Keizer Community Advantage Magazine February 2024

KEIZER FEB/MAR 2024

COMMUNITY ADVANTAGE

Meet the stellar staff at

SEASONAL

MEET THE ARTIST

COMMUNITY

Valentine’s Day

Candace Wilson

Daniel Drew

Keizer Community Advantage Magazine FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024

Published by

Active Media Publishing Group PO Box 672, Aurora, OR 97002 info@ActiveMediaUSA.com 503.825.2111 ADMINISTRATION Matthew Nelson, Publisher Catrina Nelson, CFO Tara Weidman, Executive Assistant

6

PRODUCTION Jeremy Okai Davis, Art Director Donovan Darling, Content Manager Kate Astle, Copyeditor Kaity VanHoose, Social Media Manager

TASTE OF THE TOWN Papa Murphy’s

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Hilary Berg Sean Carver Dani DeGraw Brittany Jungenberg Morgan King Justin Nelson Shawn Schmidt CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Patti Jo Brooks Olive Gallagher Angie Helvey Lucas Holmgren Robert Matsumura Dennis McNabb Edward Novak Kelly Romo Gretchen Van Lente Ty Walker Alice Williams Kerry Yu CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Laurel Bice Carly Carpenter Tyler Francke Angie Helvey Malaina Kinne Lisa Kuhlman Kara Langley Tayler Lundquist Andrew Sambuceto Henry Schifter Hayley Starkey Brittney Waterman

LOCAL HISTORY Oregon Black Pioneer Daniel Drew

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ADVERTISING SPECIALISTS Don Ormsby Bill Kistler Stephanie Baker Peggy Jacobs David Long Chris O’Brien John Zobrist Brad Marti Shelley Zeman Tina Toney Darren Dwyer Lynnette Scott

HISTORY The History of Chocolate

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TASTE OF THE TOWN

PAPA MURPHY’S

Beyond the Oven Meet the stellar staff at Papa Murphy’s

By Angie Helvey, Contributing Writer Photos by Laurel Bice

P

apa Murphy’s is known for making the most delicious Take ‘N’ Bake pizza you’ll ever eat, but that’s not all that makes this company special. KJ and Paige Glennon own nine locations in Oregon, and they’ve built their pizza empire on the shoulders of a dedicated team and a loyal customer base. The Keizer location is run by a close-knit team of people who work together to create a positive environment for everyone who walks through their doors.

Dawn Schierman started off helping open new locations back in 2005 but was quickly promoted to manager at the Keizer location, and nowadays she functions as the area supervisor and KJ’s right hand when it comes to store operations. Dawn has a background as a barista and a heart for growing leaders and developing customer relationships. “The biggest value I teach is mutual respect,” she says, “and the Keizer store has a really tight crew that demonstrates that perfectly.”

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Most of the team at Keizer has been there for the long haul, and Dawn promotes frequently from within. Now the store manager, Haley started right out of high school back in 2012 and does a fantastic job fostering a culture that caters to the customer and supports the staff. Another crew member, Joey, started in 2012 and still works a couple of days per week despite having moved on to other ventures. Crystal is yet another core employee who’s been there for over five years. “I’ve had people who started in high school, and now they are getting married, purchasing homes,” shares Dawn. “That’s what I love about my job – getting to be part of that.”

Dawn is also proud to cultivate a work environment for all age groups. “We’ve got young managers often managing older staff, and it’s been rewarding to see the relationships that have grown within our team,” she says. “It’s all about treating each other with respect.”

The cohesive nature of the team at Keizer is what makes this store shine, and creates a comfortable atmosphere for customers. “When I came to Papa Murphy’s, I wanted to bring my background as a barista and implement that culture here,” Dawn explains. “I love getting to know the customers. We had one that didn’t talk much or make eye contact. Over the years we’ve seen them open up and now we’re friends.”

Next time you’re craving a fresh, tasty Take ‘N’ Bake pizza to enjoy in the comfort of your own home, pick up Papa Murphy’s, and make sure to say hello to

The longevity of Papa Murphy’s workers speaks to the way the company compensates and takes care of its staff.

“We’ve done a great job creating a lifestyle for our teams,” Dawn says, “whether they want to be with us just through high school or college or make this a career.”

Haley and her wonderful staff; they are ready and waiting to serve you!

