
The Soul Of Central Oregon Award With The Mayor of the River Wave Gerry Lopez
Send us Fan MailOn this episode of Bend Magazine's The Circling Podcast, I'm joined by Bend Magazine founders Heather and Ross Johnson and our friend and neighbor Gerry Lopez, the recipient of the third annual Bend Magazine Soul of Central Oregon Award, to talk about the kind of influence you can’t measure with job titles or headlines. We dig into the origin story of Bend Magazine, then Gerry shares what brought him from Maui to Bend more than 30 years ago, the Oregon kindness that surprised him on day one, and what he hopes never changes even as the region grows. Along the way, we hear heartfelt stories from people who know Gerry best, including Bob Madden and Dave Chun, who describe him as the neighbor who teaches, listens, and quietly sets the tone for everyone else. We also also hear the story of how Bend’s unique river surfing culture began with olympic nordic skier Ben Husby, as he shares about: the early “ditch” days, the evolution of boards and technique, and what it took to build the Bend river wave. The big takeaway from this episode is almost disarmingly simple: “Be nice.” If you live here, want to move here, or just care about what makes a community worth calling home, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves Central Oregon, and leave a review with the name of someone in your town who embodies the spirit.The Circling Podcast is proud to be in partnership with Bend Magazine. Claim your five-dollar annual subscription when you visit www.bendmagazine.com and enter promo code: PODCAST at checkout. Your subscription includes 6 issues of our regions top publication celebrating mountain culture, and four bonus issues of Bend Home and Design, the leading home and building design magazine in Central Oregon. Support The Circling Podcast:Email us at: thecirclingpodcast@bendmagazine.comJoin the Circling membership: patreon.com/Thecirclingpodcast Follow us on Instagram @thecirclingpodcast @bendmagazineCover Song by: @theerinsmusic Bend Magazine. Remember to enter promo code: Podcast at checkout for your five-dollar annual subscription. https://bendmagazine.com. BOSS Sports Performance: https://www.bosssportsperformance.comBack Porch Coffee: https://www.backporchcoffeeroasters.comStory Booth: https://www.storyboothexperience.comRemember, the health of our community, relies on us!






