Area 36 Fundraiser For Shriners Kids Gears Up

by Liv Stecker

For the 4th year in a row, the Area 36 Blues & Music Festival is gearing up for the annual event to support the Shriners Children’s Hospital in Spokane. This free-admission music festival is seeking donors and sponsors for the event on July 14-16th, 2016. Donations cover the cost of performing bands and operating expenses so that the weekend can remain admission free and more of the proceeds from the weekend can go directly to the Shriners Hospital. Area 36 is a non-profit fundraiser and every donation is a tax write-off. Last year in addition to the money raised at the event, several local businesses contributed to the Shriners mission as awareness in the community grew. The Shriners Hospital stands out among other charitable organizations as more than 90% of every dollar donated goes directly to the care of children with serious medical needs. In contrast, many non profits consume a vast percentage of donations in overhead operating costs. 

Area 36 organizers are looking for donors who are interested in sponsoring bands who will perform during the weekend, among other contributions. Sponsors who donate between $500-$5000 will be be featured during band performances, on event posters, radio and newspaper advertisements. Local television and radio stations will be on site this year to promote the event. The Area 36 Benefit has also set up a GoFundMe page for donations at: https://www.gofundme.com/3un5pgra . Businesses and individuals interested in donating or sponsoring a band can contact Kim or Jerry at 509.684.4444 or 509.675.1674.

The Area 36 Blues and Music Festival is also looking for food and craft vendors to join the fun in July. In it’s fourth year, the festival is looking forward to more music, food and fun, as well as larger contributions to the good work of the Shriners Hospital. Every year, through word of mouth, the party grows to include participants from all over the northwest and beyond. The three day event features local Northwest bands, artisans, food and beer in a relaxed outdoor setting 12 miles outside of Colville. Camping for trailers, RVs, tents and motorhomes is available on site and a car and motorcycle poker run on Saturday is also part of the weekend event. Volunteers are always welcome to help coordinate activities. More information about the event is available at the numbers listed above or on the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/area36bluesandmusic/ 

Celebrating a century of sacrifice and sparkle: Evelyn Yackley

by Liv Stecker

Evelyn Yackley

It was March 9th, 1916 in Ballard, Washington, on the edge of Seattle, when the snow started to come down with a vengeance. Mrs. Shew was pregnant with her second child, and luckily, she and her husband had invited their good friend who happened to also be the local doctor over for a game of cards with his wife. When Mrs. Shew went into labor things progressed quickly and it was clear that they couldn’t get to the hospital in the terrible snowstorm. Evelyn Shew was born at home during the late winter storm, under fortunate circumstances. 

After another 7 babies came along, the Shews moved to a 43 acre farm near Issaquah on Lake Sammamish. The family gardened extensively, canning and preserving vegetables and fruit to feed all nine children, while Evelyn’s father worked at the local lumber mill. Graduating from Monohan High School in the mid 1930s, Evelyn was a competitive long distance swimmer who would train by crossing the mile and a half wide lake. Her best friend introduced her to Delmar Fanning, a truck driver who built and drove race cars. “It was a very sexy time,” reminisces Evelyn, with a twinkle in her eye, “it was an exciting time.” She says it was love at first sight for the race car driver and the athletic swimming champion, they were inseparable right away. 

She and Del were married, and Evelyn went to work for Boeing building airplanes as World War 2 was escalating. “I worked at a desk with a big spinning machine,” says Evelyn, reflecting on her time at the plant. The area she worked in was mostly staffed by men, she remembers, but they treated her and the other women well. “We were all in ‘essential programs’ or jobs, and the men respected us and helped us in every way.” Evelyn remembers that season of her life fondly. “I loved it. I was all for it - 100%.” During her time at Boeing, Evelyn gave birth to her first son, Delmar in 1940. 

After a few years, Evelyn and Del had another son, Thomas, followed by a daughter named Velvet. The family lived in West Seattle, where Evelyn worked as a medical librarian for Virginia Mason Hospital, and held several other jobs in the Seattle area - including running a 1250 Multilith Printing Press - a cutting edge printing machine in the early 1960s. 

