Colony Magazine #26 • August 2020

AUGUST 2020

Historic Centennial Commemorates A Milestone of Democracy

The Right to Vote

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: AHS Alum David Say Produces & Directs a Short Film Two n' Tow: Tonya Strickland says 'See you soon!'

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August 2020 | Issue No. 26

WOMEN’S RIGHT TO VOTE

A CENTURY HAS PASSED SINCE THE RATIFICATION OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR WOMEN TODAY

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A SHORT FILM BY DAVID SAY

AHS ALUM PRODUCES AND DIRECTS SHORT FILM IN ATASCADERO

19

ALBERT KELLEY’S GRADUATION

72 YEARS AFTER JOINING THE NAVY, AHS AWARDS KELLEY HIS DIPLOMA

22

TWO ‘N TOW

AS TONYA STRICKLAND SAYS ‘SEE YOU SOON,’ SHE LEAVES US WITH SOME NORTH COUNTY GEMS

ON THE COVER Cover inspired by the centennial celebration of the passing of the 19th amendment.

Photos from Public Domain.

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DEPARTMENTS

Something Worth Reading Publisher’s Letter

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12 13 14

15 16 17

24 25

26 27 28 29 30

31 32

ATASCADERO • SANTA MARGARITA • CRESTON

Round Town Colony Buzz: Movies in the Park, Charles Paddock Zoo Presents ‘Keeper Talks’ The Natural Alternative: Feeling Stressed?

Woods Humane Society: Now is the Perfect Time to Adopt Colony People Equality Mural Project: Artists & Community Members Dedicated to Depicting Equality Chief of Police Jerel Haley: Ready to Retire Gone Too Soon: Four Young People Who ‘Touched Many Lives’ Taste Of Colony Sip & Savor, Exploring the Enclaves: The Long & Winding Peachy Canyon Road Taste of Americana: Zeroing in on Zucchini Local Business Donati Family Vineyard: More Than Just Wine Odyssey: Adapting to Stay Open McPhee’s: Waiting to Safely Reopen Reverse Mortgage: A Proven Approach Avila Traffic Safety: Here to Stay & Proud of the Community Tent City San Luis Obispo County Office of Education: The Long Days of Summer Slo Food Bank: Increasing Output While Donations Diminish

Colony Clipper Coming Soon! Coupon Savings in North County

Last Word We the People by Nicholas Mattson Directory to our Advertisers

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34 34

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Like and Follow us: DID YOU KNOW? Incorporated in 1979, Atascadero is now the third-largest city in San Luis Obispo County with nearly 28,000 residents. Many of the very principles that E.G. Lewis envisioned for his “utopian city” are ensured through the city’s general plan, which includes preservation of open space, protection of trees and hillsides, the keeping of domestic animals, and large lot sizes.

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Colony Magazine | August 2020

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Something Worth Reading | Publisher’s Letter When our future grandchildren look back to this month, they will read about a local high school graduate who created a short film based here in Atascadero. They will learn about a 90-yearold veteran who did not graduate due to joining the navy was honored by our school district and given a diploma 72 years later.

They will read about how we lost four young souls in a tragic car accident and the Equality Mural Project downtown. They will learn about how several local businesses persevered through this pandemic. They will see all our advertisers and what they were selling and how those companies have grown over time.

Our grandchildren will know so much more by then, so when they are looking back, I want to be sure that the stories we publish give them a small window into our community’s strength during this challenging time.

We learn from what others have experienced, reading through their trials and tribulations, feeling their loss, sense of despair, triumph, and successes can be what impacts us today to be the change we are seeking for our tomorrows.

Each month as we plan and build out our upcoming magazines, we are reminded of what incredible and resilient communities we live in and why we are proud to share and print the people who make it so special.

As we choose the stories that fill our pages, we do our best to select the ones that positively impact our community. Most stories we plan out months beforehand; however, there is always one or two (especially this year) that happens during production that we feel deserve to be added.

In this month’s issue, we are celebrating a historical time in our history for women. Two thousand and twenty marks the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, giving women the right to vote. We shared this on our cover and included a feature piece that highlights some of the courageous women of that time and era.

History is an interesting thing. Historical movements in our past that created change have parts of the story that today one may not agree with. However, the individuals impacting that change were not working within today’s society.

We believe our history is significant, and that is what our publications are once they are printed, a piece of history. The beauty of print is that our printed pages do not get lost in a social media feed. They do not get forgotten as people continue to scroll; our pages get a set place in history that when you look up a particular month of our publication, you get to see a glimpse of what was happening at that precise moment in time.

Reading through stories of the courageous people of our past, even if today, we may look at some as ignorant, teaches us all a valuable lesson. And that lesson is not worth giving up because that is how we got to where we are today. We can imagine what a moment in their time looked like, and we can be proud of how far we have come.

Of course, we still have work to do; we will always have work to do. That is the beauty of it all. The minute we do not see that change is needed in one form or another to address current issues, that is when we stop moving forward, and that is when we stop growing.

So, this month, we get to share how several women back in the late 1800’s early 1900’s fought to have their voices heard, and that movement led to many others. The courageous leaders of that time inspired other brave leaders, both women, and men, to find their way into history by being the change they sought. We are proud to tell their stories, and we are proud to know we are evolving.

Today I am proud to live a time that is not absurd for me to be a woman publisher, co-founder of a local media company, productive member of society, wife, and mother. My husband and I are a team, and together we divide and conquer, we are proud of what the women and men did together 100 years ago, they laid a foundation that we could all build upon, initiate change and allow us to grow.

We hope you enjoy this month’s issue of the Colony Magazine.

Please stay safe, share love, and be a good human.

In this Together,

Hayley & Nicholas Mattson

if thou wouldest win immortality of name, either do things worth the writing, or write things worth the reading.

— Thomas Fuller, 1727

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Colony Magazine | August 2020

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| Colony Buzz

A

e h t n i s e i v o M ark

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P

he Charles Paddock Zoo reopened to the public on June 17 with restrictions in place to keep both the patrons and the inhabitants safe. Still, it has found a virtual way to reach the public that is quickly becoming popular. While closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Atascadero based Zoo started an online web series that features a mixture of their zookeepers talking about some of the over 300 animals they have at their facility.

“When we closed the Zoo down to the public, we wanted to find a way to keep people in contact with what was going on, and some of our keepers came up with an idea for what we called, ‘Keeper Talks.’” Zoo Director Alan Baker told The Atascadero News. “They were very short 3-minute videos that we put on Facebook, where the keepers would film certain animals that they take care of and get up close and personal.”

The Zoo posted videos on its Facebook page every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

They are still up for the public to enjoy.

The Keeper Talk videos also drop fun factoids about their animals. For example, did you know the Malaysian Tiger is 11 years old or that the Ring-Tailed Lemurs have scent glands on their arms? Did you know that Roadrunners can run up to 20 miles per hour or that Meerkats are immune to scorpion venom? These are just a few of the fun informational tidbits that

12 | colonymagazine.com

tascadero’s popular summer event, “Movies In The Garden,” is undergoing a makeover this year and will be switching from the Sunken Gardens to Paloma Park for a drive-in style event. “Movies In The Park” as it will be called this year, will start on August 8 and run for four consecutive Saturdays.

The event has changed to adhere to safety protocols put forward by county and state officials due to the COVID19 pandemic.

The event will have 50 spaces available. Interested families can reserve a space online at My805tickets, beginning on July 20. The first three movies that will be playing are “Frozen 2,” followed by “Onward” on August 15 and “Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker” on August 22. The fourth and final movie has yet to be decided.

The venue will open at 8 p.m., and the movies will run until approximately 11 p.m. Those wanting to attend will

want to have their radio’s ready as announcements, and the movie audio will come through your speakers at 103.9 FM. “What we are trying to do here at the city with our recreation team is to take events that we know that we can bring to people virtually,” Atascadero Deputy City Manager Terrie Banish said. “Give them something to look forward to and give families something to do during these very unprecedented times.”

The movies will be free as always, but spaces will still need to be reserved online to hold your spot. Viewers are encouraged to back their vehicles into spots and transform their cars into a comfy place. Moviegoers will also be able to purchase various snacks from vendors such as Paradise Shaved Ice.  For more information or to view Atascadero’s community calendar, go to visitatascadero.com and click the events tab.

Call of the

the zookeeper’s sprinkle over every video.

From the videos, the Charles Paddock Zoo became comfortable operating the cameras. A few weeks later, they opened up virtual tours to local teachers, allowing them to bring animals right into their virtual classrooms.

“We were having teachers call in and would have one of our staff walk through the Zoo with their I-Pad and actually give the kids on the Zoom a virtual tour of the Zoo,” Baker noted. “What was really cool about it is that the kids could ask real-time questions, so it worked out pretty well. We were doing those until school slowly closed up for the year, so we thought we could offer it to the public in the meantime.”

You can now book your virtual tour, bring in your kid’s favorite animal to their party, or spice up a potentially dull business meeting as the Zoo is now offering two options for virtual tours on their website, one for 15 minutes and one for 30.

“If you are having a birthday party for your kids, you can virtually have the Red Panda join,” Baker said with a smile. “People seem to really enjoy it.” 

Wild

The park is currently closed, those wishing to visit in person upon reopening must wear masks and social distance to protect everyone. Visit charlespaddockzoo.org for more information.

Colony Magazine | August 2020

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| Adopting Adaptation

Now is the perfect time to adopt from

WOODS HUMANE SOCIETY

By Connor Allen

I

safe, responsible way to do so.

Now with a few months of experience under their belts, the shelter has adapted and moved forward to an appointment-only model to reduce the number of people in the facility at once.

