Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (May 23, 2012)
The Clackamas Print newsed@clackamas.edu Wednesday, M ay 23, 2012 15 seasoned staff exit stage left to retirement By Joshua D illen News Editor W ith almost 300 years of combined service, 15 retirees were honored during a celebration last Thursday in Gregory Forum at Clackamas Community College. . The room was occupied by past retirees and current C C C employ ees as well as those being honored and their families. Dessert was served to attendees in the form of various chocolate bars and fresh berry cups. Excitement and antici pation were in the air as Gregory, Forum filled with Well-wishers. “Life is a Cabaret” was the title of theevent. Joanne Truesdell, C C C presi dent, opened the ceremony with a light hearted and humorous introduction that wasfollowed by a performance o f “Cabaret” sung by Erin Parra. Paul Paresa played the piano. Both are members o f CC C ’s premier vocal Jazz group,, Mainstream. Parras rendition o f the song was lively, animated and well received by the audience. Each retiree, was then featured in an audio/video slide show that high lighted his pr her career and was narrated by co-workers. The com- mentaries were poignant and often humorous, while all drew applause from the crowd. They included stories o f candor that painted a picture o f the retirées time at the college as well as their, impact on those around them. David Smith-English, with 17 years of service at the college, expressed his feelings about his career at the college. He is retiring as a communications/theatre arts instructor. Before the celebration began he spoke with candor about his position at the college. § “It’s been a journey mat I would not trade for anything in the world,” said Smith-English. Hit’s a fabulous gig, man, ana that’s the truth.” As Truesdell introduced Smith- English, and as the huge applause subsided, she asked him “A sonnet or two?” He chuckled in reply, “You bet,” as he addressed die crowd o f his peers. He told how amaz- ,ing and .special the friends he had made over the years were to him. His speech, as did most, included funny and memorable accounts of college life as an instructor at CCC. Smith-English will still be involved. with the college as artistic direc tor for the Clackamas Repertory Theatre. Another retiring instructor with 17 years instructing in the art department is Rick True, whose - speech drew huge amounts of laughter from the audience. He *tola of the antics that happened in the art department in his early years as an instructor at CCC. The slide show that featured him included his wprds o f wisdom: Don’t sweat the petty things, and don’t pet the sweaty things. A few moments before Truesdell opened the celebration, True spoke seri ously o f his retirement, in contrast to the comical commentary about him and his amusing speech later. “While I’m going to miss the teaching, I need to slow down. Am I going to miss it? Probably” said True, 'but I’m an artist, so its not like I’ve stopped working. I just continue malting art and being an artist.” w Cathy Hanson, who is retiring as the department chair o f Skills Development, began volunteering at the college in 1976. She worked in the evening’ G ED program. H e r ' passion lies h r her students and their success. An interesting fact about Hanson is that she no longer has defined fingerprints because o f peeling onions. She worked on an onion and watermelon farm on Maui. Her retirement comes after 29 years o f service committed to her students and their education. She made this dear as she spoke of her years at the college. “I’m certainly more comfortable standing in front of mv classroom,” said Hanson. “That’s where I really feel like myself.” Before she finished that com ment, her granddaughter ran up to her and embraced her for the remainder o f her speech as the crowed “awwwwed” at the ador able scene. Hanson expressed her thanks and appreciation to the many people on campus „who helped ner to improve the lives of her students. At the end o f the function, it was dear that these retirees, had all made an impact on the'C C C comm unity throughout I ’their years of employment. Tears, hugs, and most of all, laughter were the features o f a edebtation that hon ored a retiring cast of-loved and respected people. It was obvious their impact on - the college would not be forgotten by those whose life they have touched in their years o f service. O ther retirees honored were Dick Ashbaugh from the ctimir nal justice department, with 22 years; ‘ John Bohach from ' the automotive department, eight years; Pam Brown from auto motive, 18 years; Paula Ham m from education and hum an ser vices, 3 1 years; Judy Kreinheder from admissions, registration and records, 21 years; Karen Martini from the C C C Foundation, 13 years; Tanya Patrick from business and computer saence, .18 years; D onna Pottratz from business and computer saence, 17 years; Tim Shea from the Small Business Devdopm ent Center, 20 years; Diana Shepherd from Criminal justice, 32 years; George Simms from environmental health and safety, 23 years; and Patty W hite from admissions, registration and records with 21 years o f service. D avid Smith-English .(left), and fellow staff member Rick True (right) talk about.plans after retirement. DOD: Defense officers to use site on campus in case of emergency Continued from Page 1 Like many organizations, the MEPS maintains an active emer gency? management plan which primarily focuses on the safety and security o f their staff.and military applicants. Once this is- secured, the emergency plan explains- tiie steps that will take place to redirect the MEPS. This is. where Clackafhas comes in to play, so that they may have The Clackamas Print aims to report the news in an honest, unbiased and professional manner; Content published in The Print is not screened or ' subject to censorship. 19600 Molalla Ave. Oregon City, OR 97045 an office space to stay in con tact with local - authorities, and higher command’s headquarters in N orth Chicago, 111. Fhe menififonduni agreement states that the Departm ent of Defense is, allowed to stay on campus for a two-week period. During this time,, depending on the ■ situation, Clackamas stu dents can expea as few as two to three,-or as many as six to eight uniformed officers around campus during regular college safety hours. After the two weeks is up, the college has the decision o f whether they want to keep the MEPS on campus or not. In the case that the MEPS m ust move on, they would shift towards another M ilitary Entrance Processing Station in the area. Editors Writers & Photographers Editor-in-Chief: BrianBaldwin Copy Editor: Katherine Suydam News Editor: Joshua Dillen Arts&Culture: Isaac Soper Sports Editor: John William Howard Associate Sports Editor: Emily Rask “In dealing with Mr. Wilton at CCC, it became apparent very early on that the college has a strong sense o r Davìd^Beasley Breanna Craine Joey Fisher Craig Hartrampf Patrick Quinn Felicia Skriver Chris Taylor Steven Weldon Photo Editor: Brad Heineke Web Editor: Anna Axelson Design Editor: James Duncan Ad Manager: Patrick Emerson Adviser: Melissa Jones 503-594-6266 dedication to the communities and organizations therein that it serves,” stated Maj. -David Godfrey, commander of the Portland MEPS in an email. “I believe the benefit for CC C is simply acting on its phi losophy of assisting and being there for the community.” At the moment Clackamas is the only establishment with this kind o f agreement with the MEPS; however, they are currently trying to expand in to Washington with tne same kind of agreement with the Armed Forces Reserve Ceriter. Godfrey also stated in the email that the MEPS “thanks Clackamas C om m unity College for this agreement, and as both parties have stated, it is something that we would rather not use as it means that our facility is unusable.” Production Assistants Contact Information Christian Adams; Mollie Berry Jaronte Goldsby Martin Gonzalez Harley Jackson Hicham Kerkour Joey Nardin. Ellen Niles Trent Noon I Evon Trembly chiefed@clackamas.edu . copyed@clackamas.edu newsed@clackamas.edu aced@clackamas.edu sportsed@clackamas.edu photoed@clackamas.edu admgr@clackamas.edu webeditor@clackamas.edu
