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About CAC
(Cultural Awareness Council)

Politics   book, "Along My Way"  Martha Mott  Martha Mott awards  Mary Shenk  Karen Walsh

From: Gwen Osborn

There has been much discussion since I moved here in June 1989 about CAC. Some people have understood the word cultural in its true context. Some others have chosen not to—their choice. I do respect, even though sometimes I disagree with the results of some choices, that each person has that right. 

Way back then, I found there was so much titillation in wrongful ideas of what Cultural Awareness Council was all about. By invitation I attended a Senior Meal luncheon and talked, answered questions and displayed letters, legal papers, etc., showing the bona fides of CAC. Among these documents were letters of commendation from our federal government for the work CAC was doing in our own country and in other countries.

It did seem as if people at that luncheon understood that CAC was not what was being enjoyed as a topic of gossip by many people.

To further help allay any such fears, I hosted a gathering of area ministers and their wives, showing these same papers and answering questions about CAC. These results were shown in many of the churches around.

Later, CAC members, with the approval and commendation of school officials, presented programs at the Trout Creek School. One popular program covered the facets of Finnish culture with students making models there of: saunas, Finnish castles, etc. This program was monitored and judged by prominent Trout Creek residents who then co-operated in transportation for the several winners to Snowbound Books in Marquette where they could choose their prizes.

Another popular program was teaching the art of origami—making paper cranes for a mobile "tree" which was displayed in the Hazel Sliger library and then sent as a memento through the mayor of Malsch (Germany) to the townspeople there. Malschians had made a full day’s holiday to welcome Continuing Education people (most of whom were CAC members) as a thank-you for CAC’s sponsoring a three-state tour here in the States for Malsch teenagers and the Malsch band.

This visit, reported in German and our local newspapers, did much to help heal some of the wounds of World War II. Many of the people there had never met North Americans except as enemies on the field of battle. Our own government and certainly the Malsch government were grateful, as were we to have been a part of this.

Not for the reason of allying any such fears, but because this is the way we live, my new house here was blessed by a gathering of members of Trout Creek’s Trinity Lutheran Church with the Reverend Marlin Snyder and his wife Gretchen presiding.

My friends who have moved up here (Michigan is beautiful, you know) all own their own property, have their own careers, manage their own finances, attend and are active in the churches of their choice to the extent of (some of them) being on their church boards.

It has been said of them: "herd mentality" and "vote as a bloc"—an interesting concept since, as Interior Township members, they do not vote at township meetings. As to how they vote in elections—even I who have known some of them for forty years do not know how they vote. Back to top

Since I came up here to die (admittedly not having made a very good job of it so far) my friends and I found it both amazing and amusing that it was "common knowledge" that I came here to "take over the town."

Considering that I have no education, background or experience in politics, local or federal, at my age and physical disability, this did not seem a good project on which to embark.

None of my friends wished to do so either. We all do have in common the attitude of being good, productive and contributing citizens, but all were agreed that local politics were better off in the hands of local citizens.

Accordingly, the present township supervisor (Shirley Zimmer who was a CAC member) when pressed by Trout Creek residents to run for supervisor, demurred. She and county commissioner, John Pelkola interviewed more than a dozen local people whom Mr. Pelkola thought could do a good job in that position. All refused—some of whom gave the reason of the harassment by two sets of people against previous boards. With those refusals, more pressure was put upon Shirley until—with no "campaigning aggressively," she agreed reluctantly.

Needless to say, the harassment continues.

This has been a long prologue to the title About CAC, but it does give some background.

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Now to tackle the matter of CAC per se, I can find no better way than to quote from the introduction to a forthcoming book.

To all My Fellow Adventurers—

ALONG MY WAY, the title of this book, refers not so much to myself or thoughts about myself as to the pleasures, joys and sorrows shared with all of you as we adventured along the way.

Pulling together the contents of this book is my acknowledgment and return gift for all those sharings. In that spirit this foreword is, more than anything else, a reminder to each of you of the work you have done along your individual ways and to encourage you to see and appreciate the effects of that work in our world.

Having conducted this on-going Continuing Education course for almost fifty years, my own way has been greatly blessed by each of you who added some of the facets of this course to your lives.

Discussion groups, workshops, private consultations, films and—as time went on—a series of perhaps sixty trips to many of the countries of the world. Book journeys were—and still are—a popular if irksome part of the course for the more than seventy who have adventured in that way, as well as diaries in the form of monthly letters. Filmed operas and chamber music (and live performances thanks to the U.P.’s Pine Mountain Music Festival staff) and university-produced films on Einsteinium and Quantum physics were included. All of these fleshed our work of learning more about ourselves, our neighbors in other countries and our physical and quantum world.

