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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 2015)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 NORTH COAST 3A Finding a hero at the Ice Bucket Challenge Afghan war vet receives help from friends By DANI PALMER EO Media Group CANNON BEACH — Last year, the ALS Associ- ation Ice Bucket Challenge went viral, raising $115 mil- lion globally for research. Locals like Susan Simon, whose son has ALS, are try- ing to keep that challenge going. Amyotrophic lateral scle- rosis is a progressive neuro- logical disease affecting the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms in- clude muscle weakness and dif¿culty swallowing. Ap- proximately 20,000 Ameri- cans have the disease at any given time. Adam Simon, 42, was di- agnosed in 2008 and put in a medical ward at the U.S. Air Force base in San Antonio. He had served in the Gulf War and retired as a staff ser- geant a year after being di- agnosed. In 2012, he moved in with his mother in Cannon Beach. Adam was only given two to ¿ve years to live. It’s been seven. “Sometimes in life you never have a hero,” Susan said. “Adam is my hero.” She noted that those di- agnosed under the age of 40 often display a slower rate of progression. Adam is un- steady and falls often, but can still walk with a walk- er and gets out, Susan said. He goes swimming and does other activities with caregiv- er Daniel Stowers. Stowers was a U.S. Army combat medic for six years in Afghanistan and recruited by Suzanne Evans, Adam’s other caregiver who also served in Afghanistan as a medic with the Oregon Army National Guard. Evans said she saw a bracelet soldiers wear to re- member fallen comrades on Stowers’ wrist and told him about the job after learning he’d also been a medic. Evans was “pretty messed up” after departing the mil- itary, ¿nding it dif¿cult to even leave home. She said she felt blessed to receive the job with the Simon family as it was a safe place to do what she loves. “The cherry on the cake is that it’s anoth- er brother in arms,” she said. She cooks, cleans, takes Adam to Portland every three months for medical ap- pointments and does physi- cal therapy with him. “I’m just there as some- body he can count on,” she said. “Anything you take for granted is harder for him.” Educating others Stowers said he’s learned more about ALS through his work with Adam and edu- cates others. “Adam’s awesome,” he said. “He’s very quiet, but he’s one of those people who says more without saying anything.” Researchers are still studying the correlation, but military veterans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ALS than the general popu- lation, according to the ALS Association. In 2014, $77 million of the $115 million raised through the Ice Bucket Chal- lenge went toward research, $23 million toward patient and community services and $10 million to public and professional education. There is no cure for ALS yet, only palliative care pro- viding relief from symp- toms. ‘Not for sissies’ “This death is not for sis- sies,” Susan said. “It’s like a big train engine is coming toward you and you can’t get off the track.” Along with her Ice Bucket Challenge, Susan, an artist at White Bird Gallery, present- ed a $500 donation to the ALS Association via the sale of her paintings. Those who receive the Ice Bucket Challenge are encouraged to record them- selves dumping a bucket of ice water over their heads, to challenge at least three Dani Palmer/EO Media Group Military veterans Suzanne Evans, left, and Daniel Stowers pour water on Susan Simon, left, and Andy Kerr for the ALS Association’s Ice Bucket Challenge. Susan’s son, Adam, a retired staff sergeant from the U.S. Air Force, has ALS. more people and donate to the ALS Association. Susan extended the invitation to the Ice Bucket Challenge to members of American Le- gion Post 168. More information can be found at http://bit.ly/1FcZk23. Forum on Internet safety for College seeks input on president search children planned in Seaside ¿nal presidential pro¿le will be issued nationally. The college will host three public comment sessions, all on Oct. 8: • Noon to 2 p.m. at the col- lege’s South County Campus, 1455 N. Roosevelt Drive in Seaside. • 3 to 5 p.m., in Columbia Hall Room 219 on the main campus, 1651 Lexington The Daily Astorian The Daily Astorian SEASIDE — The Seaside branch of the American Asso- ciation of