In 1967, the unimaginable happened when Evelyn and Delmar’s son Thomas was killed in the Vietnam War. A decorated sergeant in the army, Tom was gunned down by Viet Cong soldiers before he turned 25. It was only a year later that Evelyn lost her husband Delmar. Evelyn channelled her grief into community service, becoming the president of the Veterans of Foreign Wars 9430 in Skyway, Washington, A Gold Star Mother who served for many years. 

Sgt. Tom Fanning holding his Godchild in the Seattle area

Eventually, Evelyn remarried Doc Yackley in Seattle, while she was working for Andresen Chrysler. She remained in the Seattle area until the mid 1990s. After she lost her second husband and oldest son, she moved to Stevens County to be closer to her daughter Velvet and family who lived at Waitts Lake. She lived independently in Chewelah for more than decade. It was around this time that Velvet recalls a family weekend at Waitts Lake, when Evelyn snuck out of the house: “...next thing I knew, someone in my mother’s coat flew by on a four wheeler with grandkids on the back.” Velvet laughs, adding that they had to keep a closer eye on the 93 year old great-grandmother. Shortly after that, Evelyn broke a hip and after a lengthy recovery, she moved into Colville where she currently resides at Parkview Senior Living and enjoys every minute of it. 

Evelyn "riding" a motorcycle at a classic car show at Parkview Senior Living

When Evelyn is asked what her favorite time of life has been, she responds quickly: “Every year was a good one. It was all a part of life, the good and the bad.” And she says she wouldn’t change a thing. Living on the family farm with her 8 brothers and sisters and swimming the cold waters of Lake Sammamish are some of her fondest memories, but for Evelyn, even the hard times played a part in making the last 100 years all good ones. 

New Holistic Therapies in Colville

Anne Cranston, LAc, EAMP, and April Moon, LMP, HDC, are excited about pairing up and offering more alternative wellness options in our area. They invite the community to come see their new location and meet them at an open house on Sunday, March 13th from 1-4 p.m., downstairs at 108 S Main St, Colville. New patients can pick up discount cards for both massage and acupuncture. 

Anne is a Licensed Acupuncturist and East Asian Medicine Practitioner. Born and raised in Washington, she has made her home in Stevens County since 1999. Anne earned a master’s degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine (SIOM), which is internationally regarded as one of the most outstanding English language schools of East Asian Medicine. During her rigorous, apprenticeship style training, Anne studied an eclectic variety of different treatment modalities, including both traditional Chinese and Japanese acupuncture. This allows her flexibility in clinic and an ability to deliver individualized care - including accommodating sensitive patients with more gentle needling. Anne also practices Tui Na, a Chinese medical massage protocol that is highly effective for conditions of pain and muscular imbalance, and she is certified as a detox specialist by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association. Anne’s biggest mission is to take the mystery out of acupuncture and make it accessible to everyone. “Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine work amazingly well for a wide variety of conditions.” Anne Says, “The World Health Organization lists over 30 conditions that acupuncture treats based on clinical research, including back and neck pain, allergy, hypertension, stroke and the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. We treat acute conditions, like sore throat, flu, and sprains, as well as conditions like hot flashes, insomnia, depression, addiction, infertility, and digestive complaints. I like to emphasize that this is incredibly safe, effective medicine based on over 2000 years of observation of cause and effect.”

April is a Licensed Massage therapist and Healing Diets Counselor. She is proud to claim herself as a Colville native, born and raised. “I absolutely adore the Pacific Northwest landscape and the good people in our community. I love the support we give each other and I love seeing familiar smiles everywhere I go.” April got her start in holistic health 17 years ago after becoming a massage therapist, and began her private practice in Kettle Falls. Since then she has been a graduate of the Institute for Phenomenal Touch Massage, School of Natural Medicine, and the School of Advanced Colonic Techniques. The second half of her career has included college teaching, franchise training, and health coaching. Four years ago she relocated to Boulder, Colorado, seeking further education, and has just returned home to start her practice back up with Anne this December. She is currently working on reformatting the health coaching portion of her business, which she expects to have ready to go later this year. In the meantime, her massage practice is already running strong and she is thrilled to see a mix of old and new faces.

