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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (April 10, 2020)
APRIL 10, 2020, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A3 resources 3 wars in 30 years Boredom-busting to pass the isolation hours Keizer vet has seen it all By LAUREN MURPHY Of the Keizertimes In 1944, Keizerite Jon Vi- erra joined the Merchant Ma- rines. Three wars and 30 years later he retired from the U.S. Army. At age 16, Vierra enlisted to serve during World War II. He got out of the service in 1947 for about two years and worked in a steel mill. “I was getting a little restless. I worked there for while then all of the sudden I just packed my bags and went down to the recruiting station and signed up for the Army,” Vierra said. About the same time he reenlisted, in 1949, he met his wife, Nan. “That was the best thing File that ever happened to me John Vierra, a veteran of the U.S. Marines, U.S. Army and the in my life,” Vierra said. They Merchant Marines, was visited by representatives of the Ore- married in 1950 and spent the gon National Guard to thank him for his service in 2014. next 61 years together. Vierra emerged from the from the military to civilian Not long after they mar- ried, Vierra was called to duty confl ict, but he did not escape life wasn’t diffi cult for him. He credits that partially to the fact entirely unscathed. in the Korean War, that he was able to train for “Agent Orange and then joined had messed me up work at the post offi ce while fellow troops in the pretty bad,” he said. he was still in the military. It Vietnam War. Complications arising meant he did not have to go “When it came from exposure includ- job hunting after his retire- time for my duty ed diabetes and heart ment. to Vietnam, I didn’t “[My time in the service] problems, though he have to go,” Vierra could’ve impacted me if I let said the heart prob- said. His younger it, but I didn’t let it impact me lems were not recog- brother was killed, nized by the military in any way,” Vierra said. He making him the or the Department of mentioned his family in par- sole surviving son ticular, which was cared for by Veteran Affairs (VA). in the family. He his wife. Because of the chose to go any- “She took care of the house close relations that way. were killed and and I never worried about it. His nephew was A Mile in Their wounded, Vierra was She did a real good job with also sent to Viet- Boots is a nam. The two met Keizertimes series pulled from foreign that,” Vierra said. She only had to manage the up in the country focusing on the assignment. He retired house alone when he was in briefl y before go- lives of veterans a year later in 1974. Two days after re- Germany during the Korean ing their separate and active tirement, Vierra took War and, later, when he was duty military ways for duty. His personnel. a job at the U.S. Post- in Vietnam. Otherwise Vierra nephew was shot al Service where he was there to help raise their four times in the seven children, too. worked for 20 years. chest, though he managed to Vierra said transitioning survive. a m i ile n ir boots e th Despite our best efforts, boredom looms like a cloud during these weird times. We dug up some resources you can tap into to pass the time online, many are free and some have a cost, but there’s a little something for everyone. The National Emergency Library The Internet Archive is suspending wait- lists for roughly 1.4 million ebooks. The items available support emergency remote teaching, research universities, independent scholar- ship and intellectual stimulation while uni- versities, schools, training centers, and libraries are closed. Wait lists are suspended through the end of June. Topics are virtually limitless and languages available span the globe. Keep to the older stuff, there are a lot of newer titles in the database, but not all of them are being made available in ways that benefi t the creators. www.archive.org/NEL The Science of Well-Being This is a popular Yale University course that is now being offered free online. Professor Lau- rie Santos reveals misconceptions about hap- piness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can help us change. tinyurl.com/science- well-being Coursera Coursera has numerous free online classes as well as others that come with a fee. Learn how to learn, a new language, how cryptog- raphy works and more from some of the top professors around the world. www.coursera.org Masterclass Learn about fi lmmaking from Jodie Foster, basketball shooting from Steph Curry, story- telling from Neil Gaiman, self-expression and authenticity from RuPaul and so much more. Classes can be purchased individually or with an annual subscription for $180. www.master- class.com edX.org Sign up for free courses from top univer- sities and colleges. Topics include computer science, languages, data science, business and management, engineering, humanities and more. edx.org Open Culture Another free course site associated with some of the top universities and colleges. Open Culture’s big emphasis is on humanities and social sciences with course names such as: Archaeology: from Dig to Lab and Beyond; Ar- chitecture Studio: Building in Landscapes and Foundations of American Cyber-Culture. op- enculture.com Skillshare Skillshare doesn’t have as many mega-celeb- rities, but there are several well-known names and a few metric tons of average folks with some incredible insights to share. Arts and life- style are the primary focus. skillshare.com Story Club Read or listen to a short story and then participate in a online Q&A with the author. More details at tinyurl.com/4storyclub. DC Comics Kids Camp The creators behind some of the most pop- ular DC Comics are sharing projects for free on Twitter (@dccomicskids) and Instagram (@ dckids). Follow the accounts to fi nd out how to make Green Lantern rings, Superman ori- gam, and design your own superhero. DC is planning several weeks of content to be re- leased. Warmline can connect you to local assistance In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the community, Marion County Health & Hu- man Services has established a warmline for community members to call for support and fi nd out about available re- sources that may be helpful. The line will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 503-576-4602. Marion County staff an- swering calls to the warmline will be able to help com- munity members address the challenges they are facing due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Resources they will be able to assist with include: available fi nancial supports for utilities and rent; resources for mental health care; information about food pantries and food boxes; and entertainment resources and ideas to beat cabin fever. The resources available through the warmline will be updated frequently as the needs of the community continue to change. The warmline is not intend- ed to replace a crisis hotline. BARGAINS OF THE MONTH ® 4.99 WD-40 ® 12 oz. Lubricant with Smart Straw 5/$15 Never lose the straw again. GreenThumb 2 cu. ft. ® H 178 413 B12 Premium Colored Mulch Miracle-Gro ® 1 cu ft. Potting Mix SALE PRICE MAIL-IN REBATE* 7.99 -2.00 FINAL PRICE 5.99 L 462 572 B65 L 200 426, 424, 425; 192 210, 212, 213; 186 457, 458, 459; 201 763, 764, 765 065 22.99 SALE PRICE -3.00 MAIL-IN REBATE* FINAL PRICE 19.99 Roundup ® 36.8 oz. Weed/Grass Killer Ocncentrate Plus L 147 895 B12 © 2020 True Value Company LLC. While supplies last. 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