Repeating History

by Liv Stecker

 

As much as the New Year heralds a fresh start and the setting aside of old habits, it also brings with it thousands of years of tradition that will be carried on into the future. While people are busily making their resolutions to improve health and happiness in the coming year, they are following the examples of many who have gone before, since human culture began to recognize the cyclic nature of the sun and moon and stars, and linear time was observed. Ringing in the new year with festivities and symbolic traditions is one of the oldest celebrations documented in human history. 

45 years before the coming of Christ, New Year’s day was celebrated for the first time on January first with the advent of the Julian Calendar in Rome. Before this, the new year was celebrated on the vernal equinox in March, when the amount of daylight and dark was equal in a 24 hour day. Julius Caesar named the first month of the year January after the Roman god of beginnings who possessed two faces to allow him to see into both the past and the future. In 1582, Pope Gregory XII reestablished January 1st as the official New Year of the Christian world. 

Around the world, New Year celebrations center around traditions that are rich with symbolism - foods that represent luck in the coming year such as grapes and legumes (beans) that symbolize coins of prosperity in many cultures. Ring-shaped cakes and pastries are consumed as tokens of the complete circle of a year in several countries, and pork is served in cultures where the pig is heralded as a representation of progress and prosperity.  

In most eastern cultures, the Lunar New Year is celebrated later in January or February at the beginning of the Chinese year, which varies from year to year. Years aren’t counted consecutively in Chinese culture, but on a cycle, with 2016 beginning on February 8th as the Year of the Monkey. Celebrations last two weeks and are rich with family reunions, feasts and household cleansing to remove bad fortune and make way for good luck. 

The most iconic New Year tradition in Western Civilization is the act of resolving self improvement with the start of a new year. New Year’s resolutions can be traced back to the days of ancient Babylonians, who pledged to return borrowed objects and pay debts at the beginning of the year. Early Romans made commitments to their various gods on the New Year, and medieval european knights took a “peacock vow” on January first, reaffirming their commitment to chivalry. Closely related traditions from other cultures include the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah, which culminates on Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, which is set aside for self reflection, repentance and forgiveness. This is mirrored in the Christian custom of Lent which is observed in sacrifice, and is one of the origins behind New Year’s resolutions that call for the giving up of unhealthy behaviors and habits. 

Heralding the beginning of a New Year is one of the most important traditions in human culture, across continents and civilizations.  In addition to centuries of customs and celebration, several monumental events have happened on January 1st in United States history. Here are some of the highlights:

1735 - American Patriot Paul Revere was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Best known for his ride on the night of April 18, 1775, warning Americans of British plans to raid Lexington and Concord.

1752 - Betsy Ross was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was a seamstress credited with helping to originate and sew the Stars and Stripes flag of America in 1776.

1776 - During the American Revolution, George Washington unveiled the Grand Union Flag, the first national flag in America.

1863 - The Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves in the states rebelling against the Union.

1892 - Ellis Island in New York Harbor opened. Over 20 million new arrivals to America were processed until its closing in 1954.

1908 - The ball was first dropped at Times Square in New York City.

1942 - Twenty six countries signed the Declaration of the United Nations, in Washington, D.C., reaffirming their opposition to the Axis powers and confirming that no single nation would make a separate peace.

Put Your Well Being in Good Hands

by Liv Stecker

Debbie Potter came to Stevens County five years ago in search of a slower pace and a connection to the natural world. Growing up on the west side of the state, as an adult she lived in the foothills of Mt. Rainer, where even her off-the-grid existence on the mountain became gradually inundated with tourism and traffic. Looking for a change, someone recommended the Kettle Falls area to her, and after a visit she was hooked. Five years ago she made the cross-state move and settled outside of Colville, bringing several years of experience as a massage therapist with her. 

Debbie became a certified massage therapist in 2001 after studying at the Alexandar School of Natural Therapeutics. She has received extensive training in swedish massage, zen therapy, aromatherapy, and hot stone massage in addition to many other skills and practices. After relocating to the Colville area, Debbie offered chair massages at the Colville Farmer’s Market, which was a chance for her to merge her love of agriculture and growing things and her practice as a massage therapist. 

For three years, Debbie practiced massage at Pro Body Works, before stepping out to start her own studio, Wild Flower Massage, located at 525 South Main in Colville. Debbie’s philosophy of massage is written outside her studio in a simple message: reduce pain, relieve stress, live better. This mantra is right in line with how Debbie runs her business, making herself available and flexible to the needs of her clients by offering chair massages on location for offices and places of business. Several local establishments have utilized Debbie’s skill for staff meetings, office parties, and routine breaks from the daily grind for a few minutes of relaxation and stress relief. Debbie also offers full body massage and spa treatments from her studio, along with a complimentary foot soak for arriving clients as a way to relax before a massage. 

