On Campus

She's easy to spot. Sitting on a high black stool, she greets everyone she sees with a smile and a kind word. With the hustle and bustle of everything going on around her, she remains calm and focused on the job at hand.

Cups fill with ice, hamburgers sizzle on the grill, workers call out orders- it's all part of her day. Students wait- some patiently, some not- to pay for their purchases. She remains focused and busy.

She is very much a people person as her chats show. "Happy Monday!" "Have a great day!" "Have a wonderful weekend!" All familiar declarations. All coming from the same nice lady who, day in and day out, is one of the best known faces at Linn Benton.

She makes the black tabard that is part of her uniform does more than cover the shirt she wears underneath. It tells her story. "I do believe in angels," she said with her quick smile. The tabard's front is filled with angel pins ranging from very small metal ones to vibrantly jeweled ones. And, yes, there is even one from her grandchildren. It's easy to spot- the swirling metal spells out 'Nana' while the loop below the letters holds a trio of small angels.

For students who enjoy a meal on campus, it's very hard to eat without first visiting with this very nice, very helpful lady. Stop by the Courtyard Cafe and see if you can spot her!

Anne, we will always remember

 I thought of you today, Anne.

The little flags that appeared in the quad at school probably caused some people to stop and read the signs. Hopefully, a lot of people paused. I know I did.

My eyes especially lingered on the yellow ones. That's when I thought of you, Anne.

It's been several years since I was given the opportunity to tell your story. I just hope we did it justice. I think we did.

I felt I got to know you if even just a bit. Talking with Laureen and Rudi, seeing the photo of your father, hearing first hand what it was like to hide, to be persecuted, to live in fear each and every day. How I wish your young life would have ended differently.

I shared my thoughts with Leigh. She portrayed your mother with all of the fears, the joys and the courage that Edith most surely did possess.

You touched our lives.

We will never forget, Anne. Never.

LB's "Lunch Lady" provides service with a smile

By Kay M Roth

She always serves her customers with a smile and a sincere, “Have a great day.” She doesn’t just look at the items set on the shiny silver counter and punch the prices on the computer screen. She stops a moment to look at the person, to connect.

For people picking up a salad, sandwich or something to drink at the Courtyard Café, it's Judi Madarus who does more than just take your money. 


Even though everyone seems to be in a rush, people tend to slow down a bit and make small talk with Linn Benton’s “Lunch Lady.” It’s hard not to do. She’s just such a nice person. But, who among us actually knows her?

Madarus might not be well known to students by her name but everyone who ventures into the school’s café knows her. And, she knows them. 


“I love the students,” she said last week. “I like to call them by name.” 

LB student Lisa Singleton said she appreciates what she calls that “spark of recognition,” Madarus shows to each and every person who comes through her line.

“She’s amazing,” Singleton said. “She remembers me from a year ago.” 

Madarus has been a mainstay at Linn-Benton for 31 years. Although she retired three years ago, staying away from LB just wasn't in the cards. She quickly returned as a part-time cashier.

She is now providing her great customer service for a second generation of students. Pretty appropriate considering she is a second-generation employee.

“I started upstairs in the dish room with my mom.” Madarus’s first job was washing dishes. When her mother retired, Madarus took her supervisory position. “I worked on the hot line upstairs.” She smiles at the memories.

Eventually, she moved to the Courtyard Café where this generation of students and staff have gotten to know her. 


From her stool at the cash register, Madarus connects with the students and staff who pass her way. She always has a smile, a comment, and a nod of recognition to those she serves.


The cafe is a second home for her. She considers the people who pass through the café as more than customers. They are family. Like family, they have been through good times and bad times together. “They really rallied around me,” she said of the time 10 years ago when her husband, Ed, passed away.

In addition to her radiant smile, people passing through her line can’t help but notice her black tabard filled with pins. Not just random pins. Madarus's tabard is filled with angel pins. Ones that sparkle, ones made of metal, big ones, small ones. All angels all the time.


She started with one. Suddenly, people were bringing her more. “Students, faculty, friends- everybody,” she said of who they come from. 


Grandchildren Austin Carson, 13, Colby Carson, 9, and Caylee Perkins, 6, even have presented their grandmother with an angel pin. The trio's pin is complete with the word Nana that holds three little angels. Again, she smiles.

“Yes, I do believe in angels.”

She also loves flowers, as noted by the colorful bouquet that always adorns the counter near her register. In the winter, it is often silk flowers. Other times of the year, they are fresh cut. “I do gardening at home.”

When she’s not at LB or working in her garden, Madarus enjoys being with her family, playing Bingo and shopping with friends. 


How long will she keep working? “Until I’m not able to.”

Fellow Courtyard Café cashier Jennifer Reeser smiled when asked to describe Madarus. “Very friendly.” Reeser gave Madarus great reviews for her customer service.

