Wow, it’s already been a jam-packed year. So much happening with Journalism That Matters, with the Big Joy Project, and with Youth-Adult Dialogues.
But I think our family milestones will be the key.
Gordon, Helen and I love to spend time together in Florida, in Minnesota, in Europe, and at Soundcliff (our house)
In 2009, Helen Silha, my amazing mother, celebrated a big decade birthday in May. She came to Seattle to visit Gordon and me, proclaiming that she wanted a quiet dinner with us to celebrate the occasion (rather than a big party my sister might throw for her in the Twin Cities).
Surprise! Alice Reimann (my sister) hugs Helen in a surprise appearance in our kitchen
Johnny Reimann, John Reimann, Helen Silha, David Reimann and Mark Silha about to munch on Salmon dinner at Soundcliff
We held the quiet salmon dinner – but surprised her with the whole family showing up. It happened exactly a year after a fatal accident nearly killed my nephew, David Silha Reimann, so we celebrated both Helen’s birthday and David’s astounding recovery.
David Silha Reimann and I prepare an Ebelskiver breakfast for the family
As if that weren’t enough to celebrate, we also marked a 50th birthday for my brother Mark in July!
When Mark was born, my parents were told he probably wouldn't live past 18. We celebrate 50 and many more!
Mark loved the attention -- the cards, presents, and most of all the presence of good friends, old and new.
Mark and Gordon get down on the dance floor at Mark's great Soundcliff birthday party
Mark's cake -- a Gordonian bundt cake -- was marvelous!
Mark and I went to Camp Parkview for a week in August, and had a great time.
Mark and I hung out with 60 campers and 25 counselors at the beautiful Camp Burton land on Vashon
Dawn and Mark danced to the amazing inspired music of an Elvis impersonator
Master storyteller Merna Hecht transformed campers like Mark into gorgeous creatures
And now, this week, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law, which my parents created in 1984 at the University of Minnesota, the day after Otto, my dad, retired from a career at the Minneapolis Star and Tribune Company. He was a Horatio Alger – he worked his way up from copy desk editor to CEO of the parent Cowles Media Company.
We commissioned this painting of Otto A. Silha and presented it to him at his 80th birthday celebration
And after he retired, Otto not only announced the creation of the Silha Center, he also created his consulting firm and worked on his futuristic City Innovation project until the day he died – September 11, 1999.
As a family, we are grateful to him, and to each other, on this and every day.