"We immediately changed to a by appointment only system and are sticking with that. We needed to maintain our social distance and maintain the health of our staff," L'Heureux said. "People call into the shelter when they are interested in an animal that they saw from our website or social media. We set up an appointment and set up a meet and greet and treat the whole process as normal, and we still have all the parameters and requirements for adoption."

Even with the extra hoops to jump through in recent months, Woods set a record this year for adoptions.

Woods Humane's fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30, and this year they found happy homes for 3,100 animals.

Most people don't realize that Woods is privately funded and does not receive any form of governmental funding. Woods continues to run based on the generosity of the community, donations and fundraisers.

Like most events in the county, the shelter had to cancel its fundraisers going forward this year, including its most prominent, the Tails Gala scheduled for its 20th annual this past June.

In place of fundraisers, the shelter was on the lookout for other funding sources and found a partnership with a pet CBD oil and treatment company, Honest Paws. The company is one of the largest pet CBD product distributors and agreed to a partnership with Woods Humane Society, pledging to give 30 percent of their online sales in California for the foreseeable future.

CBD is the nonpsychoactive part of cannabis and can help animals struggling with anxiety from being sheltered, recently spayed, or a multitude of other factors.

"We looked at facilities all over the country, and when we came across the

t is always a good time to bring a fur baby into your home, but perhaps there is no time better than during a global pandemic that has forced most people inside like a bear in hibernation. The Woods Humane Society in San Luis Obispo agreed and adjusted its model to keep adoptions running during the pandemic, which led to a record amount of adoptions in the last fiscal year.

"We have been holding very steady with adoptions and saw a tremendous outpouring of community support, especially when the outbreak first happened. We have had very successful adoption months," Woods Donor Engagement Manager Emily L'Heureux said. "We feel this is the perfect time to adopt into your family. We have seen people with unprecedented levels of time at home. You can really dedicate the appropriate time to training with that animal and bonding with that animal and adapting them to your routines and vice versa."

At the start of the pandemic, the Woods Humane Society reconfigured its entire system as many businesses did in recent months, including shutting down all additional services besides animal adoption and surrender. These other services include obedience training, spay and neuter clinics, youth educational courses, and even vaccines until they figured out a Woods Humane Society has been busy with adoptions during the pandemic.

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Woods Humane Society, we knew we wanted to partner with them because their operation is so well managed," Honest Paws Founder Min Lee said.

"They really do so much for their respective community as opposed to some other shelters that we have looked at."

Lee stated that there is no definitive end in sight for the partnership, saying, "We want to see how it goes through at least the end of the summer, but if it goes well, it is certainly something we would be happy to do in perpetuity."

Through the partnership, Woods Humane Society has begun to use Honest Paws products on some of its animals and was so pleased with the results that they have added Honest Paw items to their retail.

"We were so excited when Honest Paws reached out," L'Heureux said.

"We don't receive government funding, so we can do the work that we do because of a very generous community. So, when Honest Paws wanted to come on board and give us a percentage of their revenue from their California sales, we were, of course, grateful and explore any opportunities to bring in revenue." â– If you or someone you know is looking to bring home a new member of the family or are perhaps interested in donating time or money to the Woods Humane Society, visit their website anytime at woodshumanesociety.org.

Colony Magazine | August 2020

Expressions of Equality |

By Connor Allen

and if we flood our public spaces with positive mantras like this poem.”

His image’s inspiration draws from a giant oak tree, and the essence is captured in the Haiku poem stenciled in plain sight.

The traditional Japanese poemstyle consists of three lines with the first and last lines containing five syllables while the middle line includes seven.

“It takes years for an Oak to grow to the size necessary to provide a lot of shade, years of existing with an inward focus,” Andros says of his inspiration.

The Biola University graduate returned home to Santa Margarita in 2018 and believes in the power of positive messages in the public space. He graduated from Atascadero High School in 2010.

Andros has also spent time working with the William James Foundation at California Men’s Colony teaching art and has seen the healing it can provide.

“The motivation is, in light of

Welcoming NEW Patients!

August 2020 | Colony Magazine

everything that is going on, in light of a national conversation about race relations, in light of police brutality, black lives matter, people that are either triggered by that term or people that feel empowerment from it, the poem seeks to address both of those parties,” Andros said. “At the end of the day, we all want stillness, we all want peace beneath a tree, we all have like-minded goals for our lives so if we unite on a message and all parties understand that there is a like goal, in the end, then we can start to find compromise and resolution to these issues.”

The artist hopes that this image would allow people to begin those conversations on their own. ■

of Atascadero

T

he Equality Mural Project in Atascadero is a collective of local artists and community members dedicated to adding 10 different murals to downtown, depicting various aspects of equality.

The group was inspired by the two paintings placed downtown in 2017, “The Floating Lady” by Ioan Baraban and “The Historic Mural”

by Heather Millenaar that are visible from the Traffic Way and El Camino intersection. As a way to support all-inclusive equality, they now have expanded their message to equality for everyone.

“After talking about it, we decided that we don’t want to limit it just to gender equality.

We want to expand it to a more general, all-inclusive equality,” Zoe Zappas, a founding member of the Equality Mural Project, told us.

The collective, which is filed under the SLO County Arts nonprofit, formally known as

ArtsObispo, begins their journey toward painting 10 murals downtown and have their first artist and a verbal agreement to secure their first wall.

The first of the murals will be painted by Atascadero High School first-year English teacher Clarke Andros and entitled “Grow To Shade.”

“I am a visual artist that uses a lot of mediums, and this one was exciting to me because I have been thinking a lot about public discourse in the public square,” Andros explained. “Sometimes, there can be big impacts made by putting art in the public sphere, in places where people are going to interact with it every single day

The Equality Mural Project is working in downtown Atascadero to find more walls and more artists looking to convey a message through their craft. Those wishing to make donations to the projects, provide a canvas, or illustrate one on their own should go to equalitymuralproject.com.

805-466-6939

colonymagazine.com | 15

Ready to Retire

a

By Connor Allen

fter 29 years in law enforcement, including the past nine as the Chief of Police in Atascadero, Jerel Haley is retiring. His last day will be Oct. 16.

As a law enforcement officer, he worked in many roles, such as Street Crimes Detective, SWAT team member, Sexual Assault Investigator, and perhaps the most impactful — Community Services Officer.

During his tenure in Atascadero, Chief Haley engaged with the community, participating in numerous fundraising events, and working with many nonprofit organizations.

It wasn’t by accident. It was part of his philosophy. It will also be part of his legacy as many of those in the force have also adopted a passion for community involvement.

“The way that I say it is repeated from something I heard a long time ago but the need to make deposits in people’s emotional bank accounts,” Haley told The Atascadero News.

“Community involvement is one of the ways to do that; we set about the process of trying to give access to community members to who we are. We call it partnershiping, we want to make a partnership with the community, and the one way to do that is getting involved and getting invested and being active and letting people have access to us.”

Law enforcement and its practices aren’t just a career for Chief Haley.

They have been his life. Haley’s father served in law enforcement for 30 years, mostly with the Santa Clara County Sheriff ’s Office, and set an example for what he wanted to be.

“I have a picture in my office that I drew where I said I wanted to be a policeman when I grew up,” Haley said.

Apart from a few years of teenage angst that always go with a burning desire to separate oneself from family

16 | colonymagazine.com

and anything they do, he has always wanted to be a cop.

“As I got older and wised up and looked back on my dad’s life, I thought, ‘that wasn’t bad at all, what he was able to accomplish,’ and I kind of came back around to that dream in my early 20’s. I suppose in some ways I always wanted to be a cop and in other ways wanted to become a cop because of the example I saw my father set in his 30-year career in law enforcement,” Haley explained.

Police Chief Jerel Haley poses for a photo with his wife, left, and daughter, right.

While working for Atascadero, Haley and the Atascadero Police Department took part in such events as Coffee With A Cop, National Night Out, K-9 Wine & Dine Spaghetti Dinner, as well as lots of work with the Special Olympics.

Haley began the annual and popular Special Olympics Basketball Game six years ago when a group of athletes challenged him and two officers to a game while awarding them medals that they didn’t receive at a tournament.

“He has been a strong leader in the Atascadero community, a champion for youth in the community and has been a strength in the North County for Special Olympics,” Jody Watty, Director of Special Olympics SLO County said. “In addition [to basketball], he ran with the torch

at the annual Torch Run each year and served hundreds of dinners at the annual Tip A Cop dinners. He and his department helped to raise thousands of dollars for local Special Olympics athletes. To say we will miss Chief Haley will be an understatement.”

APD also worked closely with the El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO) using the Community Action Team (CAT), which sent officers and mental health professionals out to people facing homelessness as a way to prevent incidents and deter problematic situations proactively. Haley has also served as a board member for Transitions-Mental Health Association for the past eight years.

“It has been an honor to work with Chief Haley during my tenure,”

ECHO President Wendy Lewis said.

“We worked closely on the topic of homelessness in our community, and Chief Haley always showed compassion for the unhoused and those struggling in Atascadero.”

Now looking back, Haley says that instilling a sense of community involvement is one of his proudest achievements since being appointed.

“We got together as a department and said, ‘Who do we want to be?’ And then you see the men and women of the department start embracing that and moving it forward, that is when you start to realize that this is something that they grasp and desire,” he said.

Sometime after Oct. 16, Chief Haley plans to move to Maui and enjoy the beach life with his wife, Holly. However, just because he is retiring from one job doesn’t mean he will relax.

