That song easily could have inspired Caldie Rogers in 1992 to start building a bridge over Interstate 5 to join together the Marysville and Tulalip communities.

Rogers has been the main mediator of that effort for 22 years at president and chief executive officer of the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce. She recently resigned from that post because of a terminal illness. But love and appreciation for what she has accomplished has poured out from the community. The chamber sponsored a dinner for her and about 100 guests at the Holiday Inn Express Nov. 12, and the Tulalip Resort Casino sponsored one for her and chamber volunteers last week. Others spoke privately about what she has meant to this area.

Cal Taylor, the first tribal chairman of a chamber of commerce in the nation, said Rogers has been the main driving force in improving relations between the tribes and Marysville. “She’s a one-of-a-kind leader, fearless,” he said. “She will go after you until she reaches her goal.”

Taylor said bringing the two business communities together and nurturing them for 22 years has been her greatest accomplishment.

“When she approached the tribes we were at odds with the city. History could have been written a little bit differently if she wasn’t there to calm everyone down,” he said.

Prior to Rogers helping with economic development on the reservation, Taylor said the tribes were able to share their culture, but little else. Now, they are able to share millions of dollars outside of their own community.

“And we’re happy to do it. We cook some good salmon, and have a rich culture, but it’s nice to do other things,” he said. “I have only a few friends who are non-tribal, and Caldie is one of them.”

Teri Gobin, head of tribal labor, said Rogers also has helped bring the two communities together politically, taking legislation to Olympia on behalf of the area. Gobin said she first met Rogers at a tribal board meeting. Gobin was telling the board that only three of 3,000 working tribal members had jobs in Marysville, two bank tellers and a grocery store worker. The others worked in Everett and other surrounding communities.

“There’s something wrong with this picture here,” she recalled telling the council. “I don’t know if there still was that prejudice there or what it was.”

She recalled looking over at Rogers and seeing her smiling because that was exactly what she wanted to work to change.

And it has changed. The tribes now employ 3,492 workers, and 2,221 are non-tribal. “She’s made a heck of a difference,” Gobin said.

She added that Rogers won over the tribal council.

“She walks the talk. She’s a sincere person at heart, and it’s not just lip service,” Gobin said. “We work better as one community than divided.”

Trudy Downey is part of four generations of family members who have volunteered for the chamber under Rogers, including her mom, Joanna Ellis, daughter-in-law Mandy and granddaughter Kaylee.

“I admire her for all of the work she’s done, a lot of it by herself,” Downey said. “She’s worked so hard for so long. I don’t know how she did it.”

Downey added that Rogers made her feel comfortable.

“Not every one can do that. I’m just a housewife, a normal person. She’s a big wig but made me feel like a friend,” Downey said.

Rogers “is a little tornado for change,” Mary Jane Harmon, director of administration for the chamber, said of the woman she has nicknamed “The General.” “What I admire about her most is someone can come up to her at a meeting and insult her to her face, and she will never lose her softness, her calm.”

When visitors come to the office, Harmon said the atmosphere is professional.

“We are often the first face of Marysville,” Harmon said. “We welcome them and show we would do anything to help them. Caldie has fostered all of that.”

Rogers has done many things for the community and helped it grow, but doesn’t like to take the credit.

“She gives them the glory,” Harmon said of Rogers. “She puts on her chamber face, and she can handle anything.”

Doug Wagner of Wagner’s Jewelry in Marysville got to see Rogers in action years ago when she pushed for a Navy base in Everett. “She’s a class act. She understands intuitively that relationships are the key. No matter what your state in life she treats everyone the same. It’s a high calling.”

Joe Crawford of Pacific Coast Feathers said, “We didn’t know where to turn,” when that company was having trouble with the city over sewer and water problems, until Rogers stepped forward. Later, she talked him into being on the chamber board that decided to combine with the Tulalip Tribes.

“She drove that,” Crawford said. “That not only helped both areas financially, but also in the feeling that both communities could work together.”

When Rogers talks, people listen. But at the dinner Nov. 12, she had to sit and listen to praise from others for a few hours.

