Sanpete Messenger Gunnison Valley Edition | 2007-11-07 | Page 5

Thursday, November 8, 2007 A5 Sanpete Messenger/Gunnison Valley Edition Heaven Help Us By Corrie Lynne Player Happiness can be yours—if you want it All of us want to be happy, but we have differing ideas of what happiness entails. Think about the happiest people you know—all of them probably have childlike qualities: the ability to play, to find joy in little things, to be curious, and to persist with something that they want to do (think about a baby trying to walk or a four-year-old watching an ant lug a crumb of bread). Research indicates why some people live longer than others who share the same genes and environment. These studies demonstrate that emotions and reactions to stressful situations either flood your body with serotonin, a natural chemical that soothes and relaxes you, or cortisol, a natural chemical that raises blood pressure and puts your body into a “fight-or-flight” mode. While you cannot control events and people’s reactions around you, you can take steps to help your body produce serotonin. The most basic thing you can do is stop reacting to your life without thinking about what you’re doing. Like many of us, you probably rush through your day, mopping floors, typing reports, chauffeuring kids, sorting mail, feeding the dog, vacuuming up crushed cereal, and so on. Experts in life skills (also known as life coaches or motivational speakers) advise you to stop four or five times a day for five minutes at a time. By stopping, I mean that you sit down and put your feet up, emptying your mind as you snuggle into the couch. Spend at least one of your five minutes on your knees. If you’re afraid you’ll distract yourself for too long and get more stressed because you think you’re falling further behind, set a timer! Space the breaks out during the day, maybe just after you’ve dressed and are ready to go to work or to drive your kids to school, then just before or after lunch, after work or when your kids are doing homework, right after dinner, and just before bed. Some studies show that five minutes five times a day can provide more stress relief than a half hour in the middle of the day. But you may simply be too scattered (join the club!) to take several five-minute breaks—the day tends to get away from you and you discover it’s 3 p.m. and you’ve only stood up from your desk to visit the bathroom or eat a piece of cheese while you pawed through your filing cabinet. If this is the case, stop, set your timer for one half hour and take a nap. Put your head down on your desk if necessary (do check with your boss—but if you skipped lunch, she shouldn’t care). Researchers at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine studied 2,000 couples and discovered that those who only kissed during lovemaking were eight times more likely to suffer stress than those who smooched frequently. The researchers said that kissing creates “connectedness, which releases endorphins, the chemicals that counteract stress and depression.” (“Six surprising Stress Fixes” by Catherine Guthrie, Good Housekeeping, September 2007, p. 140). Numerous medical and behavioral researchers have determined that you can also beat stress through full-body hugs and cuddle time with loved ones. Touch is one of our greatest physiological needs—as important as eating and sleeping for our wellbeing. Reach out to your family and friends and don’t be afraid to ask for hugs. If your children are grown and you live alone, you need hugs even more! Depression is epidemic among those over 65, much of it related to loneliness and a sense of helplessness. So don’t be part of the statistics. Remember, you can’t be efficient or productive if you don’t take care of your basic needs. Choose right now and repeat after me, “I’m a good person and I deserve to be happy” then ask your child, friend, or neighbor for a hug, reciprocate with a smile, and find time for a 30-minute nap! I guarantee that you’ll be amazed, almost immediately, by the results. S&H Heating and Air Conditioning [phone] [phone] KAREN PRISBREY / MESSENGER PHOTO Historic building in the process of being demolished. Historic Gunnison building bids farewell Demolition of Farmer’s Equity building ends more than 100 years of history By Karen Prisbrey Staff writer GUNNISON—Demolition of the Farmers’ Equity Building at 600 South Main St., brought an end to over 100 years of history. Originally constructed in 1897, the building housed The John’s Town School, which was erected to save the children in that area from the long walk into Gunnison to at- school. After eighth grade, students were transferred to the Washington School for high school classes. The building was used as a schoolhouse until 1912. The old school occupied the east end of the structure, with the classroom and chalkboards on the south side of the building, and an- As the structure assumed new ownership and purposes, the doors and windows on the north side of the building were blocked up, and a larger addition was added to the west side of the building, forming the front facade of the building. The building was then used as a co-op that was an International Harvester and McCormick Deering dealership. The store also sold ammunition, nuts, bolts, sprinkler parts and KAREN PRISBREY / MESSENGER PHOTO The Farmers Equity Building in Gunnison