Professional Documents
Culture Documents
By:ThaneMcGrath
AfterweeksofstrugglingtogetaninterviewIfinallygotonesetup.Iinterviewed
DanOlsenheisthedirectoroftheSanJuanCitizensAlliancegroup,itisanonprofit
organizationthatsmaingoalistoensuenatureistakencareofinourcommunity.
DuringmyinterviewDanandIdiscussedalotabouttheriverandthespillect.Itwasa
challengeatfirstbecauseIcouldnotprintmyquestionsfortheinterview,butIrealized
halfwaythroughitwasmoreofablessing.Itfeltmorelikeaninsightfulconversation
betweenusthenainterviewforclass.
IthinkIgotastrongperspectiveonhowthisspillisaffectingthoseinthe
community.Thelocalslostariver,probablythemostimportantthinginourtownordid
they.WhenconductingmyinterviewwithDanOlsen,theDirectoroftheSanJuan
CitizensAlliance,talktomeabouthowmanylocalsandespeciallytherafting
companiesaretakingthespillhardfinanciallyandemotionally.Allthoughwhenonour
triptoSilvertonwhentalkingwithsomeofthestudentsattheschoolthere,they
discussedhowtheyswaminitlikenothingeverhappened.Theysaidthefillhadno
affectonhowtheyfeltabouttheriver.
IthinkIreallylearnedaboutpeoplethroughthisproject.Howsomethingas
simpleasarivercouldcaresomuchtothepublic.Itooktheriverforgranite,Ididnt
careabouttheriveruntilthishappened.AsthesayinggoesYoudontknowhowmuch
somethingmatterstillitsgone.ThepeopleItalkedtoabouttherivershowedme
passionandlovefortheriver.NowIlookattheriverinawholenewway.