The smallest of all adds a ‘Yopp’ for Amazon Pool

Presenter: The city staff proposed cutting many public-facing services, drawing many to testify before Eugene’s Budget Committee May 21. Here’s Leo Folsom and Kit:

[00:00:10] Leo Folsom: My name is Leo Folsom. This is Kit. He turned three in March. If you are finding there to be more noise and disruption during this meeting than usual, it is because (I want to talk) there has been a threat to close Amazon Pool. Do you want to say something about Amazon Pool? (No). Okay.

[00:00:26] So I think a lot has been said about Amazon Pool already. One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is there is a tuition, or whatever you call it, to pay, you know, to go there. I’m curious if it’s been considered just to raise that or make it progressive, so if you have more money you can pay more to keep it open.

[00:00:48] As a member of the public to hear that it was, you know, being threatened to be closed, my first reaction was: ‘Do we need more money? Why don’t we ask people?’ (Why does it have to be closed? But it should not be closed.) Why shouldn’t it be closed? That’s a great question, Kit.

So I have a couple passages I’m going to read from Horton Hears a Who.

[00:01:06] Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor, Horton called. Mr. Mayor, you’ve got to prove now that you really are there. So call a big meeting, get everyone out. Make every Who holler, make every Who shout. Make every Who scream. If you don’t, every Who is going to end up in a beezlenut stew.

[00:01:22] Skip a few pages. (No, I want to read those.)

[00:01:28] Through the town rushed the mayor from the east to the west, but everyone seemed to be doing his best. Everyone seemed to be yapping or yipping. Everyone seemed to be bipping or beeping…

[00:01:39] And he climbed with the lad up the Eiffelburg Tower. This, cried the mayor, is your town’s darkest hour! The time for all Whos who have blood that is red to come to the aid of Eugene, he said. We’ve GOT to make noises in greater amounts! So, open your mouth, lad, for every voice counts! Thus he spoke as he climbed. When they got to the top, the lad cleared his throat and he shouted out: (Yopp!) Yopp.

[00:02:03] And that Yopp, that one small extra Yopp, put it over. Finally, at last! From that speck on the clover, their voices were heard. They rang out clear and clean. And the elephant smiled. Do you see what I mean? They’ve proved they ARE persons, no matter how small. And their whole world was saved by the Smallest of All!

[00:02:18] How true. Yes, how true, said the big kangaroo. And, from now on, you know what I’m planning to do? From now on, I’m going to protect them with you! And the young kangaroo in her pouch said: Me too!

[00:02:27] Presenter: The smallest of all Eugenians to offer testimony before the Budget Committee May 21 shares an emphatic ‘Yopp!’ to save the Amazon Pool. The budget committee meets again Wednesday, May 28 at 5:30 p.m.