Sick Tricks, Kicks, and the Footbag Family

Above: Taking a break during warm ups, footbagger Larry Workman, left, of North Bend, Oregon, compliments Taishi Ishida of Japan on his routine earlier in the week at the 38th Annual World Footbag Championships held in Portland, Oregon last week. Workman's daughter has T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and recently underwent a stem cell transplant. She is currently facing serious complications.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood 

https://www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

“It's like You Tube, only he's here!” exclaimed the announcer when he introduced Nick ‘Mr. Spaghetti’ Landes, who demonstrated sick tricks and kicks at the 38th Annual World Footbag Championships held in Portland at the Oregon Convention Center last week.

If you didn’t know there was such a thing, you’re not alone, but maybe you’ve gathered in a circle with a group of friends on your college campus or at a local park, kicking a little beanbag around, trying to keep it up in the air as long as possible without using your hands. Maybe you even thought you were pretty good at it.

Above: A group of friends play Hacky Sack at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington in the 1980s. Photo by Janine Thome (Gates)/Little Hollywood Photography

While there has been footbag use documented since ancient times, the little bag as we know it today was created in Oregon City, Oregon by two friends, Mike Marshall and John Stalberger, in 1972.

Marshall was kicking around a homemade beanbag while Stalberger was recovering from knee surgery. Stalberger wanted a fun way to exercise his knee. They improved their little bag, and…the rest is history. 

The name, patented and marketed under the brand Hacky Sack, came from their original term for the game, “Hack-the-Sack.” Stalberger says they used to say, “Let's go hack-the-sack,” when they wanted to play.

When Marshall died three years later of a heart attack at the age of 28, Stalberger started The National Hacky Sack Association and began organizing workshops to teach footbag in schools.

Stalberger later sold the rights for the Hacky Sack footbag and now, millions play the sport around the world.

There’s a World-Wide Footbag Foundation, an International Footbag Players’ Association (IFPA), and even a Footbag Hall of Fame Historical Society.

Now a Vancouver, Washington based consultant and coach for small companies and real estate agent, Stalberger stays involved with the sport and continues to honor his friend each year by awarding a deserving person the Mike Marshall Footbag trophy. 

This year, the trophy went to World Footbag Championship event director Ethan “Red” Husted.

Above: John Stalberger gives an honorary award every year at the World Championship tournament in memory of his friend Mike Marshall. 

Above: The Open Doubles Net Semi Finals at the World Footbag Championships in Portland on Saturday. In blue,Wiktor Debski of Poland and Luc Legeau of Canada play against Walt Houston and Ben Alston of Memphis Footworks from Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis Footworks won, making it to the finals for the first time.

The World Footbag Championships have been hosted by 12 different countries in the past 17 years, and was last held in Portland in 1997.

Last week, 135 athletes competed from several countries around the world in various events including routines for singles, doubles, women’s, freestyle, intermediate, and open categories.

The enthusiasm and camaraderie is infectious as the family friendly crowd responds to the athlete’s moves, choreographed to music. Judges score the performance based on artistic merit and technical skills. If the footbag gets dropped to the floor, the crowd is supportive and the routine continues.

Above: Pawel Nowak of Poland, center, won first place, with seven time world footbag champion Vasek Klouda of the Czech Republic, right, coming in second, and Taishi Ishida, left, coming in third for the Open Singles Routine at the 38th World Footbag Championships in Portland last week.

But all the fun and competition becomes secondary when life is kicking you in the gut.

Wearing an Oregon Ducks t-shirt, Larry Workman, of North Bend, Oregon, was taking a break from practicing his moves when he was randomly approached by Little Hollywood to answer a few questions about the sport.

Workman graciously introduced himself, and said he has been playing footbag for eight years, but did not perform well earlier in the week because his mind was elsewhere.

His 21 year old daughter, Mayleigh, has T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and recently underwent a stem cell transplant. She is currently on a ventilator at a Portland area hospital in very serious condition. 

It has been a difficult journey.

The footbag championships coincided with his daughter's worsening condition, but provided Larry and his wife, Camille, brief respite. To help spread the word about blood cancers, the Workman's staffed an information table for Be the Match, a nonprofit marrow donor registry.

