Letters to the Editor

Where our money went

And where is the "results measurement" on our nation's billion dollar investment in the auto industry to supposedly save jobs??? We might have known that our government was providing several billion dollar bail-outs for favored people of top levels including Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, before it cleaned house on the rest of the auto industry. There was no logic in rewarding officials for lack of response to failing operation, and apparent lack of foresight or marketing research to predict the future of this industry. Dealerships on the brink of going out of business could be a clue that the market is not there. In a declining national economy headed for depression, no one in their right mind would be buying new cars, except possibly from the 'reclaimed" lot. This has been a study in the complete idiocy of government mismanagement using vast amounts of tax dollars while dragging taxpayers deeper into debt, forever. Then while leading the way, they scold individuals for over-use of credit cards. What an example to set!

One requirement placed on the 'states stimulus package" was that it be used for government sponsored programs, already planned and "shovel ready." The term "ready" pretty much earmarks short-term "feel good" projects such as those already planned by the environmental community and simply awaiting federal grants. Nothing is provided for jump-starting, revitalizing or salvaging entire industries to provide jobs and product on a long term basis. Why should we be surprised that wasteful spending is resulting? The program was designed for that. The most effective, least expensive and immediately effective action that would get "profit-motivated" industries back on their feet and creating jobs, is simply the elimination of oppressive rules and regulations representing unnecessary over-kill on environmental protection.

These have been increasingly restricting availability of essential resources, raising energy costs, hamstringing productive operation of business and industry, and driving these operations overseas. Why doesn't government think of that? Tell 'em !

Clarice Ryan

Bigfork

Remembering Elna

Elna Darrow was a woman of many dimensions. She was born in Oceanside, Calif. during WWII, where her father was a military photographer. Her family soon moved to the small town of Placerville that still had the flavor of the first discovery of gold in California. Here Elna spent her grade school years. After school she would walk down to her Dad's barber shop where she would attend to homework and absorb the adult conversations, much of it was about fishing. Her Dad was an inverterate fly fisherman who would take the family camping along one of the streams in the nearby Sierra Madre on weekends. Elna and her sister Virginia, would play in the creek and the woods while Dad was fishing.

By the age of 12, Elna, with her mother and sister, returned to the maternal home in Fargo, North Dakota where her mother was a fifth grade teacher until her retirement.

Elna attended North Dakota State University in Fargo and graduated with a B.S. in Economics with Honors. She applied for admission to Law School. In spite of her academic attainments she was refused admission because "Girls don't belong in Law School," authorities were adamant.

Elna was admitted to the Economics Department to pursue a Masters Degree as the only girl in the department, which she obtained in due course.

After graduation, Elna, a slim sylph of a Norwegian girl with red hair married Bruce Tannehill and they went off to teaching jobs in Libby.

Libby was then, in 1966, fully enveloped with black smoke from the sawmill in town and bustling with the construction activity of the Army Corps of Engineers engaged in building the Libby Dam to contain the Kootenai River in Lake Koocanusa.

Confronting the boom-town rental fees, Elna and Bruce undertook to build their own house the following summer. They bought a lot in the woods, hired a carpenter and built their own house. Elna was the carpenter trainee and the go-fer who made the run into Spokane for supplies. When the house was finished by the start of school the following autumn, they decided to use one salary for living expenses and apply the other toward paying off the mortgage.

A few years later an opportunity for higher pay and better tenure for Bruce in the Chemistry Department at Whitefish High was the occasion for selling the Libby house and buying one in Whitefish. Elna obtained a job as an Economist on the newly formed County Planning staff in Kalispell.

Bruce was an accomplished outdoorsman and canoeist from practice in Boundary Waters and month long canoe trips in Alaska. He was also a skilled hunter. The couple ate only wild meat. After a deer or elk had been dressed out and aged, it was Elna who butchered the carcass and packaged it for freezing. She became an excellent cook.

In a few years, the marriage broke up and Elna moved to Helena and quickly found a state job as a Water Economist with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, D.N.R.C. Her work here became a base that Elna continued to build on in the many volunteer citizen organizations she contributed to for over 30 years.

In 1976 I married Elna and Elna married not only a new husband, but also became the step-mother of four teenage step-children, the mistress of Paladin Farms and the managing owner of Kootenai Galleries. Most importantly, that was the beginning of the 32 best years of my life.

Winter sun-breaks were regular vacations, mostly in Arizona, with special attention to Indian reservations.

Together we have shared the marriages of my four children, Roy, Karen, Reed and John and seven grandchildren, Pamela, Makayla, Megan, Jace, Rayne, Lane and Kamryn.

Designing and overseeing the building of Kootenai Galleries was a joint endeavor, Elna was the managing owner. A spacious conference room that was designed on the second floor quickly became the meeting place for many Bigfork community activities.

Elna, naturally gregarious, entered into existing community activities and participated in initiating several others, including the Riverbend Concert Association, Bigfork Festival of the Arts, Bigfork Planning Committee and Tamarack Time! Her sustained initiative and leadership continued over a span of nearly 30 years.

I was reminded of a childhood book, "The Little Red Hen," who, upon seeing something that needed doing but was going undone, said "Then I will do it myself."

That was the fairy tale. In the real life story in Bigfork, Elna took the initiative and sustained the dedicated effort for 30 years. Her example has attracted scores of Bigfork citizens who carry on the annual events and organizations that have made Bigfork known as a "community of volunteers." The slim, red-haired Norwegian girl became the "Little Red Hen," who provided the example of community participation that has enlisted both male and female "hens' for the past 30 years.

As you look around you at Elna's "Celebration of Life," you will recognize many of your fellow citizens of Bigfork who have asserted "then I will do it myself" and contribute not only as elves, but year-round as "Little Red Hens."

A celebration of life for Elna Darrow ill be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9 at BruMar Estates in Ferndale.

George Darrow

Bigfork