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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2015
JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian
Willis Van Dusen smiles as he listens to a speech by Sen. Betsy Johnson before accepting the George Award.
Chamber: ‘The spirit of cooperation has never been stronger’
Continued from Page 1A
people and ideas, but making
people care about things,”
said Johnson, who praised
Van Dusen’s indiscriminate
authenticity and generosity,
whether it be with her, former
President Bill Clinton during his
visit in 2008 or with any mem-
ber of the local community.
“At every public event,”
said Johnson, “Willis inevita-
bly called positive attention to
what he referred to as the As-
toria team.”
When he and his wife Lisa
arrived on the North Coast in
the early 2000s for his new job
as district sales coordinator
they were looking forward
to becoming involved in the
community. You run into Reid
all the time, simply because
he is so involved, said Hauke
during his presentation of Re-
id’s George Award.
Over those years, said
Hauke, Reid’s been a volunteer
of every type for the chamber,
downtown association, Astoria
Regatta Court, Astoria Rota-
ry Club, Camp Kiwanilong,
the Clatsop County Histori-
cal Society, the Astor Street
Opry Company, the city and
more — all the way down to
skimming logs to rebuild Fort
Clatsop at the Lewis and Clark
National Historical Park.
“He helps whenever he can,
however he can, because he’s a
good guy,” said Hauke.
Reid’s also a Chamber
member two times over,
speaking to the three goals of
the chamber’s board set for
wife Lisa. The two have
owned Lucy’s Books since
be at the banquet, with an au-
thor visiting Lucy’s for Second
Saturday Artwalk.
Astoria-Warrenton
“One doesn’t exist without
the other,” said Reid about the
relationship between Astoria
joint Chamber of Commerce.
full-time employees and two
part-timers, along with vol-
unteer boards overseeing the
staff, the chamber’s ambassa-
dors and for other volunteers.
It advertises its members,
organizes marketing cam-
paigns and marshals volun-
teers to put on such annual
regional attractions as the Un-
Wined wine tasting in March;
the Crab, Seafood and Wine
Festival in April; Fourth of
JOSHUA BESSEX — The Daily Astorian
Executive Director of the Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce Skip Hauke showed
off his ‘80s garb during the banquet. His costume included a gold chain from City Lumber.
Columbia Crossing in October.
themed banquet foreshadowed
its series of events in early
-
sary of “The Goonies,” cen-
tered around the weekend of
the annual Goonies Day June
tours, in addition to treasure
-
more.
For the past year, Reid has
been president of the cham-
ber’s board of directors. He
is being replaced by Asto-
ria Scandinavian Midsum-
mer Festival organizer Loran
Mathews.
“In my experience, the
spirit of cooperation has nev-
er been stronger,” said Reid,
• Remodeling the chamber
-
rine Drive, an ongoing project.
• Developing a plan to sup-
port trade and service sector
chamber members. The cham-
ber is in the midst of develop-
ing a promotion to encourage
people to hire — not just shop
— locally, educating the pub-
lic about local contractors and
service providers.
• Growing the chamber
to 600 members, a goal it
achieved in mid-July.
The chamber now stands at
more than 620 business, non-
-
ual members, including Buoy
Beer, not even a year old and
named Chamber Member of
the Year. Its award was accept-
ed by co-owner Luke Colvin, a
George Award winner in 2008.
Reid said the constant in-
creases in membership in-
creases the power the chamber
has to affect issues important
to the local economy. “This
current surge in our member-
of the value the chamber mem-
bers, like you, feel they get
from their membership.”
Osborn: ‘In arena football, you’re so close to the action’
Continued from Page 1A
“We’re excited to see our
fan base growing organical-
ly, and we will need dedicat-
ed fans such as Jim in order
for the Thunder to succeed
in what is becoming an ex-
pectant and successful sports
market,” Rob Boelke, the
Thunder’s director of media
relations and digital market-
ing, said in an email.
The Thunder, owned by
Terry Emmert, the heavy
haul transport magnate in
Clackamas, had an uneven
expansion season. The team
round of the playoffs, and
-
tendance at Moda Center was
slightly better than league
average.
Marketed as a high-
er-scoring,
free-wheeling
complement to the National
Football League, the Are-
na Football League built a
-
nancially imploding after the
2008 season.
Restructured and reborn in
-
capture the same fan interest,
although it has gained some
pop culture buzz with celebri-
ty owners like rock stars Gene
Simmons and Paul Stanley of
the Los Angeles KISS, which
— like the Thunder — were
an expansion franchise last
year.
Many fans drawn to the
league hope to get an up-close
preview of future NFL stars.
Kurt Warner, an NFL and Su-
per Bowl most valuable play-
er, was once a quarterback for
the league’s Iowa Barnstorm-
ers, and many other league
players have made the jump
over the years.
Usually, though, fans see
talented players who are
struggling to keep playing
professionally. One of the
Thunder’s
quarterbacks,
Darron Thomas, is a former
Oregon star who gave up
his senior year and declared
She and Carl Burkhart
have been involved in the
North Coast Communities
in Schools’ backpack pro-
gram, the Warrenton-Ham-
mond School District’s Hall
of Fame, the Warrenton High
Wauna Mill likes to take
his grandson, Christiaan, to
Thunder games.
“TV does not do it justice,”
he said. “NFL, you can’t get
a better view on TV. In arena
football, you’re so close to the
action, TV does it no good at
all.”
While his allegiance to the
Thunder is strong, Osborn has
not forsaken the NFL. The
Oakland, Calif., native still
has Raiders stickers on his
truck.
“I’m a football fan,” he ex-
plained, grinning.
— Derrick DePledge
You Are Invited to
A Fu n N igh t
of Com ed y,
M ys tery and
M URD ER!
but did not catch on with a
team.
referee high school and mid-
Burkharts: They spearheaded
Warrenton Kids Inc., raising
Continued from Page 1A
dle school football on the
North Coast, thinks the league
is more fan friendly than the
NFL and that the players are
more accessible. The paper-
School Scholarships Inc. and
improving the Warrenton
City Park with grant fund-
ing. They’ve spearheaded
Warrenton Kids Inc., raising
veteran, arrived in the mid-
through dinner and silent
auction.
Carl Burkhart, a U.S. Army
a community lawn mower for
his neighbors, among other
endeavors.
Janu ary 25 th at 6 PM
$
50 Per Pers on
3 Cou rs e Special M enu
Natural for the past couple of
decades, while serving as a
Cub Scout master for Troop
581 S Prom , Seas id e
503-738-64 03 for Tick ets
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