About: Debbie Boen

Debbie and her family moved to Clarksville slightly after the tornado of 1999. Debbie founded the group, Clarksville Freethinkers for Peace and Civil Liberties, in 2004. She participated in Gathering to Save Our Democracy, a group dedicated to obtaining free and verifiable elections in Tennessee. She has supported groups including the NAACP, Nashville Peace Coalition, PFLAG, Friends of Dunbar Cave and the Mountain Top Removal Series of Films and speakers. She has originated rallies, meetings, vigils, films and protests. She participated as an artist in the ARTZ gallery group in Clarksville and won Best of Show and First Place awards for two of her sculptures. She won a voter's choice award for a performance at the Roxy Regional Theatre. She is a wife, mother and cancer survivor. When she grows up, she would like to be more childlike and keep a sense of humor no matter what, in the Will Roger sense.


Web Site: http://

Email: buginthefire@bellsouth.net

Debbie Boen's Articles:

In Paducah, the world revolves around art

By Debbie Boen | June 12, 2008 |

 



Daytrips and Weekenders. As the summer months and the vacation/travel season approaches, we offer you, our readers, ideas for day trips and weekend excursions to places and events that can be done in a day, or maxed out over a weekend. Time and the high cost of gas fuel our efforts to find local entertainment and activities. This column will appear each Thursday through Labor Day.

Paducah, Kentucky, is about a two hour drive from Clarksville. The town rests on the Ohio River where it is joined by the Tennessee River. Its prestigious past speaks out in the ornately designed houses and buildings.

Except for the great flood in 1937 where 95% of the city was flooded, this town prospered on the edge of the world’s greatest highway — the river, and had a flair for wealth and diversity. Trains later replaced river travel for goods; semis replaced trains. But since the 1900’s, barges carry goods up and down the river once again. One barge carries as much as 23 railroad cars.



Paulette Mentor is ready to do some work in her art room/gallery. Her house is a perfect example of creativity in re-design of a gallery house. — Debbie Boen photo


If you throw enough money at it, you can do anything, says Carol Gabany about Paducah’s Downtown revival. The Paducah bank has been throwing money at artists offering 300% loans to buy up old rundown houses, fix them up, and open art galleries throughout the downtown area. Esteemed artists from all over the US have been drawn to this exceptional deal in Paducah. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure, Opinion | No Comments

 

Chicago Public Radio’s Ira Glass on ‘This American Life’

By Debbie Boen | June 3, 2008 |

 

“Stories make us sane. I feel less crazy when I understand something about people. I’m not about news analysis but connection to people.”

– Ira Glass



We had tickets to see radio personality, Ira Glass, in Nashville on May 31st. I expected to see a man with red to blonde hair, freckles, pimples and a general non-threatening appearance; otherwise, how would all those people talk to him, tell him their inner-most thoughts and stories?

When my son Randall (seen here with Ira Glass) said, “And there’s Ira Glass crossing the road,” I was shocked. Dark hair, skinny and tall; not the mouse I had pictured. I am used to seeing people who have empathy as chubby. In my experience, if you get mixed up with caring about others, your body has to put on weight to give you some distance from people, some of your own “space” from giving others too much. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure, Events, News, Opinion | No Comments

 

The Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail: Retreat to the natural world

By Debbie Boen | May 22, 2008 |

 

Daytrips and Weekenders. As the summer months and the vacation/travel season approaches, we offer you, our readers, ideas for day trips and weekend excursions to places and events that can be done in a day, or maxed out over a weekend. Time and the high cost of gas fuel our efforts to find local entertainment and activities. This column will appear each Thursday through Labor Day.



Does it get any better than this?

Looking for a scenic bike trail, horse riding trail, or a walking trail? What once was a railroad bed running between Nashville and Clarksville was turned into a beautiful, fairly level and almost completely paved trail. It is perfect for biking, hiking, power walking or a leisurely stroll with the intent of observing nature’s best offerings. You can find it all on the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail.

