Did Councilor Hit Head on Shallow End Before Pool Comment?; Planned Parenthood About More Than Abortions

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Did Councilor Hit Head on Shallow End Before Pool Comment?

Did John Elmore hit his head in the shallow end of the pool as a child? Shallow-minded certainly describes his recent comment regarding the opportunity to restore the outdoor swimming pool in downtown Centralia. 

For those who missed it, Elmore said, “… pools divide families because mom drops off the kids to go get cigarettes, tattoos and buy beer; splash pads unite families because grandma and grandpa want to go along.”

There is so much wrong with his statement. It is sexist, classist, ageist, not to mention idiotic, insensitive and totally unfounded.

Many of us grew up going to a public pool to cool off, to play, to learn how to swim (or, as in my case, to overcome fear of the water) and to enjoy the company of friends and those who would become friends. 

Some went on to get a first job teaching swimming classes and lifeguarding. I expect there were others for whom it was, quite literally, a lifesaver, allowing respite from an unhealthy or isolated home environment. Isn’t it better that those children were at a pool with supervision and community camaraderie rather than out on the street getting into trouble?

The presence of a community gathering place — be it a city commons, a public park or a neighborhood pool — is one of the big benefits of living in a small town. It is one of the things that sets us apart from the anonymity of a larger metropolitan area. 

Centralia is at a tipping point — do we want to maintain the status quo and survive day to day or do we want to be the very best small town? I for one want the latter. I have invested in this community and I want to see it succeed. To do so requires that we have individuals in public office and working with community organizations who have a vision for what we can be, who make decisions based on that vision and communicate with respect and honesty.

Councilor (and Centralia School Board candidate) Elmore shows no vision and a total lack of respect. He should apologize to the moms, with and without tattoos; the dads (mysteriously absent in his family scenario); the grandparents, who might like to swim, not splash; and the children, who deserve access to a safe and affordable place to play and to learn.

 

Rebecca Staeber

Centralia

Not a Mother, But Still Offended by Pool Quote

I have just finished reading the article in the Tuesday, July 21, newspaper about the $500,000 grant for the Pearl Street Pool. (Way to go, S.T.O.P and Swim).

Although I am not a mother, as a woman, I was highly offended by the remark councilor John Elmore made. Saying “pools divide families because mom drops off kids to go get cigarettes, tattoos, and buy beers” is demeaning to all women. He obviously has a very low opinion of women.

In my opinion, he should be removed from the Centralia City Council. This is not the kind of person I was representing me or my city.

 

Jan Banevich

Centralia

 

Pools Do Not Divide Families

I do not write in very often, but must comment on John Elmore’s comment regarding reopening the Pearl Street Pool, stating among other remarks that the pool would divide families.

When my children were young, we utilized the pool a lot and it certainly did not divide our family.

To say that “moms drop off their children to go buy beer, cigarettes and get tattoos” is just pure fiction, to put it mildly.

If this is the caliber of his thinking, I think the voters should remember this as he is running for a position on the Centralia School Board.

 

Connie Scherer

Chehalis

 

Councilor’s Comment on Pool Ridiculous

Who is and where did Centralia city councilor John Elmore come from?

If he does not want to support the pool, he should say it. But his comment that pools divide families is ridiculous.

I grew up and have lived in Centralia for many years, along with my family of six brothers and sisters and a mom and dad. We all spent many hours at the pool, taking lessons and going to play and swim. No, my mom did not drop us off to go buy cigarettes and get tattoos. We walked or rode our bikes as a family.

I’m not sure what dictionary Elmore uses for the definition of family. It’s not the same one my family uses. Saying splash pads unite families because grandmas and grandpas might want to go along, again I’m not sure what he means by this. Is he saying grandparents are too old to swim? Yes, I’m a granny and I do swim.

City of Chehalis, you must be doing something right. Your beer and cigarette sales must be at an all-time high, and the tattoo parlors must be filled with customers nonstop. You do have an amazing pool and splash pad for grandparents.

Yes, I do own my own pool and yes, my family, children and grandchildren, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends enjoy this regularly. Sometimes, we might even have a family barbecue at the same time.

I thought being on the city council Elmore was there for the community. They community also includes family.

