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Show Page 16 The Ogden Valley News Volume I, Issue IX June 1999 Tribute to Karen Bailey For many years when people of Ogden Valley would think of baseball or softball, the name Karen Bailey fondly came to mind. Karen has spent countless hours listening to parents who would plead their case as to why their child needed to be on coach soand-so’s team, or why “Johnny” just has to be on the same team as “Billy’s.” Many people would see Karen at the field during games, but were seldom aware of all that went into putting together a successful recreation season. The hours of writing schedules, mending baseball equipment, ordering uniforms, and taking last minute requests from parents who forgot to mail registrations. Her policy was to include everyone, no exceptions. Her commitment to excellence has not only taught our children a game, but also sportsmanship & teamwork. This year, Karen turned over her title as director of tee-ball coach, pitch and softball to Melodie Hansen. Karen wanted more time with her family and to be able to travel more during the summer months. I know I speak for all parents of the Valley when I say that Karen will be greatly missed. We all appreciate the great effort she has put into the recreation program over the years. The children of the Valley will always remember the experiences they had while playing baseball for Karen and will pass those memories on to their children. Thanks Karen for your dedication. Linda Gillespie and future Mark McGwires Valley Recreation Facility Rebuilds for Future Wolf Creek Resorts Pool and Recreational Facility, formally Patio Springs, is undergoing a half million dollar renovation, including two new tennis courts, basketball courts, new outdoor spa, wading pool, exercise room, game room and a remodel of the large pool. The large pool area renovation will include all new decks and a water fed tube slide. After seeing little change in the last fifteen years, the ownership of Wolf Creek felt the time had come to “revitalize” one of the Valley’s best recreational facilities. The effect of this change will be that day use passes will no longer be available for the Pool and Recreational Facility. The facility will be available for area residents use, but only with the purchase of an annual pass. With the purchase of an annual pass, the immediate family (children 21 or younger) will have full use of all facilities at the Pool and Recreational Facility during all hours of operation. An annual pass will be $275, the year running from April 1 to March 31. Summer hours—Memorial Day through Labor Day–will be 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. for the indoor facilities, spas and tennis courts, and 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. for the pools. Winter hours will be from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. for indoor facilities and spa. Tennis courts will be available weather permitting. For more information or to purchase an annual pass, please call Wolf Creek Golf Resort at (801) 745-3737 and ask for Todd Ferrario or Lesa Cheney. Why My Dad is a Hero by Paul Birkbeck The parking lot was empty. My dad turned off the engine. “Ready?” I wasn’t, but nodded and switched seats with him. It only took a few minutes to understand how ready I wasn’t. “Smooth,” my dad pleaded. His knuckles were white on the edge of his seat. The gear shift was a long crooked bone getting more and more out of joint. We lurched back and forth in unison as the car jerked its way across the lot. I couldn’t tell which was louder: the grinding gears or my dad’s grinding teeth. “Second, second.” The car stalled with a heave. Many times I’d sat glancing sideways at my dad as he effortlessly shifted gears. “How do you know when to shift?” I asked him once. He shrugged as if the question hadn’t occurred to him before. “Just listen to the engine.” We listened to the engine as we kangaroo hopped across the parking lot; it sounded like it was being strangled, over and over again. My dad’s a poor sleeper. One night I sneaked downstairs to watch a horror movie double bill. I kept the sound really low and became good at reading lips. “Aaagh!” was the most frequently used line of dialogue anyway. Half way through the first movie I heard the stairs creaking. I quickly turned off the TV and darted behind a chair. The door opened and I cringed. It was my dad. He turned on the TV and sat down on the couch. It was the longest fifteen minutes of my life. Every itch, every ache I’d ever had seemed to come alive again. His face looked a little like it did now, as I tried to grind a new gear between first and second: white, drawn, tired. He was having the same nightmare over and over–I was in charge of the sound effects. “Sorry,” I said. I wasn’t getting it. He gritted his teeth. “Couple of more tries.” He rarely gets angry. I remember coming home late one night. I hadn’t told my parents where I was. I was using my most reliable form of transportation, walking up the hill to town. Coming down the hill I saw my dad’s car. As he got closer I could see his face, white in the lights of an oncoming car. He stopped about ten feet ahead of me and did a U-turn. I watched his taillights go back up the hill. He knew how to make his point. I trudged home. The lights were out. I went to bed trying not to make any noise. I thought the same might work with the car. Smooth, silent. But the look on my dad’s face hadn’t changed. “OK,” he said. We switched seats. “It’s just practice.” I watched him on the way home. How did he do that? He didn’t say anything, but I knew I’d never see the driving seat again. I think it’s called “cutting your losses” in business. My mom had failed her driving test four times so I assumed it was the genes. My father’s face settled back into its easy expression. He likes to sing and I thought he might right then. One of the first things I remember about him is him playing the guitar and yodeling. And me asking him before he married my mom, “Are you gonna be my dad?” I hadn’t had one before so I didn’t know what to expect. I haven’t been disappointed. Note: Paul Birkbeck, a resident of Eden, is the winner of the Father’s Day essay contest that was announced in last month’s newspaper. FARMERS INSURANCE GROUP OF COMPANIES CLAIR C. BEASLEY Agent 5402 E 2200 N, EDEN UT 84310 745-3021 LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE Farmers Life Insurance Company now offers Long-Term Care Insurance. FARMERS Long-term Care Insurance is therapeutic, rehabilitative, maintenance or personal care services delivered in a setting other than a hospital. This type of care is provided by nurses, therapists, home health aides and other caregivers. 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