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03/07/2005: "Eleanor Roosevelt is visiting our islands!!"

It was the "New Deal" all over again at the Mullis Community Senior Center Monday lunch. Frozen lunches were clearance priced at $1.00 donation and there was a free bread and bagel line. Perhaps many seniors were involved in the hot topic of our times about whether Social Security, which was begun by Franklin D. Roosevelt, would be there for their grandchildren. Suddenly at the stroke of noon, Wendy Stephens, Lead Senior Services Coordinator, announced to the seniors that Eleanor Roosevelt had arrived to talk to the seniors!

Elena Dodd as Eleanor Roosevelt answering many questions from the seniors and speaking of the need to preserve human rights around the world.

You can still meet Eleanor Roosevelt:
March 8 at 7p.m, Tuesday (International Women's Day) at the Grange presented by Amnesty International where she will be speaking about human rights (free & dessert)
March 9, at 7 p.m. at Skagit Valley College
March 11 at 7p.m. at the Orcas Island Library.



One of the seniors, Doris Estabrooks, enjoyed reminiscing with Eleanor about the time when she had met her in Joplin, Missouri in 1940. Doris had been chosen by the "Quill and Scroll," a literary honor society for journalists, to be the one to interview Eleanor Roosevelt on the last rail car of the campaign train. She was a senior in high school. She remembered that she had dressed in a rust colored suit, which was all that her family could afford in the Depression. She felt awkward to be meeting the wife of a Democratic President, as her family were Republicans supporting Al Landon, the challenger of Eleanor's husband, Franklin D. Roosevelt. However, it did not take long for Eleanor to put her at ease and, when Doris's questions ended, Eleanor began to ask Doris questions about her life, showing sincere interest. By the end of the meeting, which lasted quite a while, they both found that they had much in common such as: being orphaned at an early age and wanting to be reporters.





Clearly, when Eleanor Roosevelt was alive, she was a wonderful role model for all women who want to make a difference in the world. As chair of the Human Rights Commission at the United Nations, she was one of the greatest forces for human rights in her time. Given that human rights abuses are still one of the most important issues facing the world today, it is important to be reminded that the world can still be changed by individual dedication and leadership.

Elena Dodd's performance (directed by Josephine Lane) helps us to picture the power of the amazing Eleanor Roosevelt, full of generosity and love for all people of the world. Elena Dodd's full performance covers four major areas of her life: childhood and adolescence; wife, mother, and first lady; private citizen & first lady of the world, and, finally, advocate for universal human rights.



Carol Edgbert wears hear heirloom gloves.



Bubbles the Clown & Wendy Stephens



Agnes Vadas founder of Amnesty International here






Article and photos by Dylan Stephens