Papa Murphy’s is located at 5093 River Rd. N. Keizer. Please give them a call at (503) 393-7272, or visit their website at papamurphys.com

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HOLIDAY FUN

Valentine’s Day Weirder than you think!

St.Valentine

renamed it The Feast of Saint Valentine, to be celebrated on the fourteenth of February. alentine’s Day incites cliché images of roses, cartoon Fast forward to the late 15th century, when the word Cupids, heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and mushy “Valentine” was used to describe a lover in poems and songs romantic comedies. While these days we harmlessly of the day, such as this translated line by French poet Charles celebrate with candy, expensive jewelry and candlelit dinners, d’Orléans: “I’m already wearied by love, my very sweet the origin of the holiday isn’t as cute or Valentine.” Later in the 1840s, Esther A. Howland, marketable as you would think. As far known as the “Mother of the Valentine,” sold as we know, the history of Valentine’s the first mass-produced valentines in America, Day dates back hundreds of years to elaborate creations with lace, ribbons, and colorful pagan rituals in ancient Greece and pictures. Her early valentines pioneered the the Roman Empire to greeting cards commercial tradition of buying and gifting fancy in the 19th century. cards to loved ones on Valentine’s Day. According In ancient Rome, when Emperor to current data, an estimated one billion Claudius II decided single men made Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making better soldiers than married men, he Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending outlawed marriage for young men. holiday of the year.

Valentine, a priest, realized how unjust Over the centuries, Valentine’s Day has been a this was of the Emperor, so in defiance religious celebration, a ritual full of violence and of the Emperor he performed marriages warding off evil spirits, poor health and infertility, in secret. Eventually his rebellion was and is now a sappy discovered by authorities and he was commercial holiday. The sadly executed, later recognized as a mysterious and complex martyr and St. Valentine. The life of a origins of this holiday saint, am I right? As the story goes, he allows the meaning of left his daughter a note signed “Your Valentine.”

Valentine’s Day to be The modern holiday is celebrated on the same day every truly whatever you want year, February 14th (so don’t forget!), but the ancient Romans it to be. You can skip the and Greeks had celebrations this time of year even before celebrations completely, St. Valentine. Unlike Valentine’s Day, however, the Roman buy yourself some holiday Lupercalia was a bloody, violent, and (ahem) sexual chocolate, wine and Greek god Pan celebration full of animal sacrifice and random matchmaking flowers and find a good and coupling in the hopes of warding off evil spirits and romantic comedy to watch with pizza. Or you can express your infertility. The Festival of the Arcadian Lykaia, held on February love (and platonic love!) and appreciation for the people in your 15th in ancient Greece, celebrated the god Pan’s founding of life, whether they’re spouses, family or friends. his temple, a day when the city was cleansed of evil spirits and Some of us love Valentine’s Day, and some of us love to hate people’s souls were purified, bringing health and fertility. As often it. If you’re wondering what to do on Valentine’s Day, just know happened when many pagan festivals were renamed, in 496 AD that there are no rules: It’s a new era, and you can celebrate the Pope Gelasius outlawed the pagan festival of “Lupercalian” and day of love however you want, even if it’s just through self-love.

By Donovan Darling, Staff Writer

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COMMUNITY

OREGON BLACK HISTORY SPOTLIGHT: DANIEL DREW

Civil War Soldier Turned Pioneer

duty at Helena, and a cholera outbreak decimated the unit. Drew survived, and was discharged in St. Louis. He quickly returned to Arkansas to enroll in a new Quaker vocational school, and after graduating decided to enter the clergy. In 1871 he became a minister in the Religious Society of Friends, the first Black person known to serve as a Quaker minister.

Prominent civic and religious figure In 1901, Daniel and his wife Laura moved to Oregon. in the Willamette Valley They purchased a home in Southeast Portland within walking distance of the meetinghouse of the

By Oregon Black Pioneers Portland Monthly Meeting. Drew became a aniel Drew was a Civil War prominent speaker at Quaker gatherings in soldier who became a minister Marion and Yamhill counties during the and Chaplain of the Oregon 1910s. He later led Portland’s Sunnyside chapter of the Grand Army of Meeting before becoming the minister at the Republic.

Portland’s Mt. Zion African Methodist Drew was born into slavery in Episcopal church.

