A Golden Touch

Grant County Journal
A Golden Touch
March 14, 2011
Written by Janet Warren
In Greek mythology, King Midas, who was a good king and a kind man is granted a wish. Thinking the economy of his kingdom could be improved with treasure, he quickly wishes that everything he touches will turn to gold. That wish doesn’t turn out too well for King Midas, as all of his food turns to gold and he nearly starves. Even his daughter turns to a statue of gold when he hugs her.
In today’s vernacular, however, the Midas touch is a good thing. It means an uncanny ability for succeeding in every venture, or a golden touch. When I was talking to Glenn Chamberlain last week, the story of Midas came to mind, but with some very important differences. Glenn has been successful at a myriad of undertakings because he recognized opportunities, thought them through, planned, and worked really, really hard. As his wife, Carolyn said, “When Glenn decides to do something, it happens.”
Glenn was in the Air Force in Bremerton but was transferred to Moses Lake in 1962. After four years there, Glenn and Carolyn, who were both raised in Bremerton, decided they liked living on this side of the mountains. Carolyn said, “We lost our webbed feet.” In 1966, Glenn was offered a job at the PUD in Ephrata where he obtained his lineman’s journeyman license. During this time, he became interested in beekeeping. He continued to buy hives and increased his business so it became a full-time job and he had to hire two people to help him. As Carolyn explained, “Glenn has always had two jobs and it allowed me to do what I wanted to do—stay home and raise our eight children.”
After eight years at the PUD, another opportunity presented itself. Glenn bought Enterprise Oxygen, a welding supply and industrial gas business. He decided he didn’t need three full-time jobs, so he quit the PUD. At the time he bought Enterprise Oxygen there were three stores. Under Glenn’s ownership, he grew it to nine stores and branched out into medical supplies. Glenn gives credit to his brother, Gary. “I could not have built such a successful business without my brother. He wasn’t a clock-watcher. If something needed to be done at 10 p.m., Gary was right there with me.” Enterprise Oxygen expanded into Spokane, Walla Walla, Pasco, and Yakima and Glenn got tired of spending so much time on the road. He has always loved to fly—so what did Glenn do? Why he got his pilot’s license, of course, and bought a plane.
A good businessman, like a gambler, not only needs to know when to hold ‘em, but when to fold ‘em, and in 1996, Norco offered to buy Enterprise Oxygen. Glenn knew Norco would come into his market whether he sold it to them or not and decided he didn’t want to become their competitor. He didn’t retire, he just went on to the next adventure.
The Chamberlain girls love horses, so the next episode begins with the purchase of an equestrian center in Spokane. Glenn does not do things in a small way. He began to show horses and actually won the 2000 world championship for Pleasure Driving (Gentlemen) class. Although he no longer shows, the Chamberlains still have six horses. Glenn said, “We have 25 grandchildren, and they need something to ride when they come and visit Grandpa’s farm—although the girls are the ones who like the horses. The boys like the 4-wheelers.” These are some seriously fun grandparents.
Carolyn had her own hobbies. She sewed clothes and decorated cakes. Even now she wonders how she had time to do it all while raising so many children. “Our children were heavily involved in sports and Glenn and I attended every game,” said Carolyn. Glenn, however, not content to sit on the sidelines, became a referee for Varsity football and baseball games. He also found time to serve on City Council for 11 years and as Grant County Commissioner for 4 years. Carolyn always stood beside her husband, supporting him, except when she sat behind him on the seat of a Gold Wing. In 2003 they joined a motorcycle club, the Gold Wing Road Riders Association.
Glenn and Carolyn are long-time members of Rotary International, and Glenn became interested in a Rotary-sponsored literacy program in Guatemala. In true Glenn-fashion, he jumped in with both feet. He made four trips to Guatemala to make sure the program was legitimate and that Guatemala was safe before he began to take Carolyn with him. They just returned from their 12th trip together. I asked Glenn if he had any literacy success stories. He told me about Magdelena.
Magdelena was in the literacy project, but in 8th grade her father died. So that she didn’t have to drop out of school to support her mother, Glenn offered to sponsor Magdelena, paying for her books as well as the money she would have earned had she dropped out of school. Magdelena recently graduated from high school, and because of Glenn her dream of attending the university has been realized. She rides the chicken bus for an hour each Saturday to attend the university. She starts early in the morning and takes five or six classes in a row. Magdelena teaches third grade every morning during the week and studies in the afternoons. Glenn offered to send her more money so she wouldn’t have to work and could take classes during the week, but this is not the custom in Guatemala. It is expected for her to work, so Glenn’s money goes for her tuition and books, and the $100 a month she earns teaching third grade goes to help out her mother.
One of the big draws for Glenn and Carolyn to keep returning to Guatemala is that the literacy project targets the Mayan culture, the poorest of the poor. These humble people are grateful to the Gringos who bring hope to them. Some of the children in the most rural areas Glenn visits have never seen a tall white man with white hair, and are drawn in fascination to him. The Literacy Project has grown over the years, mostly by word of mouth. Glenn and Carolyn return every February, at the beginning of the Guatemalan school year, to distribute books. During the rest of the year, Glenn has managed to find a few things to keep him busy.
I won’t leave you hanging about King Midas. He recognized his error and Dionysus, the god who granted him the favor, allowed Midas to wash away his magical touch in the river Pactolus which turned its sands to shimmering gold.
Glenn Chamberlain does have a Midas touch, but there is nothing magical about it. He looks at the world with a curiosity few possess, and he goes for it. He enriches lives because of it.
To learn more about the Guatemala Literacy Project, visit www.guatemalaliteracy.com.