Monday, April 28, 2008

Helping a Hero

By Ryan Christensen

The three Welliver children honor their mother, Maggi, as a hero. For the past twenty years she has lived with Multiple Sclerosis, but has not let the disease weaken her spirits or keep her from being involved in life.

“She is just an amazing woman. She has never given up; she has always had a positive mental attitude,” said Sarah Welliver, daughter and event organizer. “Anyone that is around her, she puts a smile on their face, and makes them feel like the most important person in the world,” said Sarah.

MS has confined her to a wheelchair for the past five years as she is without motor skills on the right side of her body. MS is a degenerative disease that attacks myelin, the protective coating on nerve fibers in the central nervous system. Symptoms of MS include fatigue, walking balance and coordination problems, and possibly a loss of control on a wide range of normal bodily functions.

Despite these challenges Welliver has continued working as a librarian at Crescent View Middle School, and as a receptionist at the Artistic Dance Studio in Draper. She has astounded her family and friends with her determination.

Her children are stepping up to help improve their mother’s life through an event they call “Imagine Making it Happen.” “Our goal for this event is just over $23,000 and all of the money will go to help pay for the chair,” said Sarah. The chair is a new state-of-the-art wheelchair, the iBot.

The iBot’s advanced technology will allow Welliver new opportunities and abilities. Way beyond the standard functions of a conventional powered wheelchair, the iBot also has the ability to safely go up and down stairs, go “off road” on uneven terrain, and an impressive ‘balance mode’ that elevates the chair up to eye level, allowing more normal interaction with others, and allows users to reach countertops or shelves.

“She will be able to raise up to reach books, and get through the snow,” said Sarah. “She got stuck in a parking lot earlier this year at work, and there was no one around to help her. She will also be able to walk into someone’s home that isn’t typically handicap accessible, for example when visiting friends,” continues Sarah.

The fundraising event is a 5K run/walk scheduled for June 7, 2008 at Draper Park. There will also be live entertainment including singing and dancing performances at the park and a raffle and auction after the race.

The Welliver’s have a favorite family quote: “Give to the world the best you have and the best will come back to you.” “Maggi has given so much to everyone else and has never asked for anything in return. It’s her turn to get something back from the people that mean the most to her, something that will change her life,” said Sarah.

Pre-registration starts at 7:30 a.m. and the race beings at 8:00 a.m. Event location is 1300 East and Pioneer Road in the North East section of Draper Park by basketball courts.

Donations can also be made at any Wells Fargo bank, under the account name “Imagine”. For more information on the event contact Sarah Welliver at sarahwelliver@gmail.com

Draper mom organizes free event for single moms

By Ryan Christensen

An upcoming event, organized by a Draper single mom, aims to help single mother’s raising children alone and working to provide for the family.

Money Critchley, event organizer and single mom said, “Single mom’s rarely get time for themselves, and children may go without any extra activities because of time and financial limitations.”

“Single mother’s have a more difficult than some may realize” said Critchley. For this reason, she is organizing an event she has called “Soul 2 Soul.”

“The event is an opportunity for single mother’s in our area to have a break” said Critchley. The idea is, “Take care of mom first, then I can better take care of the kids”, said Critchley.

Critchley continues, it’s important for single mom’s “to take care of themselves, even if it’s just an hour a week, to better your own self so you can come home, be rejuvenated and take care of your kids.”

On Saturday, May 31 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. single mom’s can drop their kids off at the Axis dance center. The event is free for all single mom’s and their children, ages six to twelve.

“While mom is out taking a much deserved break, the children will be learning to sing and perform a song,” said Critchley. When the mom’s come back they will be entertained with the children’s performance. “It will be memorable and touching for the entire family,” said Critchely.

The mothers will also receive a goodie bag filled with beauty and self-help items and a free t-shirt to help them remember themselves.

The Axis dance center is located at 3658 West 9800 South, South Jordan, Utah.

Pre-registration is required. To register or for more information contact Money Critchley at 801-870-5706 or e-mail monetcritchley@msn.com

Teen Chef Competition


By Ryan Christensen

Dressed in black and white checkered pants, wearing black shoes, white coats and white hats, it looked like a scene out of “Ratatouille.” Rather, it was, part of a national teen chef competition held by “the largest culinary school in the nation.”

The Art Institute of Salt Lake, located in Draper, UT is one of 30 other schools nationwide giving an opportunity to high school students to learn and compete for scholarship money and the chance to be “Intern for a Day” at the Food Network Kitchen in New York City.

The twelve students competing were pre-selected from a pool of 35 total entries who had all applied by submitting a food recipe they had created on their own. Most applicants were from Utah with a few students coming in from out of state.