Virginia around 1843. When he was After the Civil War, American’s about 18 years old, his enslavers Union veterans created a new moved to Missouri, taking their organization called the Grand Army slaves with them. Daniel attempted of the Republic. Unlike the military, to run away but was caught and the GAR was not segregated, and beaten as punishment. Freedom came Drew became involved in the in 1863, when the Union Army took Oregon chapter. In 1902 Drew took a control of the town and liberated all leadership role in a quest to raise funds the enslaved people there. Motivated for a memorial to war veterans to help defeat the Confederacy and earn at Portland’s Lone Fir Cemetery. He gave wages of his own for the first time, Drew speeches across Portland to raise support, moved to St. Louis to enlist. including a speech titled “The Condition Drew volunteered for the 3rd Arkansas of the Colored Race, Before, During, and Since Infantry’s African division. The unit was the Civil War.” The fundraising effort Daniel Drew dispatched to Helena, Arkansas where they served was a success. in guard duty for the town. Six months later, this Drew remained an active member of the Oregon unit was reorganized as the Army’s 56th Colored Infantry.

GAR the rest of his life, and was named the chaplain of Drew acted as the unit’s drummer, but in summer 1865 he the Oregon chapter in 1919. He closed each of his reports saw combat for the first time. 360 of its members, including with a quote which summarizes his own life well: “Let us Drew, were sent to be at our best at all times, supporting and encouraging in capture Confederate every possible way those things that are just and right.” troops destroying Daniel Drew died in 1923 and was buried in Lone Fir local farms in UnionCemetery not far from the memorial he helped make held Arkansas. possible. He is one of at least 15 Black Civil War veterans 1000 Arkansas and buried in Oregon.

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Private Drew stayed © Oregon Black Pioneers, 2024 on as part of troops assigned to garrison

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JOIN US IN SUPPORTING THE

SENIOR CITIZENS COUNCIL OF CLACKAMAS COUNTY

Senior Citizens Council of Clackamas County

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n the month of February, all MWNW stores will be asking for donations to support the Senior Citizens Council of Clackamas County. This nonprofit has served seniors of Clackamas County for 50 years and counting!

Why is this nonprofit so important? Their services provide critical support to at-risk seniors and adults with disabilities who are in danger of abuse, neglect and exploitation. The highly skilled and professional staff protect the seniors’ finances, oversee bill-paying needs, and when necessary, find them a safe, clean place to live. Their staff then continue to regularly check on each client for as long as they are needed.

On average, their staff serves 750 new clients annually. 75 percent of their clients are women and 70 percent are at or below the federal poverty level. Seniors above 85 years old are the fastest

growing population and are also the most in need of services.

It is estimated that 1 in 6 seniors will be a victim of financial exploitation and 1 in 10 will be abused or neglected. Please help us raise funds by donating online or visiting one of our local stores.

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The History of Valentines

Stream these movies where available, or rent from your local movie store, library or rental kiosk.

Valentine’s Day is a strange holiday. Its murky origins are based on the legend of the martyred St. Valentine, who supposedly married Christian couples secretly in the 3rd century, as well as the belief in medieval England and France that “love birds” paired in mid-February, as seen in the writing of Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare. Industrialization then brought mass-produced greeting cards, candy and the holiday hubbub we’ve come to expect. However you celebrate (or don’t), here are a few movies for couples, pals, gals and the whole family to warm your heart.

A League of Their Own (1992)

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

The Princess Bride (1987)

“There’s no crying in baseball!”

Young men have been called to war during WWII and left baseball fields empty everywhere.

In an attempt to save baseball from total financial ruin, an all-female professional baseball league is started in the Midwest by businessman Walter Harvey. Scouts are sent out across the country and find two women in, of all places, the Willamette Valley. Eventually a ragtag team is formed, coached by Team Manager Jerry Dugan, a drunk and former MLB player who’s embarrassed to even be there.

Unsurprisingly, the team unites in the spirit of friendship, womanhood and feminism in an era steeped in patriarchy, even winning over Dugan. Starring a huge cast, including Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell and many more. Rated PG for language and wartime stress.

“You ever take it off any sweet jumps?”

Napoleon Dynamite’s iconic deadpan, off beat humor and ’80s style surprised us all in 2004. The movie takes place in rural Idaho, following awkward and eccentric 16 year-old Napoleon and his close friends, family and his quiet little life. Living with his older brother Kip and grandmother Carlinda, with his less-than-kind Uncle Rico visiting, we get to see Napoleon’s home and school life and hobbies, such as riding bikes, drawing cartoons and working on his dance routine for the school talent show. While seemingly simple and ordinary, it’s very much an understated slice-of-life story, with themes of friendship and love. Starring Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino and many more. Rated PG for thematic elements and language.

“Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya.

You killed my father. Prepare to die.” Endlessly quotable, clever and hilarious, this movie is based on the 1973 book by William Goldman.

This fantasy-comedy and fairy tale parody follows a sword-wielding farmhand named Westley who must rescue his true love, Princess Buttercup, from the evil Prince Humperdinck. Very much a parable, with The Grandpa reading and explaining the story to The Grandson, most characters are faced with questions of what it means to be a good friend, parent or partner. Westley navigates challenge after challenge of swords, fists and wits to prove his love and loyalty. Starring an iconic cast, including Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, André the Giant and many more.

Rated PG for scary scenes and violence.

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The History of Chocolate Ancient, delicious and divine

By Robert Matsumura, Contributing Writer

W

hen we hear the word “chocolate,” most of us picture a bar, ice cream, baked goods, or a confection of some type. Typically eating chocolate, not drinking it, and a sweet taste is usually associated with chocolate rather than a savory one.

However, for approximately 90% of chocolate’s extensive history, it was primarily a beverage, and sugar didn’t figure into the equation at all.

While the terminology can be a bit puzzling, most contemporary experts refer to “cacao” as the plant or its beans prior to processing, while the term “chocolate” refers to a product made from the beans. “Cocoa” is the term for chocolate in powdered form, though across the Atlantic, the British frequently use the word “cacao.”

“Chocolate” has been traced by etymologists back to the Aztec word “xocoatl,” which described a bitter beverage brewed from cacao beans. The Latin name for the cacao tree,

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Theobroma cacao, translates to “food of the gods.” Historians today estimate that chocolate has been around for at least 2000 years, but recent research suggests it may be even older.

Although it’s difficult to establish an exact date for the origin of chocolate, it’s evident that it was valued from the very beginning. For many centuries in premodern Latin America, cacao beans were actually used as currency. A single bean could buy one tamale, while 100 beans could be traded for a good turkey hen, as noted in a 16th-century Aztec document.

Both the Mayans and Aztecs considered the cacao bean magical and sometimes divine.

It was commonly a part of sacred rituals of birth, death, and marriage.

It wasn’t until Europeans discovered the Americas and became familiar with the native cuisine that chocolate made its entrance on the world stage. According to legend, the Aztec king Montezuma welcomed the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes with a feast that included drinking chocolate. Although chocolate didn’t initially agree with the European palate, once it was mixed with honey or sugar, it rapidly grew in popularity throughout Spain.

By the 17th century, Europeans had embraced chocolate as a glamorous drink, reputed to possess medicinal, nutritious, and even aphrodisiac properties — rumors suggest that Casanova was a

big fan of chocolate. But it remained primarily a drink of the upper class until the invention of the steam engine revolutionized chocolate production, resulting in chocolate becoming available in mass quantities to society at large.

It was in 1828 when a Dutch chemist devised a method to create powdered chocolate by filtering out approximately half the natural fat (cacao butter) from chocolate liquor, pulverizing what remained and introducing a mixture of alkaline salts to negate the bitter taste.

This product, known as “Dutch cocoa,” eventually led to the development of solid chocolate.

Joseph Fry, in 1847, is credited with the creation of the world’s first chocolate bar. Fry discovered that by adding melted cacao butter back into Dutch cocoa, the result was a moldable chocolate paste. Within 20 years of Fry’s discovery, the now famous company Cadbury was selling boxes of chocolate candy in Britain. Soon thereafter, another recognizable name, Nestle, pioneered the creation of milk chocolate in Switzerland.

During the Revolutionary War in America, chocolate was so valued that it was included in soldiers’ rations in lieu of wages. Most of us today wouldn’t likely settle for payment in chocolate over dollars, but that doesn’t mean the

humble cacao bean isn’t a potent force in the economy. In the U.S. alone, chocolate is a four billion dollar industry, and the average American consumes at least half a pound per month.

In recent times, a chocolate revolution has swept across the globe, marked by a burgeoning interest in high-quality, artisanal chocolates and sustainable, efficient cacao farming and harvesting techniques. Due to this shift in consumer tastes, large corporations like Hershey’s have developed artisanal chocolate lines by acquiring smaller premium chocolate producers, and independent chocolatiers have proliferated as well.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, artisanal chocolate has exploded in recent years. One of the first chocolatiers on the Portland scene was Moonstruck; though recently sold to a larger company, Moonstruck helped establish a market for gourmet chocolate in the city. Currently, there are a plethora of artisanal chocolatiers in the local area. Missionary Chocolates in Northeast Portland, founded by a doctor with a passion for chocolate, produces delicious dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan chocolate and non-allergenic truffles.