A very important facet of this Continuing Education course was the Cultural Awareness Council, a community-service, non-profit organization founded in 1975 which grew to eighteen chapters in various states as well as Norway, Italy and Germany. Although no chapters were formed, CAC was represented in India, South America and Japan.

This Council, during its existence, provided an arena for the enjoyment of members, but more importantly was a proving ground for developing their abilities to create new arenas in which others (non-members) would work and exercise their own talents and abilities.

Included in its activities were the sponsoring of groups from other countries to tour museums, town halls, etc., of our country. One such was bringing more than forty Hawaiians to the mainland to present their songs, traditions, crafts and stories by one of their famed astronomers about the storied voyage of the raft Hokuleia. And all of this as a matter of personal responsibility in funding—no grants, no pulling on the communities—all done by the growing of you CAC members and the gratitude of the served communities.

The usefulness of CAC here and abroad has been well-documented by letters of commendation from our federal government, assistance from the governments of the many countries where we were guests, and coverage by those foreign newspapers reflecting the warm welcomes afforded us.

Ending CAC due to my advancing age and physical limitations was not a welcome event on my way, but you ex-CACers carry on with the CAC spirit and I like to think that our world is much better for what you all have done and are still doing.

As I now move into my eightieth year, my wish for us all is that we approach with enthusiasm and resolution the adventures of our dailies as well as unforeseen circumstances

ALONG OUR WAYS.

Gwen

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From an article written by Donna Mullin, Lee Lambert and Nancy Kamby for the Sierra Club publication about Martha Mott, a CAC member:

If she’s not already, Martha Mott should be a role model for all of us. As long time Quakers, she and her husband had been activists since the 1930s. Martha’s late husband first started feeding the hungry in this country by opening free cafeterias with his own money during the Depression. Eventually, he and General Mills produced MPF (Multipurpose Food) to distribute worldwide, with the aim of helping people become self-sufficient. After World War II, they became involved in feeding the hungry of the world by joining Clifford E. Clinton’s Meals for Millions efforts.

Martha worked extensively with migrant workers who would come to pick the crops and work the fields. She started a daycare for Migrant Workers’ children so they would have a place to stay while all the parents and older children worked. The day care provided a healthy lunch and snacks each day as well as activities and instruction.

Martha was an active CAC member for about 20 years until her retirement to the Green Ridge Meadow Apartments in Evergreen, Colorado in 1990. Some of her many accomplishments in the Evergreen area include:

· Preserving the land at Elk Meadows from development

· Worked to try to get affordable housing for the seniors in Evergreen area

· She grand-mothered abused and runaway teens at the Gemini House, sponsored by Family Tree for 7 years. For her effort, The Gemini House was awarded the Denver Broncos/NFL Quarterback award for $1000.00 in October 2001, with national recognition for Martha. (See picture.)

· Martha remains a constant activist for Senior citizens and organized visits with and without pets to residents of nursing homes, spreading a little cheer in so many lives.

· She organized the apartment complex to recycle newspapers, which she hauled to King Soopers for five years. King Soopers estimated that the complex provided about 8 tons of newspaper during that time.

· With the help of the MEG, she spearheaded the meeting on April 20, 1999, that brought Tri-R and King Soopers together to start Bergen Park Recycling Center.

· She received the Senior Hero award in 2000, an annual award honoring Senior Hero Volunteers in Jefferson County. Martha was honored for her recycling efforts in addition to may of her other volunteer efforts as an activist for senior citizens. (See picture.)

· In April of 2002, she convinced Peak National Bank, US Bank, Community First Bank, First Bank of Evergreen and Colorado National to subsidize mixed glass recycling. She was honored as Recycler of the Year in April 2002 by Colorado Recyclers.

· She has always been active with her own 4 grandchildren and great grand children.

Martha Mott sharing acceptance of the award with helpers.

  

    

Denver Bronco Steve Sewell congratulates Martha for her outstanding work with Gemini House.

Martha turned 87 on September 1^st and currently resides at a nursing home near her daughter in La Jara, Colorado, while she recovers from the stroke she suffered in early May of 2002. To many of us Martha has been a role model, an inspiration and a mentor to many, many people. In the words of one of her many friends, "She’s an amazingly fine human being in every way. I am honored to be a friend of hers."
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Following is the Community Quarterback 2001 award letter:

October 25, 2001

Martha Mott
31250 John Wallace Road #3165
Evergreen CO 80349

Dear Martha:

CONGRATULATIONS! Mary Brook with Family Tree nominated you for the Denver Broncos/NFL Quarterback Award. Because of your unselfishness and dedication to volunteering with this organization you have been selected as one our top 10 winners. In support of your efforts in this community, the Family Tree will be awarded $1000 in your honor.