“I want to start a second career,” Haley said. “I’m still young and have a lot of energy and desire to work and no place better to do that than on an island like Maui. My kids will be kind of spread to the four winds of life, but they will always want to come see us there, hopefully.”  Colony Magazine | August 2020

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four brilliant lights have gone out

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By Brian Williams

he four young people who died in a car crash outside of Templeton on June 29 were friends “who touched many lives.”

At approximately 9:23 p.m.

June 29, Kegin Dakota York, 22, of Creston, according to the California High Patrol, was driving his 2007 Infiniti G35 sedan too fast on the backroads east of Templeton and lost control. The car left Neal Spring Road and slammed into an old oak tree, killing Kegin and his three friends in the car — Shelby Lynn Biaggini, 23, Taylan Elaine Perez, 22, and Karen MontesCabrera, 21.

Kegin and Shelby worked together for a short time at 15 degrees C Wine Shop and Bar in Templeton.

“Kegin and Shelby were extremely f riendly, outgoing, happy people who touched many lives,” said 15 degrees C owner Ali Carscaden. “They were a joy to have at work and quickly became friends with everyone.

“The weight of their passing is something that affected the entire staff, as well as customers,” she added.

Kegin worked at 15 degrees C for the past year, while Shelby started there in 2020 after moving back to North County from Bend, Ore. Carscaden said Kegin loved children and animals.

“Whenever my son was here, he would play with him and encourage him to do tricks on his bike and scooter,” Carscaden said. “Kegin’s middle name is Dakota and my dog’s name is Dakota. He would always play with her and ask if he could take her to the park for a walk.”

Shelby and Karen worked together at Joebella Coffee Roasters of Atascadero. They were scheduled to work Tuesday, June 30, said owner Joseph Gerardis.

Karen, of Paso Robles, started working at Joebella when she was 18. She quickly became a popular barista.

“She was the barista that was the shining star,” Gerardis said. “Every-

body liked her. She was really steady. Her big thing was being positive and she wanted people to have a positive experience. She tried to brighten people’s lives each day.”

Earlier this year, Karen talked with Gerardis about wanting to work on a farm in a foreign country.

“She showed me her plans,” Gerardis said. “She was going to work on a farm in Spain and was planning to leave in April, but COVID hit and she had to put that on hold.”

With her plan stalled by COVID-19, Karen was going to work the upcoming wine harvest for Niner Wine Estates, said Gerardis.

Shelby was a relative newcomer to Joebella and was blossoming as a barista.

“She grew into the role of a barista. She was a little shy at first,” Gerardis said. “She was for lack of a better word, a real spitfire, a go-getter. She had initiative. She was willing to take things on.

“We definitely had great plans for her,” he added.

Taylan, of Paso Robles, had big plans for the future, said sister Cameron Ayala-Perez.

“She had a love for wine and adventure, which she combined the two earlier this year and traveled to New Zealand to work abroad at a winery,” Ayala-Perez said. “She made friends wherever she went and always surrounded herself with those that made her laugh.”

Her sister said Taylan was a “free soul,” who had a knack for making people laugh.

“She was kind-hearted, courageous, spontaneous, and cared for others like no other,” Ayala-Perez said. “Her presence would change your mood and put the biggest smile on your face. She would make us laugh with her goofy personality. Taylan taught everyone to be yourself and to not take notice of what others thought of you.”

Family and friends have come together to offer support, both financially and emotionally, since the accident occurred. “Go Fund Me” accounts for each of them has raised almost a hundred thousand dollars for their families, all donated by our community members.

As one community member shared, “This is why our community never ceases to amaze me, so much love in a time of crisis.

This is such a tragedy for the four families who lost a child, two of whom worked at one of our favorite Main St. businesses. Amazing to see everyone come together to help them through this unimaginable time.” 

We Love You Atascadero.

We’re getting through this together.

We’ll be stronger. We’ll be braver.

Together.

August 2020 | Colony Magazine

colonymagazine.com | 17

| In the Movies

d n a s e c u d ro P m lu A S H A ro e d a c s ta A in m il F rt o h S ts c Dire

A

By Connor Allen

Hotel offered helped in securing permits and keeping costs low for the former Greyhound to film.

“I reached out to Mr. Neely, who was the principal at Atascadero High School then and (Superintendent) Tom Butler, and they helped me get the permit to film at the high school for free,” Say said. “I also spoke to Terri Banish from the City, she was really kind, and helped us get a contract to film at the lake as well as Deana [Alexander] at the Carlton who let us film there as well as letting t h e

cast and crew stay there for a great deal.”

Say’s film, which is classified as a thriller, is centered around a group of friends with one horrible secret, a prank gone wrong in high school that killed one of their friends, and rather than report it, they covered it up.

The film is set in the present day, 10 years after the incident, when the group returns to Atascadero for their 10-year high school reunion. Strange things begin happening to the friends once back in town and they end up trapped on the 13th

tascadero High School alum David Say returned from California State University, Northridge, two times near the end of 2019 to film his senior thesis, a short film entitled, “13.”

Say graduated from college and returned home to help his family in their popular coffee shop Malibu Brew Coffee. He is also working on premiering his movie at Galaxy Theatres Atascadero. The short was filmed in three recognizable Atascadero locations.

Say, who graduated f rom Atascadero in 2016, was tasked with not only writing and directing a short-film but also fully producing and funding it. Tasked with raising close to $20,000, Say found that returning home was a boon.

“We had to fundraise everything from scratch, which was another difficult project to do,” Say told The Atascadero News. “We actually came up a little short in some of our funding, but I then reached out to some people here in Atascadero, because we love the community here, and were able to get it done.”

Say’s family supplied craft services on film day while the City of Atascadero, Atascadero High School, and The Carlton David Say returned to Atascadero to film his short film ‘13.’

18 | colonymagazine.com

floor of The Carlton Hotel.

“We started the project in September,” Say said. “We took about a month to write the story.

Then filmed in late October around Halloween and then filmed another shoot in November.”

Apart from filming at The Carlton Hotel and Atascadero High School, Say’s film team also has scenes filmed at the Atascadero Lake Park.

The young director fell in love with film at a young age when he and his family moved from Cambodia to the United States.

As a young kid with no sense of American culture, he turned to movies as his guide and looks to do the same for kids in the future.

“I was about 7 or 8 years old, and when I came here, I didn’t know a lot of English,” he said. “So I went to school, which helped, but I pretty much learned American culture through movies and television, especially Disney movies.

That taught me a lot, so I’ve taken that with me and want to be able to do it someday for other kids.”

Before the start of the COVID19 pandemic, Say was engaging in talks to premiere the movie at Galaxy Theatres in Atascadero.

Unfortunately, due to closures to theaters, Say was forced to put his showing on hold. He hopes to show his movie, in the city he filmed it in, someday soon.  Colony Magazine | August 2020

Atascadero High School |

AHS AWARDS DIPLOMA AFTER 72 YEARS

By Connor Allen

S

eventy-two years ago, Atascadero High School student Albert Kelley enlisted in the US Navy partway through his senior year and headed to Korea to defend the country, never receiving his high school diploma. Thursday afternoon, at the Atascadero Unified School District Office, Kelley, 90, finally received his diploma in a socially distanced ceremony with his family.

During his time at the high school, Kelley was a student who participated in track and field and was also in the school marching band.

However, by his own admission, Kelley was a bit of a "renegade" in his younger years. This eventually pushed him toward the armed forces and serving his country.

"The State of California provides for school districts to grant high school diplomas to students who, because of their enlistment in the armed forces, were not able to complete high school and graduate with their class," AHS Principal Dan Andrus said in the ceremony. "He did the things that qualified him for graduation and the things that make the high school experience worthwhile. Not just the academics, but the extracurriculars and being a part of the community."

Kelley spent four years aboard the USS Princeton, working as one of the ship's radiomen starting in 1948, just after the end of World War II, and aided the US all over the Pacific, most notably in Korea.

Upon his return, Kelley lived in Long Beach and worked for Douglas Aircraft Company before returning to his hometown and opening Paso Robles Diesel Service. He owned and operated it for many years.

"We could not be more proud, Albert," AUSD School Board President Donn Clickard said. "To stand before you, those of us representing the school district, to award this diploma to you and the importance that goes with it of being a graduate Greyhound, congratulations."

August 2020 | Colony Magazine

Kelley's daughter, Joyce, was the catalyst behind the ceremony, reaching out to the school district and Clickard to set up the joyous occasion as a surprise.

Donning a grey cap with an orange and grey gown, Kelley stood front and center as Clickard led him through the tassel's turning, which made him an official Atascadero Greyhound graduate.

"The Class of 1948, you may move your tassels. Ladies and gentlemen, this class has graduated," Clickard said as the room broke out into applause for the newest member of the 1948 class.

"I feel better today than I did yesterday," said the 90-year old veteran with a smile you could see radiating through his protective mask.

The diploma served as an early birthday present for Kelley, who turned 90 on July 13. ď Ž

I feel better today than I did yesterday!

Albert Kelley, 90

colonymagazine.com | 19

The Right to

100 years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the history of the struggle reminds us that change and progress are possible

19th Amendment to the United States Constitution "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

20 | colonymagazine.com

W

e live in a country where the right to vote permits us to voice our opinion on local and federal elections, granting us the ability to sway the tides of our government.

Throughout history, the desire to have a say in how one is governed has led to wars, revolutions, and movements. August 2020 marks the centennial anniversary of the ratification of the United States Constitution’s 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.

After the founding of the United States in 1776, the thirteen states were left to decide separately upon their voting rights. This resulted in state-by-state requirements based on gender, religion, race, tax bracket, and property ownership. Initially, New Jersey’s 1776 constitution permitted “all inhabitants” (including women) the right to vote; but an 1807 law ensured the end of women’s attendance at the polls.