A Yen for Chocolate was founded and is operated by Cristina Yen, a chocolatier who has brought her multicultural experiences from around the globe to Northwest Portland, where she handcrafts mouthwatering chocolate creations for a growing clientele. Named in honor of the Wildwood Trail in Portland’s Washington Park, Wildwood Chocolate sources the finest ingredients and crafts masterfully blended ingredients such as cardamom, honey and berries with chocolate to create award-winning confections.

So, the next time your sweet tooth has a hankering for chocolate, know that this wonderful treat has a history stretching back to indigenous peoples of South and Central America, and that the tasty chocolate morsels available in your local supermarket are the result of centuries of trial, error, and innovation. And if you wish to sample the cutting-edge creations of local chocolatiers, be sure to visit some of the artisanal producers featured above, or the myriad of other producers in our country’s continually evolving chocolate landscape.

READ MORE AT CITYHANDSHAKE.COM 21

MEET THE ARTIST

CANDACE WILSON

Positivity Through Pottery Candace Wilson, woman at the wheel

I

By Kelly Romo, Contributing Writer

n a world that seems to be constantly bombarded with negativity, it’s refreshing to come across someone like Candace Wilson. Candace is a ceramic artist who has made it her mission to spread warmth and happiness through her unique designs.

Her business, Little Bird Pottery, offers an extensive assortment of enchanting creations that will brighten your day.

Born and raised in Aloha, Oregon, Candace Van Beveren Wilson was a creative spirit from the beginning. She graduated with a degree in Applied Design from Southern Oregon University and further extended her knowledge by studying Graphic Design at the University of Oregon. Her professional journey started as a graphic designer specializing in design and packaging. Candace’s affinity for ceramics began back in high school, and is attributed to her teacher, Judy Vogland, who introduced her to the potter’s wheel. Candace continued to explore ceramics in college, alongside painting and drawing. Her passion led her to further her studies in ceramics in Italy and at the School of Arts and Crafts.

For Candace, ceramics were an inevitable choice as a medium of expression. Its versatility is astounding — from delicate pull knobs to intricate tile work and whimsical sculptures, it allows for boundless creativity. Furthermore, opening the kiln is always a moment of awe and wonder. The heat transformation imbues the clay with a life of its own, often revealing surprising and beautiful results that add an element of surprise to the pottery process.

The unique blend of Candace’s design and ceramics experience equipped her with innovative techniques that she applied to clay.

Her work in ceramics mirrors her graphic design experience, where

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she incorporates words, textures, and images into her creations. She transforms her drawings and fonts into rubber stamps, which she then applies to wet clay to craft both usable and whimsical designs — whether wheel-thrown or slab-built.

What sets Candace’s business, Little Bird Pottery, apart is Candace’s message on each of her products. She especially enjoys making garden stakes that feature animals like birds, squirrels, cats, and bunnies, all with an inspiring word on the bottom — words like empathy, kindness, peace, compassion, and healing. Her products remind us that there is still kindness and love in the world and that we should all strive to spread positivity wherever we go.

Candace’s influence and dedication to her craft extends beyond her own studio. She is an active member of several art associations and galleries. She is a part of Local 14, an art group that has been promoting artists since 1967. Her work is also displayed in the Rain Spark Gallery in Lake Oswego, a cooperative gallery that champions a diverse range of artists and their unique crafts. With her commitment to the community, Candace also contributes to Valley Art in Forest Grove, Oregon’s oldest nonprofit art association. These affiliations serve as testament to her passion for ceramics and her desire to share the joy it brings with the wider community.

Candace Wilson’s journey as a ceramic artist is an inspiring one.

She has overcome obstacles and followed her passion to create a business that spreads inspiration and warmth wherever it goes. Little Bird Pottery is a testament to the fact that even small acts of kindness and love can make a difference in the world. We can all learn something from Candace’s message and strive to spread positivity in our own lives, one little bird at a time.

If you’re captivated by Candace’s story and want to see more of her ceramic art, visit her website at www.littlebirdpottery. net. Those residing in or visiting Forest Grove can experience her stunning pieces in person at Valley Art, located at 2022 Main Street.