Entering into 2016, Debbie says, “The new year is a good time for better health resolutions.” and she is committed to helping clients reach their goals. Her practice is individualized to the need of each person, using a variety of techniques to accomplish her mission. The key to this is good communication with clients as they begin the process. She says that sometimes treatments that begin as stress relief turn into injury therapy, and vise-versa. From deep tissue massage to pain-relieving hot stone therapy, Debbie has many tools in her kit to help meet the needs of her clients. Her treatments can help improve circulation, aid in surgical recovery, decrease anxiety and depression, increase energy and help provide better sleep. 

In addition to monthly specials featured on her website, Wild Flower Massage always offers new customers $10 off their first treatment. Rescheduling for your next appointment before you leave earns repeat visitors another $10 off, and for regular monthly customers, Debbie features a VIP Birthday bonus of a complementary treatment during the month of your birthday. Gift certificates are always available and are perfect for birthdays, Mother’s or Father’s day, and Valentine’s Day coming up soon! In January, Debbie is offering a ½ price facial massage as an add on to a regular massage. That’s an additional hour of relaxation, focusing on the face, an area many people wear stress, for $37.50. 

Debbie’s studio on south main street is tucked between the Clark’s All Sports shopping center and Colville Auto, in unit #6 of a quaint old hotel building. The treatment room is a serene escape from the hustle and bustle outside, warm and inviting, decorated with colorful touches that speak to Debbie’s love of nature. 

For Debbie, the best part of treating her friends and neighbors as a massage therapist is that everybody is happy to see her. Unlike the drudgery of some other appointments, people are excited to see Debbie. “It feels good to see people who may come in stressed out and then see the change in them when they leave.” she says. “I’d like to think I made their day a little brighter and their spirits uplifted.” This is a reflection of the Native American Proverb that inspires Debbie, “May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day.” 

More information about Wild Flower Massage can be found on Debbie’s website, as well as monthly specials: www.wildflowermassage.net . She can also be reached by phone at 509-680-5330 or email: debbie@wildflowermassage.net. Don’t wait to start the new year with some relaxation and therapeutic help from Debbie’s very capable hands. 

Soup's On!

by Liv Stecker

In addition to a smattering of other nonsensical celebrations, January is National Soup Month in the United States, which makes sense considering the leftover turkey, cold weather, budget resolutions and need for excuses to visit the Olive Garden (unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks, anyone?). But soup has been a winter tradition since long before Joseph A. Campbell canned his first batch of tomato bisque. 

Until a few years ago, anthropologists believed that humans have been adding ingredients to boiling water to make various forms of warm liquid sustenance for more than 5,000 years. Turns out they were off by a few thousand millennia. Evidence of man made containers for boiling substances, such as pottery from a cave in China, as well as artistic depictions of this cooking method, have recently been dated to more than 25,000 years ago. Before this, neanderthals were using steam to crack rocks open and render fat from animal bones. The natural progression of technology led to using hot rocks inside of containers made of animal hides to boil water with various edible flora and fauna added in. Evidence of boiled starches on paleolithic teeth indicate that neanderthals were cooking grains in water ages before ceramics appeared on the archeological record. 

And here we are, 25,000 years later, making January into National Soup Month because we still recognize the value in boiling a whole bunch of flavors together in a pot and letting it warm us all the way down to our toes. The word “soup” is derived from the latin “suppa”, which meant bread soaked in broth, and is also the root for the Germanic “sop”, bread used to soak up soup or stew. Soup is inadvertently responsible for the word “restaurant”, which means ‘to restore something’, as well, which was coined to refer to street vendors in 16th century France who sold highly concentrated soups at inexpensive prices that were said to instantly energize weary customers. As the vendors took their miracle cure indoors, the term “restaurant” stuck, as did the healing powers of the proverbial chicken soup. 

In western civilization, soup has long been the poor man’s cure for hunger. An inexpensive way to stretch ingredients and flavor to feed many hungry mouths. The old European folktale “Stone Soup” hails from the 16th century and tells the story of a starving traveler who tricks local villagers into making him a big pot of soup, which he starts with only a rock in a big kettle of water. His zeal about the stone soup he is making catches the imagination of the townspeople and they bring vegetables and meat to contribute to the flavor of the potluck stew. In the end, the stone soup is enjoyed by all, but most of all by the clever wanderer.  

