By Amelia Fiore
Columbia Gorge News
WHITE SALMON — “Before I Die,” a public art installation, has resided in downtown White Salmon for the past several years. The wooden rectangular structure is coated in black paint, and the words “Before I Die …” are engraved in metal atop numerous rows that read “Before I die, I want to,” followed by spaces for passersby to fill in with chalk. The piece acts as an interactive bucket list, mirroring hundreds of similar installations across the globe.
The concept of “Before I Die” was created by Taiwanese-American artist Candy Chang, who authored a book of the same name that included photo collections of various filled-in walls. When Chaleen DeStephano, hospice nurse at Providence Hospice of the Gorge, saw the book on a coworker’s desk, she was inspired to bring Chang’s idea to the Gorge.
In 2010, DeStephano, nurse Colleen Ballinger and a handful of other hospital staff came together to bring the installation to their community in Mosier. The group built the structure themselves out of plywood and maintained it in the years to come, removing graffiti and replacing chalk in shifts.
Then they moved it to The Dalles. By the time the project reached Hood River in 2016, there was some weather damage. Local artist CJ Rench and his team took the liberty to build a newer, more structurally sound design that was funded by the Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital Foundation.
Today, “Before I Die” sits in the center of downtown White Salmon on W. Jewett Boulevard. During the monthly White Salmon Community Development meeting on June 15, it was noted by White Salmon Code Compliance Officer Jenne Patterson that Mayor Marla Keethler wanted rehabbing the project to be “put on the books for discussion.”
During the Community Development Committee meeting on July 15, Ben Giant, White Salmon city councilor, noted that the piece requires some touch-ups. Specifically, it needed re-coating and re-stenciling, an initiative that could be completed within the next month and a half.
Volunteer Julie Robertson stops by the installation as often as she can, usually once a week, to wipe down the chalkboards that are typically full by the time she gets to them.
But there are some things she cannot fix with a simple wipe-down, like the paint wearing off the wood on all sides. Robertson says that the city has secured funding for a remodel, but they are still searching for someone to complete it.
DeStephano emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of a project like “Before I Die” because of its service to the community. By connecting the mission of hospice care with the people of the Gorge, the installation can soften the stigma surrounding death and encourage introspection.
“I think working with people who are dying on a regular basis means you’re always faced with your own mortality and everybody else’s mortality,” she said. “But it’s not a bad thing to think about.”
Columbia Gorge News reached out to City of White Salmon officials regarding a plan for renovation, but did not hear back by press deadline. This story will be updated as information becomes available.
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