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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 9, 2015)
OPINION 4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 WHY WE LOVE LIVING IN AST RIA Raising the Dough for Danish Maid By MURIEL JENSEN For The Daily Astorian R on and I came to Astoria with three children in 1976 to purchase The Columbia Press, a small weekly newspaper then located at the cor- ner of 12th Street and Marine Drive. We quickly lost our shirts. Ron went to work for Johnson Motors and I joined the staff at the Danish Maid Bakery from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. I frosted and put donuts on trays, did dishes, put up orders, and waited on customers. John Lindstrom was a young man in his 20s then, and had been working as assistant baker for How- ard and Dorothy Schoen since 1974. He’d recently married Jan, and she was carrying Kathy. We had no relatives here and the Schoens and the Lindstroms became our family. John and I enjoyed a teasingly antagonistic rela- tionship that still exists today. Life moved on, but I always went back to the Danish Maid for morning coffee. While I managed Utzinger’s Book Store, the bakery’s back booth, in- formally known as ³7he *ossip Booth,´ was ¿ lled every morning with men and women who worked downtown and started their day together, sharing the news and offering their solutions to the world’s problems. John and Jan bought the bakery in 1986 and spent years making outstanding donuts and pastries while silently lending a hand to the goings-on in the com- munity, among their business neighbors, and to Ron and me. My husband was ill for a couple of years at the same time that I couldn’t sell a book to save me. Several times, I called Jan to see if I could pick up a few loaves of bread and write a post-dated check. Invariably, she gave me the bread, a coffee cake, a bag of donuts and a carton of milk from the cooler. Occasionally she’d see me walking by and put a $20 bill in my pocket. Her kindness meant even more to us than the food. That caring and eagerness to share isn’t found everywhere, but it seems to abound here. I’m from south of Boston, Ron’s from Chicago, and we met in Los Angeles, but in our hearts, we’re from Astoria. W e’re pulling that sense of community together to Raise the Dough for Danish Maid and try to repay some measure of the Lindstroms’ kindness and generosity. (That cheesy but catchy title is the brainchild of my good friend, Barbara Wedell.) It is my good fortune to live across the street from Rosemary Johnson. I have the occasional good idea, but Rosemary knows everyone and everything, has a knack for detail, and the energy of a terrier on Rital- in. I asked for her help with this fundraiser, and she readily agreed. We commandeered Michelle Lind- strom, John and Jan’s younger daughter, to have a family presence on the team. Actually, this piece is more about giving you dates and times of upcoming events than it is an at- tempt to rally you together, because you’re already here! Every one of the Lindstroms’ business neigh- bors has contributed to our fundraiser with humbling generosity, people have been calling us in order to participate, people standing behind us while we make our pitch to merchants step up to make con- tributions or offer their help. We have several events lined up with several more to come. The Rusty Cup is donating $1 per drink pur- chased today. Please be thirsty. Rebecca Kraft is hosting a painting party at WineKraft on Friday. The event is sold-out with 20 percent of the proceeds going to Raising the Dough Michelle Lindstrom/Courtesy Photo John and Jan Lindstrom on their 39th wedding anniversary. W riter’s N otebook We are trying to repay some measure of the Lindstroms’ kindness and generosity. cards, a few pieces of furniture, personal items, all kinds of things from large to small. There’s some- thing for everyone. If you don’t want to walk, or can’t, just join us for the auction from noon to 1 p.m. Thank you for being part of this great commu- nity. Come and have fun with us and lend John and Jan a hand. Coast Weekend/File Photo John Lindstrom, owner of the Danish Maid Bak- ery, frosts a heart-shaped, raspberry filled cake in 2004. Lindstrom says the days leading up to Val- entine’s Day make for a busy time for him, but the holiday doesn’t compare to Christmas and Easter. Friday, Oct. 16, The Blue Scorcher Bakery & Cafe offers 25 percent of the day’s earnings for Rais- ing the Dough. Saturday, Oct. 17, The Astoria Coffee House will donate 25 percent of their pro¿ ts as well. I vote that we eat out all weekend. The Merry Time will be hosting The Big Monti and “killer blues” starting at 9:0 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23. 100 percent of the $5 door cover charge will be donated to the Danish Maid. Entrance is $5 or a can of food. Must be 21 and older. The following Saturday, Oct. 24, come walk with us along the river trail. We’re meeting at the Fisher- man’s Memorial at 10 a.m. Please make a donation on the spot, any amount you like, maybe get spon- sors to increase your donation, and parade to the Barbey Center (the old train station just beyond the Columbia River Maritime Museum.) We’ll provide water to keep you hydrated along the way. We expect to reach the Barbey Center by noon when we’ll host a silent auction made up of wonder- ful gifts donated by our generous local merchants. We have gorgeous gift baskets, gift certi¿ cates and C ontributors to the auction are The Cellar on 10th, FinnWare, Bliss, the Boutique in Astoria, Boo- merang Salvage, Vince Campbell, Sisters Olives & Nuts, Holly McHone Jewelers, Adagio, Salon Vervé, Pat’s Pantry, A Gypsy’s Whimsy Herbal Apothecary, JoAnne Booth, Winnifred Byrne’s Luminary Arts, Division Screen Printing, Flourine & Co., Godfa- ther’s Books, Astoria Co-op, In the Boudoir, T Paul’s Urban Cafe, The Supper Club, The Silver Salmon, Erickson Flora Co., Rusty Cup, Deals Only, Asto- ria Business Equipment Co., Young at Heart Paper Crafting, Gimre’s Shoe Store, Loop-Jacobsen Jew- elers, Inc., Cannery Pier Hotel, Andy Cier and La- Ree Johnson, Rollin’ Thunder BBQ, Subway, Fort George Brewery, North Coast Hair Cutters, Farm- house Funk Antiques & Gifts, Homespun Quilts, Paramount Drug Co., Paul and Darlene Bjornsgaard, Lucy’s Books, Merry Time Bar & Grill, Fast Lube & Oil, Lum’s Auto Center, Old Town Framing, River- Sea Gallery and 14th Street Cafe. Other contributors to the Raising the Dough for Danish Maid campaign are, Rosemary Bak- er-Monaghan, Dean Zabriski, Columbia River Mar- itime Museum, Rusty Cup, Purple Cow Toys, Ross & Patti Getchell, Gimre’s Shoe Store, Home Bak- ing Co., Party Jesters, Rosemary and Curt Johnson, Sean & Allison Johnson, Lazerquick, Rollin’ Thun- der BBQ, Jim and Mary Krettler, Wanda Wetherill and Mitch and Toni Mitchum. Astoria resident Muriel Jensen has published more than 70 books and novellas. There is no timetable for Lindstrom’s Danish Maid Bakery, closed since earlier this month because of a family medical emergency, to reopen. Daily Astorian/File Photo STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher • LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager • CARL EARL, Systems Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager • DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager Founded in 1873