Anne and April share an immense passion for nature and a natural healing philosophy. Their vision is to cultivate awareness in the community of what our health options are, how to care for our bodies in sustainable ways, provide education, and build networks with other skilled therapists including western practitioners. “We absolutely believe there is a place for both natural and allopathic medicine,” says Anne. “I’d like to work with other health care providers to better serve our patients by matching them with the appropriate practitioner or combination of practitioners. It is imperative for the health of a patient that I be in communication with their M.D. if they are trying to reduce their reliance on, say, pain medication.The closer and more respectful our connections are with other providers, the more we can benefit our patients. Most importantly, I’d like to see a shift toward prevention and early intervention, before new problems become chronic.” April adds, “I see our health issues becoming more and more complex; multi-faceted and multi-layered. Putting this burden on doctors to try to fix in the limited time they have is unrealistic, and that’s where we come in. Health needs to be centered around proper diet and lifestyle. Hopefully we can tip the scales in favor of prevention. We’d like to play an ancillary role to allopathic medicine at the very least.”

Anne talks more about acupuncture:

As a practitioner of East Asian Medicine (which includes acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, Tui Na massage and dietary advice), I am trained to take the time to delve deep into an individual’s health history, including diet, lifestyle habits and emotions. This can be the key to making a Chinese diagnosis and plan for treatment. For instance, I treated a patient with lifelong cystic fibrosis who was dealing with severe lung congestion. During the first treatment I counseled him on his diet, which was healthy by most standards. We made a few simple changes and he came back a week later relieved to find his lung congestion remarkably improved. Yet he was angry that from the age of 4, none of his doctors had ever advised him to change his diet. East Asian Medicine looks not only at symptoms, but at underlying causes, and is able to provide counseling, acupuncture, and herbal medicine tailored to the specifics of each individual.

There are a lot of common misconceptions about acupuncture in particular. The first is the amount of training acupuncturists undergo, which many think is only a few months. The reality is that licensure as an acupuncturist requires a master’s degree. I am trained in anatomy, physiology, physical medicine and biomedicine, as well as rigorous study and clinical training in traditional Chinese medicine. 

A second common misconception is that acupuncture hurts. People are usually surprised to learn that ten acupuncture needles can fit into the hollow of a hypodermic needle. Usually, people don’t feel the needles at all. 

A third common misconception is that acupuncture is a sort of new age witchcraft unsupported by modern medical research, and that its mechanism is mostly due to placebo effect. In truth there is a growing body of evidence unravelling its mechanism and supporting its efficacy. Acupuncture is used by the US Army to treat PTSD and chronic pain, and is used by many medical doctors and chiropractors. Currently, physical therapists are lobbying to incorporate acupuncture into their practices. Although the language of acupuncture can be difficult for Westerners, there is nothing woo woo or new age about the medicine. I encourage anyone interested in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to contact me. I’m happy to chat with prospective patients about how acupuncture and Chinese herbs may be able to help them and answer any questions they may have. It really brings me joy to see patients feeling better.

April talks more about massage: 

As a massage therapist of nearly 2 decades now, I’ve witnessed it’s benefits a time or two. Massage is still trying to shed the last of its reputation for self-indulgent luxury, but this perception is waning quickly. People come to see me for: 1.) pain management 2.) stress reduction 3.) injury/corrective work 4.) prevention, maintenance, & longevity.

Massage does wonders in these areas.  But as with other modalities, I stress that it should be incorporated into your health regimen on a regular basis if you want to get the most mileage out of your investment.  

The commonly asked question I get is, ‘How long do the effects last?’ In short that’s up to you. Between 3 and 10 days on average, depending on what type of lifestyle you live. The better you care for yourself between sessions the longer you will feel the effects. And I don’t know about you, but for me the pedantic “benefits of massage” script has lost its potency by now. I’ll skip that and give you my top 3 atypical picks on why we should all be getting regular bodywork: 

1.) Detoxification: If we are to be healthy in this post-industrial world I feel strongly that we need employ detoxification as a lifestyle. There are millions of chemicals on the planet today and more are literally being developed by the second. Just because we cant see chemical pollution or that its disguised as something yummy or fragrant doesn’t mean its not there. Toxins create free radical damage disrupting hormones and damaging detox pathways, thereby accelerating the aging process. Massage is a great way to detoxify. Toxins which settle into our tissues get flushed into the bloodstream where they are transported to elimination organs and systems for exit.

