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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 2017)
September 8, 2017 T he C olumbia P ress 6 Senior Moments with Emma Edwards Thoughts of old courtship bring contentment A walk down memory lane. Just reminiscing. We seniors enjoy doing that, especially on warm days when we know better than to run around in the heat. I was sitting in my recliner Monday with the oscillating fan keeping me a little cool- er and, for some unknown reason, I got to thinking, remembering. Sometimes I forget what I did yesterday, but long-term memories God allows me to keep. My walk down memory lane led me to a time I was 16, going on 17. That time of life can take a lot of twists and turns. My girlfriend, Joan, had a boyfriend. I did not. In fact, I’d had only a few of what you could call dates, each accompanied by one of my big brothers as chaper- one. Joanie came up with a plan. Her boyfriend, Lee, had a friend Bob who had a friend Bill. “Let’s get them togeth- er on a blind date,” Joanie says about me. Lee and Bob agreed. Bill agreed. My par- ents did not. They required Bill to come to the house first and meet them. That they would even consider the wild idea sur- prised me. Would you believe they liked this 17-year-old boy at first sight? The only objection my opin- ionated father had was that Bill had blue eyes. You see, we were a family of seven -- all with dark brown eyes. Papa thought “one could not trust a man with blue eyes.” He was the Archie Bunker of his day. My parents reluctantly agreed to the date and, since I would be 17 the next month, I could go without a chaper- one. It pleased them that we planned to go just three miles away with a group of young people for a picnic at Chan- dler Park. That was a Sunday after- noon in August 1949. What they didn’t know is that Bill and I walked around the small park in eastern Detroit holding hands. I remember feeling exhilarated and fear- ful at the same time. That was how it all started. Toward the middle of Sep- tember, Bill invited me to go to the fair with his family. My parents readily agreed to that. Since Bill didn’t have a car, that was about the only way we could spend time to- gether. Anyway, my birthday was Senior lunch menu Monday, Sept. 11: Crab cakes, roasted potatoes, broccoli, tomato soup, ice cream. Thursday, Sept. 14: Pulled pork, pasta salad, carrots, mixed greens, bread pudding. The Warrenton senior lunch program is at noon (doors open at 10:30 a.m.) Mondays and Thursdays at Warrenton Community Center, 170 SW Third St. Suggested donation is $5 for ages 55 and older; $7 for those younger. For more information, call 503-861-3502. soon approaching. He called on the phone, of course, but our calls were limited to 10 minutes (my parent’s rule). And, no, we hadn’t even kissed yet. We were sitting on a bale of straw at the fair watching the goats frolic when Bill pulled out a small box and hand- ed it to me asking if I would “go steady” with him. It was a pretty bracelet with a little plate on it that said Emma on one side and Bill on the other. I was delighted. I never told my parents I was officially “going steady.” Bill didn’t tell his folks either. It was fun finishing my se- nior year with a boy who thought I was special. Little did I realize we’d be married a year and a half later and spend the next 53 years side by side. And that we would be blessed with six children, all with brown eyes. (That pleased Papa!) Thanks for walking down memory lane with me. Bill has been with the Lord for 13 years now. But I feel rich to have my many memories. School districts sponsor student internship program A nearly year-long part- nership that gives students a chance to have paid intern- ships at select businesses next summer kicks off this month. The program is managed by Clatsop Economic Devel- opment Resources or CEDR and paid for by five school districts -- Warrenton, Asto- ria, Jewell, Knappa and Sea- side. The program arranges in- ternships at a variety of companies through one ap- plication process. The proj- ect-based internships are 9 weeks, with students directly hired by the companies. The goal is to connect companies with emerging talented stu- dents and create a profes- sional employment experi- ence for the interns. Businesses must be located within Clatsop County, able to host an intern full time for a minimum of six weeks, pro- vide a minimum-wage sala- ry and provide an employee mentor for the intern. An all-day training for busi- nesses that have signed up is set for Wednesday, Sept. 27, at the South County Center of Clatsop Community College. The training will be con- ducted by the McMinnville WORKS Summer Internship Program, which was devel- oped by the McMinnville Economic Development Part- nership, which has had tre- mendous success, organizers said. The program received the Oregon Economic Develop- ment Association’s Outstand- ing Collaborative Award in 2014 and the McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce Award for Business Educa- tion Partnership of the year in 2015. In Clatsop County, the pro- gram’s partners are Clat- sop Community College, the Northwest Regional Edu- cation Service District and Hampton Affiliates’ Warren- ton mill. The Sept. 27 training work- shop, which is $59, will lay out the timetable for the re- cruitment and application process with intern hiring in April, and the internships running June through Au- gust. To register for the work- shop, or get more details, con- tact the program at 503-338- 2402 or sbdc@clatsopcc.edu. Spruce Run area considered for scenic designation The Oregon Parks and Rec- reation Department seeks feedback on a study evaluat- ing a 17-mile section of the Nehalem River for possible inclusion in the State Scenic Waterways Program. The Nehalem River study area starts at Spruce Run Camp- ground and ends at the bound- ary of Cougar Valley State Park near Cook Creek Road. A scenic waterway desig- nation would help protect the scenic, natural and rec- reation value of this section of river by forcing a review of some activities within a quar- ter mile of the bank. The feedback will be used to write a report that will either recommend for or against designating the portion of the river as a state scenic water- way. A public hearing is set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the North County Recre- ation District, 36155 Ninth St., Nehalem. As part of the designation process, scenic waterways staff involve the community, evaluate public support, and objectively study the river to determine if it meets specific criteria. The meeting will begin with a presentation to explain the scenic waterways program and the criteria the river seg- ment must meet to be includ- ed in the program, followed by a question and answer ses- sion. The second half will be a public hearing. For more info call 503 986- 0631.