Contestants were judged on ten different elements of cooking: knife skills, sanitation and safety, “Mise en place” (French for organization), cooking techniques, clean-up, food temperature, taste and flavor, texture and doneness, portion size and presentation.

Using these skills contestants were required to prepare a full course meal including shrimp cocktail, sautéed breast of chicken, fresh broccoli and rich pilaf.

There were three judges, Chef Frank Krause, Academic Culinary Director, Chef Kim Larsen, Instructor at the Art Institute, and Chef Bryan Wooley, Chef for Channel 2 news.

The first place winner, Chris Bramon, a senior from Missouri, received a $3,000 scholarship to the Art Institute of Salt Lake in Draper and will compete Las Vegas for the national prize. “It was great; really well organized. I had a great time,” said Bramon.

The Real Rain Man




By Ryan Christensen

The doctor told his parents that their son was mentally retarded. They were advised to institutionalize their son and just forget about him. They were told that he would never be able to walk or speak. His parents didn't listen and the world is a richer place because of their courage and love.

Kim Peek, mega-savant and inspiration for the movie "Rain Man," along with his father, now aged 80+ years, visited The Wentworth in Draper on 13 March 2008. "It's one of the most amazing stories you've ever head," said Kathy Leeper, friend of the family and event organizer. "Just wait and see."

Peek was born Nov. 11, 1951. At birth his head was a third larger than a normal infant. His head was so heavy he had to push it in front of himself as a crawling baby because he couldn't lift it off the ground. Peek couldn't walk until he was four years old.

At the young age of only 18 months Peek asked his parents what the word 'confident' meant. At age three he could read.

He was not allowed to attend public school. His parents hired 4 retired school teachers as tutors. He started school late, halfway through his eighth year, but finished by the time he was 14.

Peek's father, Fran, estimates that over his life Peek has read over 12,000 books. And that number continues to grow. Peek's normal routine usually includes spending five to six hours a day reading. What he accomplishes in that time is multiplied by the fact that he can both watch the news and read 2-3 books interchangeably.

Most impressive are the results from a study conducted at Stanford University. Peek was asked to read 8 pages from the book "The Hunt for Red October" while his eyes were being monitored by a camera. He read all 8 pages in only 53 seconds. After analyzing the captured footage for an hour the scientists determined that Peek's eyes could operate independently with each eye reading its respective page. The study also concluded that his immediate retention rate was 98%.

The Peek's have had as many as 7,000 books in their home and about 6,400 telephone directories. Peek has a fascination with telephone numbers and area codes. Tell him places you have been and he can shoot back the dialing prefixes and major roads for the area.

His common knowledge also includes the histories of countries worldwide, literature, music, the outcome of all major sporting events since 1983 and movie soundtracks. A fun part of each public appearance is for audience members to announce their birthday and in less than six seconds Peek will reply with the day of the week and major news headlines of the day.

The abnormalities in brain that allow him superior capability in some areas are also responsible for limited social and motor skills. His father still helps him shave, shower, brush his teeth, and dress. Peek has difficulty with abstract thought and struggles to interpret proverbs and metaphors.

His speech is generally simple and direct, yet comprehensive and accurate. He sometimes cries out loudly and consistently hits his forehead with his hand while talking imperceptibly to himself.

Despite these limitations, Peek and his father have spoken to over 4.3 million people, more than half of them children. Together they have traveled over 1.9 million miles.

Peek's message to all his audiences, ”Learning to recognize and to respect differences in others and treating them like you want them to treat you will bring the peace and joy we all hope for. Let’s care, share, and be our best. “

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Trail-building recognized with volunteer award

By Ryan Christensen

The great outdoors called, and Harold Haugen has heeded it.

A member of the Draper Trails committee, Haugenwas recognized by REI for his service building and maintaining trails in the Draper area. The project Haugen most recently orchestrated, and for which he was recognized, was the completion of a one-mile trail from the Orson Smith trailhead to the Bonneville Shoreline trail.

“We’ve estimated that project took close to 3,000 man hours and hundreds of people to complete,” Haugen said.
Haugen, fellow members of the trail committee and a team of volunteers that included a total of 41 different Eagle Scout project groups worked on the trail every Saturday and some weeknights last summer.

“We show them how to do it, give them examples of a section of trail that has been done and then let them go to work. And they put in a lot of work,” Haugen said. “

Most of the labor involved clearing brush and shoveling to level the dirt and make a clean trail. Building fences “to help make sure people stay on the trails, and prevent erosion” were also part of the project, said Haugen. “One Eagle Scout project was just carrying the [fencing] materials up the mountain.”