She also appreciates Madarus as a co-worker. “She’s fun to work with.”

In addition to her three grandchildren, Madarus has two daughters, Christy Madarus and Melissa Carson. And, of course, the LB students and staff.

“Family and friends- they are the greatest asset in life.” Indeed.

Judi Madarus has been a mainstay at LBCC for 31 years. 

  

Photos by Kay M Roth

At a glance:

Name: Judi Madarus

Born in New York, moved to Oregon at nine months old

Family settled in Scio area, where they joined the Czech community.

Follow Courtyard Cafe on facebook
Courtyard Cafe hours of operation are: 
Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Toolbox 101

Stephen King got it right- keep your toolbox handy. His book, On Writing, can help even the least experienced writer feel they can write!

When writing anything there are certain things people need to remember. How they work in Features Writing is really no different than they might work in research writing or fiction writing- or even writing a letter.

Your writing toolbox isn't heavy, it doesn't take up space- well, except in your brain- and it shouldn't get too cluttered. In other words, keep it tidy. If used correctly, like any type of toolbox, it will help you get the job done.

In my opinion, King's suggestions regarding a writer's toolbox actually begins on the pages prior to the section he titled "Toolbox." He suggests to read and read a lot. To be a good writer, you have to read what else is out there.

With so much instant news on the Internet, ebooks and blogs, there is no excuse not to. Reading helps writers become stronger in their writing, lets them know what people are interested and what's already been written and keeps them informed on what's happening in the world.

While King's writing is extremely conversational, he brings into play some great ideas and utilizes several sources. One, William Strunk's "The Elements of Style," deals with grammar and how to use it correctly. King is then quick to add that even Strunk, who he calls the "Mussolini of rhetoric," won't get too worked up if not every single sentence is a complete one.

Another concept that works great in Features Writing is the differing lengths of paragraphs. Pulling a novel down from the shelf, as King suggests, it's easy to see that varying the lengths keeps the words- and hopefully the story- flowing.

The bottom line, in King's opinion, is keeping the toolbox simple yet filled. Utilizing the fundamentals- noted by King as the elements of style, vocabulary and grammar- and then filling your toolbox with the right instruments will make good writing easier.

Three things I've learned in feature writing so far

Life in features writing class has been interesting to date. I've learned several things about writing that hadn't seemed as important to me before.

Writing features gives me much more freedom to be creative in the way I write and to do more than report "just the facts." The more personable the stories, the better the read.

Quotes, quotes and more quotes (and, of course the attributions that go with them!) are very important in making the stories real to our readers. For example, stories need quotes. Some great examples of students' writing can be found here.

Photos are also a great plus. They can really help move the story along. The review of Heath Ledger's portrayal in the Dark Knight uses an awesome photo.

Deadlines are just as important in features writing as in any other aspect of journalism. Don't miss the quote, don't miss the photo op, don't miss the deadline boat!

"The King's Speech" speaks

By Kay M Roth

“The King’s Speech” is about so much more than what the title implies. It is about family relationships, friendships and the dedication of a loving woman. 

Starring Colin Firth as the unexpected King George VI and Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth, “The King’s Speech,” follows the story of Prince Albert and his ascension to the throne when his brother abdicates. 

The film was released on December 2, 2010 but received it's world premier on September 4, 2010 at the Telluride Film Festival. The movie was also previewed at the Toronto International Film Festival, which happened to be on Firth's 50th birthday. According to a festival press release, the star called the TIFF release "a great 50th birthday gift."

"The King's Speech" is reaping honors hand over fist. Firth got the nod as best actor and the entire cast for best ensemble cast in the recent Screen Actors Guild awards. Director Tom Hooper was thrilled to be named the top director in the Directors Guild of America awards. The film is the runaway favorite for next month's Academy Awards.

It is Prince Albert’s stammer that leads the future King George VI to an unlikely friendship with Lionel Logue. Portrayed by Geoffrey Rush, Logue became Bertie's confidant as well as his teacher and friend. Rush played the pianist prodigy David Helfgott in the movie, "Shine." Like Firth in King's Speech, Rush raked in the honors for that role- the Oscar, Golden Globe, British Film Award and Australian Film Institute Award.

“Call me Lionel,” Rush’s character says to Firth after calling him by his boyhood nickname of Bertie when the pair first meets in Logue’s office. Logue’s unorthodox speech therapy methods work to bring out Bertie’s long hidden traumas, helping him draw on his own strength to enhance his speech.

When Bertie’s brother, David professes his love for Wallace Simpson, his twice divorced mistress, he is forced to give up the crown, thrusting his younger, stammering brother into the unwanted position as the King of England. "The King's Speech" brings Bertie's struggles to speak in public directly to the forefront.

