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THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2022
Waisanen: A longtime board member at Columbia Memorial Hospital
“I was raised with just a really strong
value that for those to whom a lot has been
given, a lot is expected,” she said. “I am a
fi nancial advise r so I can see the numbers.
I’ve got enough money to live the lifestyle
that I want to live. I mean, I don’t have any
interest in staying at Hilton h otels all over
the world or taking cruises or buying a yacht
or any of those frivolities …
“... I just felt like I would rather give my
money away now, than when I’m dead. And
so why not now?”
Heather Seppa, the market region man-
ager for Columbia and Willamette at
Columbia Bank, serves with Waisanen on
the hospital board. “I have appreciated her
leadership on the board, her well thought-
out ideas and most importantly, her friend-
ship,” she said in an email. “She brings her
experience as an engineer and her fi nancial
expertise to our board.
“She is an astute businesswoma n and a
very talented artist! I feel inspired to work
alongside her.”
Continued from Page A1
of Rhodesian Ridgeback, Great Dane and
boxer — slept underfoot.
Her offi ce decorations show glimpses
of her personality, like a vibrant, intricate
orange-and-pink quilt she made that occu-
pies one wall.
I nstead of 12-hour days at the mill, she
chooses when to come into work. It’s given
her more time to get involved in every cor-
ner of the community.
She’s an active member of Peace First
Lutheran Church and sings in the choir. She
considers herself the “chief minister of mis-
chief,” bringing energy to their gatherings.
Working in fi nance has shifted her per-
spective on budgeting, leading her to make
signifi cant fi nancial contributions to the
community.
When the Performing Arts Center at Clat-
sop Community College was at risk of clos-
ing, she bought it in 2020 through Trinity
LLC. The community space on 16th Street
— formerly Trinity Lutheran Church —
was preserved for Partners for the PAC as
the Charlene Larsen Center for the Perform-
ing Arts.
“There were a couple times where they
were pursuing that and it looked like the
building would end up (becoming) a restau-
rant, a brewery, a school, who knows. And it
really is a huge community center,” s he said.
“It’s a big part of our community, both from
the perspective of providing performances
that are aff ordable for local people, and also
providing an opportunity for local people to
be engaged.”
The name change was a surprise to
Larsen, the president of Partners for the
PAC, who had worked to keep it open. She
didn’t know Waisanen had honored her until
the opening ceremony.
“The two of us are standing there on the
entryway, and we’re asked to unroll the
banner. And then it has my name all over
it. Well, what kind of friend does that, you
know? ” she said. “Who does that in their
lifetime?”
The two met when Larsen’s church, First
Lutheran, merged with Emmanuel Lutheran
in 2004, where Waisanen attended. They
bonded over their love of music, perfor-
A granddaughter of Finnish
immigrants
Lydia Ely/The Astorian
Constance Waisanen is a fi nancial adviser with Thrivent.
mance and community events.
Larsen described Waisanen as a “ no non-
sense, get ‘er done kinda gal. And a friend
through thick and thin. You can always
count on her in the good times and the bad
times. ”
Waisanen was also involved in launching
the Clatsop County chapter of 100 Women
Who Care. The group meets once a quarter
and members pick a local nonprofi t to donate
$100 each to for a total goal of $10,000.
Perhaps the most time-consuming of
her community involvement , Waisanen
is a longtime board member at Columbia
Memorial Hospital in Astoria and was for-
merly board president.
“That’s been 15 years of signifi cant
expansion,” she said, including new ser-
vices and clinics in Warrenton and Seaside.
“That uses my engineering, business side of
my brain, which is really fun.”
The position involves about 20 hours of
volunteer work a month, but she fi nds the
investment valuable . “Visualize this com-
munity without our hospital,” she said.
Waisanen said she’s especially proud the
Lutheran-affi liated hospital off ers cancer
treatment locally and has lessened the short-
age of primary care providers in the region .
She said she plans to stay on the board
for a few more years to see current projects
through to completion.
Waisanen contributed $100,000 to the
hospital’s expansion project in May. She
said the decision to make the donation came
from watching her parents volunteer grow-
ing up. Her dad was the chairman on their
local hospital’s board in Minnesota, too.
Waisanen has worked on Habitat for
Humanity projects in several countries on
fi ve continents. She hopes to do more in the
future when coronavirus pandemic restric-
tions allow.
Her perspective on charity, she said, also
comes from being a granddaughter of Finn-
ish immigrants.
In 2021, she was the j unior c ourt c haper-
one at the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer
Festival. H er grandson was crown bearer.
Every year, she volunteers her home to
the bands performing. The most memora-
ble moments for her have been seeing her
grandchildren learn about their heritage and
jam along to living-room sessions.
“I always take out the globe and have
them show the kids where they’re from,”
she said. “‘Where’s our house? Where’s
their house? They’re from the other side of
the world.’”
When she’s not volunteering, working or
gardening, Waisanen hosts “ grandma camp”
for her grandchildren , where she teaches
them about science and the importance of a
good adventure.
Camp: ‘Our lands were taken away from us, our resources were taken away from us’
Continued from Page A1
“Our lands were taken away from us, our
resources were taken away from us … ,” Abing
said. “That’s one reason why I shared that web-
site with you.”
Abing brought a book that translates
English to Chinuk Wawa, the Chinook lan-
guage, to show the children the language is not
dead despite few people speaking it.
Wesley Maier , one of the campers, said he
can relate to some of what Abing said about
the Chinook Nation because he is Navajo. He
said he feels sad that there aren’t many people
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who speak Chinuk Wawa because he worries
the Navajo language is dying.
He liked hearing about how the Chinook
do not hunt pelicans, because it reminds him
of his own culture, where he cannot touch or
look at snakes to avoid an evil spirit and bad
luck.
Another boy told Abing his parents said he
is part Native American, but he didn’t know
where exactly he was from.
“It’s important that you reach out and fi nd
that identity, keep that identity and be proud
of that identity because it has a connection,”
Abing said.