During this time, several reform groups started multiplying across the United States, temperance leagues, religious movements, moral-reform societies, anti-slavery organizations, and in many of these, women played a prominent role.

At this time, many American women began rebelling against what was called the “Cult of True Womanhood,” that is, the idea that the only “true” woman was a virtuous, obedient wife and mother concerned exclusively with home and family. In turn, this contributed to a new way of thinking about what it meant to be a woman and a citizen of the United States.

As the years went by and women sought to pass reform legislation, the drive to change society intensified. In 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Martha Wright, Mary Ann M’Clintock, and Jane Hunt issued a call for a women’s rights conference at Seneca Falls, New York, where Stanton lived. Prior to the event, Stanton drafted the “Declaration of Sentiments

By Megan Olshefski & Hayley Mattson

and Grievances,” which she modeled after the Declaration of Independence. The declaration began with “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights…” she continued to lay out the present injustices against women in the United States. The declaration then called for women to be viewed as full citizens, and granted the same civil, economic, and political rights as men.

The convention sparked a national movement that lasted seven decades. During the 1850s, the women’s rights movement gathered steam but then lost momentum when the Civil War began.

Almost immediately after the war ended, the 14th Amendment and the 15th Amendment to the Constitution raised familiar questions of suffrage and citizenship.

The ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868 extended the Constitution’s protection to all citizens and defined “citizens” as “male.” In 1869, the “National Woman Suffrage Association” (NWSA) was formed by Stanton and Susan B. Anthony to focus efforts on a federal constitutional amendment that would grant women the right to vote.

A year later, in 1870, the 15th Amendment guaranteed African American men the right to vote. With the 15th Amendment declaring that “the right of citizens ... to vote shall not be denied or abridged ... on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude,” the amendment still excluded women. Even after Stanton and Anthony, along with other activists, fought to have all women included, regardless of race, women were still denied that right.

As a result, some women’s suffrage organizations refused to support the 15th Amendment.

This led to the argument that it was not right to jeopardize African American men’s right to vote by tying to the evidently less popular Colony Magazine | August 2020

campaign for female suffrage.

During that time, a pro-15th Amendment group formed called the “American Woman Suffrage Association” (AWSA) founded by abolitionists Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell. The group supported the 15th Amendment and feared it would not pass if it included voting rights for women.

This hostility between the two organizations eventually faded, and in 1890 the two groups merged to form the “National American Woman Suffrage Association.”

Stanton was the organization’s first president.

Both Stanton and Anthony played a fundamental role in the women’s suffrage movement. They both were pioneers who led future women activists, and both died before seeing their hard work come to fruition. The 19th Amendment was later known as the “Susan B. Anthony Amendment” to honor her work on behalf of women’s rights.

Over time, the suff ragists’ approach had evolved. Instead of arguing that women deserved the same rights and responsibilities as men because women and men were “created equal,” the new generation of activists argued that women deserved the vote because they were different from men. This direction deemed their domesticity as a political virtue, using that to create a purer, more moral “maternal commonwealth.”

Locally around that time, Atascadero’s community had its own significant impact among these women’s groups, with its founding rooted in the women’s suffrage movement. Atascadero founder Edward Garner Lewis (E.G. Lewis) placed his support behind the movement when he first published the Woman’s National Weekly magazine.

The magazine was the largest circulated publication in the world at 1.6 million copies per issue. Within the magazine, Lewis advertised his newly established group: the American Woman’s League; for which women gained membership by selling $52 worth of magazine subscriptions to Lewis’ Woman’s Magazine and Woman’s Farm Journal (the publishers promised to return half of the money to the American Woman’s League). By 1910, the group roster saw the names of more than 100,000 August 2020 | Colony Magazine

members, over 700 chapters across the country, and brought in $1.25 million from subscriptions for them to use toward women’s issues.

By 1912, the group converted into the America Woman’s Republic, which continued to grant women educational opportunities to learn about the operations and affairs of government, politics, and businesses.

Marguerite A. Travis in her publication “The Birth of Atascadero,” they promptly organized “… the Woman’s Club, first as a unit of the Woman’s National Republic…” Ideas passed between women within the club’s study groups. Members hailed internationally from all walks of life, as Marguerite A. Travis elaborates: “The women came from so many

all of the rights that come with citizenship.

On November 2 of that year, after almost a century of protest, more than 8 million women across the United States voted for the first time. Today more than 68 million women vote in elections.

Change and progress are possible when we stand up against injustices

The group’s own politics mirrored that of the United States by crafting their own Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court.

Though the America Woman’s Republic was headquartered in Universal City, Missouri, the location was not to last as E.G. Lewis, and his wife (and officer of the America Woman’s Republic), Mabel Lewis, bought Rancho Atascadero with the backing of their investors. On July 4, 1913, the title for Atascadero’s land was ceremoniously transferred to E.G. and Mabel Lewis on behalf of the America Woman’s Republic. Symbolically and physically, the group relocated to a new capital in 1916, Atascadero, California.

As the ink of Atascadero’s title dried, the women living in the temporary tent city and those belonging to the America Woman’s Republic crafted a social life.

According to early resident

different parts of the world and had such different habits and ways of doing things that one would hear at all meetings of club members or committees the familiar phrases: ‘Back east, we did it this way,’ ‘Down south it was always like that,’ and ‘In England, it was always done in this manner.’ Many unique and worthwhile ideas and plans were evolved out of the various suggestions.”

Even within the small community of Atascadero, women organized and exchanged ideas to further the cause and progress of women’s suffrage.

Finally, on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified after passing both Congress’s houses and winning approval from the thirty-six states necessary for a two-thirds majority.

The long-awaited victory granted women the right to vote; and, in doing so, proclaimed to the entire country that like men, they deserved

through organization, determination, and bravery. One hundred years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, we honor our history and the sacrifices countless women and men made to acquire our rights. By voting, we not only honor them, but we determine the world we leave our future generations. ■

Publisher ’s Note

In honor of the centennial over the next few months leading to the 2020 elections, we will be writing a series on our history’s voting rights and sharing the brave and courageous individuals that fought for equality and for their voices to be heard.

References for this article were history. com, womensvote100.org, 2020centennial.org, biography.org, and “The Birth of Atascadero” by Marguerite A. Travis. colonymagazine.com | 21

By Tonya Strickland

22 | colonymagazine.com

Colony Magazine | August 2020

I

f you haven’t heard … we’re selling our house in Paso and moving to the Seattle area this summer!

Say whaaaaat? It’s crazy, I know.

And I’m equal parts sad and excited for it. But, moving during a pandemic? Not fun. It makes things like saying goodbye and visiting our favorite kid-places “one last time” super complicated. So I’m sayin’ to the heck with all that and already making plans for a mom-cation here when this is all over.

Honestly, though, if it was completely up to me, I’d never leave the Central Coast. It’s a place that’s charmed my heart in so many ways.

In its scenic beauty. In its community.

And in the many friendships that long-distance just won’t shake. For me, SLO County represents college days, career dreams coming true, meeting Bowen, our first house, the place our babies were born, those early motherhood years, and the forever friends entwined in it all.

But this move comes with a backstory about keeping a promise.

And my parents always told me it’s important to keep your promises.

Years ago, my husband Bowen and I made a pact that we’d live where I wanted first (Paso) to build my journalism career, and then we’d move to the Pacific Northwest to follow his dreams. And since I’m a stubborn Scorpio and he’s a supportive Taurus, August 2020 | Colony Magazine

I’m 10 years overdue on my end of the bargain. So it’s time for me to take his hand to lead us into our new chapter. But ... I told Bowen the second he dies; I’m moving back to Paso. :) Until then (ha), I’ve started a little SLO County Bucketlist of places to go before leaving. They’re all outdoor places because of COVID-19, so all the playgrounds and indoor places we love like Hop’s Bouncehouse, Atascadero Library Storytime, and the Paso Robles Children’s Museum are sadly off-limits.

Luckily there’s no shortage of outside things to do:

boardwalk trail in November 2018 to get some pictures for our review of a toy wagon. The wagon was my first big collaboration with a major toy brand, and I was so excited to take it somewhere scenic and cool to show off our area. The wagon held up beautifully on the trail. Then, a few months later, was the prize in one of my local Facebook giveaways to one happy family across the street from Clara’s school.

Eflin Forest, Los Osos A walk through the oh-so-magical twisty pigmy Elfin Forest was one of our very first blog posts ever!

I went there in June 2016 with my mom-friend (local artist Liz Hudson!), knowing I was starting a travel blog soon. Baby Wyatt was strapped to me in the baby carrier with just socks — no shoes — and Clara was 2 years old with dirtsmudged cheeks and mismatched sweater buttons because it was a miracle we even got out of the house.

Looking back on those pictures definitely cue the waterworks about wishing life had a pause button.

Black Hill Trail, Morro Bay The reason behind this one is really cute. When Bowen asked me to marry him, I was 26, and the proposal was a complete surprise. ⁣He lived in Morro Bay and casually asked me to go on a hike with him one day.

The Black Hill Trail was in his neighborhood — a short but steep State Park vista (and a proud member of The Nine Sisters volcanic mountain range) that makes me feel like I’m on top of the world. I’ve always wanted to take Clara and Wyatt up there and tell them daddy asked mommy to marry him right here! And a few Downtown Paso weeks ago, we did it! I had the kids There’s nothing better than walkdo a photo re-enactment of a proposal ing into Downtown City Park with OH EM GEE the cuteness. the Carnegie Library in the background, its red-brick walls catching Marina Peninsula Trail, Morro Bay the sunlight. History, beauty, memoThe kids and I walked this coastal ries of Concerts in the Park, car shows

with my dad, parades, Christmas tree lightings, and countless stories I’ve written about for the newspaper always on my mind. The park really is the heart of this community, and it’s always been that way for me.

