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
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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.
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News Editor: Joshua Dillen
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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
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Chris Taylor
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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.”
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