Trail building requires the use of interesting tools such as the ‘Pulaski’ and the ‘McLeod. The Pulaski has a head with a single bit axe one side and a heavy grubbing hoe on the other. The McLeod is a Scottish tool consisting of a large hoe on one side opposite a toothed rake. Both of these pieces also are standard wildland firefighting equipment.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Haugen said. “I find it quite rewarding. It’s fun to get out and it’s one way I can help out a little bit.”
He doesn’t remember if he received a certificate for the REI recognition award, but he appreciates the “very nice jacket” that came with it. “I wear it almost every day. [But] that’s not why you do it, for the recognition. But at the same time, it’s nice that someone sees it and appreciates it.”

Nevertheless, Haugen said he would have rather received “a slap on the back and a kick in the butt and get back to work.”
Haugen, who is on a first-name basis with Forest Service personnel, also has been involved in many other projects to build and maintain trails, most of which have originated from his own ambition.

A previous project included obtaining a blasting permit to clear large boulders from a trail. Another found Haugen “running around to all the antique shops to find old [timber] saws” to clear fallen aspen and pine trees blocking the Big Willow Trail because the Forrest Service does not allow the use of chain saws in wilderness areas.

“It took six months just to get the tools to cut the trees,” says Haugen.

Haugen encourages Draper residents to enjoy the mountains around them. “There’s a lot that can be gained by getting out and getting up in the hills. If we could have more of our youth out and walking around…their lives would be a little bit better.”
If anyone is interested in becoming involved in the works, they can contact the Draper Trails Committee by calling Draper City. “There are a lot of good people involved and they are a wonderful group to work with,” Haugen said.

Ready, set, paint: Draper Visuals Arts Fund brings art education to local students

By Ryan Christensen

For the next two months, more than 90 elementary school kids will be taking after-school classes in beginning art, acrylics, pastels, pottery and drawing. Classes will end in April and the students’ completed masterpieces will be on display at an annual art show on April 21 at Draper City Hall.

Most classes started in the middle of February and will run weekly until April. “We are able to fill classes with children from all over the south end of Salt Lake County,” said Leone Smith of Draper Visuals Arts. Classes are held at Draper and Oak Hollow elementary schools after regular school hours.

“Introduction to Art…is our most popular class, since so little art is taught in the grade schools,” Smith said. id. “Our classes are filled to capacity, and the turnout at the art shows is a testament to the need and interest in the arts.”
More than 400 people attended last year’s exhibit.

“Children who gain an appreciation for the arts and start practicing their talents at a young age do better in school,” Smith said. “It is the appreciation and love of art that we hope to instill in our students.”

The classes are organized and provided by The Draper Visual Arts Foundation.

The DVAF was organized in 1993 with an initial objective of caring for an art collection that was started in 1926 as part of a community/school program. A number of former teachers and students were concerned that the pictures, including a valuable Norman Rockwell original of “Ichabod Crane,” were not being well cared for. Each year, the DVAF continues to purchase paintings, which are put on display in local public schools.

The DVAF also awards a $2,100 scholarship yearly to a high school senior who has excelled in the arts. Artwork from the winner is displayed at local schools, in City Hall and, when possible, in various art shows.

“We are dedicated to fostering creativity and visual art awareness in our children,” says Smith. “We also want this to be a fun, exciting experience for all who participate.”

Classes cost $30 to $40 per student and include all supplies. Help from the Zoo, Arts and Parks (ZAP) tax subsidizes the cost and makes the classes affordable to more students. Local artists, business owners and elementary teachers who have experience with the medium teach classes.

The art show highlighting students’ work will be at Draper City Hall on Monday, April 21 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Grizz Kids gears up for reading program

By Ryan Christensen

Libraries and hockey are teaming up to help kids and parents read together, with the added bonus of a free hockey game. The “Grizz Kids” winter ready program encourages kids to read with their parents at least five times for at least 15 minutes each time, before the end of March.

The Grizz Kids reading record can be picked up at any Salt Lake county library. When the reading has been accomplished, the completed cards must be signed by a parent or guardian before they are returned to the library. With a completed, signed reading card, children willreceive a ticket voucher good for a hockey game at the E-Center on April 5.

The voucher also will allow the rest of the family to purchase tickets at 50 percent off. To be eligible for the program, kids must be between the ages of 5 and 14.

“We have done this before, back in the ’03-’04, and the ’04-’05 season,” said Adrian Denny of the Utah Grizzlies. “The turnout was excellent. Both games had a couple hundred kids. But the pace this year is ahead of previous years, at least double. It’s a good thing that we have done with the library.”

The Utah Grizzlies approached the Salt Lake County library system with the reading program as a way to give back to the community and to promote reading, as well as to bring hockey and libraries, which are usually on opposite ends of the spectrum, together. “We have great players who like to give back and get involved,” Denny said. , adding that hockey players themselves like to read. A lot of them “read on the plane,” while traveling, Denny continues.

For more information contact the Draper City library at 801-944-7649.