Charles Paddock Zoo I don’t care if the big-city zoos in our future sport all the coolest and most impressive animals in the biggest habitats, Atascadero’s Charles Paddock Zoo is always going to be my favorite. It’s the place my children learned to walk, a small respite of fenced-in sanity for tired mamas and their not-tired kiddos to run around in, and it’s just so dang special. I’ve spent an extensive amount of time writing about and going to this community zoo, and there will never be a cooler zoo out there.

Welp, now I’m crying. I’m going to really miss living here. All the mamas, friends, and sources who followed me from the Trib and Nic and Hayley Mattson so graciously gave me a voice in print again. Everyone. Thank you for all the support and for all the fun.

Part of the magic of being a blogger is I’m not going away. I’ll keep my blog, Facebook, and Instagram pages going to share our adventures. In life, in travel, wherever we are.

See you soon!

XOXO, Tonya  colonymagazine.com | 23

| Sip & Savor: Exploring the Enclaves

T

he long and winding Peachy Canyon Road, connecting downtown Paso Robles to Vineyard Drive, rolls through oak-studded vineyard-lined hills that encompass some of the area’s most esteemed wineries as well as two significant historic vineyards.

The ten-mile stretch begins at Pacific Avenue at 6th Street, turns into Peachy Canyon Road, then twists and turns till it meets Vineyard.

Straddling the appellations of Willow Creek and Adelaida District, this region is ideal for Rhône style grapes. However, its legacy sites, the Paderewski and HMR Vineyards, originally went in a different direction.

In the early 1900s, zinfandel and petite sirah flourished when legendary pianist, Polish diplomat, and vintner Ignacy Jan Paderewski planted his namesake vineyard. The 67-acre vineyard within the 570-acre ranch is now part of Epoch Estate Wines founded

by Bill and Liz Armstrong, who have replanted those two varieties to blend into the Rhône varieties that now grow there.

Then in 1964, Beverly Hills cardiologist Dr. Stanley Hoffman planted chardonnay, pinot noir, and cabernet sauvignon at his Hoffman Mountain Ranch (HMR) Vineyard a part of Adelaida Winery. Many of those original plantings remain.

Within the last decade, several new and prestigious wineries have sprung up along the trail. One local vintner mused Peachy Canyon is fast becoming the “Rodeo Drive of Paso.” If so, it sure has come a long way from its original designation as the area where locals caught a notorious horse thief named Peachy. So peaches had nothing to do with the canyon’s name.

Walnuts, in fact, were once the favored crop. The Peachy newcomers include Villa Creek Cellars, Law Estate, Torrin Wine, and Sixmilebridge.

Winemaker Scott Hawley, whose textured signature can be found on half a dozen Paso’s westside wineries including Law Estate, was long drawn

24 | colonymagazine.com

to this corridor when he rode his bike there. The opportunity to establish his own brand came in 2002 while working at Summerwood Winery when he was offered prized James Berry vineyard grapes by Justin Smith (Saxum Wine).

“That was the catalyst,” remarked Hawley. An acquisition of a ten-acre vineyard on Anderson Road soon followed, and Torrin Wine was launched with its first release in 2006.

From a modest start of 283 cases, the annual production has grown to a 3,000-case portfolio that includes Torrin’s Rhône-focused wines and Lagom brand’s pinot noir and chardonnay.

When a 70-acre hillside ranch on Peachy Canyon came on the market, Hawley and his wife Viquel grabbed it in 2016. Vineyard planting hasn’t started, but Hawley’s plans include 15 acres planted to Rhône grapes.

Hawley’s wines reflect a hands-off approach. “We do as little to the wines as possible,” he said when I met the couple at their contemporary-styled tasting room on the ranch. “Where we are here is really prime for grenache,” Hawley said, pointing to the calcareous shale soil type.

A tactile presence runs through Torrin’s richly textured cellar-worthy Torrin wines, red Rhône blends such as Le Devoir, The Maven, and Banshee.

The companion Lagom portfolio of Burgundian-focused wines deliver a minerally Spanish Springs chardonnay; and Intoto, a restrained pinot noir, evocative of a classic Burgundy, its fruit sourced from Santa Barbara County.

The only Demeter certified bio-dynamic farmed winery along this corridor, Villa Creek Cellars is noted for its vibrant grenache and syrah-dominated wines that are deliciously dark and brooding, redolent with Peachy Canyon’s mountain garrigue. Winemakers/founders Chris and JoAnn Cherry produce two labels, the Villa Creek brand produced from estate and sourced fruit and MAHA wines made

from limestone-rich estate hillside vineyards.

Taking over from Hawley, Law Estate Wines’ winemaker Philipp Pfunder arrived with a Napa pedigree (he was a cellar hand at the uber-cult winery Screaming Eagle) and began crafting wines that are audacious yet elegant.

A majority of 80 acres on the 400-acre property are planted to grenache and syrah, accompanied by cabernet sauvignon, carignan, mourvèdre, and graciano, petit verdot and tempranillo — varieties that go into Law Estate’s signature blends, expressive of steep hillside vineyards elevated to 1900 feet.

In the midst of these Rhône-centric wineries, Sixmilebridge winery is focused on Bordeaux style wines produced by proprietors Jim and Barbara Moroney. After scouring several California locations, the couple chose Paso for its terroir and the local community. “People here are working together and being collaborative rather than being competitive,” Barbara commented.

Honoring their Irish heritage, the Moroneys named the winery after a small village in County Clare. The label’s creation was inspired by a heartfelt local Irish tale they eagerly share with visitors.

Paso’s veteran winemaker Anthony Yount is at the helm, and his wife Hilary manages the vineyards. On the 93-acre hillside ranch, 23 acres (organically farmed) are planted to Bordeaux varieties. The wines are barrel-aged in mostly new French oak for 22 months and bottle-aged for 14 months.

Yount-crafted wines appeal to the Moroney palate, which leans on the classic Old World style. A sauvignon blanc, fragrant with quince and lemon notes, and the seductive Estate Cuvèe in the classic Bordeaux style. Paying homage to Paso, zinfandel joins cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc in the luscious Paladin.

A veil of tranquility covers the lakeside Rangeland Winery, which shares

its tasting room with Allegretto Wine.

These are two under-the-radar wines that beg to be discovered. Rangeland’s 2019 pale Flora Rosé rings with watermelon tartness; the 2015 Watershed, in a merlot-driven Bordeaux style blend rocks with plum notes; and the deep-hued 2016 petite sirah is bold yet elegant.

At Allegretto, you can savor the refreshing 2017 Trio, a white Rhône blend, and an aromatic 2016 viognier.

Among the reds, there is the 2015 allspice-laced tannat and the blackberry-loaded 2015 Willow Creek Vineyard cabernet sauvignon.

Fans of big juicy zinfandel will be drawn to Minassian Young Vineyards’ Zin-Only house. “I’m not apologetic,” commented David Young, co-owner and winemaker of four dry-farmed zinfandels and a tannat blended with carignan and, of course, zinfandel.

There is a good selection of both Rhône and Bordeaux style blends at the scenic hilltop Calcareous winery and the rustic barn of Stacked Stone Cellars. Meanwhile, at Michael Gill Cellars, you’ll find more than award-winning wines like vermentino, syrah, and tannat. The tasting room is festooned with taxidermy displays of big game hunted by vintner Michael Gill. Old Peachy wouldn’t have lasted as long as he did if Gill had been around in those days. ■ Following COVID-19 pandemic guidelines, all visits to wine tasting rooms are by appointment only.

Colony Magazine | August 2020

Taste of Americana |

Let's Add

From the Kitchen of...

to August

Summer Recipes

Barbie Butz

T

raditionally, the month of August heralded the impending end of summer. It seemed to remind us that we had better squeeze in that vacation, organize our family reunion, plan a neighborhood garage sale or hit the end-of-summer sales. But, we all know this will not be a traditional August due to COVID-19.

However, we will make the best of August, and the rest of the year. To know what to celebrate in August, I went to the Internet and found 31 ways to celebrate August. Just for fun, here are a few of them. You can choose which to celebrate, or make up your own calendar.

Here we go: National Girlfriend Day, International Beer Day,

ZUCCHINI PIE Ingredients: • 4 cups zucchini, thinly sliced • ¼ to ½cup margarine, melted • 2 tablespoons parsley flakes (fresh, if available) • ½teaspoon salt • ½teaspoon pepper • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder • ¼ teaspoon basil • ¼ teaspoon oregano • 2eggs, slightly beaten • 8 ounces Mozzarella cheese, shredded • 1 package crescent rolls • Mustard (optional) Directions: Mix together zucchini, melted margarine, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil and oregano. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs and cheese.

Combine the zucchini and egg mixtures. Pour into a 9-inch pie plate. For the crust, press the crescent rolls together to make a crust. Place on top of the zucchini mixture. Brush with a thin coat of mustard if desired.

Bake at 375 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. Serves 6.

August 2020 | Colony Magazine

followed by International Hangover Day. Then National Ice Cream Sandwich Day, National S’ mores Day, National Filet Mignon Day, National Relaxation Day, National Black Cat Appreciation Day, Buttered Corn Day, National Dog Day, and Red Wine Day. There are 20 more of those special days on the list, so you should be able to celebrate something during August!