Perhaps it is the last piece of the story that goes under appreciated by most theatergoers. If not for Bonham Carter’s Queen Elizabeth, her husband and his therapist would never have met. It was Queen Elizabeth’s determination to help her husband that led her to a less than upper class section of London. 


It is in the office of Logue, with its peeled paint and shabby furniture, where Bertie learns that he can indeed speak in public without stammering. It is because of the queen’s determination to raising a stable family that the future king has a loving relationship with the couple’s young daughters, Margaret and the current Queen Elizabeth.

Thanks to the many historical figures (Winston Churchill, King George V, Wallace Simpson, to name a few), the film takes audiences through the days leading up to World War II. Unlike some historical films, “The King’s Speech” utilizes the times as background and not as a huge part of the plot. The real plot lines are the friendship between Bertie and Lionel and Queen Elizabeth’s love of her husband that makes “The King’s Speech” flow.

In the just announced nominations, The King's Speech leads the Oscar race. With 12 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director, it is clear voters like the film for its story and acting and the spectacular way it was put together. The movie also leads the British Academy of Film and Television Arts nominations with 14. These honors are in addition to those already heaped on The King's Speech at the Golden Globes.

With masterful performances by Firth, Bonham Carter and Rush, the movie is filled with wonderful moments, with laughter and sorrow and with a story of friendship that lasted a lifetime. I spent the afternoon totally engrossed in historical England, feeling empathy for Bertie and cheering when he succeeded in giving the most important speech of his life.

The costumes were top notch, the acting superb, and the story was mystifying, uplifting and fun. The old adage about friendship having no boundaries was proven throughout the film as royalty and the common man worked side by side toward a common goal and, in the end, became friends.



At a glance:
Run time: 1 hour, 51 minutes
Rated R
Drama
Directed by Tom Hooper
Staring Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Timothy Spall, Michael Gambo, Geoffrey Rush
Local showtimesOther links:
Therapist's granddaughter 'loves' The King's Speech
Firth not first choice as King George VI
The King's Speech
Director honored
What other critics are saying 
Queen Elizabeth gives nod

Construction at LB nears completion

By Kay M Roth

The fences on the northwest corner of the Quad block off an area normally traveled by students and staff members getting to and from classes. When winter term began, students were scrambling to find their classrooms even more than usual. Men with hardhats moved in and out of the building. Staff worked from relocated offices. And, those fences remained in place. When is it all going to end?                                                                                                                                                  

Over two years after it began, construction at LBCC is nearing completion. White Oak Hall, formerly known as the Science and Technology building, is almost ready to open.

According to Kevin Nicholson, the project manager, White Oak Hall is in its final stages of being ready for occupancy. “We’re close to being done,” he said recently.

By Nicholson’s estimation, all of the work will be complete early next month.

Gary Ruppert, the Dean of Instruction, is the person who schedules classes and assigns rooms. “We will have classes in there next term,” he said this week.

This is the final phase of a two-phase project that began over two years ago with groundbreaking for Madrone Hall. Once classes resume in White Oak Hall, the quad will be completely reopened. Nicholson said no further construction projects are expected in the near future.

The total cost of both phases is estimated at $10 million. According to information on the LBCC website, recording the history of the college, funding came from a variety of sources. The college Foundation raised almost half ($4 million) through private donations. The college spent $2.75 million, with an additional $3.73 million coming from state capital construction funding. A federal appropriation of just over $515,000 was used to purchase lab equipment.

Despite the relocation of classes, the closures have been taken in stride. “We’ve had no complaints from students,” Nicholson said.

He believes students and staff will be pleased with the changes. “It’s an all new layout,” he said of the way White Oak Hall will look. “It was totally gutted and remodeled.” A seismic upgrade was also done, preparing the building to withstand the shocks of earthquakes. Classroom sizes will remain basically the same.

In addition to the remodel, a section that used to be open space is now part of Red Cedar Hall. A wide staircase with a pendulum at the center takes up a large space in Red Cedar. “It was just open space,” Nicholson said.

As far as the name changes, Nicholson explained that Dr. Rita Cavin, former LBCC president, instigated the switch from subject specific names, such as Science and Technology, to what are considered subject neutral names- White Oak Hall.

Green leaves adorning trees, students relaxing at the many picnic tables in the quad and, oh yes, the opening of White Oak Hall- just some great things to look forward to this spring.

At a Glance:

New Construction: LBCC science building & alternative transportation efforts
Costs:  $10 million for phase one (Madrone Hall) and phase two (Red Cedar and White Oak Halls)
Completion date: White Oak Hall, spring 2010
Uses: Classrooms, instructors' offices, study spaces
Capital planning







 Students and staff do not yet have access to the newly refurbished and renamed White Oak Hall
                                Photos by Kay M Roth