Is this the same John Elmore who is running for the Centralia School Board. Something tells me that he doesn’t understand what is good for families. How would he know what is good for our children?

Get a life, John Elmore, and find something else to do other than be on the city council or try to be on the Centralia School Board. Maybe Donald Trump could use some of your off-the-wall comments and ideas. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for raising us with excellent family values.

 

Joan Champlin

Centralia

 



Gramma Wouldn’t Approve of Centralia Pool Plans

It was 1959 when my family moved back to Centralia. Our family had been in Centralia since the 1920s. Gramma and Grampa, aunt, uncles and cousins enriched my life as a kid. I attended Edison School and had the best friends of my life there. Centralia was a “family” town, full of neighborhoods and wonderful homes. There was one thing that meant everything to me though, the Pearl Street Pool.

My grandmother was a woman who worked hard her entire life, she lived frugally, never spent a penny that was unwise, but she believed in that pool. When they announced they would build it, she was one of the first to donate some of that very hard-earned money. She knew it was the perfect place for her grandkids to learn to swim. 

You see, Gramma had never learned to swim and there were several children who had drowned in nearby waters. When she donated that hard-earned money she expected that pool to be in the city to serve its families, probably forever.

Well, guess what Gramma? They want to tear down your pool. The city didn’t want to develop a plan to keep it alive and serve the citizens of this area. Now even though there is a group of people willing to donate its time and effort to restore the pool, the city just keeps putting obstacles in front of them. 

The city is expecting them to raise the money in just a couple of years when it took the nearby city of Chehalis almost nine years to raise the money and get its pool built. Now that group has raised a lot of money and received matching money and an additional grant that almost will complete the pool. The group wants to continue to raise funds in the years to come to help offset costs, but the city turned them down.

Guess what, Gramma? Now there is a thing called solar electricity that could be designed into the building to not only power the pool in the summer but it could also feed back to Centralia City Light all winter by generating electricity to offset even more additional costs. That pool could be almost self-supporting, Gramma, but they still want to tear it down.

I hope they don’t tear down what you worked so hard to have built for our city, and I will always be thankful you helped make my childhood the best childhood any kid could have, and you made it possible for me to play every summer in that pool.

I love you and miss you, Gramma.

 

Colleen Stewart

Centralia

 

 

Pool is a Great Asset for Community 

I have just read the article about the state grant for $500,000 to repair the Pearl Street Pool. That is what it means, right?

I grew up in Centralia, and in the summer the pool downtown was the magnet for all kids. It was the place to go on hot days and even when it wasn’t hot.

A girl in my third-grade class drowned in Borst Lake and more than several drowned in the Chehalis river. The new pool even has a drowning record. The Pearl Street Pool always had a lifeguard to watch you.

Pools don’t divide families; over the years when I drove by the pool there were as many people outside the fence as were in the pool. Olympia has a splash pad downtown. At times when I have been by there, it wasn’t open. I don’t know why.

Things to consider.

 

Stan Germeau

Centralia

 

Centralia Voters Have Chance to Improve Education

Centralia residents have a unique opportunity to dramatically improve education in our community this election. Will they bother to fill out their ballots and vote? 

Usually we don’t. We let the political and self-interested people control our elections in less than exciting election cycles. They are willing to vote and drive votes.  It would be inspiring to see our neighbors take charge of our schools for the benefit of the community, the parents, and the children.

 We have two candidates this election cycle that most communities simply don’t have. They are actual educational experts. If elected together they would, in fact, change the game in favor of the true stakeholders, you, me our children and our grandchildren.

A vote for Ron Averill and Jami Lund would indicate we actually want meaningful improvement to education in our community, rather than it being a topic we simply like to whine about.

 

Dan Townsend

Centralia

 

Planned Parenthood About More Than Abortions

Regarding the story on page Main 12 on July 16, “Planned Parenthood Video Stirs Uproar,” this subject is more delicate to deal with than politics. This organization is trying to help women manage their families.

We hope that all babies would be wanted and be able to be cared for. And on this subject, can our old, tired Earth continue to accommodate and support our ever-increasing population?

Right now, Mars doesn’t look very inviting to me.

 

Margaret Cole

Ethel