4A • May 1, 2015 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com
Side Rail JON RAHL
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Going to the beach. Re-
laxing. Meeting new busi-
ness partners. Discovering
history. Supporting small
businesses and jobs. These
are just a few examples of
what travel means to peo-
ple and to communities
like Seaside, Oregon.
This year, to celebrate
National Travel and Tour-
ism Week (NTTW) 2015,
May 2-10, the travel in-
dustry is underscoring how
travel affects us all with
the theme: “Travel is...”
Travel is enriching.
Travel is exploring places
you’ve never been before.
Travel is spending time
with family and friends
while sometimes making
new ones. There are many
ways to complete that sen-
tence, but no matter how
you draw it up, travel is
extremely vital to our com-
munity. Whether you trav-
el yourself or have a job
in the travel industry, you
know that travel and tour-
ism can be impactful to
people all over our county,
state and country.
I’ve written something
similar in the past, but
without travel in Seaside,
I don’t have this job and
my family probably never
moves to the great state
of Oregon. It’s as simple
as that. Without the travel
and meeting industry, there
would be other employ-
JON RAHL
ment to be found by ap-
proximately 5,000 people
that are supported by travel
and tourism jobs in Clatsop
County. Those jobs had
direct earnings of $134.9
million in 2013, while
overnight stays contribut-
ed more than $8 million in
local transient tax receipts
for Clatsop County during
the same time period. Take
that a step further and
you’ll learn that Oregon’s
tourism industry generates
$10.3 billion in economic
impact and directly em-
ploys more than 100,000
Oregonians.
Pretty easy to take that
last paragraph and sum up
travel in one word. Trav-
el is impactful. One out
of nine jobs in the Unit-
ed States is dependent on
travel and tourism. That
number shrinks to about
one in four jobs in Clatsop
County. In hindsight, im-
pactful may be selling the
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short.
The theme —“Travel
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the call of an entire indus-
try, but it customizes the
unique impact of the U.S.
travel industry on the fab-
ric of America. Destina-
tions, including ours here
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WUDYHODVLWVSHFL¿FDOO\FRQ-
tributes to our local econo-
mies, businesses and lives.
Did travel bring you to
Seaside or have you had a
job in Seaside that allows
you to say what travel
is to you and your cur-
rent relationship with this
popular spot on Oregon’s
North Coast? If you have
a “Travel is...” story, I’d
love to hear it. I don’t get
much email related to this
monthly column, but I’d
love to share a few oth-
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of travel, so please let me
know if you have one.
Have other thoughts or
a question about tourism in
Seaside, or maybe an idea
for a future column? Drop
me an email at jon@sea-
sideor.com. Jon Rahl is the
director of tourism for the
Seaside Visitors Bureau
and assistant general man-
ager of the Seaside Civic &
Convention Center.
Scene and Heard CLAIRE LOVELL
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May Day! May Day!
May Day!
No, it isn’t a distress
call, only a reminder for
\RXWRKDQJWKDWOLWWOHÀRZ-
er basket on your neigh-
bor’s doorknob as a wel-
come to happy days. Just
knock and run.
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Continuing last week’s
story, Smoke, the wild Ger-
man shepherd was discov-
ered by Chris, the protag-
onist, who befriended him
and eventually became his
owner. It was an interest-
ing, well-written story and
afforded my discovery of
a gifted author. He’s writ-
ten stories about horses as
well, one called “A Horse
in the House,” which may
be my next read.
A few days ago, I was
invited for lunch to Hi-
mani, an Indian cuisine
restaurant on Marine Drive
in Astoria. The meal was
served buffet style with
everything labeled, but of
course, I couldn’t remem-
ber those names. Let me
just say I had basmati rice,
potatoes and broccoli and
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which looked like a not-
quite done pancake. There
was rice pudding cooked
with nuts and raisins and
curry sauce wherever you
wanted it. It left a nice
hot sensation in my throat
but the ice water helped.
They also had chicken. I
CLAIRE LOVELL
wouldn’t try it because it
was red and I thought it
might burn, too. Adding
much to the ambience were
Indian women in pretty sa-
ris — a scene from another
world.