University Women is sponsoring a public forum on Internet safety for school children, “Internet: Friend or Foe,” at 7 p.m. Sept. 24 at Sea- side City Hall, 989 Broadway. Senior Deputy District Attorney Dawn Buzzard and Detective Ryan Humphrey of the Clatsop County Sher- iff’s Of¿ce will discuss chil- dren and the Internet and ex- plain what to look for, when to be concerned and what to do. They will also offer some practical safeguards and an- swer any questions. Law enforcement works daily on child sex abuse and exploitation cases. Nearly ev- ery case involves a link to so- cial media. “Pods, pads and tabs — if they seek a private place when using these de- vices, the odds are your kids are compromising their own privacy,” Humphrey, a senior deputy, said in a statement. Buzzard has been a pros- ecutor for 16 years. She is on the county’s major crime team and handles serious felonies, including sex abuse and child abuse cases. “There have been at least nine investigations of Internet predatory behavior in Clatsop County in the last year alone,” she said in a statement. “Four are pending of online sexual corruption. You don’t need a pending case to get help. We will be handing out business cards and answering questions at the forum.” Class offers ¿shermen survival techniques The Daily Astorian A two-day drill conduc- tor course is being offered for commercial ¿shermen Sept. 22 and 23 in Astoria. The course is offered through a partner- ship with the Alaska Marine Herzig holds meet and greet on Saturday The Daily Astorian Safety Education Association and the U.S. Coast Guard. The class is physically de- manding and includes timed immersion suit donning, en- tering the water, getting into a life raft, starting pumps, and putting out ¿res. Students will learn emer- gency procedures and the use of safety equipment aboard commercial ¿shing vessels. Preregistration is required and space is limited. For infor- mation, time and location and to register, call 503-240-9373. Clatsop Community Col- lege is seeking the public’s comment on the pro¿le it will use to search for a new pres- ident. The pro¿le, at www.clat- sopcc.edu under the “Pres- ident Search” link, will in- troduce the position and the community to prospective applicants. It will include key characteristics of the college and the regional community; opportunities and challenges a successful candidate will likely face; and essential qual- i¿cations. Following the receipt and review of public comments, a G u ess w h a t d a y it is! It’s Hump’s Day!!! AT HUMP’S RESTAURANT EV ERY W ED N ESD AY 5 -8 PM No reservations, please 14 OUN CE N EW Y ORK STEAK & BAK ED POTATO $9.95 M ust present coupon to server. N ot va lid w ith other offers. All You Can Eat Chicken & Dumplings- Thursdays 5-8 pm $6.95 Prime Rib Fridays- starts at 5pm $9.95 dailyastorian.com Just 15 m in. from the Lew is & Cla rk Bridge on H w y. 30 Hump’s Restaurant- 50 W. Columbia River Highway Clatskanie, OR. 503.728.2626 N OW O PEN Frida y & Sa turda y 6a m -10pm Video Y ou are invited BROADWAY PARK PARTY W A NTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber SATURDAY N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500 The public is invited to meet with Astoria City Coun- cilor Drew Herzig from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Flag Room of the Astoria Public Library, 450 10th St. All are welcome to come and share their thoughts, sug- gestions, questions, and con- cerns about Astoria. Ave., in Astoria. • 5 to 7 p.m., in Columbia Hall Room 219. All sessions will be facil- itated by a representative of the Association of Communi- ty College Trustees, which is assisting with the search. Comments can also be submitted electronically until Oct. 8 at presidentsearch@ clatsopcc.edu SEPT. 19TH 1-3PM Vicki Y arborough Celebrating 34 years of service Subscribe online at dailyastorian.com Vicki taught most Seaside children and their parents how to swim Sunset Empire Parks and Recreation District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u st om e r Appre c ia tion RE 6HSWHPEHU6KRH'ULYH ANNUAL a t Ba yshore Anim a l H ospita l BAY SH O R E A N G EL FU N D Q u ilt R a ff le w ill ta k e pla ce Tick ets a re $1 ea . a t h betw een n ospita l ow a N eed n o t b n d Sept. 19th e p re sen t to w in P erfect fo r La b ra d o r lo vers o r h u n ters 325 S E M ARLIN AVEN UE, W ARREN TO N 503-861-1621 ba yshorea n im a lca re.com