To help you with your celebrating, I found several recipes, including a couple using zucchini — a vegetable that seems to be in abundance during the summer. Enjoy the month of August, and let’s add a National Zucchini Day to the list! Cheers!

SQUASH CASSEROLE Ingredients: • 2 pounds zucchini squash, parboiled and diced • 1 can creamof mushroomsoup • 1 cup sour cream • 1 mediumonion, chopped • 1 carrot, grated • Salt and pepper to taste (garlic salt if desired) • 1 package herb stuffing mix (use one if twin bags) • 1 stick butter Directions: Mix together squash, carrot, soup, sour cream, onion and seasonings. Melt butter and pour over stuffing mix. Add stuffing to squash mixture. Pour into greased baking dish (1 ½quart) and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Note: Those two recipes are froma wonderful 2009 PEO(Philanthropic Educational Organization) cookbook I have, titled “Eureka!” The book was dedicated to all the California PEOs that sent in favorite recipes. It also recognized the 2007-2009 President, International Chapter, Barbara Andes.

This next recipe is for all of you vegetarians out there. It uses eggplant and zucchini. It offers another way to use your summer supply of zucchini.

VEGETARIAN CHILI Cut one eggplant into 1-inch chunks and place in a small, shallow pan. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a casserole. Add 2 chopped onions and 3 minced cloves of garlic. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add 2 diced zucchini, 2 large red peppers —cored and diced — and if you like, a jalapeno seeded and finely minced. Cook 5 minutes.

Add 4 diced fresh plumtomatoes, one 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, ½cup dry red wine, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds. Add cooked eggplant; simmer 20 minutes.

Add 1 cup canned white beans, the grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon, 1/3cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, and ground pepper to taste. Simmer 5 minutes.

Garnish with grated cheese and sour cream.

Enjoy!

colonymagazine.com | 25

| More Than Just Wine

By Camille DeVaul

I

f you have found yourself at home more often these days, Donati Family Vineyard has you covered not only with wine to keep you sane but also with hand sanitizer.

About a year ago, the Donati family was issued a DSP (Distilled Spirits Plant) Permit. They planned to begin creating a craft spirit label to be sold alongside their award-winning wines. But, like many others, their plans shifted a bit after the COVID19 pandemic hit.

“Initially, we contracted with a craft distiller in Sonoma County to convert bulk wine into high-proof ethanol to serve as the base of our new spirits project. Once the COVID-19 pandemic began, however, that project was temporarily placed on hold,” recalls owner Mark Donati. “We soon recognized the growing need in our community as images of empty

Donati Family Vineyard

grocery store shelves hit the airwaves.

With tasting rooms shutting down, we looked for a way to not only help in the community but also a way to make up for lost revenues and keep our staff employed.”

With an “all-hands-on-deck” approach, the Donati team mobilized and produced more than 2,000 gallons of hand sanitizer.

Made with only four simple ingredients, Donati created a safe FDA-approved sanitizer utilizing the World Health Organization’s guidelines for ethanol-based hand sanitizer.

Their sanitizer comes in a personal-sized 4-ounce spray bottle ($8) and a 16-ounce refill bottle ($25). The product itself is a water consistency with a faint ethanol (think vodka) scent that is undetected when applied.

Unlike some other sanitizers, Donati’s does not leave a sticky residue and, surprisingly, does not leave your hands achingly dry!

Donati Family Vineyard decided to place its plans for creating a craft spirit label on hold in order to protect its community and still provide a quality product.

26 | colonymagazine.com

Donati was able to fill the community’s need for sanitizer, and they were also able to keep their employees working. While the tasting room was closed, employees helped bottle and make the hand sanitizer, and catch up on lingering projects.

“We’re a small team, and a lot of us have been here a while too. It does feel like a family, it’s not just in the name,” says Mitch Bakich, director of sales and marketing.

Providing secure employment for members of their team and giving back to the community are top priorities for Donati Family Vineyard.

Since producing the sanitizer, they have provided their new product to local nonprofits like ECHO homeless shelter and SLO Food Bank.

Their sanitizer was available to essential businesses operating during the pandemic.

Donati’s tasting room officially reopened on Friday, May 29. The wine tasting room is open by appointment from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Monday at 2720 Oak View Rd. in Templeton. However, if last-minute tasters stopping by can be safely accommodated, by all means, come on in!

Wine tasters will be able to enjoy the newly updated tasting room. With a spacious atmosphere, there is plenty of seating spread throughout the building. Their new look speaks sophis-

tication while still being approachable to anyone who wants to visit. It is an environment where guests can come to relax and cool off during the hot temperatures while enjoying a glass of vino with friends.

But does Donati still plan to add spirits to its award-winning arsenal?

Get excited because, yes, they do.

Donati still plans to use its DSP Permit for its original purpose. The vineyard is planning to expand into a craft spirit label. Hopefully, later this year, we could see new vodka on the Donati Family Vineyard’s shelves.

There is even talk of creating a rye whiskey.

I’m rooting for the whiskey.

Customers can purchase sanitizer in person at the Donati Family Vineyard tasting room in Templeton or online at donatifamilyvineyard.com. Online orders can be shipped anywhere in the U.S. or use curbside pick up at the tasting room.

Be sure to check out their Quarantine Kits, which include a variety of their wines and sanitizer to get you through these interesting times!

Donati Family Vineyard is here for you. Throughout this year’s whirlwind of events, they have quickly adapted to meet the needs of not only their own business but for their community.

Donati Family Vineyard is open.

And they are ready for you — with a glass of vino in hand. ■

Colony Magazine | August 2020

Pandemic Adaptation |

A COVID-19 Odyssey Longtime Downtown Paso Robles Restaurant Adapts to Remain Open During Pandemic

By Brian Williams

L

isten to Odyssey World Cafe co-owner John Hawley talk about the past four months and one gets the feeling there is nothing his crew can’t handle.

They’ve seen everything during the COVID-19 pandemic from complete shutdown, to take-out only, to limited-seating dine-in and outdoor eating.

“It’s kind of a blur now to tell you the truth,” Hawley said. “We just kept reacting as fast as we could to whatever change there was.”

The first part of 2020 was shaping up to be one of the best years for the restaurant Hawley and Dawn Gregory opened 23 years ago on Pine Street in Downtown Paso Robles.

“Business was very good. It was going to be a stellar year,” Hawley said.

Then on March 18, everything was shut down by Gov. Gavin Newsom to help curb the spread of COVID-19.

“It hit us broadside,” Hawley said.

“We went into panic mode. We had to close. How do we survive is what the panic was about.”

Odyssey employs roughly 25 people, and Hawley said everyone is considered family.

“They have families that depend on

August 2020 | Colony Magazine

us. It’s very hard for us when we have to lay people off,” Hawley said. “We reacted very quickly like small businesses are able to do. We were able to adapt, but we had to let some people go, which was not what we wanted to do.”

Hawley’s staff received unemployment benefits, while the restaurant was closed for a couple of weeks. During this window, they moved forward with some remodeling projects and began putting their to-go and curbside plan into motion.

As many businesses did, Odyssey applied for and received Small Business Association and Paycheck Protection Program loans.

The business had also taken out a loan before COVID-19 for remodeling.

“Fortunately, they quickly offered the SBA and PPP loans and I got on that instantly. With one of them, I ended up being the 273rd in the country. I was on it,” Hawley said. “So we had some money, but you have to pay it all back, so it’s not profit.”

Although not profit, the loans did allow Odyssey to bring staff back and ramp up its take-out and curbside programs. Odyssey, which prides itself on offering high-quality dishes featuring flavors from around the world, provided take-out before, but nothing on par with what they did during the shutdown height.

“We found out that the to-go business is like opening another restaurant.

It’s totally different,” Hawley said.

“There was a tremendous amount of work to do.”

Odyssey added another phone line and online ordering to its website and connected with four different delivery services that needed menus changed to meet their needs.

“We got into it heavily,” Hawley said. “After a little while, we got it down. We developed new systems.

We got pretty good at it.”

This carried Odyssey to when it could add outside dining and then bring people inside but with limited seating due to social distancing.

After a short adjustment period due to having dine-in open again, Hawley said they started to feel like they’d turned a corner — their loyal customers and the tourists were back.

“Everything was working and we were like ‘ahh we made it.’ And then Sunday hit, well we saw it coming. We were like here we go again,” Hawley said.

Odyssey and other impacted restaurants have once again closed indoor dining and are looking for ways to add more seating outside.

Hawley was pleased to see the Paso Robles City Council move forward with temporary street closures around the Downtown City Park. This will allow impacted businesses to add more tables outside.

“It will save our butts,” Hawley said. “I’m confident our restaurants will survive, maybe not flourish but survive, which is fine at this point.”

Hawley said they could have kept

the doors closed and waited to reopen, but it was never really considered.

“One of the things we felt was important, and we heard it from other businesses was that we needed to maintain a presence as a support for customers and the town,” Hawley said. “We didn’t want a bunch of closed businesses. It doesn’t do anybody any good. So we said we’ll figure it out.” ■

colonymagazine.com | 27

| Templeton Eatery

Waiting M To Reopen When Staff Feels Safe to Return, Business Will Resume

McPhee's Grill Chef-Owner Ian McPhee and son Max are not not in a hurry to reopen his iconic eatery until staff and guests feel safe.

Contributed photos

28 | colonymagazine.com

By Brian Williams

cPhee's Grill Chef-Owner Ian McPhee is asked daily when the iconic Templeton restaurant is going to reopen.

It's a no-brainer for him — when his employees feel safe.

"There is so much going on and so much just trying to figure out what's right and what's wrong that you just got to take care of your people," Ian said from the tidy upstairs office at the rear of the restaurant at 416 S. Main St. "First you have to take care of your employees and make sure that they are safe and OK with being here. And your next worry is going to be your customer. And then, after that, you just let your business run."