Be the Match targets healthy potential donors between the ages of 18-44, and they were successful in signing up four potential donors in Mayleigh’s honor.

Their feelings were raw, but they wanted to share their story with their footbag family.

A year ago, after experiencing symptoms she and her family didn’t understand for three months, Mayleigh was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She received a stem cell transplant 19 days ago, but is now facing serious complications.

The Workman's have learned a lot of medical jargon in a short amount of time, and have been writing a blog to provide updates on Mayleigh's condition and share their knowledge with family and friends.

“We really need her white counts to come in so her body can begin healing. Today they doubled her fillgrastim shots that stimulate the stem cells. She's been getting this since day 7 and so far her counts haven't budged. It was her first double dose so hopefully this will help to kick start those cells to go to work. They have also found a virus present that for most of us would not be an issue but because she's neutropenic, they will need to keep an eye on it closely.

“We had a huge support system in my mom and my footbag family but my mom had to return home and the footbaggers have all went their separate ways. We are beyond stressed and our minds keep wandering but mostly we want to get that call that her counts are coming in and for that we need a miracle,” the Workman's wrote on Monday.

Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed with blood cancer. About 14,000 patients are in need of a transplant nationwide. Seventy percent of patients don’t have a fully matched donor in their family.

Stalberger is emotional about the footbag family.

“It’s all very humbling to me. It’s fantastic. Mike was a free spirited person, and we didn’t know where it would go all those years ago…. I didn’t know anything, and after he died, I didn’t know who to trust…. I’m glad to still be a part of it all. You know, the footbag community is about family.

“….As for Mayleigh, we’re just lifting the family up in prayer and sending them positive energy and love. That’s the one word to describe what this is all about: love.”

Above: Paloma Pujol Mayo of Spain performed a routine to a musical medley which included Jailrock Rock by Elvis Presley. She won first place in the women’s individual routine.

Editor's Note, August 16: Little Hollywood has been informed that Mayleigh passed away the afternoon of August 15. Please see the note in the comment section from her family.

For more information about Be the Match and to receive a swab kit in the mail, go to http://join.bethematch.org/Mayleigh

When you join the Be the Match registry, it means you are helping to save a life. You complete a confidential registration and consent form and perform a cheek swab. No blood is drawn. Your cheek swab is tested for your tissue type to determine if you are a possible match for a patient in need. If you are called as a potential match, you must be committed to donate to any patient in need, and ready to follow through with further requirements. Adding more members with diverse ethnic backgrounds to the registry increases the variety of tissue types available, helping more patients find the match they need. 

Local Chiropractor Makes An Appeal Regarding Proposed Development

Above: Local chiropractor John Tanasse stands near the vacant lot he purchased on State Street near downtown Olympia. The nearby historic Bigelow Neighborhood Association is upset with his building’s proposed design on the long vacant lot at 924 State Avenue, saying it is not in keeping with the historic nature of the area. The Association has retained an attorney in the case.

 

By Janine Unsoeld

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Summer has come and gone, the prime season for construction projects in the South Sound. But one project that didn’t happen as planned was the groundbreaking of a business on State Avenue near downtown Olympia.

 

In a classic case of competing visions for what constitutes smart land use and acceptable urban design strategy, local chiropractor John Tanasse finds himself at odds with those he had hoped would welcome him to the neighborhood.

 

In an unusually frank, open letter to the community, Tanasse strives to explain the difficulty a recent land use process has had on his family and his business. After sending the letter to the Bigelow Neighborhood Association, Tanasee was informed by the neighborhood’s attorney, Allen Miller, that direct communication with the neighborhood was “unethical.”
 

Tanasse expressed his ongoing frustration to Little Hollywood, saying, “There’s no way to communicate or continue the conversation with neighbors except through the legal process.”

The city of Olympia will hold an administrative appeal of his case on October 8 at 6:30 p.m., City Hall, 601 4^th Avenue East, Room 207. The hearing is open to the public, however, only those who are already parties in the case may speak.

On State Street near Quince and Pear streets, the proposed three story mixed use building would have a 2,931 square foot footprint, which includes the garage, and a 6,970 square foot total with shared parking in the alley and on the north side. The business would be located on the first and half of the second floor, with two residences on the second and third floors.

