THE RANGER - THANKSGIVING HAPPY
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OLYMPIC COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER
THE RANGER
NOVEMBER 2020. ISSUE 5
HAPPY
THANKSGIVING
Student Body Called to
Election Forum
By Sam Erickson
There’s an election coming soon.
No, I’m not a few weeks late in
reporting the presidential election, I had faced food insecurity
Back in 2019, Joseph Barbozza reported that as many as
30% of Olympic College students
am talking about the election of the
in 2016. With the disruptions and burdens of COVID-19,
these insecurities have worsened. Many OC students facing
Vice President ofthese Administration
insecurities haven’t heard of the food pantry or the
resources it provides. “I don’t want these goods to expire,
Services. The announcement has
because then what am I supposed to do with them?” said
Matthew Pereira, SGOC Director of Clubs & Student Life,
been made via an who email to most
currently packs theof the pantry’s boxes. The
Student Government of Olympic College (SGOC) runs the
student body by Vice President
Sheryl McKinley Food Pantry ofand tries to provide as many
students with the pantry’s services as they can. But because
Student Services Brendon
of COVID-19 and Taga that
the lack of students on campus, getting
the message out has been difficult. At the time I’m writing
we are down this,toonly seven twostudents finalare using the pantry’s services.
With nearly all communication and Image Stock by Canva
information forced
Candidates, Dr. Tyeonline,
Minkler
one of theand Dr. only tools for outreach is
food pantry’s
through emails like Shawn Devine’s If periodic
there “What’s is one Up thing we learned
Joseph Han. In anOC.” email
Similar tofrom theitself, the pantry struggles to
The Ranger
reach students. This means that from students whothis can and year's National
V.P. of Administration Services'
should be benefiting from the pantry are not even aware it
is available to them. Another barrier Presidential Election, it is that voter
is students’ hesitation
office, Brendon Taga describes that turnout matters. Even though this
to bother other people with their problems, especially when
those problems are related to financial anxiety. “It’s not a
they will each holdburden
a public
to us,” saidforum, election
Melody Collingsworth, won’t
adviser to the be the direct result
on the 16th and 18th students respectively,
SGOC program, when we discussed the difficulty of letting
know about the food pantry’sof the student
resources. “What vote, the survey of
and answer the following question to use these resources.
we’re trying to do is lighten up your burdens.” Students of
Olympic College shouldn’t hesitatestudents will be an important part
via a presentation:students’
Givenfinancial
whatanxiety youand helpof themchoosing
The resources provided by the food pantry exist to reduce
pursue their
a new school
know about Olympic College administrator.
academic and personal goals, and students should use You
them. If too few students use the pantry, the food in the
can access
finances and enrollment, as and
pantry will expire well go toas background
waste anyways. “Working at theinformation about
food pantry and seeing students get use out of it, and not
state-wide and national
just watchingtrends both
inhas been
the stuff expire, very candidates
nice,” Matthew on PDFs sent to
Pereira told me when I talked to him. “And the more people
higher education enrollment,
that we as SGOC can what your
get, the better. So, come student
to the food email by Brendon
would you identify Campus: as Fill outcritical
Taga(btaga@olympic.edu).
pantry!” OC Food Pantry Service Locations: Bremerton
the Food Pantry Request Form for
curbside pickup. Enter the required information, confirm
priorities to accomplish
your requestwithin
with SGOC,yourand then at the specified day and
time go to the roundabout in the center Forumof campusInformation:
and Dr. Joseph
first ninety days? After both
pick-up the forums
box labeled with your first name and the initial
of your last name. A stocked food house HanMonday November 16th 1-1:45
is located on the
take place over aBremerton
zoomCampus call near (see
PM Zoom Meeting ID: 963 0286
the student-drop off outside
Building 12, near the large mural. Food placed in the food
below for Zoom details, or email
house is available for anyone to take, 3500Passcode:
as necessary. 226811 Dr. Tye
Curbside pickup at the roundabout in the center of
Brendon Taga), students
campus, in will
frontbeof sent
Building 4 (HSS)Minkler Wednesday November
Shelton Campus
a Microsoft Form survey with
Curbside pick-up next to the parking lot, near the flagpole.
Poulsbo Campus Curbside pick-up 18th3:30-4:45
at NW Olympic CollegePM Zoom Meeting ID:
questions that will help to determine
Way, near the flagpole. A stocked food house is located
near the faculty parking roundabout. 936 8778 1807 Passcode: 753564
who the student body would prefer
to have in the position.