The restaurant has been closed since March 18, when Gov. Gavin Newsom forced them to close and issued the stay-at-home order a day later.

In June, restaurants in San Luis Obispo County reopened to dine-in but needed to follow the state and county social distancing guidelines, meaning most eateries were at less than half capacity.

Ian and his son, Max, have been meeting with staff and gauging when to reopen. They will move forward when the team feels safe.

"I need to know that they are all the way on board," Ian said. "If they aren't, then we just stay closed until the end of July and see what happens.

"I have no problem with staying closed. I know we are OK," Ian said. "As long as they are OK, then we are good. I get it."

Ian opened McPhee's Grill in 1994. The popular fine-dining restaurant features fresh seafood, woodgrilled steaks, local produce and gourmet pizza and pasta in an old converted saloon with contemporary country decor. It is open for lunch and dinner.

Ian said that when everything shut down, he immediately laid off his employees so they could quickly start getting unemployment.

"I think that is why we are one of the last dinner houses to come back because I just looked at my employees and felt like they were safe," Ian said.

"Some of them were making more than they would normally make. And then my family was safe. It

just then became a point of let's see what goes on."

Reopening isn't as easy as flipping a switch.

People may think it is, but it's costly and time-consuming.

"It's funny to me how people think you just open the door," Max said, adding that it costs thousands of dollars to restock and they will need four to five days of kitchen preparation. And training staff on the county, state and CDC guidelines will take time.

The dining room has undergone some cosmetic changes, mainly the addition of plexiglass on booths that allow for increased seating.

Without the plexiglass, Ian said they wouldn't even be thinking about opening until more restrictions are lifted. Pre-COVID-19, McPhee's had 35 tables and seating for 148. Under the guidelines, they can seat 92 at 20 tables.

"The day that Newsom said you could use dividers, all of a sudden we went from 11 tables to almost 20," Ian said. "So now we are like at 20 and we have room out on the side of the building for more if we want, but I haven't really decided on that. But now the numbers start to make some sense."

Making all of this easier for Ian was receiving an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Ian said the EIDL process was frustrating, while PPP was a breeze due to his long-time relationship with Pacific Premier Bank.

He applied for EIDL in late March but did not receive anything until early June.

"It was really weird. It went on and on and on," Ian said. "Until mid-May, I did not know where I was in this thing. I had filled out the application thing. They had hit my credit report once, but no word from them, nothing."

Ian said he woke up one morning in early June and the EIDL money was in his account.

"That happened overnight. It was so bizarre," he said.

With PPP and EIDL, the restaurant's highest costs are covered for the next 5 to 6 months, Ian said.

"We are fine, so there is really no reason to take a risk at this point," Ian said. "If my employees aren't comfortable, then it's not worth doing." ď Ž

Colony Magazine | August 2020

Reverse Mortgage |

Different Times Call For

A LOOK AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS

By Jeanette Simpson

O

ne of the interesting outcomes of trying times is the requirement to think outside of our usual norms to meet challenges and find workable solutions. Gratefully, we are creative and resilient, even when faced with significant obstacles and setbacks.

As we look at our options and concerns and realize that there is much uncertainty in the economy and employment, many of us are looking at our assets and finances to determine our financial security. For those that own a home, one option to consider is the Reverse Mortgage program.

For some, there may be a measure of concern regarding the safety of choosing to take advantage of a reverse mortgage program that is likely based on older programs that did not have some of the protections and opportunities that exist today. Where can one turn to get all the latest information to consider a program like this?

Meet Robert “Bob” Gayle, Reverse Mortgage Consultant. Gayle has over 25 years of experience in the field and this is his specialty.

“I began originating reverse mortgages in 1995. Having worked for

August 2020 | Colony Magazine

Robert 'Bob' Gayle has over 25 years experience in the field, with reverse mortgage being his specialty.

Wells Fargo, MetLife Bank, and Reverse Mortgage Professionals, I have been involved in over a thousand transactions. I enjoy helping people improve their quality of life.

As a Reverse Mortgage Consultant, I specialize in helping retired homeowners supplement their retirement income with a variety of reverse mortgage options,” said Gayle, who offers free consultations that can be conducted in your home, where you’ll get a wealth of information in easy to understand terms.

Gayle explained that his experience is what sets him apart.

“I’ve developed the ability to analyze and structure the right reverse mortgage solution for my clients. My clients have become clients for life because as their needs and circum-

stances change, they know I’ll always be there for them. They have told me ‘that’s what makes you different from others’...a comment I truly appreciate,” he said.

In addition to his many years of specialty experience, he is a member of professional associations such as the American Bankers Association (ABA), Wells Fargo Reverse Mortgage Alumni and the Pete Asmus’ Real Estate Networking Group (Investor Strategies).

He is esteemed by his colleagues, too, as demonstrated by this endorsement on his LinkedIn profile page: “Bob and I have worked together many times in the decade that I have known him. When it comes to reverse mortgages, I know of nobody with the knowledge, background and service record this man has built with hundreds and hundreds of happy clients. Nobody is better with the seniors. Honest as the day is long. I heartily recommend this man if you have a home you’ve pumped equity into, want to make better use of it and meet the guidelines.”

So, who might benefit from knowing more about Reverse Mortgages?

• Seniors looking for extra cash for living, healthcare, and education.

• Adult children looking to help

their senior parents get in a better financial situation.

• Trusted family, legal and financial advisors (caregivers, attorneys, financial planners, wealth advisors).

In a recent newsletter, “the Morro Scene,” published by the Morro Bay seniors, Gayle was kind enough to respond to their request for some basic information on Reverse Mortgages to pass along to their audience.

He explained that the reverse mortgage program is a safe program into which many important safeguards are built. For example, it is not a decision that should or will be made without careful consideration, as each applicant must first complete government-approved counseling. This ensures the homeowner is able to receive all the information, options and obligations they need to make a solid decision.

Throughout the entire process, the homeowner will review things like: • The factors in the formula used to determine the amount they will qualify for • The three different options available to receive the proceeds • Today’s Reverse Mortgages structures, including growing equity • How and when the mortgage is to be repaid.

Gayle’s office is in beautiful Morro Bay at 365 Quintana Rd., but he provides services throughout the county. If you would like more information about the Reverse Mortgage Program and how it might work for you, contact Bob Gayle, Reverse Mortgage Consultant at 805-7723658 or service@reversepro.com. 

colonymagazine.com | 29

| Safety with Pride

AVILA TRAFFIC SAFETY

By Camille DeVaul

W

• Pilot Car Services • Flagging Services • Single and Multiple Lane Closures • Traffic Plans Permitting Assistance • Road Closures and Detours • Special Events Services Not only does Avila Traffic Safety offer complete services, but they also provide rentals for all traffic control equipment. They are even the largest supplier of traffic safety control equipment in North County.

On their leading site in Atascadero, customers can purchase and rent safety equipment.

Rental equipment offered includes: • Arrow Boards • Changeable Message Signs • Construction Area Signs • Warning Beacons • Type I, II, and III Barricades • Channelizing Devices: Cones, Delineators, and Drums • Water Filled Barricades • Concrete K-Rail

• Light Towers • Attenuator Trucks • Special Event Equipment and Signs • RST (Radar Speed Feedback Devices) “We carry many specialty items in our store, from carbon fiber hard bars to accessible parking signs and CDF Fire Hydrant markers,” says owner and operator Kellie Avila.

Avila makes a point to supply quality products that cannot be found in your run of the mill hardware store.

And if a customer can’t find what they need, it can be specially ordered for them.

Conveniently, Avila Traffic Safety has a custom sign shop that makes street-highway signs and more for sale or rent. They also offer a full supply of safety vests off the shelf or custom screen printed with your company or agency’s logo.

The company covers traffic control from local city street-road flagging to multi-lane freeway closures. Their

hen you are being directed through controlled traffic, chances are Avila Traffic Safety is involved in one way or another. Since 2014, Avila Traffic Safety has served the Central Coast for all its traffic safety needs.

Owner and lifelong San Luis Obispo County resident Kellie Avila has worked in the construction industry for as long as she can remember. In 2009, Avila became a licensed contractor, offering various services to customers on the Central Coast.

She soon realized the North County needed a traffic safety service and supplier. She opened her corporate office and yard in Atascadero, offering complete service and rentals for all traffic control equipment.

In 2019, Avila Traffic Safety outgrew its lot and moved to a new and larger location on El Camino Real in Atascadero. They offer their services throughout California, not just the Central Coast.

Traffic control is more than just redirecting traffic. It involves redirecting vehicular and pedestrian traffic around construction zones, special events, and other road disruptions.

Traffic control technicians ensure the safety of emergency response teams, construction workers, and the general public.

Services offered by Avila Traff ic Safety include: • Traffic Control Plans Avila Traffic Safety has been serving the Central Coast since 2014.

30 | colonymagazine.com

skilled and always smiling traffic control technicians are committed to providing “Safety with Pride” every day to every customer.

“Avila Traffic Safety is very serious about our employees, and how each of them represents our mission,” stresses Avila. “We take great pride in our staff and enjoy creating a safe and respectful work environment for each of them.”

For anyone looking to step into the traffic control trade, Avila Traffic Safety is always looking for good men and women to join their team. “If you take pride in your trade, can travel and can work long hours when needed,” you can apply at avilatraffic.com.

As residents with community-based values, Avila Traffic Safety is a proud supporter of events and charities.

“We are here to stay and proud of our community,” says Avila. “We support all local businesses and are excited about the future we have here.”

