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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2009)
18 vernonia’s voice april community 2009 Run For The Arts at Washington Grade School Washington Grade School is participating in Young Audienc- es’ Run For The Arts, a project that will help the school raise funding for artists’ performances, classroom workshops and residencies and even field trips for the next school year. Last year Washington Grade School raised $5,127.65 from Run For The Arts. They are hoping to raise $5000 again this year. With the money raised last year, Washington Grade School students had two assemblies; Obo Addy African Drums & Dance, and Tears of Joy Puppet Show Stellaluna, based on a popular children’s book. Incorporating the arts into all sub- jects has allowed students a chance to shine in areas where they may otherwise struggle. Young Audiences is a non-profit arts in education organiza- tion that is dedicated to helping Washington Grade School en- rich the curricula offered to students. During the past school year, Young Audiences has brought artists to over 100,000 students at participating schools. Funds raised at each school pay for community arts programming at that school. This year’s Run will be on Thursday, April 16th, 2009. Dur- ing the pledge period in early April, members of the commu- nity are encouraged to support Washington Grade School’s Run For The Arts. The students will see how many laps they can run around the high school track in a 30 minute time limit. Prizes, t-shirts, and other awards are awarded for their participation. Washington Grade School couldn’t do it without the support of the community and other Run For The Arts parents! At a time when the arts are vanishing from our classrooms, your support for the Run For The Arts is especially needed. As Washington Grade School gears up for its Run, they hope to raise enough money for more cultural and arts assemblies for the students, and more artist in residencies. You are invited to help the school family have a successful Run by volunteering some time. Please contact Mr. Spauld- ing, or the school coordinator to help with this project. An Interview With Mike Pihl (continued from page 1) Vernonia’s Voice: How is the season going with “Ax Men?” Mike Pihl: “The season is going good. But I find myself being very critical of watching it. Instead of sitting there and enjoying it, I’m dissecting it. But it’s going good. It’s the most watched show on the History Channel again. I think they probably started out as a documen- tary to show logging, but then there’s so many “colorful” personalities out there-- I think that it’s now fifty percent personality and fifty per- cent how you get logs out. And also, what takes place out there, there’s a lot of cussing and swearing, but in our real lives-- we don’t use that kind of language around our families. But when you get out in the woods, there’s nobody else out there, and whether it’s right or wrong, it’s just in a logger’s vocabulary. You cuss, you swear, you get angry. And after a while, you just forget the cameras are there. They’re around for four months with four cameras, and you get so used to them. And then you throw a riggin’ fit and you see it on TV and think, ‘Wow-did I really do that?’ It’s just really what happens out there. Nothing is staged, it’s just what happens out there.” VV: Can you tell us anything exciting or in- teresting that we should be watching for in the upcoming season-- or are you sworn to secrecy? MP: “Sworn to big secrecy! They don’t even let us see any of the episodes ahead of time.” VV: The logging business is kind of slow right now. What are you doing to make ends meet? MP: “Usually, we run about fifty people. Our last payroll was thirty-two. We’ll go any- where and everywhere for work. I don’t care what we do. And we work for a lot of differ- ent people, so we’re fortunate to have a few more outlets than the average logger. Things are very tough right now, and I don’t see any end in sight. Right now, I have every piece of equipment I own up for sale. If I can sell five or six pieces, that will give us enough to survive on. That’s my theory-- survival.” VV: Has your involvement with the Ax Men show helped business in any way? MP: “I think it helps-- they see us on the show and think, ‘Wow, lets have the Ax Men log our place.’ We’ve probably picked up half a dozen jobs because they see us on the show.” VV: It seems like you really care a lot about Vernonia and the community? MP: “Even when I was in high school-- and I went to school in Banks-- I’ve always liked Vernonia. After high school, I went to Alaska for three years, and I knew I wanted to move to Vernonia when I got my stint done up there. It’s always just been a place that I wanted to be. It’s a logging community, everybody works hard, everybody knows everybody. I just thought it would be a good place to raise my family. And I still feel the same way-- I plan on being here forever.” VV: What did you do in Alaska? MP: I logged. VV: You’ve spoken out publicly and made it clear you think a new school campus is an important part of Vernonia’s recovery. Why do you think it’s such an important part of it? MP: “We’ve had so much trouble with floods and the kids are going to school in the modu- lars, and if we’re gong to have a strong com- munity, and with the Governor backing us, we have got to put in a new school. I mean, with the Governor pulling for us and the stimulus money available, we have to move forward with it. Sure it’s tough times right now. But, I’m not sure who came up with the slogan-- I might have, or I might have heard it from somebody-- but the perfect slogan is, ‘No school, No Vernonia.’ We can either pass a bond for a partial amount in November, or, like I said at the school Town Hall meeting, hire somebody with a D8 and mow the whole town over. Because without a good school, who’s going to want to come here and raise their kids? We won’t be here anymore. There will be no reason for people to come here.” VV: There is talk of a school bond, which is a tough sell in this economy. What do you think the chances are of this community supporting and passing a school bond for new school construction? MP: “In my mind, we have no choice but to pass it. Yes, these are tough times. Our company is having tough times. Am I going to vote for a bond? You better believe it. We have to-- we have no choice. If Vernonia is going to be a viable town, everybody is go- ing to have to vote yes.” VV: What do you think about the idea of bio-mass to generate local energy? MP: “Bio-mass-- we have so much of it around here. And our electricity rates are so high. If there’s anything we can do to reduce our electrical rates, or just supplying some of it on our own, and having Vernonia jobs stay in Vernonia... We have so much of it around here, we need to take advantage of the situation.” VV: What do you think Vernonia will be like in twenty years? MP: If we build a new school, it will be a viable, family-oriented town. If we don’t get the new school, it’s going to fade away. With new schools, it will be a thriving community that has a better tax base. VV: You’re part of a proposed housing development in Vernonia. How is that pro- gressing? MP: I’ve had that property for three years. I planned on having that all engineered and to be building within a year (of buying it). But that process is so giant-- I’ve never done something that large before. Now, over three years later, we’re finally in a position to get the stamp on the engineering plans. But it just takes so long. The costs are just astro- nomical. But it’s a going ahead, and just about ready to get the stamp on it. I think this proves my confidence in Vernonia. I’ve got everything I have on the line with that proj- ect. But I have faith in Vernonia. Check out Mike Pihl Logging and the “Ax Men” on History-- Mondays at 10:00 PM. Grand Opening Celebration! April 18th @ 1103 Bridge Street April Specials! Meet 2009 Miss NPRA Mackenzie Carr 11AM-3PM! Meet, greet, and take a photo with Vernonia's own Rodeo Queen an’s Block Par w h ty c ! S 11am-3pm Taste Test Schwan's treats Spring Saddle Sale... - English Saddle Set $329 Save $70! - Barrel Saddle Set, 15”-16” $549 Save $200! - Tex Tan Western Saddle, 16” $899 Retails for $1,100 10% Off Any Consignment Saddle Free Hoof Pick w/$50 Purchase Come and visit with Dr. Steve Vredenburg from 12-3pm for a Discounted Vaccine Clinic... Bring your Goat, Dog, Cat, Horse, or Swine! Welcome Camarda Gardens and Seeds! Now Seasonally Available at this location. Stop by and see the Trees and Shrubs, Pas- ture Seed, Garden Supplies. Fe atured Feeds... - - - - - - Low Starch Plus $16.95 Chick Starter $13.95 Hen Scratch $12.95 Stock Pellet 16% $9.95 Hog 18% Grower $13.95 Senior Feed $11.95 New Hours Tues-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 12-6pm, Sun 12-4pm, Closed Mondays Dawn@DoubleCTack.com 503-429-TACK (8225) www.doublectack.com
