The Charbonneau Villager Newspaper 2019 February Villager Newspaper | Page 5

THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER 5
February 2019
Thompson featured artist in February
C
harbonneau resident Ka-
thie Thompson is currently
displaying her watercolor
artwork at the
Charbonneau
Country Club. Retired
after a 42-year career
in healthcare, Kathie
decided to explore her
creative side by tak- Kathie
ing watercolor classes Thompson
in September 2018.
She loves painting scenes from
nature and feels that she sees
things from a whole new perspec-
tive now, developing her “artist's
eyes.” Three months after begin-
ning this new adventure she was
the featured artist at an office for
the Sherwood Art Walk and sold
six paintings!
Kathie Thompson and husband
David, a retired dentist, have lived
in Charbonneau for more than 16
years and enjoy an active lifestyle.
They are avid downhill skiers and
ballroom dance enthusiasts. They
Labor
■ From Page 4
how you learn about the
community.”
And that’s what
Walker, Meierotto and
other residents love most
about the publication: It
serves as a connecting
point for everyone in the
community. Walker, for
his part, refers to it as a
“social grease.”
“Newspapers get a lot
of criticism,” Walker says.
“And the Villager
admittedly is a different
kind of newspaper. It
covers the news that is of
interest to the residents of
Charbonneau, and
everyone gets it. ... It’s
just a nice blend and mix
of stories about people,
Thompson is a watercolorist who paints
nature scenes.
love spending time with their
children and 12 grandchildren.
news about what’s
happening, what
developments are
happening in
Charbonneau. People
really depend on it.”
The atmosphere of
positivity surrounding
The Villager draws a
sharp contrast with
Walker’s professional
days in the newspaper
business, when his
Gresham Outlook was
sometimes referred to as
the “Gresham Outrage”
and The Oregonian was
derided as the “Bore-a-
gonian.” Meirotto,
meanwhile, remembers
how difficult it was to
reach customers in his
prior job working in
utilities.
“We spent so much
money trying to get
communications out to
our customers,” Meirotto
said. “We had a customer
base of 220,000 people and
we’d get 5 to 10 percent
readership on all this stuff
we put out ... having near
100 percent readership
here is something most
people dream of.
“If we put something
out, we know it’s going to
be read.”
Appreciation for The
Villager is a natural
extension of the love
residents like Walker
have for Charbonneau
itself.
“Charbonneau to me is
like a suburban resort,”
Walker says. “When you
drive into Charbonneau,
the traffic and noise and
everything just gets left
behind. The streets wind
around; it’s just peaceful,
quiet, comfortable.” ■
Ultimately,
it’s your experience
that matters.
To be sure, we’re proud of our 30 years of
experience in senior living. But, to us, what really
matters is your experience at our communities.
We do everything with that idea clearly in mind.
So, go ahead, enjoy yourself with great social
opportunities and amenities. Savor fine dining
every day. And feel assured that assisted living
services are always available if needed.
We invite you to experience SpringRidge
for yourself at a complimentary lunch and tour.
Call 503.925.4968 to schedule.
I n de p e n de n t & A s s i s t e d L i v i ng • M e mor y C a r e
32200 SW French Prairie Road • Wilsonville, OR
SpringRidgeatCharbonneau.com
503.925.4968