The Denver Broncos Quarterback Award recognizes outstanding volunteers in our community and awards grants to the organizations they serve. The program honors individuals who exemplify leadership, dedication, and a commitment to improving the communities in which they live through volunteerism. Ten finalists receive $1000 each; two runners-up will receive $2500 each and our team winner’s organization will be awarded $10,000.

We would like you and a guest to join us for an awards reception on November 13^th here at Broncos headquarters beginning at 11:00 a.m. We will have a light lunch available. At this reception, two-second place and one first place winner will be announced from our 10 finalists. Please call me at 303-649-0546 by November 9^th to confirm your attendance.

Again, congratulations and we look forward to meeting you on November 13^th.

Sincerely,

Lee Carpenter 
Denver Broncos
Community development Coordinator

And our Martha won!

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This funeral tribute to Mary Shenk of the Quad Cities (Illinois & Iowa) gives another idea of the caliber, kind and shared purposes of CAC members. It is by Diana Anderson of the Quad Cities.

"As one of Mary’s many friends, I am honored to have this opportunity to speak about not only my dear friend, but a cherished friend to so many. I know I speak not from one heart, but many hearts.

Mary was always there to extend her hugs and ears in friendship in good times and more importantly the difficult ones, when she was able to lend you her strength and wisdom. She was a great listener.

As recently as the last month, a friend of mine who is a nurse at Genesis Hospital told me Mary was visiting a patient, continuing her abilities as a Befriender—continuing to lend her strength to those in need. In Mary’s eyes you were all special and she went to the nth degree to prove it. She was affectionately known as a day brightener—a life brightener.

As many of you know Mary was an avid gardener so I used to tease her with an old nursery rhyme:

Mary, Mary quite extraordinary

How does your garden grow?

She was extraordinary because of what I would term her "Maryisms." Of my favorites was her comeback "It’s a point of view."—which I admit was much to my chagrin. I came to understand that what she meant was that she acknowledged and placed value on everyone’s point of view. Mary generally saw the bigger picture. She was beyond intelligent--she was wise—for Mary planted many seeds and not all were of the organic variety. Her garden was full grown with few weeds.

Cultural Awareness Council was one of the arenas many of us had the pleasure of working with Mary for over 25 years. This is where I had my first opportunity to work with Mary when we co-chaired the Quad Cities CulturFest. Thru this fest she spent time and energy sharing with the community some of her many travels. Through this work she helped us to have a better understanding of other cultures in our world. When she shared her travels and experiences of the world with us thru Cultural Awareness Council, she brought the world to us so that we could become of a more global mind and attitude.

Festival of Trees was another place of creativity she shared with many of us, as well as the entire community. Her trees were no ordinary trees for like Mary they were Extraordinary.

Through CAC efforts of school and library cultural programs, Valentine cookie bakes, Hawaiian dancing, holiday parties, rainbows in the sky, Mary gave to us her time, love and energies with grace, elegance and dignity. Remember that all she put into the world has not left with her but for all whose lives she touched in so many ways—her spirit lives on within each of us for Mary grew her garden well and left many seeds yet to flower.

She lives on in each of us for all she has contributed to each of you, to her community and her world."

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Note: This is a letter received by (Trout Creek’s) librarian Dale Schmeisser regarding Karen Walsh and her CAC work with Delaware library.

February 6, 2002

To whom it may concern:

I am writing to recommend that Karen Walsh continue as children’s programmer at your town library. I am also writing to support the continuation of children’s library programs.

I am a professional children’s librarian in Delaware. I worked with Ms. Walsh in the 1980s. Karen was instrumental in developing, planning, and implementing several quality children’s programs during this decade.

Karen conceptualized library programs on such topics as dinosaurs, horses, Hawaii and holidays around the world. Dinosauromania, Horsin’ Around, a Hawaiian Luau and Holidays Around The World were created from start to finish by Ms. Walsh and myself. Her Cultural Awareness Council was also a strong influence on these children’s library programs. CAC provided ideas, children’s artwork, direction and support throughout.

Karen helped to add a whole language approach to these topics by relating activities to books. Art, music, science and social studies were always included. Crafts, puppets, skits, dances, games and food were our trademark.

Sincerely,

Nancy S. Vickers

This gives a clearer picture of CAC as a facet—but an important one—of the larger effort: Continuing Education which still continues with approximately 60 members reduced from the hundreds because of my necessarily reduced activity and available time.

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