Tanasse says his proposed building is of a larger scale than the adjacent buildings, but it is modulated into smaller parts that are in proportion to its older, smaller neighbors.

Bigelow neighborhood residents have been upset with the building’s proposed design on the long vacant lot at 924 State Avenue, saying it is not in keeping with standards or the historic nature of the area. Neighbors say that most surrounding buildings were built before 1925, and are gabled, have porches, and have clapboard or shake siding.

State Street, however, is not part of the historic Bigelow neighborhood boundary. It is considered to be a high density corridor by both the City of Olympia and the Thurston Regional Planning Council.

Businesses within view of the Tanasse property include Thurston First Bank, Frost and Company, East Olympia Healing Arts, and the Washington State Lottery. Two businesses, Muffler and Brake Service and the R.L. Ray Violin Shop are located directly across the street from Tanasse’s proposed mixed use home and business. Some of these businesses are in former homes converted to businesses.

The historic Bigelow neighborhood has an eclectic mix of businesses and residences, with a variety in the ages, sizes, and character of the buildings. The building next to the proposed business is about 100 years old, according to the project proposal submitted to the city by Tanasse. While residential in character, it has been transformed into a triplex. A building to the east is a former residence about 70 years old that is also now a business, Morgan James, PLLC Personal Injury Lawyers.

Both buildings are well maintained, but neither has landmark status or is of known significant importance. Some buildings on Olympia Avenue to the north are on historic registers or significant to the history of the Bigelow neighborhood. The closest historically recognized buildings are at Olympia and Pear and at Olympia and Quince Streets.

Olympia's Comprehensive Plan

Olympia's Comprehensive Plan expresses the community's vision and goals and sets policy direction for the next 20 years. An update to the current plan is in its final steps.

Tanasse believes he is talking the talk and, quite literally, Tanasse wants to walk the walk when it comes to the implementation of the current draft of the land use and urban design chapter of the city's plan.

The Plan states what Olympia values: “Olympians value neighborhoods with distinct identities; historic buildings and places; a walkable and comfortable downtown; increased urban green space; locally produced food; and public spaces for citizens in neighborhoods, downtown, and along our shorelines.”

It also states our vision for the future: “a walkable, vibrant city.”

In our conversation about accommodating the future growth of the community, protecting our environment, and increasing urban density to minimize suburban sprawl, Tanasse says these kinds of challenges are not unique to downtown Olympia.

“Our close neighbors in Portland’s Pearl District, Seattle’s Belltown, and Tacoma’s downtown have all met these challenges in similar ways and have effectively revitalized their urban areas....People moved in, not out. They work, reside, play, eat, entertain, bank, and shop within the city. Vancouver B.C. sets the standard in this regard. This is what makes for thriving cities and towns.”

“I care about the city….Putting my vision of the community’s Comprehensive Plan is the direction we need to be moving. I want a robust, thriving downtown. Any thriving municipality has to have high density, especially along busy corridors. I wanted to have a small lot and maximize the footprint intentionally. As a minimalist project, it’s a mixed use building. I want to be part of the solution….”

Tanasse, who grew up in Seattle and is one of nine children, has lived in the South Sound area for 46 years. Tanasse and his wife have three children aged 11, 13, and 18, all of whom anticipate living in the mixed use building along with his elderly parents.

“….The building will be eco-friendly, reduce our energy usage to a fraction of the current three separate locations that we now occupy. We will cut our family living area in half, and total roof area by three….I want to downsize now. And why wouldn’t I want an elevator in my house? I have disabled friends and my father has Parkinson’s and is in a wheelchair….I want to stay here until I crumble, but no one wants to live where their ideas or projects aren’t welcome. It’s hard to stick around, pull up your sleeves and do something….”

Neighbors Saw Red

Tanasse admits he jumped into the project underestimating the extent of the neighborhood backlash. He also expressed frustration with the City of Olympia’s development process.

“My first several trips to the city were about what I planned on doing. I had an idea of what I wanted to do and I was very clear about my square foot needs…I said, ‘Is this possible in this lot?’ I’m not a developer, but I carefully reviewed the codes myself and I was continually reassured that what I intended was possible….now, they want me to put gables on it. That means space that has intended use goes away.”