As might be expected, her son, Nathan Hanson, gave the most emotional talk of the night. He choked up when he called her the “consummate professional,” working 60 to 80 hours a week – “Not for the pay, but because she loved her community.” He recalled when she told him when he was 8 that she was going to change her workplace from Everett to Marysville. He said he was “sold” when she said she would be working in the “caboose” that housed the old chamber office. He also got emotional when talking about the community as family. “You are all part of our family. It’s more than just the two of us who share a DNA line.” Hanson couched his comments at the start by saying he was raised by a single mom and was “probably more in touch with my emotions than a man should be.”

A few of the guests gave Rogers special awards.

Jeff Caulk of Naval Station Everett said he has known Rogers for two years, but wished it had been longer. “I’ve learned strategy and tactics of leadership from you,” Caulk said.

Dan Limberg, former commander at Naval Station Everett, said Rogers was like “a mother grizzly” when she talked once to his sailors. “I probably should have screened her speech first,” he said with a laugh. The pair honored her with an award normally given to military leaders who receive a new set of orders.

Gary Chandler of the Association of Washington Business gave Rogers a robe. He explained it’s a symbol of love and dignity. Northwest Native Americans give robes as a gift when leaders leave high positions. “You either like Caldie or she can be a pain at times,” he said, as some in attendance confirmed by nodding their heads yes. “But she always puts you people first.”

Judy Coovert, also of the AWB, honored Rogers with the “Judy Coovert Award,” given annually since 2006 statewide to leaders who have passion in volunteerism. “She’s spent her whole life promoting you guys at the state level,” Coovert said. “She’s small in stature but when she speaks she’s six-feet tall.”

Other speakers also praised Rogers.

John Koster asked the audience, “Can anyone in this room say no to Caldie?” Only her son raised his hand as the group laughed. “You taught us a lot about leadership,” Koster said. “You don’t have to be out front.”

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring thanked Rogers for her years of great service to the community. “Caldie’s built something pretty special,” he said. “She has the ability to get things done. She always thinks out of the box and goes the extra mile.”

Meg Jacobsen, former Western director of the U.S. Chamber, said she was impressed with Rogers the first time she saw her. “Man, she’s a firecracker. Her heart is way too big for that tiny little body. Her determination is awe-inspiring. May all the love that surrounds you now, surround you in your coming days.”

Longtime friend Williams Scrupps said: “When she speaks, people listen. She gives more of herself than anyone I know. She’s always trying to help somebody else.” Of the relationship between the city and tribes, he said, “She’s like a referee in a boxing match.”

Ken Cage, president of the Marysville Historical Society, recalled a leaders conference when Rogers had participants stand on a platform with logs underneath; the goal was to keep it balanced. “Caldie, that’s what you’ve done. Stepped up to keep us balanced.”

The mayor of Sultan, Carolyn Eslick, said: “Your spirit is amazing. It will live on forever.”

Rogers always likes to give credit to others, and an example of that was shown at her luncheon with the chamber volunteers. The volunteers honored Rogers talking about what a great leader she is, but she turned it around and told them all how great they are.

“My whole career has been about giving credit away, making a difference for the greater good,” Rogers said. She added that people come back to the Visitors Center because of volunteers “giving friendly, helpful information.”

Volunteers shared funny stories. Like the one about the Arkansas folks who asked where they could go to hunt geoducks, then finding out they aren’t ducks at all. Or the people from foreign countries who want to go to the Seattle Center, Mount Rainer, Mount St. Helens and the Olympic Peninsula all in four hours. There were the folks from Argentina who wanted to go to Forks where “Twilight” was made. Or the visitor who wanted to see an orca whale and was told the closest one is at the Tulalip Casino.

John Bell, former chairman of the chamber board for four years, has known Rogers for seven years. Not only did Rogers train him and was a mentor at the chamber, she also helped save his home winery business. Although the state approved it, years later it changed its mind. A retired Boeing worker, Bell put his entire 401K into the business. Because Rogers and the chamber stood up for him, “I still have a business. And she’d do that for anybody.”

Even though Rogers said doctors only are giving her another 10 to 12 months, she said she always “thinks outside the box, including gifts from God.”

She’s helping the chamber’s executive committee find her replacement and to set next year’s legislative agenda. She’s also helping come up with a survey for chamber members to take to find out “who and what we want to be the next twenty years.”

Rogers received some gifts from the volunteers, including an angel.

“I’m not sure what God’s going to let me into heaven with,” she said, holding the angel. “I’m going to miss you all so much. I love you guys.”