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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2017)
2A • December 1, 2017 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com WHEN THE COURSE OF HISTORY CHANGED American Legion to present day of remembrance Tip-a-Cop supports Special Olympics Police officers work with servers at Mo’s Restaurant By Brenna Visser By R.J. Marx Cannon Beach Gazette Cannon Beach Gazette Pearl Harbor Day and those who lost their lives at the attack received recog- nition Monday night. The Seaside City Council unanimously endorsed a proc- lamation recalling Dec. 7, 1941, when more than 2,400 Americans were killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. “On that day, life changed in Amer- ica, and the course of history was al- tered,” reads the proclamation, delivered by Councilor Steve Wright and signed by Mayor Jay Barber. The proclamation praises the reaction of Americans, who reacted to the attack with “firm determination to defeat tyran- ny and secure our nation.” At the height of the conflict, the Unit- ed States had ships on every continent. In all more than 16 million Americans wore a military uniform and came from all walks of life. At home, “Millions more contributed to the war effort, laboring for victory in factories, on farms and across America,” reads the proclamation. “That is a solemn day to remember for sure,” Barber said after its reading. DANNY MILLER/EO MEDIA GROUP Color Guard from Camp Rilea prepare to present the colors during a Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony in Seaside. Deep roots Seaside’s legacy of Pearl Harbor re- membrance has deep roots. Bill Thomas, a seaman on the USS Medusa, was “the impetus” for Seaside’s Pearl Harbor remembrance, former Mayor Don Larson said in 2015. In the 1970s, Thomas moved to Seaside where he rallied for veterans and proposed a Pearl Harbor memorial on the First Av- enue Bridge. Thomas died last December. The county’s last remaining survi- vor, Spurgeon D. Keeth, is expected at the Dec. 7 event at the convention cen- ter. The memorial begins at 9 a.m. at the Seaside Convention Center lobby. The service will move outside to the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge, adjacent to the convention center, for a wreath-laying ceremony and a possible Coast Guard flyover at 9:55 a.m. The event is spon- sored by Seaside American Legion Post 99. Refreshments will be served after the service. JOSHUA BESSEX/EO MEDIA GROUP Bill Thomas, a Pearl Harbor survivor aboard the USS Medu- sa, salutes as Boy Scout Troop 642 lowers the flag to half-staff during the Pearl Harbor Day of Remembrance ceremony. Thom- as died in December 2016. For one night only, people at Mo’s Restaurant got their cup of chowder served by the police officers of Cannon Beach and Seaside. Police officers shadowed the servers of the seafood restaurant Thursday, Nov. 16, for the second annual Tip-a- Cop, an event that raises mon- ey for local and regional Spe- cial Olympics programs. Special Olympians from Clatsop County also worked beside the police officers, acting as hosts and greeters. After getting drinks and tak- ing orders, part of the job for the officer was to ask for extra tips to support the program. The fundraiser started in the county two years ago after Cannon Beach Police Chief Jason Schermerhorn talked with a representative from the Special Olympics at a police chief’s conference. A phone call and two emails later, Mo’s Restaurant was on board and officers had Mo’s hats on their heads and cups of clam chowder in their hands. “Doing this is just anoth- er way to be involved in the community,” Schermerhorn said. “It brings light to the Special Olympics. Some- times I think people here don’t know we have athletes here, and it’s nice to highlight their stories.” Special Olympics Oregon provides year-round sports training and athletic compe- tition in a variety of Olym- pic-type sports for children, youth and adults living with intellectual disabilities, said Adam Kau, the director of programs at Special Olym- pics Oregon. Kau said the statewide fundraiser has already raised BRENNA VISSER/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE Special Olympians Chey- enne Valenzuela and Selah Bryce work as hosts at Mo’s Restaurant as a part of the Tip-a-Cop fundraiser for the Special Olympics. $90,000 so far, with more ex- pected to come in. “The contribution is enor- mous. All the proceeds pay for the buses the athletes can take to competitions, uniforms, programs and the overall athlete experience,” Kau said. There are about 100 Spe- cial Olympians in Clatsop County. Steve McAloney, who was at the event as sup- port while his son greeted people at the front, said they became involved a few years back. He started as a parent who would drop off his son at basketball practice. Even- tually, he became passionate enough to become the region- al coordinator for the county. “For most of these ath- letes, the chance of competing on a high school sports team is slim,” McAloney said. “It keeps these kids physically fit, sure, but also they make so many friends through this. And so many are gifted ath- letes — you just have to give them the right environment. These kids are some of the hardest workers you could ask for.” To show how hard she worked, Selah Bryce wore all of her medals around her neck as she walked patrons to their tables. “I do aquatics and track. I’ve won a lot,” she said with a smile. Need help getting health insurance by the Dec. 15 deadline? 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