Under “New Construction-Infill Buildings” for historic buildings, guidelines state that new buildings should be compatible with adjacent buildings in terms of height, materials, set back, width, scale and proportions, and roof form.

While Tanasse’s original vision for the modern building would have it painted bright red, Tanasse has responded to the recommendations of the city’s Design Review board which governs standards.

Now, portions of the building on the east and west sides that bump out will have cedar siding, the same material as on the recessed front of the building. Each of these elevations will have a large portion that is cedar. The primary color of the flat panels will be "cool marine green" and the cedar siding will have a light "cape cod" finish.

“The project touches the intersection of commercial and residential. I get everyone’s frustration – I admire that they are passionate about their neighborhood and want to shape it as they see fit – that’s to be commended….It’s about a big difference in vision….” says Tanasse.

Above: Tanasse Chiropractic is currently at 1303 4th Avenue East, directly across the street from the offices of The Olympian newspaper, in a former home built in 1889. Upon purchase of the building 14 years ago, John Tanasse says his family invested in its restoration efforts including rot removal, jacking the south end up six inches, restoration and repair of the original fir floors which were covered by liquid nails and industrial carpet, and tilted up the original concrete retaining wall along 4^th Avenue. The building is also sporting a fresh new paint job and garage roof rebuild.

An Appeal to Drop the Appeal

Tanasse’s open letter, titled An Appeal to Drop the Appeal, is below:

Dear Bigelow Neighborhood,

We are writing to reiterate the awkward position in which we find ourselves. From the outset of this project, we have been open with the City of Olympia Community Planning and Development, the governing body for construction and development within the City of Olympia, about our intentions, project scope, and design for this location to accomplish what we set out to create, to remain consistent with the city’s mission, and to avoid issues that would cause potential obstacles during the process. Because we are a family and a small business, and not developers, we counted on the city's process, perhaps naively, to help guide the way. Not once during the process were we told we would need to go through a Bigelow building application process, nor a Bigelow Neighborhood design review. We also were not informed that gables would be required for project approval. If that had been the case and we were able to understand the level of neighborhood disapproval we could have and would have chosen NOT to purchase the property nor initiate the process.  We would simply have chosen to move on.

Unfortunately, this was not the case, and we find ourselves heaps of resources into this, not wanting to be here, feeling trapped by the city, and held hostage by the neighborhood with no way out but to walk away with missed opportunity for all parties involved. We scratch our heads trying to understand how we got here, and why it is possible that a neighborhood could, and would hijack such a lengthy, painful, and costly process for a family, in the name of sameness on an avenue of divergent architectural character. We find difficulty identifying the relevance of this position at this critical juncture of civic need.

We never expected much of a welcome from an avenue scarce of permanent residents. We also didn't expect to be blasted by the residents to the north. We were disheartened by private and public attacks in neighborhood meetings, editorials, and letters to the city. We were again saddened by the neighborhood's decision to appeal our project despite our efforts to make meaningful design changes. This sadness was further deepened by an invitation to attend a neighborhood block party, with two fresh pies in hand, only to meet a frosty welcome by some and a table of Tanasse Legal Fund envelopes and paraphernalia. Clearly, welcome is not in the cards as we oddly find ourselves begging to move our family to State Avenue.

Mr. Elder stated at the first public meeting, “The Tanasses will do what’s best for the Tanasses.”  I can only respond to him and the entire neighborhood that moving to State Ave. isn't entirely self-serving. Ask our children who had no interest in leaving Holliday Hills. Ask our friends who think we’re nuts! It has taken thoughtful consideration and a fair amount of courage to consider moving our family to State Avenue given the current condition of downtown.  I ask Mr. Elder the same. “Given your action of appealing our project, are you acting in the best interest of this town? “ You also mentioned at the first meeting that the Bigelow Neighborhood was a little like Disneyland. You feel transported to a different place. As we recall, Disney’s motto is that it is the friendliest place on Earth. With the exception of few kind and supportive souls (thank you), this has eluded us in your neighborhood, as you confirmed this in conversation as identifying yourself and members of your neighborhood as being “prickly.” Do you feel this is an identity that must be upheld at the cost of good, healthy city development? Who does this serve?