2.) Boosts the immune system: The skin is an endocrine (hormone releasing) organ, as well as a detoxification pathway. It plays a major role in ensuring hormones and other messages are transported throughout the body. When stimulated, the skin calls for the release of natural killer cells - a type of white blood cell responsible for killing tumor cells and certain virus-infected cells. 

3.) Better cellular function: Cells feel and respond to texture of their surroundings via molecular muscles. The pressure of yoga, stretching, massage, etc. helps cells find homeostasis by alerting them to check in and make adjustments to the tension of their environment, thus relieving pressure or strain, resulting in overall better functioning. This is in part why seemingly unrelated issues of our physiology improve after a session, such as sleep or menstrual cycle.

My current personal regimen includes weekly acupuncture, bi-weekly massage, chiropractic on occasion, and other holistic therapies as needed, on top of a healthy lifestyle (a perpetually evolving process).  Often I stretch my budget for my health but the way I see it, hospital bills and missed work are expensive, and miserable to boot.  So I'm good with making my health a priority, even if it means I don't get to drive a new car.  These modalities have a considerable positive impact on the body which then carries out to influence every aspect of life. 

Anne and April are hoping to shed new light on alternative therapies. Take care of yourself in whatever ways suit you best. “We are actually blessed with the honor of stewarding a vessel which houses a timeless piece of infinity. A healthy happy body allows us to reach higher potentials amid the extreme vicissitudes of life." they say, as an offering of health and goodwill toward the community. 

You can call April at 509-690-0124 (or visit www.aprilmoon.com) and Anne at 509-675-0062 (or visit www.colville-acupuncture.com) with any questions or to book an appointment.

H.W. Jackson Killed

From Northport News, September 30th, 1914

Shot Through The Groins With a Pistol in the Hands of Clayt Penrose

  Once more the deadly bullet has created a sensation in Northport. On Monday night at about 7:30 o’clock, Clayton Penrose shot H.W. Jackson (known throughout the west as Bearhunter Jackson) through the body, the bullet entering just about the hip on one side and passing out on the opposite side. The trouble occurred in the Silver Crown Saloon. After Mr. Jackson was shot he grabbed a rifle that was somewhere in the room and firing one shot hit Mr. Penrose in the right arm. Mr. Jackson then went to the front of the saloon and sat down on the doorstep Afterward he was taken to the office of the Silver Crown Hotel, where he died about an hour after being shot. His body was taken to his home and Mr. Penrose was taken to a room at the Broderius lodging house. His arm will probably have to be amputated just above the elbow. 

 The preliminaries leading up to the shooting appear to be that on Sunday night someone entered Mr. Jackson’s kennel and took his two famous bear dogs, Jack and Bill, for whom he said he had been offered $300. This caused him considerable worry, and while hunting down the thieves accused Mr. Penrose of having something to do with it. He strenuously denied knowing anything about it, but this did not satisfy Mr. Jackson, and the two had several quarrels during the day, finally terminating in this awful tragedy.  

  Deceased was 40 years of age and had resided here 8 or 10 years. He followed the avocations of hunting, land locating, timber cruising and mining. He was married about a year ago and he and his wife have been living on Columbia ave. Besides his wife, who has the respect of all who know her, he leaves a sister, Mrs. Stony Graham of Colville, who came here as soon as possible after being notified, and a brother, whose whereabouts are unknown. 

  Mr. Penrose is a teamster and has recently been living at the Herron home on Summit ave. It is said that the revolver with which he shot deceased belonged to Mr. Herron and was taken without that gentleman’s consent. 

  Early yesterday morning, before daylight, Sheriff W. L. Woodard, Prosecuting Attorney John B. Slater, Coroner Dr. W. Mighell and a Colville undertaker arrived by automobile. An inquest is being held as we speak.  