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Sections: Arts and Leisure | No Comments

 

Hidden treasure: Billy Dunlop Park

By Debbie Boen | May 19, 2008 |

 

Serenity lies within a tucked away park on Needmore Road between 101st Parkway and Tiny Town Road. Billy Dunlop Park brings us a manicured, lush green lawn bordered with old growth trees and the gentle rolling West Fork of the Red River. Every time we’ve been here we see how well this park is maintained, including a new addition to the park: a walking bridge across the river.



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Sections: Arts and Leisure, News | No Comments

 

Crowds flock to Dunbar Cave ‘Spring Fling’

By Debbie Boen | April 28, 2008 |

 

A vulture nearly flew into my face. That was just one of the adventures that happened at Dunbar Cave during the annual Spring Fling on Saturday, April 26. Hundreds of people came out to see live raptors, snakes, amphibians, and rescued wildlife.



Over the course of the day’s events, visitors took hikes, pausing to look at wildflowers or spot birds along with the general trekking. They learned about bluebirds, backpacking and many other things, topping off the day with the opportunity to canoe in the lake. Dozens of enthusiastic volunteers helped set up and take down equipment for this annual event, which was sponsored by the Friends of Dunbar Cave, the Warioto Audubon Chapter, Tennessee Trails Association and TN Wildlife Resources Agency.  Access to canoes was arranged by the Dunbar Park manager.

The event also attracted the interest of Tennessee’s Wild Side, a television show that came to film parts of this event. What was supposed to be a rainy morning was in fact a clear, sunny day with a nice breeze, a perfect spring day for this type of event. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: News | No Comments

 

COL Editor interviewed by Goddard College

By Debbie Boen | April 20, 2008 |

 

Early in 2005 I started the group, Clarksville Freethinkers for Peace and Civil Liberties. Christine was in the local Democratic group. We joined forces. I would call Christine and tell her what I was thinking of doing, and her instant response was, “When do you need me there? What can I do to help?” She lived out by the base, and when we had a downtown vigil, she hopped on a bus to get to it. She made things happen. She made no excuses. She took over planning vigils and calling the media.

Our most memorable, binding event happened when we heard that President Bush was landing at Fort Campbell in Tennessee, the home of the 101st Airborne, to travel to Hopkinsville, Kentucky, where he would talk to people (Republican supporters only) about his desire to seriously change social security. We tried without success to get onto the audience list, but Christine found out the exact line of travel that the Bush motorcade was going to take. We spent a day looking for places to ‘greet’ the motorcade. We made a list of possible places to stand, but when the day came for the presidential visit, the police tailed us, and kicked us out of all but one. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: News, Opinion | 1 Comment »

 

Lakota Sacred Pipe holder holds stories, music, earth-centered wisdom

By Debbie Boen | April 18, 2008 |

 

I learned through meditation that when I imagine a line between myself and the center of the earth, my body feels safe and can release old emotions and energy (like worry or seriousness) that I’m done with. When I am “grounded”, or imagining that connection, people also feel very comfortable around me. When I am not grounded, I am an easier target for someone to pick on me, because I’m more like a bird with no feet on the ground:I look vulnerable and unprotected. I’ve noticed that when I am practicing being grounded, people flock to me. They subconsciously are attracted to the idea of their bodies and spirit feeling safer and connected to the earth also.


J.J. Kent, the most grounded person I have ever met, teaches Lakota spiritual laws based on this connection to the Earth. J. J. uses his good voice to do public speaking and flute recordings, and on Saturday, April 19th, he will be featured speaking at Rivers and Spires in downtown Clarksville around noon. He will also speak to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Clarksville on May 11, 2008.

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Sections: Arts and Leisure, Events, Spirituality | No Comments

 

‘High School Musical’ performs to enthusiastic sold-out crowds

By Debbie Boen | April 17, 2008 |

 

The Roxy Regional Theatre production of High School Musical continues it run before sell-out crowds. The show runs through this weekend and features 27 local artists and 8 professionals.

Three Cheers for ‘ High School Musical’!

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Sections: Arts and Leisure | No Comments

 

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