The French tradition of soup classifications is observed widely throughout western cultures, including clear soups like bouillon and consomme, and soups like bisques that are thickened with cream, or purees thickened with starch. Stews usually contain less liquid than a soup, and more solid ingredients. In the last century, soups have been manufactured in dry and condensed versions for convenience, but it is often still considered the starter course before an entree in formal dining. 

Soup is now a worldwide tradition, with hot and cold specialties in almost all cultures. Asian tradition introduced noodle soups and the unique addition of tofu to many recipes. Some countries feature dessert soups as a specialty. 

At the heart of it all is the mythical healing properties of soup in the dead of winter, savory flavors blended together to combat the elements, viruses and plagues that stalk us in the freezing temperatures. It is the go-to comfort food for cold climates, it comes in endless forms and flavors, from kitchen-sink hamburger soup to rich chicken and gnocchi goodness, Ukrainian borscht and Vietnamese Pho, hearty potato, clam chowder and zesty minestrone - you could eat soup for the entire month of January and never use the same recipe twice, not to mention saving a few bucks and perhaps even sloughing a few of those extra holiday pounds. Go ahead! We dare you!

Life Saving Dedication

by Liv Stecker

For almost 30 years, Rick Kuh spent his free time serving the people of Stevens County. Among the many unsung heroes of our community, Rick was one of the longest acting volunteer emergency medical technicians for Stevens County Sheriff’s Ambulance until his retirement in 2015. Rick’s investment in the health and well being of our county began when he was living in Barney’s Junction area in the mid 1970s and he helped to form volunteer fire districts 3 & 8 along with several neighbors on the west side of the Columbia River. “ I guess it was self interest,” Rick chuckles, “if the pager went off and it was my house, I wanted to have a key to the fire hall!” His sense of humor and self preservation became a gift to the community as he served as assistant fire chief at Barney’s Junction before he and his family moved closer to Colville. 

As a volunteer firefighter, Rick jumped on board when the first EMT class was offered in Colville and the local fire districts were sponsoring candidates interested in being first responders. He was among some of the first EMTs in Stevens County, and began volunteering for shifts on Stevens County Sheriff’s Ambulance in addition to first response and fire calls from home. Like many of the volunteers at the ambulance service, Rick had to stay in town at the “ambulance shack” to make the 5 minute response time required for primary crew members. For 29 years he put in two shifts a week, often after coming off of his graveyard shift at work. 

Rick was an Employee of the Boise Cascade plywood plant in Kettle Falls for 40 years before his retirement in 2013. A self-proclaimed “hog waste engineer”, Rick was responsible for using waste bi-products from the lumber industry to keep the plant operating on steam power. “If I plug up, the whole operation shuts down!” He laughs about the bottom-up importance of his job at the mill. For many of those 40 years on the job, Rick worked the graveyard shift in the basement of the plant, and then made his way to Colville to put in a twelve hour volunteer shift with the Sheriff’s Ambulance. 

“People don’t realize what a gem they have here in the Colville Valley,” Kuh says, referring to the ambulance service. “How many people are going to stand knee deep in Sherman Creek next to an overturned car to start an IV on a patient? And who is willing to take the time out of their lives to walk around with a little black box strapped on their hip?” He says. It’s the little black box that pages out EMTs to all varieties of emergencies in Stevens and Ferry Counties, and reminds responders of their responsibility to their neighbors in need. 

Stevens County Sheriff’s Ambulance has always operated under the oversight of the Sheriff’s Office, and unusual arrangement for emergency medical response, but receives no money from the county for their operating expenses. A fee-for-service business, SCSA is able to provide medical transport at a fraction of the cost of big city contractors such as American Medical Response or even paid city fire departments. “If we didn’t have these people here,” Rick says of the volunteers at SCSA, “our bill would go up exponentially.” Rick believed in serving his community by helping to provide this service. The income from transporting has kept the ambulance service afloat, along with occasional grants and the ongoing support of volunteers in the community. 

For most of Rick’s career with SCSA, responders with the ambulance were considered “paid volunteers”, who received a minimal stipend for calls they responded to. Standby time and gas money for driving personal vehicles to town for shifts were not covered. The service now pays responders a minimum stipend per shift which is slightly over minimum wage for primary crew members but significantly less for back up crews. It is the dedicated men and women willing to spend 12 hours at a time on call for minimal compensation that keeps the SCSA operational. If SCSA went away, it would be replaced with a contractor such as AMR and transport costs would grow dramatically. 

Many local employers, including Boise, have been supportive of their employees volunteer efforts with SCSA. While Rick wasn’t compensated for hours of work that he missed if his ambulance shift ran late due to a last minute emergency transport to Spokane, Boise did not penalize him for coming on to shift late or missing hours for mandatory trainings. 