served as a schoolhouse in its early days before Farmer’s Equity took over in 1916. tend school. The school was given its name because several men by the name of John—Larson, Kearns, Peterson, Percival, Pickett, and Modeen—along with other townsmen, donated labor and money to erect the building. Boys and girls from beginner through eighth grade were taught by Charles H. Embly at the other smaller room to the north, that was thought to have served as the principal’s office. In 1916 the Stockholders Corporation (Farmer’s Equity), took over the building, and it was operated for Gunnison Valley Farmers by different management until 1944 when the stockholders sold out to Jack and Ardell Nielson. other items. Farmers would bring their livestock to the south side of the building where they were weighed prior to going to market. The old scales are still at that location. Alva Anderson, an original stockholder in the co-op, ran the store for Nielson, who preferred buying and selling cattle to being tied down to running the store. Anderson ran the business until he passed away in 1967. Nielson knew that no one would be able to run the store like Anderson did, so he closed the doors on the business. Nielson and his sons, Clair and Larry, walked away from the business, closing the doors on debts that were still owed by customers, and on the inventory that was still inside. Clair’s daughter, Jenny Sudweeks, had hoped that the building could be restored and used for a reception center or other business, but according to Clair’s wife Marsha, “The roof is unsafe, the walls have deteriorated, and the building just isn’t sound. “The price for restoring the building is prohibitive, as a new roof would run better than $20,000, and we would also have to install plumbing, which the building has never had.” Family members worked for a couple of weeks to clear out all the old inventory and records left behind, in preparation for tearing down the building last week. “Items still stored in the building were not valuable monetarily, but have significant historical value,” said Clair Nielson. “Things like tractor and farm machinery manuals, old bolts and pipe fittings, receipts and bills signed by well-known Gunnison citizens have been retrieved, and the large stones in the building walls have been salvaged in hopes that they can be used in the future.” According to the Nielsons, ALCO, a variety store from the Midwest, has shown some interest in purchasing the property. ALCO has stores in 21 states, including several in Utah. Hundreds gather for 25th Mistletoe Mall boutique GUNNISON—Tantalizing smells of apples, oranges, cinnamon and sweet ginger greeted Christmas shoppers at this year’s Mistletoe Mall on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 2-3 at the Gunnison Valley High School. The annual event, celebrating its 25th year, got off to a rousing start with more than a hundred customers lining the sidewalks outside in anticipation of the doors opening to the splendors of Christmas magic. A variety of home decor, floral arrangements, aromatic candles, kids’ toys, and children’s clothing, was available. A decadent display of hand-dipped chocolates was sold by longtime participants Rebecca and Richard Sutton. Homemade soups, breads and pies on Friday, and taco salads, chicken sandwiches and sloppy Joes on Saturday, pleased those attending the festivities and helped raise donations for Jeanna’s Dance works and the Gunnison Lions Club. “Complimentary gifts were given every 25 minutes during the two-day event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Mistletoe Mall, and acknowledge the faithful attendance of our customers at the yearly event,” said Debra Wilson, one of the event’s organizers. In two special drawings Friday and Saturday, a fully decorated Christmas tree was awarded to Kristin Torgerson of Richfield, and a large gift basket was awarded to Julia Losee of Redmond, according to Julie Wanlass, co-organizer. The Mistletoe Mall began in 1982 with Annette Dyreng and her sister Pam Larson, who felt that there was a need for women in the valley to display and sell their various creations. They began the boutique in the cultural hall of the Gunnison City Hall, then moved to the elementary school for several years. Stepping down in the early 90s, Dyreng and Larson turned the event over to Karen Prisbrey, who asked Debra Wilson and Julie Wanlass to assist her. It was at that time that the Mistletoe Mall moved to the Gunnison Valley High School. The larger hall and the opportunity to contribute to community projects through the purchase of food services provided by the Lions Club and Jeanna’s Dance works increased the number of participants and customers who attended the boutique. Kristin Torgerson of Richfield was the winner of a fully decorated Christmas tree at the Mistletoe Mall last week. When Prisbrey stepped down five years ago, she turned the event over to Wilson and Wanlass, who have worked hard to preserve the integrity of the annual event. The craft fair has grown over the years and surpassed everyone’s expectations for lon- gevity and a continuous show of quality merchandise. Wilson and Wanlass say they appreciate everyone who makes the mall so enjoyable, and say they are already contemplating how to make next year’s event the biggest and best craft fair in all of Central Utah.