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paper and spread out into even 3-inch circles. Only do 2 to 3 at a time as they set quickly and you won’t be able to fold more than that.  Bake cookies 7 to 8 minutes, until edges brown slightly (see note).  When each batch finishes baking, remove from oven and quickly flip circle over. Place note in center and fold cookie in half (a semicircle).

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ALSO: Experiment with food coloring, using red for Valentine’s Day.

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Your Trusted Garage Door Experts Improve your home’s value and curb appeal

By Patti Jo Brooks, Contributing Writer

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hether your garage door needs repair or replacing, “Leave the Work to Us, Call the Pros!” ProLift Garage Doors of Salem will send a qualified garage door technician to service your garage door and get it up and running smoothly again. A broken spring, weather stripping for the winter, or replacing a damaged garage door altogether can be easily handled by ProLift Garage Doors of Salem. No job is too large or too small. Let ProLift Garage Doors be your first call!

“I really strive to keep our customers happy,” says Gabe Peace, independent owner and operator of ProLift Garage Doors of Salem. His focus is quality work using quality parts. Gabe is currently a dealer for Amarr Garage Doors and hopes to add other manufacturers to that list in the future. He continues by saying, “The two guys I have working for me right now, I’ve had a lot of customers tell me how polite, how great, how informative they were.” Gabe’s goal is to maintain that level of customer care and to “make sure we always do things that way.”

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Gabe’s Salem location covers a large territory including Newberg, McMinnville, Molalla, Woodburn, Monmouth, Albany and more. Gabe runs the day-to-day business himself and will occasionally do some of the work, but as the owner he’ll go out to a job whenever he can. His two hired technicians, “the younger guys,” do the heavy work. Gabe also owns two service trucks now, adding the second one last October.

With a background in construction, lumber mills, and always mechanically inclined, Gabe saw ProLift Garage Doors as a solid fit for a small business venture. “I like garages,” Gabe thought, when the opportunity presented itself. Together with his wife Renée, they co-own the franchise and opened for business over two years ago on October 25th, 2021. “I don’t have to be huge,” Gabe confides. “I just wish to be well-known, reliable, trustworthy, and be a small local business that’s successful.”

Gabe’s excited for ProLift Garage Doors of Salem to get the exposure it deserves.

A member of HBA, you might have seen Gabe at last year’s Home Show at the Salem Fairgrounds. He’s also a member of the Salem Chamber of Commerce, and hosted a sponsorship at South Salem High School. He honors military, teachers, and first responders by offering a 10% discount on Service and up to $150 off on New Garage Doors at any time throughout the year. Gabe looks forward to more involvement in the community. “I love sports. I played sports growing up,” he comments. “I’d like to sponsor a Little League team. It would be fun!”

Find Gabe on Facebook at facebook. com/proliftdoorsofsalem and on LinkedIn. Visit their website, proliftdoors. com/salem/ for more information. Or call the Contact Center at (541) 293-8240 and ask for local Salem owner, Gabe Peace.

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READ MORE AT CITYHANDSHAKE.COM 29

HISTORY

HISTORY OF THE TWINKIE

The Twinkie A sweet legacy unwrapped

A

By Robert Matsumura, Contributing Writer

spongy, golden cake with creamy white filling: for most of us this description immediately evokes a single word, “Twinkie.” Whether a nostalgic favorite from your childhood or still a go-to favorite at snack time, have you ever wondered where this yummy classic originated?

The story of the Twinkie takes us back to Schiller Park, Illinois, in 1930. Canadian-born baker, James Alexander Dewar, an employee of the Continental Baking Company (later known as Hostess Brands), realized that a number of the company’s machines for creating cream-filled strawberry shortcakes were sitting idle due to strawberries being out of season. With a little ingenuity, Dewar conceived of a new product that substituted banana cream for the traditional vanilla cream and dubbed the new cream-filled cake “Twinkie.”

As for the name, legend has it that Dewar saw a billboard in town advertising “Twinkle Toe Shoes” and drew inspiration from that. It’s not clear whether the shape of the shoes or simply the name was the driving force behind his decision, but to this day, people the world over know the iconic snack as the Twinkie.

