Seski perfect fitfor Oregon's 150th

To the editor:

My wife and I are constantly on the look out for Sasquatch as we drive the back roads of Oregon and Southern Washington. He is indeed a very special and iconic beast as your editorial, "Have the party, but leave Sasquatch out of it" attests.

Yes, we love beavers and ducks (and Western Meadowlarks) in Oregon. But in celebrating this special and iconic state, who better than Seski the Sasquatch to remind Oregonians of their environmental heritage, and the fact that we have always been a state that does things differently? That loves dreamers?

Seski, born in 1859, the year Oregon was granted statehood, was in Oregon for our centennial celebration in 1959 and has reappeared in 2008 looking for new habitat as we approach our state's 2009 sesquicentennial. Last month, Seski appeared in the Rose Festival (hiding behind trees as he is by nature shy), and his float was the most popular according to an Oregonian readers poll. Seski has since disappeared but we hope we may see him again in 2009 for Oregon's birthday.

In 1977, Gov. Kulongoski, then a member of the Oregon House of Representatives, introduced a bill to protect the wildlife species known as Sasquatch. The joint resolution, which passed, prohibited harassing, annoying or intimidating of Sasquatch, punishable by two days of picking up garbage along Oregon highways.

Oregon 150 will be careful not to violate the spirit of this resolution in working with Seski. (And we do have "Take Care of Oregon Days" planned for next May to get all of us out cleaning up this state — and Sasquatch habitat — and giving back to our communities.)

As we commemorate Oregon's 150th birthday, our goals are to explore the past, celebrate the present, and imagine the future. We encourage all Oregonians (and Sasquatch) to take part by visiting www.oregon150.org and getting involved in their community efforts.

Lee Weinstein

Vice Chair

Oregon 150