The Addams Family Musical Creeps into Woodland Theater

By Liv Stecker

Following the tradition of a spring musical as a  season opener, Woodland Theater hearkens to the dark side with the creepy and the kooky Addams Family Musical. beginning March 4th, the show runs every Thursday- Sunday until March 20th. 

The Addams Family Musical first hit Broadway in 2010, adding a song-and-dance twist to the quirky and dark tale of a morbidly funny family. Drawing on decades of tradition which began with comic characters that were first featured in the New Yorker Magazine in 1938, The Addams Family Musical follows the antics of family patriarch Gomez, his wife Morticia, Grandma Addams, Uncle Fester, son Pugsley and teenage daughter, Wednesday, as she tries to date a normal, all-American boy. The struggle is real as the family tries mask their macabre tendencies and fail miserably. Hilarity ensues. According to director Sean Tabloff, the show called out to him as a throwback to his youth in the late 1960s. “...the series resonated a note of family warmth - albeit distorted to extremes - but nevertheless I am filled with a nostalgia and am pulled back to those simpler times.”

The musical takes the stage at Woodland in March under the direction of Sean Tabloff, with an all-star cast of local theater veterans and a few new faces lending their voices to the mix. The show stars Jesse Ransom from Northport as Wednesday Addams, it is Jesse’s first time performing with Woodland Theater. Gian Carlo Desterfano is a newcomer to the stage who plays her father Gomez. Morticia is portrayed by the lovely and talented Shannon Howes-Hulse who appeared in Annie Get Your Gun and The Drowsy Chaperone. The “normal” boyfriend, Lucas Beineke, is brought to life by local favorite Adam Huff, who led the cast of Seussical the Musical last spring as Horton the elephant. Uncle Fester is played by David Van Guilder a theater vet from shows including The Wizard of Oz and Seussical the Musical, and Shawmus Sergent is Pugsley. Long time theater favorite George Eberth returns to the stage as a hysterical portrayal of Lurch, the family butler of questionable animation. A talented roster of dedicated actors, dancers and singers round out the cast list in this unorthodox comedy. 

Vocal director Stazya Richman, Orchestra director Byron Kerner, choreographer Kathleen Malcolm and producer Nancy Christopher are a few of the veteran troops who double up as cast members and the behind the scenes force that brings the show to life. “Stazya is often the only eyes and ears in the audience during rehearsals,” Tabloff comments, while the director, assistant director and the rest of the staff have found themselves on stage performing for various reasons. In addition to directing and playing the part of the boy-next-door’s “normal” father, Sean designed and built the intricate set for the show - a complex project he began last October as plans for the show unfolded. 

Thanks to a grant for the theater, Sean and helpers were able to reconstruct the old stage from the joists up, a complete renovation that was long overdue. During the process, Sean was able to sneak in a few engineering surprises that help make The Addams Family Musical a unique show in Woodland’s repertoire. “There are so many more elements in this show,” says Tabloff, “it is the most intense show that we have done prop and set wise.” The set up for the lighting effects alone took Tabloff and his crew 12 hours to accomplish. “It’s been a tremendous amount of work to bring the surprise element into this show.” For Tabloff, creating a sense of mystery and comic intrigue is the ultimate mission for his cast of characters. “Magic is what I live for, and what I believe theater is all about,” he says. “This show is extremely heavy on magic, creatures, effects way beyond anything we have done before!”

Showtimes are at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday nights, and for the first time this year, Saturday and Sunday shows are matinees, starting at 2 p.m. Tickets for the March 4th and 17th are $10 for all seats, all other shows are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors/students. Tickets are available at Main Street Floral in Colville and at the door. According to Tabloff, “This is one show you have got to see, believe me, if you miss it, you will be sore from hearing all your friends rave about it!”

Also new this year, Woodland Theater will have assistive listening devices for audience members who suffer from hearing loss. This equipment is made available through a grant from Empire Health Foundation, which provided 20 units that can be checked out during any show at the theater. Check out is free with a valid identification card.