Eugene weekly., August 20, 2015, Page 8, Image 8

NEWS
At one point, the pipeline route crosses the Pacific
Crest Trail, Warner tells EW, and the almost 100-
foot clearcut that will be made to install the pipeline
and the smaller 50-foot permanent easement for
the pipe will mean the loss of old-growth trees and
endangered species habitat in parts of the Winema
National Forest.
The pipe will also cross 400 waterways, including
the Rogue and Klamath rivers, as well as traversing
private property. Some of that private property will
be taken as a pipeline right-of-way through eminent
domain.
Jordan Cove is owned by Calgary Veresen Inc. out
of Canada, and Williams Co. out of California co-owns
the pipeline with Veresen.
The hike will follow the route of the pipeline,
Warner says, but on areas of private land hikers will
stick to nearby public roadways. She says there will
be events in Malin, Shady Cove, Winston and North
Bend that will give community members opportunities
to meet the hikers and get involved with the issue.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(FERC) has said it will put out its final environmental
impact statement on the project at the end of
September and then, after public comments and
revisions, deliver final authorization by the end of
December.
Warner says Hike the Pipe hopes Gov. Kate Brown
will file a petition for rehearing if the FERC decision
goes through. Several environmental groups,
including Coos Waterkeeper and Greenpeace, are
awaiting a decision on a petition for judicial review
from the Oregon Court of Appeals in regard to a DSL
permit for part of the project.
The hike begins Aug. 22 in Malin. For more
information or to participate, go to hikethepipe@
gmail.com or Facebook.com/hikethepipe. — Camilla
Mortensen
ELEPHANT BOOK RAISES MONEY FOR KIDS
Gregory Ahlijian says he doesn’t consider himself an author despite the
two books he wrote and published himself, including his latest, An Elephant
Would Be Wonderful.
Ahlijian says he stumbled into the author role during his ongoing volunteer
work in sixth and seventh grade classrooms at Jasper Mountain Center, a
nonprofit in Springfield and Jasper that treats children with emotional and
behavioral issues.
One day, he asked the children to write a story about an ancient tree and
the things it would have seen in its life. “I saw a 10-year-old girl’s eyes light
up and I realized, I could do that!” Ahlijian remembers.
That story idea became The Large Rock and the Little Yew, Ahlijian’s first
book. He published the book himself and decided to donate all proceeds to
Jasper Mountain Center. The book and its cause received so much support
that Ahlijian published another book.
The second book, An Elephant Would Be Wonderful, is a poem that
celebrates the strengths and weaknesses of an individual as it rhymes about
how “An elephant would be awesome at blocking your door. But not very
awesome at waxing your floor.” The illustrations by Beverly Soasey are
colorful and humorously accompany the elephant’s quirky tasks in the poem.
Sales from Ahlijian’s first book generated more than $107,000, which enabled Jasper Mountain Center to construct
a new all-purpose recreation area. He says he hopes to use the proceeds from the An Elephant Would Be Wonderful to
create a scholarship at Jasper Mountain so families can receive the help they need even when money is an issue. He
says he also hopes to expand the reach of the donations to other organizations.
While the publishing of both books began as the passion project of one man, Ahlijian speaks gratefully of all of the
community support he receives in both marketing and selling the books.
Paul Bright, a movie producer, heard about Ahlijian’s efforts and offered to film a book preview for The Large Rock
and the Little Yew, which can be found on YouTube at wkly.ws/220. Hirons and The Dancing Weasel Toy Store sell the
books for no share of the proceeds, and Ahlijian takes no reimbursement for the production — all monies go straight
into the donation fund.
Thanks to large donations, the books are given to local organizations such as Court Appointed Special Advocates
(CASA), The Children’s Miracle Network and Ophelia’s Place. If you have an organization that may be interested in
receiving book donations or to make a donation, contact Greg Ahlijian at (541) 345-8891. To order your own book, go
to littleyewtree.com. — Kory Bowlin
Dog
Days of
SUMMER
Celebrate National Dog Day with
the Museum of Natural and Cultural
History and Greenhill Humane Society
Wednesday, August 26
5:30–8:00 p.m.
1680 East 15th Ave., Eugene
Doggie photo booth
Dog-friendly businesses
Obedience demonstrations
Crafts and more
Plus a Not-So-Serious Look at the Dog
Star Sirius with astronomer Scott Fisher
Free admission * Picnicking encouraged
PHOTO: DANIEL BERMAN, NORTHWEST PET PHOTOGRAPHY
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A ugust 20, 2015 • eugeneweekly.com