COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL • AUGUST 29, 2018 •
3A
Betty Kaiser’s Chatter Box: A celebration, fond farewell and something to think about
Col. Kirsten Palmer
T
oday I bring you a
mixed bag of happy,
sad and thought-pro-
voking military news.
First, the good news:
I have been following
USAF Col. Kirsten M. Palm-
er’s career for 20 years. She
continues to amaze me. A lo-
cal girl, Col. Palmer received
her commission as a Second
Lieutenant from the U.S. Air
Force Academy in May 1995.
Last year she was pro-
moted to a full colonel aft er
receiving a master of science
degree in National Resource
Strategy with a concentration
in supply chain management
at National Defense Univ., Ft.
McNair, Washington, D.C.
Th is year, Kirsten’s par-
ents, Ron and Linda Palmer,
were thrilled to learn that a
promotion and a new duty
station for her will be on the
west coast.
On Aug. 5, they, along
with other family members
and invited friends, attended
an Assumption of Command
Ceremony for their daughter
at McChord Field in Wash-
ington State.
Col. Palmer is the new
commander of the 446th
Maintenance Group, Joint
Base Lewis-McChord. She is
now responsible for direct-
ing all aircraft and equip-
ment maintenance support
for three squadrons of C-17
Globemaster III aircraft .
She will also oversee the
quality and quantity of train-
ing for over 400 reservists,
ensuring they are prepared
to perform the wing’s mis-
sion in peacetime and during
combat.
Very impressive.
On the lighter side, her
promotion means that, for
the fi rst time since her ca-
reer began, her parents will
be close enough to oft en visit
Addyson, their now nine-
year-old granddaughter, and
her parents on a regular ba-
sis.
Another change in the
family life is that dad, Col.
Roger Lang, a former USAF
pilot, has retired and is now a
pilot for United Airlines.
Th ey will be living in Gig
Harbor, Wash. It doesn’t get
much better than that.
Congratulations, Kirsten!
On another note, I would
like to say a few words about
the passing of local resident,
Leonard Waitman. His mili-
tary service reads like a page
out of Tom Brokaw’s book
“Th e Greatest Generation.”
Leonard was both a sol-
dier and scholar. His time
as a soldier began before
his graduation from Grant
Union High in Sacramento,
Calif.
Th e day that WWII was
declared, his entire class of
seniors went down to enlist.
He received his high school
diploma while in training
and served in the U.S. Army
Air Corps, a precursor to the
U.S. Air Force.
His obituary related some
of his 3 1/2 years of service
without liberty in the war
zone. At his memorial ser-
vice those stories came alive.
He had fi rst-hand expe-
rience with people and sit-
uations that we’ve only read
about in books: Invasions of
countries, aiding Col. Doo-
little, Gen. George Patton,
blessed by Pope Pious XII,
seeing the eruption of Mt.
Vesuvius. etc.
Each one gave him in-
sights into the real world of
war that would be with him
forever.
Leonard’s years as a schol-
ar came aft er the war. His de-
grees and accomplishments
are impressive. His education
included both a bachelor’s
and master’s degree and a
PhD. He taught for 32 years
and wrote several books.
He was also a dedicated
Christian and served as pres-
ident of Bethesda Bible Col-
lege. He and his wife retired
to Cottage Grove.
I met Leonard around
the time of the 9/11 attacks.
He and his fellow Veteran of
Foreign Wars buddies were
fountains of information for
me as I struggled with what
was happening and how to
communicate it to my read-
ers. A gift ed communicator,
he was front and center at ev-
ery Cottage Grove Memorial
Day remembrance ceremo-
ny. Our city was blessed for
having him amongst us and
he will be missed.
I recently read that for
many Americans, today’s
wars are closer to “reality TV”
than to reality. War is not at
our back door, so we’re obliv-
ious. Some of the hotspots
around the world where we
send our young men and
women in the armed forces
are Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya,
Niger, the Philippines, Soma-
lia and Syria.
Many of us don’t know
where those countries are or
why we are there.
At Leonard Waitman’s
memorial, little toy soldiers
were given to each person
who walked in the door. We
were asked to put the soldier
in a conspicuous place in our
house to remind us that free-
dom is not free.
Somewhere in the world,
right now, real people are
fi ghting, dying and being
maimed in real battles. Th e
toy soldier can be a reminder
to pray for their protection
and wisdom on the part of
those who send them to war.
Finally, as I put this col-
umn to bed, news came over
the airwaves that Sen. John
McCain has died.
He was a good man.
Whether you liked or dis-
liked his politics, he served
his country well. God rest his
soul.
Contact Betty Kaiser’s
Chatterbox at 942-1317 or
email bchatty@bettykaiser.
com
Elkton to host family fun this weekend during Fort Umpqua Days
Elkton is holding its annual Fort
Umpqua Days celebration Sept.