Easter Sunday, after
taking a small part in the
church service, I went as a
dinner guest with friends to
Surf Pines. We had a very
nice meal, after which we
talked for a couple of hours.
I mostly listened because
that’s the best way to learn.
Seeing a herd of elk in a
ravine on the way to their
home was an extra bonus.
They have a regular route
they travel there. Our host
said they have taken over
the underpass of the Lewis
and Clark Trail on High-
way 101 near Camp Rilea.
Guess that puts the kibosh
on any hikes through there.
I know everyone wants
to get on the marijuana
bandwagon, but I’m sor-
ry we’re thinking about it.
I doubt that we can stay
within the medical guide-
lines and not spill over
into public recreational use
with the possibility for ac-
cidents. Anything mind-al-
tering can cause serious
problems. Do we have
to go along to get along?
Sounds like a cop out to
me.
I’m writing this on April
20. If my brother Tommy
had lived, this would have
been his 100th birthday.
Egad! He was just a year
younger than Freida John-
son.
I really admire Neal
Maine’s photography skills,
especially with birds. His
capture of the courtship
of Caspian terns is fantas-
tic, showing the interplay
among three of them, shar-
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“tern” deserves another.
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Two athletes were dis-
cussing whether or not
they would play baseball
in heaven. They conclud-
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would come back and let
the other one know. Soon
one guy did cross over and
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his friend. “About base-
ball in heaven,” he said,
“I’ve got good news and
bad news. The good news
is there is baseball in heav-
en. The bad news is you’re
pitching next Thursday.”
Gardner’s Art of Surfing school to give free lessons for Veterans Surf Day
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the healing quality of the sport
Kajukenbo, Wun Hop Kuen Do,-
Judo, Karate, Kendo and Siu Pak
Pai Kung Fu.
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His martial arts experience is
instructor Tony Gardner believes
tied to his appreciation of Jap-
there is something restorative
anese language and culture as
SEASIDE SIGNAL
about being out in the ocean that
a whole. He was immersed in
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is abstract yet actual.
both as a student in Japan start-
“It’s very therapeutic, being
ing in 1989. He was originally
out there with the sun and the of achievement and improved intrigued by Japanese language
waves,” said Gardner, a Seaside self-esteem, he added. He plans and culture, though, when he saw
native and founder of the Art of to make Veteran Surf Day an an- a white writing exhibit by Mark
6XU¿QJ ³,W¶V D WUDQVIRUPDWLYH nual event.
Tobey at the Asian Art Museum
“If I can just help one veter- located inside Volunteer Park in
experience and it brings peace.”
That sensation can be hard an ... or one veteran can receive the Capitol Hill neighborhood
WR GH¿QH ± VXUIHUV MXVW FDOO LW some relief from what they’re of Seattle. He was 7 at the time.
³VWRNHG´ KH VDLG ± EXW JLYLQJ going through, then I’ve accom- That experience was followed
veterans a chance to experience plished something,” he said.
up by him attending a few of
it is the goal behind his inau-
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gural Veteran Surf Day event, 2WKHUXSFRPLQJ
Lee’s Jeet Kune Do classes, as
scheduled May 22, over Memo- HYHQWV
Gardner’s uncle was a student of
rial Day weekend. He is offering
Lee’s at the time.
Gardner also will be holding
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“That really started me, drew
veterans, and Josh Gizdavich, Grom Day on June 20 and a Fam- me in, pulled me in,” he said.
owner of Cleanline Surf Shop, is ily Surf Day on June 26. Grom “It’s like gravity.”
is slang for a young surfer, and
donating surfboards and gear.
After obtaining an associate
Together, the men hope to on Grom Day, Gardner will give of science degree from Portland
give veterans an opportunity to free instructions for children as Community College, he went to
take a break from overwhelming old as 16. This is the second year Japan, where he taught English
emotions that may be triggered he’s offered the event. His desire and got an associate of Japanese
by Memorial Day observances is to help children experience language degree in Nagasaki in
and focus instead on the water. nature and sojourn away from 1991. While living there, he de-
Participants also can interact the “technology-satured” culture veloped an appreciation for sev-
with other military members in a for a day.
eral aspects of Japanese culture,
community setting and, perhaps,
“You can still have fun out- from the residents’ sense of unity
¿QG FRPIRUW DQG HQMR\PHQW E\ side without a screen in front of and ability to work together har-
swapping stories and sharing an you,” he said.
moniously to achieve a goal, to
experience.