Some of the organizations the company proudly supports are: • National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) • American General Contractors Association (AGC) • Atascadero Chamber of Commerce • Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce • San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce • National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) • SLO County Builders Exchange • Atascadero Greyhound Association Supporters • Local Youth Athletics Avila’s lifelong experience in the industry has provided the foundation her company needs to thrive.

“We understand your commitment to managing your project schedules,” Avila said, “this is why we strive to meet your goals, maintain our trucks and equipment to the highest standards and make sure we arrive ready to do your job.”

Traffic control is perhaps a job that is overlooked by the casual passerby. In truth, without experienced tradesmen and women, it could become a dangerous situation.

Avila Traffic Safety takes pride in what it does and is a reliable local source for traffic control and safety needs. ■ Colony Magazine | August 2020

A

s a child growing up in Santa Clara, I could hardly wait for summer vacation. Playing stickball in the street until dark, sleeping in later than during the school days, working my paper route, and earning money doing yard work for neighbors or the local orchards.

In Santa Clara County, during my youth, schools typically started the new academic year after Labor Day and the harvest of what was once some of the most productive farmlands in the state.

The school system has served as a societal foundation for over a century. Generations of Americans have attended our schools with a somewhat shared experience of Americana. Historical accounts of the school calendar indicate that our society’s agrarian needs greatly influenced the school year. Groups often ask me about why our school system continues to operate on what appears to be an outdated model based on agricultural labor needs. As Americans, we value local control and tradition.

Since the 1983 “A Nation at Risk” report, multiple administrations have urged educators to add more time to the school year as a mitigation to the achievement gap.

COVID-19 has also focused much dialogue

August 2020 | Colony Magazine

San Luis Obispo County of Education | on the inequities in our system associated mainly with economics. Families with fewer resources struggle to move to distanced education at higher levels than their peers with more resources. Resources include access to an online connection, technology devices, and a family member that can assist because they too can work remotely.

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. ~Albert Camus

Our current situation may provide us some time to reflect on our past and adapt to a post-COVID-19 school setting. Schooling has looked different throughout the history of our country. Researchers note that as early as 1684, a grammar school founded in Massachusetts required 12 months of education. In 1841, Boston schools operated for 244 days, while Philadephia implemented a 251-day calendar (Association of California School Administrators, 1988).

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, large cities had long school years, and agricultural communities had six-month school years.

Education was delivered based on the needs of the local community.

Today we are faced with the same challenge and opportunity as our ancestors. Our school system was required to reconfigure in a matter of weeks because of COVID19. Students, faculty, and staff moved from traditional in-person services to largely online-based instruction across the state, nation, and world. A system that is often slow, methodical, and filled with committees adapted quicker to this challenge than at any other I have observed in my 35 years of professional service.

Just as American businesses are redesigning how they deliver services, educational leaders, legislators, and policymakers should redesign how we provide education.

Our education system is social justice in action. A well educated populous builds our democracy, grows our economy, and makes us better people. America faces a challenge today of providing a safe environment, rebuilding our economy, and competing in the global marketplace. I believe that the long days of summer will prove that we are adaptive, resourceful, and hopeful. It is an honor to serve as your county superintendent of schools. ■

The Long Days of Summer Jim J.

Brescia, Ed.D

colonymagazine.com | 31

By Connor Allen

I

SLO FOOD

BANK

Increasing Output While Input Decreases Amid Pandemic

NOW OFFERING TELEMEDICINE CONSULTS

n the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, San Luis Obispo County's need for food has multiplied, and the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo has answered the call with some help from the County, local farmers and the GleanSLO program.

"We have been doing a great job keeping a healthy reserve, and that is due in large part to the partnership with SLO County," said Andrea Keisler, Director of Programs at SLO Food Bank. "The County partnered with us very early on at the end of March and started a home-delivery program for self-isolating seniors to deliver food and medication. The Food Bank was essentially in charge of providing all the groceries for that program, and it lasted from mid-March to mid-June. During that time, we provided food for about 10,500 deliveries."

The County's support came in the form of purchasing power to ensure SLO Food Bank reserves stayed at a reasonable level while also providing the nonprofit with a group of DSWs (Disaster Service Workers). The latter joined their workforce in delivering to those in need during the pandemic. At one point, the DSWs made up 20 percent of the organization's workforce.

"We have basically doubled the amount of food that is going out the door per month [since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic]," Keisler noted.

However, now that the County's funding has ended, for now, the SLO Food Bank is looking to replenish its reserves with both cash and local farmers.

One of the more notable food rescue operations in North County takes place once a week at the Templeton Farmers Market. Each Saturday, a group of

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volunteers collect produce that goes straight to Loaves and Fishes, North County's local food pantry.

North County does not currently have many donations from large farms, but local homeowners have answered the call and are providing large amounts of citrus to the SLO Food Bank. The contributions from the large farms have come from South County.

"We haven't had as many large-scale donors from North County as we have had large donations in the San Luis Obispo area and South County," Wilson said. "Tom Ikeda has been donating regularly and has continued during the pandemic to give us greens. Cal Poly has donated a lot of citrus to the Food Bank over the last month, and Sage Finch of F&B Blue Sky Enterprises donated close to 1,000 pounds of blueberries.

We have had some incredible support from our local growers who have had a surplus during this time."

SLO Food Bank is again looking for help as the need for food has not decreased even though their funding and partnership with the County ended.

The pandemic has not only affected the community and who might need food but has also interrupted the organization's most significant source of procurement, food drives.

SLO Food Bank's popular "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive that usually takes place in May brought in nearly 70,000 pounds of food in 2019, this year it has been postponed due to COID-19.

"Stamp Out Hunger is a massive drive that we count on every year," Keisler said. "It usually takes place in May and brings in over 50,000 pounds of food in one day. Those types of things can't happen right now, so those streams of procurement have dried up, so we are looking at purchasing a lot more food as we move towards the future." ■

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Atascadero, CA 93422 Colony Magazine | August 2020

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�

By Nicholas Mattson

he past few months have been enlightening as much as troubling. I’ve learned so much about the Civil War through enriching conversations with educated people and personal research, and I’m a more proud American today than ever before.

In my 41 years, I never joined a political party or adopted an ideology blindly. My resistance to blind allegiance, and my own skepticism, motivated me to question the American flag and the values it represented.

I hold no regard for any mandate on my allegiance, as my allegiance is natural to my person and the grace and faith that connects me to my Creator. No human or group of humans can demand my allegiance.

So it is with any president, any political party, or any social issue. It is that part of me that is most American — my Life, my Liberty, and my Pursuit of Happiness is so endowed.

It is for that reason, I questioned my allegiance to the flag some stood behind as a shield for their personal gains while the People of the United States bore the cost in American lives and American debt.

My internal conflict over the symbolism of our flag was only resolved when I washed away the stains that marred the perfection of the union of people we strive as a country to form.

The flag, in my innocent youth, represented greatness and opportunity. Then I saw many things that left

me confused, disoriented, hurt, angry, sad, and at times defeated. At times, our flag stood on the other side of actions I could not morally support.

But as I mature and involve myself in local government, economy, social actions, and community, I realize the truth about that flag. It is not a representation of the worst of ourselves, but the best.

We the People are fallible. We made an imperfect Union. We formed an imperfect government.

We took imperfection and codified it. We the People did so knowing we were fallible, imperfect and needed a guiding light to lead us in the power of inalienable rights.

In 1776, the nation formed by taking one step forward. As a nation, we have continued forward progress. We were not always the first nation to every marker, and every state did not reach each every marker at the same time.

Our Constitution provides the foundation, and the Declaration of Independence provides guidance. We fought against the tyranny of England and then the tyranny of the Confederacy.

Americans won the Civil War. My great-grandfather moved to the United States from Sweden in 1856 for a better life. Five years later, he

joined the Union to fight with the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment in 1861. He survived, and I’m his great-grandson.

There are three monuments to the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment at Gettysburg today.

Our Gettysburg monuments represent intolerance for the destruction of our union that was formed by our U.S. Constitution. My great-grandfather fought under the American flag and the Great Seal of the United States — of which an eagle holds 13 arrows, an olive branch with 13 leaves, 13 stars above its head, and a banner of E Pluribus Unum in its resolute beak — "One out of many."

The Civil War was another step forward — another one of many.

This month, we celebrate the right to vote being extended to women. Since the day my great-grandfather packed and carried his muzzleloader into battle, we have fought for the extension of humanity against the same political force that we battled at Bull Run, Antietam, and Gettysburg, and still battle today. We battle against insurrectionist leaders that applaud anarchy with statements like “people will do what they do” in support of

their “useful idiots.”

In 1860, South Carolina representatives John McQueen, Milledge Bonham, William Boyce, and John Ashmore authored a letter of secession for their state. Their purpose was to break from the principles of the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the ideals of the American flag. That went badly.

The People of the United States still defend our country from all enemies, foreign and domestic — all the People belong here. I’m proud my family has always stood with the United States of America, liberty and justice for all. The battle is eternal.

The forces of "people do what they do" still look for a foothold in our republic — and represent neither liberty or justice.

We are responsible. I can do my part, and I appreciate those who do theirs. I appreciate this opportunity to appeal to your best nature as we work as a nation to take another step forward.

Two things I find healing in my heart are these — "I believe in you” and “You belong here.”

That is what it means to be an American. While we must not tolerate destruction, we must tolerate people who are patently wrong, because minds can be changed.

I hope our collective kindness and generosity can be an instrument of change today and every day. Together, we can be the change we wish to see in the world. ■

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Colony Magazine | August 2020

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