1 and 2. Most activities will take
place at the Elkton Community
Education Center (ECEC), located
just west of town at 15850 Highway
38.
A parade through town on River
Road kicks off the event at 10 a.m.
that Saturday morning. Th at same
morning, a two-day bass tourna-
ment launches at 6 a.m. and con-
tinues Sunday morning, also at 6
a.m. Weigh-in and awards will be
Sunday aft ernoon at 3:30 p.m.
Th e Elkton Lion’s Club will serve
a pancake breakfast starting at 7
a.m. each day on the ECEC Green-
house Patio. In addition, a barbe-
cue lunch will be provided by the
Elkton Baptist Church from 11
a.m. to 1 p.m.
On Saturday, there will be live
music starting at 11 a.m. featur-
ing Th e Slow Ponies, the popular
six-woman “cowgirl band,” fol-
lowed by the highly-anticipated
auction of more than 50 home-
made pies at 1 p.m.
Sunday’s lunch features live mu-
sic by Old Time Fiddlers.
ECEC’s reconstruction of his-
toric Fort Umpqua, the festival’s
namesake, will be fi lled with activ-
ities and demonstrations through-
out the weekend depicting life at a
Hudson’s Bay Company fur trad-
ing post. Re-enactors in costume
portray characters from the mid-
1800s. Kids and adults alike can
take part in historic themed activi-
ties at the Fort.
Both aft ernoons wrap up with
the 14th season of the “Echoes of
the Umpqua” musical pageant.
Each year local residents write and
perform a rousing and entertain-
ing play that off ers a glimpse into
Elkton’s history.
Th is year’s production tells the
story of the historic journey of the
stern wheeler SWAN as it navigat-
ed the Umpqua River in 1869. Per-
formances are held at the ECEC
Amphitheater, at 5 p.m.
Saturday’s pageant will be fol-
lowed by a chuck wagon dinner
at 6 p.m., provided by Brandborg
Winery. Diners and festival attend-
ees can stay and enjoy live music by
Contra Swing, a fi ddling and guitar
playing duo from Coos Bay.
All weekend, guests can enjoy
craft and food booths, a native
Tooth Brushing
You’ve heard it since you were a child: Brushing your
teeth twice a day is the centerpiece of good oral hygiene.
If you’re like most adults, though, you may need a
refresher course on the details of how to brush for the
best results. Here is what the American Dental Association
(ADA) recommends to keep your teeth healthy when
brushing.
THE BASICS
You should use a soft-bristled brush to clean your teeth
twice a day. While there are toothbrushes that come in all
shapes and sizes available for sale, you should pick the
one that best fi ts the size and shape of your mouth and lets
you easily reach all parts of your teeth.
Keep in mind that a worn-out toothbrush won’t do a
good job cleaning the surface of your teeth. You should
get a new toothbrush every three or four months, or even
sooner if you see signs that the bristles are fraying.
You should also use an ADA-approved toothpaste with
fl uoride.
surfaces of all your teeth. When cleaning the inside
surfaces, use up-and-down strokes while holding the
toothbrush vertically. And if you want fresh breath, you
should brush your tongue to remove the bacteria that can
collect there.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
Brushing your teeth regularly is just the start of a good
dental health.
You should also fl oss daily to remove the bacteria and
food particles that can build up between your teeth, where
the toothbrush can’t reach.
And you should pay attention to what you eat, because
a balanced diet with limited snacks between meals can
help to keep your teeth — and your whole body — at peak
health.
Finally, regular visits to the dentist for oral exams and
professional cleaning should be a part of any person’s oral
health routine.
HOW TO BRUSH
Paying attention to the details of your brushing
technique can lead to better results.
First, you should place your toothbrush at a 45-degree
angle to your gums, then use short back-and-froth strokes
about the same width as your teeth to start cleaning them.
Make sure you brush the outside, inside and chewing
This message is brought to you by these local sponsors:
Dentistry
with
Family
in Mind
Brent Bitner, DDS
C ALL U S T ODAY !
541.942.7934
350 E. W ASHINGTON A VENUE • C OTTAGE G ROVE
WWW.CGSMILES.COM
plant nursery, locally grown pro-
duce, a display of art quilts by Elk-
ton Quilters, the ECEC gift shop,
Outpost Café, an ice cream social,
antique bike display and more.
Guests can also visit the Butterfl y
Pavilion to “adopt” a Monarch but-
terfl y before releasing it to begin its
fall migration.
ECEC is a nonprofi t organiza-
tion founded to provide cultural,
educational and social activities to
participants of all ages.
For more information, call 541-
584-2692, or visit www.elktonbut-
terfl ies.com.