT PROPERTY 4 BR, 3 BA 1776 SQFT CALL MARCIA AT EXT. 318 $399,000 (WVMLS#711358) #A2394 ON MILL CREEK 5 BR, 2.5 BA, 3090 SQFT CALL MICHAEL AT EXT. 314 $465,000 (WVMLS#71702) Meredith Wertz Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 324 Chuck White Broker 873-3545 ext. 325 SILVERTON Christina Williamson Broker 873-3545 ext. 315 Mason Branstetter Principal Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 303 NEW #A2341 #A2397 2 HOMES ON 2 ACRES WONDERFULLY MAINTAINED 3 BR, 2 BA 1367 SQFT. 2.630 ACRES 4 BR, 2 BA 2163 SQFT CALL MARCIA CALL CHUCK AT EXT. 325 AT EXT. 318 $549,900 (WVMLS#709561) $389,000 (WVMLS#717815) SILVERTON SILVERTON #A2382 #A2377 HISTORIC SILVERTON HOME OUTSTANDING COMMERCIAL LOCATION 4 BR, 2 BA, 2256 SQFT CALL MEREDITH 4444 SQFT CALL AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322 MASON AT EXT. 303 $419,900 (WVMLS#715770) $299,900 (WVMLS#715616) Brokers licensed in Oregon WWW.SILVERTONREALTY.COM | 303 OAK STREET | SILVERTON Call us today! 503.873.3545 | 1-800-863-3545 FOR RENT Call Micha at 503-873-1425 or see them on our website.
