A8 The Reflector May 13, 2015

Missi Koller uses color, attire to keep running funJOANNA MICHAUDstaff reporter

Those who often drive down Main Street in Battle Ground have likely seen 51-year-old Missi Koller as she runs her route from Old Town Battle Ground to alb-ertsons and back.

If you haven’t seen her, keep an eye out next time you’re driv-ing, you can’t miss her. She’s the one jogging, wearing a tutu and brightly colored leggings, pick-ing up trash.

“I started running in 2001 because I wanted to get back in shape after having my last baby,” Koller said. “In 2008, I was down to my last kid being at home. It was overwhelming and I just felt the need to recreate myself. I de-cided I needed to wear color, so I found the brightest, things to wear and always wore tutus to run.”

Colorful clothing and tutus ar-en’t the only things that stand out about Koller as she runs. as she does her routine jog, Koller also picks up trash along the side of the road and throws it away each time she reaches an area near a garbage can or bin. She said this habit started back when her chil-dren were young and they would all take walks to the old Battle Ground Library, wagon in tow. Koller and the kids would pick up trash along the way, put it in the wagon and throw it all away in the library garbage.

“I couldn’t stand seeing all the trash (along Main Street) when I was running,” Koller said. “I just pick up whatever I can carry and throw it away each time I come to an area with a garbage.”

Back when Koller first start-ed running, anyone who saw her would’ve noticed her former running companion, a rottweiler named Mocha. When she first took up running, Koller’s work sched-ule forced her to run at night. She decided to get Mocha to keep her company during the evening run.

“She (Mocha) would run with me and she would also wear a tutu,” Koller said. “Un-fortunately, her hips got bad as she got older and she couldn’t

run with me anymore.”Koller also participated in

her first marathon, the Portland Marathon, when she started run-ning. She has also participated in several of the local runs put on by BOLD Events, including the Resolution Run, the Harvest Days Run and others. She has about 10-12 different tutus to choose from when she runs during events or just recreationally.

Koller was born and raised in Battle Ground and has lived in the area her whole life. She attended Columbia adventist academy in the Meadow Glade area and then spent two years in the mil-itary serving in the U.S. army. as soon as she realized the mil-itary wasn’t for her, she decided to attend nursing school at Walla Walla College.

After finishing nursing school, Koller became a hospice nurse, but switched over to oncology as an infusion nurse at the cancer center at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, where she has remained for the past 25 years. as an infusion nurse, Koller ad-ministers chemotherapy to cancer patients and other patients who receive treatment through drugs in the vein.

“On my way to work, I think about my appointments that God gives me and I pray to know how to talk to them, what to say to them,” Koller said.

Koller continues with her cre-ative attire during her workday, always wearing a Hawaiian shirt and almost always wearing mis-matched earrings.

“I never match,” she said, laughing and gesturing to her two different earrings.

Passionate about going on mis-sions to other countries, Koller said she hopes to one day go on a medical mission, perhaps when her last child is older. She has al-ready been on building missions in both Fiji and Nicaragua.

Koller has four daughters, ages 29, 27, 25 and 14. She has been married to her husband, Daniel, for 24 years.

For those who haven’t yet seen Koller in her tutu and bright col-ors jogging down the street, you might also be able to catch her on one of her bike rides. Just look for someone riding a bike, wearing a Mohawk helmet.

BG woman easy to spot while running on Main Street

BATTLE GROUND RESIDENT Missi Koller always wears a tutu and other colorful attire as she runs her route down Main Street. Those passing by will also see her picking up trash as she runs.

Photo by Joanna Michaud

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Battle Ground City Coun-cil members paved the way for increased state and regional fi-nancing of local multi-model transportation projects when they adopted a Complete Streets poli-cy last month.

adoption of the policy demon-

strates the city’s ongoing practice of incorporating sidewalks, trails, bikeways and transit facilities when it designs new roads or makes im-provements to existing roads.

“The city understands that in addition to planning for motor ve-hicles, alternative forms of trans-

portation also are important,” said Scott Sawyer, Public Works director. “Helping encourage these alternative forms of trans-portation and looking for ways to reduce congestion were consider-ations in adopting our Complete Streets policy.”

“Complete Streets” refers to a policy and planning approach to street design, construction, main-tenance and operation that ac-commodates all users of all ages and abilities. Benefits include

economic development, opportu-nities for physical activity and an increased sense of community.

The Washington Legislature passed Complete Streets legisla-tion (HB 1071) in 2011, creating a program that provides grants to communities meeting certain criteria. Battle Ground is the first in southwest Washington to adopt the program.

“Our partnership with Clark County Public Health has been critical in helping get this policy

adopted,” Sawyer said. “We will continue looking for ways to im-prove bike lanes and sidewalks within the city and connections to regional trails such as the State Route 503 bike trail and, eventu-ally, the Chelatchie Prairie Rails with Trails network.”

Residents interested in learn-ing about Complete Streets proj-ects may contact Theresa Cross at Public Health at (360) 397-8000, ext. 7378 or email Theresa.Cross@clark.wa.gov.

Complete Streets policy to boost BG transportation options