Rick says it’s disheartening to hear complaints about response times from the community. “These are dedicated people willing to take the time and effort - cut them some slack!” All of our local responders join volunteer forces in the area with the intention of serving and doing no more harm. It’s easy to forget that we are served by volunteers who are running every variety of call in all weather to a rural area. The EMTs for SCSA are also responsible for maintenance and cleanup of the ambulances, medical gear and the “shack” where they stay while on shift. “Two thirds of the staff live out of town and have to stay in Colville for 12 hour shifts.” Rick reminds us. That isn’t an obligation to take lightly. 

Rick grew up in the Tri-City area before he narrowly missed being sent to Vietnam to fight near the end of the war. He went to Washington State University to become a teacher, but was pulled out twice to answer the draft. The second call, and he was on the bus to leave for basic training when he found out they didn’t need him. Always drawn to the mountains, Rick moved to the Kettle Falls area to “get up in the hill country.” At the time, the job he got at Boise paid more than a teacher’s salary and he found a good fit at the plant and became active with the union and acted as vice president of the local branch. His wife Janey was a nurse at Mount Carmel until her recent retirement, and Rick continues to serve as deputy coroner in Stevens County, another volunteer occupation that he began nine years ago. Rick and Janey raised four children in the Kettle Falls and Colville area, and Rick was constantly involved in school athletics and the local Boy Scout Troop with his kids in addition to his volunteering pursuits. He now has 7 grandchildren to devote his time to, along with his duties as a deputy coroner and first responder. He might even fit some hunting and fishing into his spare time. 

In 2015, Rick decided to hang up his stethoscope after 29 years of service as an EMT. Still active with Stevens County Fire District 5 in Rice as a first responder, he says he had a good track record and decided it was time to focus on other priorities in his life. “I didn’t want to make a major mistake after all this time!” He says with a laugh. As EMS in Stevens County changes, Rick says “Over the years it has evolved and it is getting better.” But the bottom line is still good patient care, and that’s what Rick hopes stays the same. He acknowledges the dedication of his fellow volunteers through all of it, saying, “an increase in our wages won’t change our treatment.” After all, they were never in it for the money. 

Rick says his favorite part of his three decades of service as an EMT, in addition to helping people, was the network he came into contact with. “Working with the hospital - the ER staff and doctors, learning the skills as you go, the camaraderie...” he reminisces fondly, “you see the people you know and you think ‘we got this, it’s gonna go well’.” He says that “working with those kinds of people - you trust them to look out for you, and you look out for them.” Rick worked for many years with the same partner every Tuesday and Wednesday night, and he says the team picked up a rhythm. “Every Tuesday night you knew intuitively what they were gonna do,” referring to his EMT partners. 

The world of EMS is constantly changing due to state requirements and evolving laws. “It used to be all about making you a good EMT,” Rick says of EMS training. Now with liability issues and new testing processes he says it’s easy to overlook the purpose of the system: “Does it make you a good responder?” he asks. First responders in the local fire districts are a dying breed as training costs and requirements become grossly prohibitive for volunteers with families to support. The once vital asset in rural settings is now threatened by the very system that was set up to make it stronger. 

We are lucky in our area to have a support network for EMS, including Dr. Sam Artzis as medical director for local responders, and people who are still willing to pay out of pocket and dedicate hours for training and volunteering. We’ve come a long way from the Cadillac station wagon and tiny ambulance shack on Birch street with one small bedroom and a couch, where up to 8 responders would cram in for a long night shift. Rick remembers sleeping on a gurney in the back of the ambulance between calls on some of these shifts, as many other responders have. 

In 29 years, Rick witnessed three cardiac arrests in patients that came back from the brink of death, among other “miracles” of emergency medical service. Ongoing training and upgraded equipment have made the business of saving lives a little bit easier as time goes on. A new ambulance shack with real beds and a kitchen, newer ambulances and the best equipment north of Spokane for extrication and rescue, SCSA and Stevens County Sheriff’s Team Rescue are constantly striving to reach new heights in their standards of patient care and response, all while keeping the expense of emergency medical transport down. “We’ve never charged for a code green,” Rick explains, referring to a call that results in no transport for a patient. “That will have to change eventually.” With hundreds of square miles of coverage area, every 911 call can take an ambulance out of service for up to several hours. With recent changes in federal insurance requirements, along with a community of aging baby boomers, the call volume has continued to increase drastically every year in SCSAs response area, while the number of volunteers has decreased. 

If you are interested in becoming an EMT or first responder, get in touch with your local volunteer fire district or contact Stevens County Sheriff’s Ambulance at 509.684.8261. Classes are offered intermittently for new responders in the Colville area.