With the onset of World War II, the cream filling inside the Twinkie switched from banana cream to vanilla cream. The change came about due to the rationing of bananas, but vanilla cream proved to be a hit with

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customers who preferred it above all other flavored fillings. Over the years, Hostess experimented with alternate cream fillings such as strawberry, and for a short time, re-introduced the original banana flavor, but in the end vanilla cream was always the flavor of choice for Twinkie aficionados.

Despite their hallowed place in lunch boxes across America, Twinkies transcended their role as a mere snack cake to become a part of urban legend and even earned a place in the lexicon of the legal profession. In pop culture, Twinkies have garnered attention for both their perceived longevity of shelf life as well as their lack of nutritional value. According to urban legends, Twinkies have a virtually infinite shelf life with stories claiming that the famous snack cakes could remain unspoiled in their original packaging for periods ranging anywhere from 10 to 100 years.

During the 2012 Super Bowl, Chevy ran a commercial featuring the Silverado in an apocalyptic scenario that alluded to the Twinkie’s extreme durability. In truth, however, a Hostess executive revealed to The New York Times in 2000 that the shelf life of Twinkies was actually relatively short, generally seven to 10 days. Studies later demonstrated that prior to 2012, Twinkies had a maximum shelf life of 26 days. In 2012, additional preservatives were added extending the maximum shelf life to 45 days.

In 1984, the movie “Ghostbusters” introduced the Twinkie to countries across the globe previously unfamiliar with the famous American snack cake. In the movie, the character Egon Spengler uses a Twinkie to demonstrate rising levels of psychokinetic energy in the environment.

He compares the current level of psychokinetic energy in New York City to a Twinkie. He points out that due to the

recent extraordinary increases in the energy that it would result in a Twinkie 35 feet long weighing 600 pounds.

In the legal profession, lawyers in San Francisco argued that their client committed a crime due to depression resulting from a shift in his diet from healthy food to Twinkies and other sugary snacks. This argument became known as the “Twinkie Defense.” Contrary to popular belief, however, the lawyers did not actually assert that the Twinkies caused their client’s actions, but rather that his excessive consumption of Twinkies was symptomatic of his underlying depression.

On the culinary front, Christopher Sell, a Twinkie devotee from England, came up with the notion of freezing the snack cake, battering it and then deep-frying it in oil. Thus was born the

first deep-fried Twinkie. Sell described his new invention: “Something magical occurs when the pastry hits the hot oil.

The creamy white vegetable shortening filling liquefies, impregnating the sponge cake with its luscious vanilla flavor.... The cake itself softens and warms, nearly melting, contrasting with the crisp, deep-fried crust in a buttery and suave way...” In 2002, restaurant owner Clint Mullen introduced the deep-fried Twinkie novelty snack at state fairs. In 2016, Walmart stores even began carrying pre-packaged frozen

versions of the deep-fried Twinkie.

As popular as the Twinkie was, however, trends toward healthier lifestyles and eating habits were taking a toll on the sales of the famous product.

In 2012, after reporting a 20% drop in Twinkie sales from the previous year, Hostess announced its plans to discontinue operations, citing that its customers had migrated to healthier foods. On November 16, 2012, Hostess filed for bankruptcy and Twinkie production at all plants came to a halt.

Not surprisingly, the public outcry at the loss of the Twinkie was tremendous. It wasn’t long before companies were vying for the rights to restore the beloved Twinkie to its fans around the world. Apollo Global Management & Metropoulos & Company won the bidding war for the sum of $410 million.

The joint companies revived the Hostess brand reintroducing Twinkies, Ho Hos and other Hostess products to the market in 2013.

If it seems like today’s Twinkies are smaller than those of your childhood, it’s not your imagination. Just prior to the bankruptcy, Hostess had reduced the size of the Twinkie from a total overall mass of 42.5 grams to 38.5 grams, and the reintroduced Twinkie of 2013 retained this formula. Despite

the slight reduction in size, it’s likely that Twinkie fans around the world are more than happy to compromise a little rather than going without their favorite snack cake altogether.

For its legions of fans around the globe, nothing will ever take the place of the moist, golden cake with vanilla cream filling known as the Twinkie.

Perhaps Time Magazine, after ranking the Twinkie No. 1 on its list of 10 “iconic” junk foods, said it best, stating that “they’ve been a staple in our popular culture, and above all, in our hearts. Often criticized for its lack of any nutritional value whatsoever, the Twinkie has managed to persevere as a cultural and gastronomic icon.”

READ MORE AT CITYHANDSHAKE.COM 31

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