Jennifer Moody

Continuing here with interesting stories I’ve had, A-Z, in the 14 years I’ve been here. We’re on to “G” now. Go here for the A stories, here for B, here for C,  here for D, here for E and here for F.

G is for gardens, Gary and Arthur Golden

– The garden at Seven Oak Middle School in Lebanon is one of my favorite stories ever. It makes so much sense in so many ways.

In the fertile heart of the Willamette Valley, why wouldn’t you have a school garden? And why not teach students to care for it? And, at harvest time, why not take the produce straight inside to the cafeteria, or to local soup kitchens and homeless shelters?

Benefits abound: Students learn to garden; skills they can use all their lives. They get outdoors in the fresh air, use muscle groups big and small, learn science and math in a hands-on way. They connect with seniors as Master Gardeners show them how to dig, mulch and weed. Schools form more community partnerships. Everyone enjoys the fresh, organically-grown food – and kids even eat more vegetables.

The garden project has been so successful, it’s sprouted (pun intended) at other Lebanon schools. Other districts around the state have started to take notice. Lebanon’s director of nutrition, Pam Lessley, served on a national panel this fall because of it.

The program is continuing to grow (ha!), too. Cascades Elementary is hoping to have not just a garden, but an orchard.

The only drawback is the timing. West Coast gardens produce most of their bounty in the summer, when classes aren’t in session. The school district has to stretch an already skin-tight budget to cover the labor and utilities to weed, pick and store the fruits and vegetables, or else extremely dedicated volunteers must pick up the slack.

Greenhouses are one answer. The garden’s proven benefits thus far may be the other.

– I met Arthur Golden in 1996 when he was campaigning for a bond measure for Greater Albany Public Schools. His daughter, Nancy, was Albany’s assistant superintendent at the time.

As I remember it, the guy had more energy than any three people put together. He would fairly bounce from person to person, beaming, shaking hands, handing out his cards, encouraging them to vote yes.

He kept reminding me of someone, but I couldn’t think who. Then it came to me: the James Stewart character Elwood P. Dowd from the movie “Harvey,” only revved up and sane.

Nancy Golden is now superintendent for the Springfield school district. She moderated a forum for Lebanon not long ago, and I saw her there. Dad is doing just fine, she said – still walking miles to the school district office just to say hi.

– The Gary story, written in 2003, was about an Albany guy who made regular appearances on the Howard Stern show. He is mentally disabled. Stern dubbed him “Gary the Retard” and used him to go on televised “dates” and film spots with porn stars.

The story centered on this question: Is it OK for a mentally disabled person to let other people exploit him if he so chooses? How far do we intervene in matters of personal choice?

I don’t know where Gary is these days. Stern being off the main grid now, I’m guessing he’s no longer involved with the show. I’m glad about that, but I’m sure Gary isn’t.

That’s what prompted the question, but the answer will have to be yours.

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