A 2020 Turkey Day
By Olivia McFall
With Thanksgiving right around the
corner, we have the opportunity to
shift focus from the doom and gloom
of the past year to remember all the
things in life there are to be thankful
for. Although the holiday roots back to
the celebration of harvest and alliance
between pilgrims and Native
Americans, the meaning of the
tradition in America has shifted over
Photo by Jacquie Day
time. Thanksgiving was officially made
a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln outdoor desert for extended family
in the midst of the civil war in 1863. By where they will have a tent up and a
making it an official holiday, Lincoln camp-fire going. The CDC has further
tips for how to reduce the risk of
hoped to “heal the wounds of the
spreading the virus during
nation” (History.com) by promoting
thanksgiving gatherings both indoor
national unity and a hopeful outlook.
and outdoor.For more information see
As well as this, Thanksgiving comes at
the link below. Whether you celebrate
the perfect time as it brings flavor to
by having a traditional dinner with
the dark and cold month of November friends and family, meet outside for a
and launches us into the holiday campfire, catch up over zoom, or even
season. A common question is, how skip the turkey all-together, make sure
can we connect with extended family to take a moment to reflect on the
and friends in a safe way this year? blessings in disguise that have come
One way to do this is to host an out- with this year, on how you have grown
door thanksgiving feast, have a and adapted, and on the beautiful
designated server for the food so things in life there still are to be
everyone is not handling the same thankful for. CDC Guidelines for
utensils, limit access to where the food Thanksgiving gatherings:
is being prepared, and to set https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019
household groups together. A friend of -ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html
mine mentioned that her family is ThanksgivingHistory:
doing dinner indoors with her https://www.history.com/topics/thanks
giving/history-of-thanksgiving
household but hosting an
No matter what else is happening,
nature continues to move, the
seasons continue to change and
the snow geese continue their
annual migration to the Skagit
Valley year after year.
Photo Essay by
Jacquie Bird Day, November 2020
International Club Happenings
By Olivia McFall
The International club is one of the many
clubs that Olympic College offers that helps
students get involved and connected with
other students. The club meets biweekly
over zoom either on a Thursday or
Wednesday evening and posts a flyer on
their Facebook web-page each week
announcing the exact time of the meeting.
Club president Cho Munghoon shared that
the clubs activities are all designed to
encourage participation “This quarter, we
focused on demonstration of activities
which are popular in other countries” which
gives members the chance to experience
new things from different cultures right in
their own homes. For example, for their
most recent meeting the club posted the
ingredients for Dalgona coffee from Korea
on their Facebook page ahead of time and
then met over zoom to make the coffee
together. Munghoon reported that they
plan to make gingerbread at their next
meeting and anyone can join if they want
to be a part of an international club. Lastly,
Munghoon wanted to inform students that
“International club is not only for
international students but local students as
well. Through club activities, we learn new
culture and traditions of different
countries. Ever since pandemic was
announced, we all have been affected by
limitations of travelling or seeing people in
person and if you do agree with it, then I
would like to ask you guys to join the club
and experience new culture and tradition
of other countries! “ You can get in contact
with Munghoon by emailing
Diwali: Hindu Festival of Light, Saturday Nov 14th internationalstudent@student.olympic.edu.
(Images Stock by Canva)
COVID-19 Cases on the Rise
By Mackenzie King
Across the United States, COVID-19 cases are surging. On Tuesday, the U.S.
reported over 1,450 deaths and 136,000 cases on a single day, with a new
record high of hospitalizations—more than 60,000—which is a 40% increase in
the span of two-weeks (Reuters). On Thursday, over 150,000 new cases were
reported (Covid Tracking Project). Often, there is a lag of two to three weeks
between increased hospitalizations and increased deaths from the disease.
The death rate from COVID-19 is expected to begin climbing as some of those
currently sick and hospitalized die. While the worst of these new outbreaks are
located throughout the Midwest and Northeast, Washington State is also
seeing rising cases. While the spikes we endured in April and July were short
lived, this third spike is not expected to abate so easily. As President-elect Joe
Biden warned during the presidential debates, “We’re about to go into a dark
winter.” (Politico) The director of the CDC, Robert Redfield, has said that “the fall
and winter of 2020 and 2021 are going to be probably one of the most difficult
times that we’ve experienced in American public health.” (Business Insider) On
October 8th, Scientific American reported that COVID-19 is the third leading
cause of death in the United States, killing more Americans than stroke,
Alzheimer’s, or diabetes. This ‘dark winter’ coincides with Thanksgiving and the
holiday season and many family gatherings are likely to take place despite the
pandemic. Pandemic fatigue has begun to set in, with some people taking
greater risks to see loved ones and return to lifestyles that reflect a normality
not yet appropriate. In addition, cold and unpleasant weather will drive more
people indoors, where the virus has a greater chance of spreading. Although
several highly promising COVID-19 vaccines are in development, with the
possibility that one or more will be authorized for use by year’s end, it will be
months before these become available to everyone. The first people who will
receive the vaccine will be those who are most vulnerable, as well as medical
workers and first responders. Some estimate the vaccine may begin
widespread distribution by April of 2021, with Dr. Anthony Fauci saying: “We
could get back to a degree of normality maybe by the end of 2021.” (Business
Insider, USA Today) Even so, the same precautions we’ve followed until now are
necessary: wearing masks, washing hands, practicing safe social distancing,
and avoiding larger gatherings. But these precautions may prove harder over
the holidays.
Cover Photo by Jacquie Day
Follow Ranger Staff:
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Editor In Chief:
Instagram:
Olivia McFall
oc_rangersnews
Writer: Mackenzie King
Twitter: oc_rangernews
Writer: Kimly Chhuon
Facebook: Staff Photographer:
The Ranger- Olympic Jacquie Bird Day
College Student News Faculty: Peter Bill
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