RECORD SOUTH WHIDBEY
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2011 | Vol. 87, No. 94 | WWW.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.COM | 75¢
turkey
Lessons from a life cut short
TIMETOTALK
Every year, the Record visits South Whidbey Elementary School to talk turkey — and Thanksgiving — with the school’s youngest students.
COMMUNITY SAYS GOODBYE TO BELOVED SON, BROTHER, FRIEND
Abby Grace Ruddell What does your family do on Thanksgiving? We sit at the table and eat turkey. What’s the best part of the turkey? I like the legs best. How do you cook a turkey? My dad puts it on a tray, and then he puts it in the oven. Does it take a long time? I usually have to wait four minutes. We also pray before we eat it. Where did the Pilgrims come from? A place. Oh, I don’t know the name of the place. There was a
India Balora
What’s the best part of Thanksgiving for you? Spending time with my family. A lot of people have turkey for Thanksgiving. What do you do? We go to a friend’s house. We have a Thanksgiving meal. We have pie — pumpkin pie. Why did the Pilgrims come to America? To celebrate Thanksgiving. Was the Mayflower a big boat? It was like a sailboat. What did the Pilgrims have at their first Thanksgiving? A big, big party. They invited Indians. What are you most thankful for on Thanksgiving? Spending time with my family.
INSIDE: Holiday Gift Guide
BY BEN WATANABE South Whidbey Record
king who told them what they can and can’t do. What are you thankful for? I am thankful for my family. The best part of my family is my grandma and grandpa, because when I come over there, there is always a treat.
Camrin Taylor Do you have Thanksgiving at your house? Do you have turkey? Kind of. Sometimes my mom has a surprise, so I don’t know yet. Why did the Pilgrims come to America? I forgot. I forget all the time. I have very quick memory loss. What are you thankful for? My mom, my dad, my little brother, my family, my cats Charlie and Coal. Do you have a favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal? I do remember what we had last year! We had ribs, corn — which I didn’t eat — and I think I had rice. Not a big fan of corn? No. How did the Pilgrims get to America? On the Mayflower. You can actually go to the Mayflower, a fake one. You can totally tell. It’s really clean. You can tell it’s fake.
For more turkey talk with South End kids, turn to Page A10.
FREELAND — Energy was abundant in Robert Bruce Knight. Whether he used it to break out a 30-yard touchdown run or break out in song, it didn’t matter to those who knew him. They just liked to watch Knight shine. They also liked his hugs. More than 400 friends and family filled the sanctuary at Trinity Lutheran Church on Friday night for one more chance to share those experiences at Knight’s memorial. The 22-year-old Freeland man died in a car crash Nov. 12 that also killed Marcel “Mick” Poynter, 20, and Charles “Mack” Porter III, 19. Knight left lasting memories with those who spoke to the crowd. Eight speakers recalled their fondest memories of Knight and lamented his loss. His mother, Sharon Knight, recalled the affections of her “little buddy.” “He always gave me the best heartfelt bear hugs,” she said. She was a teacher at the elementary school in the town Knight grew up in, Canyon Lake, Calif. As a teacher and a mom, she said she always looked for ways to show him something he didn’t know. “I was always looking for an object lesson, but in the end it was Robert who was my best teacher,” she said. “He taught me to be strong, a better parent, a better teacher and most of all, not to sweat the small stuff.” Knight’s father, Bruce Knight, said his son triumphed despite adversity. He talked about Knight’s return from an outdoor therapy camp and a boarding school to play football, and how they traveled to Mexico City to play in a semi-pro game representing Team USA. “What a priceless memory for a dad with his son,” he said. SEE LESSONS, A3