G.I. Joe's Alumni on Facebook

Here is the link to the G.I. Joe's (Joe's Sports) Alumni on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joes-Sports-and-Outdoor-Alumni/90022842221

Sharing from a Reader

Thank you for your stories. I worked at G.I. Joe's from 3/3/80 to 6/10/95 and really miss my extended family! I am surprised that I never met you, Janna, though I remember knowing David (Corky) pretty well. He always was approachable.

When I think of the demise of "Joes" and the crime of how it came to be, I feel kinda scared and alone like all of the employees must have felt. Even though I didn't lose my job, I did lose something. Anyway, what I was searching for when I stumbled on this blog was a website where the "G.I. Joe's" family might be staying in contact. I will continue, and once again, thank you!

To Go To The Other Growing Up with G.I. Joe's Websites

For the main history website, go to: http://www.growingupwithgijoes.com/

To view photos of the Orkneys and Edward Orkney's first solely-owned Portland Store, War Surplus Liquidators, go to: http://www.growingupwithgijoesphotos.blogspot.com/

Joe's Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on March 3, 2009

It was with deep sadness that I learned of Joe's Sports filing Chapter 11 on March 3. I so hope that a way can be found to keep the business going, for the sake of the employees, creditors, and customers, past and present, who love the outdoors and being active in the Pacific Northwest.
Janna Orkney

IFish.net posts my intro and a link on July 25

www.IFish.net posted my intro and a link to "Growing Up..." on July 25, 2008. Thanks to the wonderful folks at IFish, including founder and administrator, Jenny Logsdon Martin.
I have gotten "hooked" on the website (a little fishing joke!) because I find Jenny's posts so heartwarming, even though I am not a fisherwoman. And the recipes shared on the site sound good too!
Janna Orkney

www.Bojack.org posts link to "Growing Up..."

Thanks to Jack Bogdanski, law professor at Lewis & Clark College, who posted a link to Growing Up With G.I. Joe's on his blog, http://www.bojack.org/ on November 9, with the title, "Dad's Little Sleeping Bag Deal." The link comes with the photo of Dad standing at the entrance to Surplus Liquidators, on S.E. 82nd in 1950 or 1951. That was his third startup before G.I. Joe's.

Please read an article which was published in The Hoquiam Daily World on September 13, 2008. It is titled, "Army Surplus Store Founder Had His Roots in Hoquiam." The link is: http://thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/09/14/local_news/06news.txt
Janna Orkney

Sharing from Readers

Dear Jan,
What a rush of memories I had reading your story!
I lived on Levee Rd and used to play with David. My Mom lived there until she died in 1988 and it was always a special place for my children and I to visit from Eugene. The neighborhood has changed so much, it was nice to revisit with you, the rural feel and raw beauty of the area.
There were always trees to climb and forts to build, rafting on the slough behind our house and horseback riding--I started riding at Columbia Academy when I was five--finally wore my parents down and I got my own horse in 4th grade!
GI Joes was a magical place and I loved going there with my Dad. In later years, as it expanded and became a household name for Sporting Goods, I would tell my friends with pride about how it started in our neighborhood, I knew the family, etc.. It was hard to remember or describe and now you have so poignantly.
What a wonderful tribute to your family!
Thank you!
Chris Hoehl Tinker

Hi Jan,
I remember spending many afternoons browsing at G.I. Joe's, which was almost in our back yard. My brothers had many canteens & army papraphernalia they spent their quarters on.We had a heavy green canvas bag that we used to carry the milk in that we got from the dairy at the end of our street. It must have been from Joe's, too.
Thanks for the memory lane trip.
Chris Boden Raymond
August 11, 2008 3:47 PM

Hi Jan,
Connie sent us your story and what great memories I have.
We still have the Army tent my dad bought to take camping. July 4th was the opening day of fishing ay Ollie Lake. Always had 3 or more families going and we all slept in the tent. What fun. My dad only used G.I. foot power and it was the only place to get it.
I'm sure somday when we get around to cleaning dad's shop we will find more reminders. Thanks for the memories.
Diana Rogers Froembling

Janna:
I came across mention of your blog on a fishing web site (ifish.net) this morning and so enjoyed reading it.
I am 67 and a native Vancouverite, so I spent many, many happy shopping hours at your father's Vanocuver Ave. store in my younger years. Your account of the business and your family really ring a bell for me as I grew up in one of the officer's quarters brick houses at Vancouver Barracks during the war and my father ran the warehouses on both the upper and lower posts.
My brother and I spent every second we could at the barracks dump where we gloried in the garbage, which included wartime mementos of all kinds, clothing, packs, helmets, even guns and ammo, not to mention tons of medical waste from the post hospital. Those were truly fun years to be a kid!
You don't really talk much of your mother and what happened to her in the later years. She was so pretty in her photo with your Dad. I would be fascinated to know more about her.
Thank you again for your blog. It is in my "favorite places", and will be read regularly.
Jack M.
Vancouver

Hi Janna!
Wow! I just read your story and totally enjoyed it!
I loved learning about your dad and I found it SO interesting. How he started selling surplus sleeping bags at a 'fruit stand'...and then his reaction to seeing the "No Trash Here" sign. Your story brought back fond memories, my having been a Columbia River neighbor and classmate. Bear coat!... I still distinctly remember my dad taking me to GI Joe's so that I could buy that nubby liner jacket that I sewed rick-rack on and lived in throughout high school.
And the raft wading pool: We had one as well...It was surplus made of balsa, wrapped in canvas and painted gray. Very heavy!
My husband also has good memories: He bought an Army down mummy-bag. He loved his Army wool gloves that lined his leather mittens. He says his gators from GI Joe's were the first he'd had for mountain climbing. And...3/16th inch nylon Army OD rope, he used on his pack board for elk hunting. Thanks so much. This has been a fun trip down memory lane.
Kathy McCuddy Johnson
( I really do still remember that Army surplus smell upon entering the store....a good smell, a good memory!)
July 26, 2008 6:09 PM

Jan,
I just read your "Growing Up With G.I.Joe's". It was great! It gives me inspiration to do the same...not about G.I.Joe's but about my own life. One section struck a chord with me. I have just finished reading "The Greatest Generation" by Tom Brokaw. You mentioned the time when your dad felt an obligation to his employees, which may have come from his sense of obligation to his crew when he was a pilot in WW2. There are many stories in The Greatest Generation which illustrate how attitudes and values were formed during combat that carried over after the war in business and politics in which soldiers became involved. There certainly could have been a chapter written about your dad. Thank you for sending your work out to us. I'm still a little disappointed that the baby pheasant story didn't make the cut!
July 24, 2008 6:21 PM
Fred Rau

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To have a comment posted to the blog, click on "Comments" of a post, or "Post a Comment," whichever appears at the bottom of a post. You do not have to register on Blogger.com, but I would appreciate at least a first name. Thank you.
Janna Orkney

The "Growing Up with G.I. Joe's" blog really functions more as a website, and that is why I started the "Comments" blog as well. Your comments are invited.
Thank you.
JannaOrkney2@yahoo.com