Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 11, 2012)
welcome from the editor I attended the Grand Opening Celebration for the Vernonia Schools on August 21 and also stopped by for the first day of classes for students and teachers last week. What a great new facility! It was hard not to want to shout out at the top of my lungs, “Look what we did!” It is hard to comprehend that in less than five years this school district and this community came together, and out of the muck and mud , built this shining new beacon on the hill. Sure we got a lot of help along the way—and a lot of help is really an understatement. But what we witnessed over the last five years was a communi- ty coming together through hard work, dedication and an unwillingness to quit or take no for an answer, not just by key members, but by a town in its entirety. Without that commitment and willingness to see this project all the way through, our students, teachers and staff would not have been walking through those doors last week. Yes the Grand Opening in August, with all the excitement, dignitaries and speeches was wonderful and very moving. The district did a fantastic job of organizing a day that was appropriately filled with wonder and celebration. But that first day of classes was really the proud mo- ment for this community. The day our children walked through those doors and headed for class for the first time. When school districts need to construct new buildings they plan ahead for many, many years before they even begin. Replacing an entire district usu- ally takes even longer. What this com- munity has accomplished in such a short time is nothing short of miraculous. There are so many people who played a role in making this dream a re- ality, some larger than others. Certainly State Senator Betsy Johnson has been a true champion for this project— her te- nacious spirit and determination drove us forward on so many fronts. Certainly Tony Hyde and Tom Kelly, who co-con- vened the Oregon Solutions process and played a huge role in putting this project in front of the many funders who came together to support it. Certainly former Governor Ted Kulongoski, who arrived the day after the flood by helicopter and in a manner of speaking never left. His support opened doors that would have been locked tight in any other situation. Certainly Superintendent Ken Cox, who took on this project and was there at ev- ery twist, turn, and hill that had to be ne- gotiated. The list goes on and on. This project has had many, many heroes who chose to step forward, and give of their time, energy, and talents. As a commu- nity, we have a lot to be thankful for and a lot of people to thank. But of course, it all comes back to all of you. We chose to pass that School Bond in November of 2009. We voted to tax ourselves and put our chil- dren first. We believed in ourselves and the future of this community. And be- cause we believed , so did others. We have heard it over and over—that when Vernonia stood up and said yes to this new school it was the most important step. I remember December 3, 2007. Early in the day I was at the Middle School, wading through waist deep, freezing flood waters, helping Dr. Cox save food from the cafeteria so it could Now featuring Astoria Brewing beers Growlers To Go Smoke House Ribs See our hours and music schedule on facebook Birkenfeld country store and cafe 11139 Highway 202 (503) 755-2722 Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-7 Lady’s Night Wed 5-12 “STILL BIKER FRIENDLY” EVENTS • Specialty hamburgers • Draft beer & mixed drinks • Pool tables & satelite TV • Special live music events • Free Wi-fi Sun - Thurs 11 AM - Midnight • 733 Bridge St, Vernonia Sept. 22 Third Member Sept. 29 Stepchild Oct. 5 & 6 Play it Again Karaoke Now Beer & Kegs to go Fri - Sat 11 AM - 2:30 AM • 503-429-9999 be used later to feed those who were be- ing displaced. It was a sad, desperate and helpless act, on a sad and desperate day, as the water just kept rising. And now, here we are, less than five years later, with new schools safely on top of a hill. Sure, there have been missteps along the way. Sure there were many obstacles to overcome. Sure the proj- ect is not yet complete and there is still more money to raise. But the doors are now open, and our children and teachers are in their new classrooms. I hope everyone has already tak- en the time to walk or drive by the new building or stopped by to visit. If you haven’t, you should do so soon. Walk by and say to yourself, “Look what we did!” And say it proudly. Because we all should be proud of this new school. Proud of the help that was so graciously offered and accepted. Proud that we chose to work together. Proud of what we accomplished. Feel free to shout it, at the top of your lungs. “Look what we did!” Scott Laird Editor and Publisher september11 2012 3 Publisher and Managing Editor Scott Laird 503-367-0098 scott@vernoniasvoice.com Contributors Mark Brown Savannah Brown Victoria Guerrero Dr. Carol McIntyre DeAnna Pearl Gayle Rich-Boxman Wolfgang Rotbart Christopher Sedlmeyer Melissa Zavelas Photography Scott Laird Gayle Rich-Boxman Want to advertise? Have an article? Contact: scott@vernoniasvoice.com One year subscriptions (24 issues) $35 Vernonia’s Voice is published on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. Vernonia’s Voice, LLC PO Box 55 Vernonia, OR 97064 503-367-0098 www.VernoniasVoice.com