As for Family Day, he en- their emphasis on mental focus,
³, ZDQW WR KHOS WKHP ¿QG courages families to share a hob- determination and meditation.
health and healing, and I think E\DQGVXU¿QJLVRQHRSWLRQ+LV
He traveled back to Kyoto
the ocean does that,” Gardner GH¿QLWLRQRIIDPLO\LVDVVLPSOH several times over the years, but
said. “I think their participation as “at least one parent and a the trips became less frequent
would be healing, both physical- child.” Instructions are free both during the past decade. Nothing,
ly and mentally.”
days, and Cleanline is again do- he said, helps a person stay cur-
He originally generated the nating equipment.
rent in a language in the same
idea of helping veterans through
“Sometimes it’s hard for par- way as visiting or living in a for-
VXU¿QJ EHFDXVH KH KDV D FORVH ents to pay for lessons and gear, eign country.
family member who is a veter- so this is a nice opportunity for
“It’s just one of those skills
an, has been deployed overseas them to try it and see how they you have to do by living,” he said.
and has developed post-traumat- like it,” Gardner said.
After returning to the states
ic stress disorder. He thought
in 1991, he taught Japanese at
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Clatsop Community College in
help his family member cope OHDUQLQJSURFHVV
Astoria and also gave private
with the stress. Unfortunately,
Japanese instruction in Can-
Teaching has played a large QRQ%HDFKIRUDERXWWKUHH\HDUV
he said, it did not work out that
way, but he has seen it be a suc- role in Gardner’s life for many starting in 2002. He got a bache-
cessful positive outlet for other decades. He has taught martial lor of arts degree with a focus on
veterans dealing with the same arts for more than 40 years, both Japanese language from Ever-
problem.
informally to friends and for- green State College in Olympia,
Teaching veterans to surf has mally through classes. He be- Wash., in 1998 and then went to
been a way to help them over- came a mixed martial arts black Maui, where he taught a math-
come their challenges and to belt in 1976 and now is a sev- ematics at Kalama Intermediate
focus on their abilities, not their enth-degree black belt. He has School in Makawao.
disabilities, Gardner said. It of- experience with Jeet Kun Do,
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ten is accompanied with a sense Tae Kwon Do, Modern Arnis, 1985, when he was Seaside’s
By Katherine Lacaze
Seaside Signal
KATHERINE LACAZE PHOTO
Tony Gardner, right, the founder of Art of Surfing, and Josh Gizdavich,
owner of Cleanline Surf Shop, are partnering together to offer free rental
gear and surf lessons for a Veterans Surf Day on May 22. They also will
be offering a Grom Day on June 20 and a Family Surf Day on June 26.
Gardner is a master surf instructor with more than 30 years of teaching
experience. He also teaches martial arts.
head lifeguard on the beach. He
continued teaching professional-
ly after school and on weekends
when he was in Maui. In 2002,
he took his teaching to the next
level by establishing Art of Surf-
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offers lessons year-round.
Gardner incorporates several
of the techniques and principles
he acquired from practicing mar-
tial arts into the way he teaches
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ods a distinction, he said. He
lays a foundation for students
that contains similar principles,
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lieves it’s important to be patient
and take time laying a strong
foundation, so students know
the answers to basic questions
about movement and body me-
chanics, such as why, how and
when. From there, he introduc-
es techniques, takes the students
through gradient steps and helps
them work through problems as
they practice their skills.
“When you put all these
things together, after a few years,
WKHUH¶VDÀRZ´KHVDLG³<RX¶UH
not thinking, you’re reacting.”
He works with all level of stu-
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to advanced learners. He also
teaches martial arts classes at
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philosophy is that “as a teach-
er, you’ve got to be in love with
what you do,” and he is passion-
ate about the learning process.
“I have this chance to introduce
people to this wonderful world
out there and introduce them to
what they can do,” he said.
For more information, visit
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Gardner at 503-440-5017 or to-
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