By deciding to build on State, we felt we could accomplish goals individually and collectively. We wanted to create a more appropriate space for our family business not far away. We wanted to participate in a new direction of development for family, multi-generational, and multi-use living that seemed intelligent, efficient, cost effective, and important for municipal vitality, preservation of open spaces, and prevention of sprawl. We wished to use our creative, financial, and human resources to participate in improving Olympia by being a part of downtown in all of the ways that this implies. We have felt an ongoing responsibility to contribute to solutions of problems our community faces. Ironically, we find ourselves the problem of this community. We are sleepless and tired which we assume is a strategic goal shared by the legal team in the absence of substantive legal grounds for this action.

This has brought forth a whole host of additional questions we have for Bigelow Neighborhood residents. We hope you will consider them thoughtfully.

What are you afraid of? Why has this lot been vacant for so long? Why has it been for sale on many occasions for long periods of time?  Why, if you covet the character of your neighborhood would you not secure it to protect your interests? Are we not the first family who has been held hostage? Why do you feel all the houses in the area need to look the same? Given there is so much architectural variety and flat roofs within a stone’s throw, why is it our building you insist have gables? What is so wrong with a town whose vision is to develop along commercial corridors, especially along a road that sees 25,000 cars per day? Do you feel justified in obstructing any development that fails to meet your aesthetic taste and opinion when there are no legal encumbrances that provide provisions for doing so? If so, do you believe this to be good for this city, or, good only for this neighborhood? If our building was two stories with a gable roof, would it not be just as tall with wasted attic space, blocking views from the same sections of sidewalk? Do you feel you are entitled to views of the Capitol building through vacant lots and commercial corridors? Do you not care more about the character of your neighbor than their difference in taste? If you are so adamant about our building looking the same, are you as adamant that we are the same, politically, religiously, and ideologically?  Do you believe that someone more foolish than us will want to build a single family residence on 924 State Ave. when permitting, studies, design, engineering, and impact fees cost well over 100K before a single shovel breaks ground? If so, do you believe this person would want to spend the 100K to develop on 924 State Ave. with the constant barrage of graffiti, hypodermic needles, human feces, and vandalism (all of which we have endured at 1303 4th Ave.)? Do you believe they will want you to design it? Why do you have such an ax to grind with the city? Are you really going to use us as a wedge between the city and the 20 year comprehensive plan that intelligently has the health of the entire city in mind and is based on thousands of man hours of study, thoughtful consideration, debate, and success elsewhere? Did you really mean to hire legal counsel to dump enough mud on our project in the hopes of making us go away?  Do you really take pride in being “prickly”? Do you understand that there were no permanent residents of State Ave. present at any of the public meetings regarding this project? Do you recall that we are a family, with children, parents, and grandparents, like you? Do you recall, we are already fellow neighbors from three blocks away, choosing to become permanent residents on State Ave, in a time of dire city need for more residents willing to shop, eat, play, and help out? Did you know there is a heroin epidemic in this town?  Did you know that violent crime is up many fold in this town over the last ten years?  Are you really going to make us beg to move to State Avenue? Do you realize that we already feel a bit vulnerable?

We have admired and appreciated the Bigelow Neighborhood and all of the care that has gone into it by those who live there. We have wrongly assumed by the eclectic appearance of State Ave. that our activity would have minimal impact on Bigelow Neighborhood residents. We apologize the process, as it is, excludes early public input. We did consult Heritage Commission members regarding the historical significance of properties on either side, and did ask for guidance regarding our modern intentions. The response we received from multiple members was that one honored historical design and character.

MORE by building a distinctly modern structure than by constructing a new building that mimics historical design. 

We have heard you during the public meetings and we have attempted to make meaningful changes and concessions including color change, additional modulation, privacy railing and screening along the alley side, and additional cedar siding to soften the contrast. Clearly, we have divergent visions for OUR project, and perhaps for city direction. We would like to remind you, we rolled the dice after careful feasibility review and purchased the parcel, which sat for years. Therefore, we will ultimately decide its size, appearance, and spirit, within the code requirements and zoning allowed. We have sincerely considered your input in ways that would maintain minimum project demands.

As such, we are asking you to immediately stop harassing our family. We ask you also to stop bullying our project. And, we kindly request that you withdraw the appeal so that we can all move on and participate in more meaningful ways.

Sincerely,

John and Tiffany Tanasse