Polk County News
8A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • November 22, 2017
Olsons: Couple finds a variety of ways to help
Continued from Page 1A
“This community stepped
up just like they always do,”
she said.
Stacy coached track —
something she’d never
done — and Neal picked up
football.
“Idle time is dangerous for
adolescents,” she said. “That
is a really critical time for kids
to get connected to some-
thing. As they go into high
school, if they’re connected
to something or they have
something to belong to that’s
important, then they connect
in the right places. Some kind
of positive activity.”
Stacy works with the
county’s juvenile diversion
program and has worked
with youth in the court sys-
tem for a long time. Neal is a
deputy chief for Polk County
Fire District No. 1. Both
know the importance of vol-
unteers to make things run
smoothly, and say that may
be one reason they are both
so ready to pitch in them-
selves.
“In my job — this is my
32nd year in teaching and
coaching — you see so
many people that say they’re
committed, but any small
reason, they can break away
from that commitment,”
Hedrick said. “But you see
those two, who, no matter
what it is, they’ll make a bad
thing good. I can’t even
imagine the number of
youth (they affected) that we
don’t even see.”
The Olsons opened their
homes to foster troubled
boys who had been in and
out of homes and at risk of
being on the streets, Kimber
Townsend said.
“They took in kids no one
else would and turned them
around,” she said.
Altogether, the Olsons
fostered 13 boys.
“She had all these kids she
was trying to manage and
really able to make a small
difference in a lot of kids’
lives, but our kids were little,
so she wanted to be home
with them, and we wanted
to have a larger impact,”
Neal said of their foster par-
ent years. “It might have
been in fewer kids’ lives, but
we wanted to have a larger
impact.”
In truth, the impact left by
the Olsons can be felt
throughout the community.
“There’s not enough time
in the day to talk about what
they’ve done for me and my
family,” said Matt Connery,
president of Polk Fire’s Vol-
unteer Firefighters Associa-
tion. “I can’t tell you the nu-
m e r o u s t i m e s t h e y ’v e
helped me.”
In addition to bending an
ear after a tough call at the
fire district, Neal and Stacy
saved Matt’s marriage.
“With having as much life
experience as they do,
things to do, and if you lis-
ten and do what he says,
he’ll put it all together for
you.”
The Olsons don’t seek
recognition for what they
do.
“They put other people in
the community ahead of
themselves,” Connery said.
“In my mind, there’s no
greater hero than that. To
say I look up to Neal is an
understatement.”
In truth, the biggest re-
ward for the Olsons is seeing
others succeed.
“Whatever you’re winning
at, just win,” Stacy said.
“To see other people
happy and succeed, that fills
my cup back up,” Neal said.
they’re able to relate really
well and help a lot of other
couples with issues they
might be having,” he said.
“My wife and I were having
some problems, and (Neal)
invited us over. We all had
some real powerful conver-
sations that helped us have
a turning point in our own
marriage. And they have
helped so many people
other than just me and my
family.”
Stacy said there’s a lot of
things to do if you just want
to do it. Neal and Stacy find
adventure while doing just
that.
“It’s divine appoint-
ments,” Neal said. “I think
God just gives you little
Trees: Alternatives to Noble firs available
Continued from Page 1A
In the meantime, the
three growers said there’s a
look-a-like alternative to
Noble firs that is gaining in
popularity: Nordmann or
Turkish fir.
“It’s a deeper green, with
silver on the bottom of the
needles,” Schafer said.
He said the tree would be
even more popular if seeds
were easier to obtain — the
tree originates from moun-
tains in Turkey and Russia.
“We would sell more if we
could plant more,” Schafer
said. “It’s the new kid on the
block, and sales are really
going up.”
Beal said he will suggest
the Nordmann to people
looking for Nobles in short
supply.
“The Nordmann, they are
just beautiful trees,” he said.
“To the untrained eye, they
are often mistaken for Noble
firs.”
Beal said they have an-
other advantage, especially
for his farm.
“They grow better on the
valley floor,” he said. “No-
bles are better at higher ele-
vation.”
For that reason, Brown
has switched over to grow-
ing Nordmann trees for his
T
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Noble firs have a dusty green hue to their needles.
U-cut farm.
“It’s a little harder to
grow,” he said. “It takes a
year longer to get to Christ-
mas-tree size.”
But he said he worries less
about them suffering sun-
burn or current-year needle
necrosis, a disease affecting
new growth, turning the
needles brown.
The 2017 Christmas tree
season and its production
shortage nationwide may
result in higher prices for
trees — even Beal’s had to
raise prices modestly this
year after keeping costs
down over the last few sea-
urkey? Check. Mashed potatoes?
Check. Pumpkin pie? Check. Wine?
With so many local choices for great
wines, it may be easy to get lost in the endless
labels and types.
Which pairs best with Thanksgiving dinner?
It depends on the drinker. The old adage of red
wines with red meat and white wines with white
meat can be tossed out the window.
sons — so competition from
reusable trees could be a
concern.
Schafer said he isn’t
overly worried customers
will go the artificial route
because they can’t find the
real tree they are looking
for.
He said buying a real tree
creates an experience for
the customer that artificial
trees can’t.
“I think the fragrance of
the real tree is probably the
thing that will be bring them
back,” he said. “A lot of fam-
ilies like the experience of
going to a tree lot and pick-
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Westwinds and Beal’s will be open to the public on Friday.
ing out their tree and the
fragrance. I’m not too con-
cerned about losing cus-
tomers to artificial trees.”
Westwinds and Beal’s
open to public on Friday and
The popular choice with turkey is a white
wine. Depending on taste, sweet and dry wines
are available in whites.
For sweeter whites, go with a Riesling or
Gewurztraminer. For those who like a white
wine that is a little dryer, go with a pinot Gris or
chardonnay. Both go well with a traditional
turkey dinner—but avoid cranberries, which
may kill the wine palette. Be sure to eat other
foods to cleanse the palette between
cranberries and sipping wine.
For those who prefer the red wines, a pinot
noir or zinfandel pairs best with turkey.
Don’t discount sparkling wines, which go
say they are ready for those
who make a tradition of
hunting for the perfect tree.
“Everybody is looking for-
ward to the Christmas sea-
son. Trees are going to be
everywhere,” Beal said.
“We’re open officially the
day after Thanksgiving, but
we’ve had people come get
their trees early, which is
fine with us.”
with just about anything.
Both Eola Hills Wine Cellars and Left Coast
Winery offer a variety of wines—including
sparkling varietals—for your holiday table.
What better way to decide your favorites than
by visiting their tasting rooms?
Eola Hills will have extended hours all
weekend, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Black
Friday – better known as Pinot noir Friday –
enjoy 40 percent off case deals. Sunday, kick off
the morning with brunch at the winery and
leave the cooking to them. After the long
weekend, you deserve it.
Monday, Eola Hills will have $1 shipping for
Cyber Monday.
At Left Coast, the wood-fire stove will be on
all weekend cooking up delicious wood-fired
pizzas, inspired by local flavors. The tasting
room is open from noon to 5 p.m. Friday
through Sunday. All pizzas on the menu come
with suggested pairings to try together.
Turkey 3-packs for Thanksgiving pair well
with Black Friday 40% OFF case deals
and Cyber Monday $1 shipping!
Join us Saturday for Civil
War Brunch, followed by
Wine Country Brunch on
Sunday with a pop-up
Macaron stand!
Call for reservations. 503-623-2405
501 S. Pacific Hwy W, Rickreall • eolahillswinery.com
Thank you to these sponsors. Please make it a point to visit these wineries while exploring our great region.