Our Town South: June 1, 2020

Business

Your Garden

Local Business Relief Fund prepares to award grants– Page 4

Vol. 17 No. 6

Summer tomato tips – Page 11

COMMUNITY NEWS Serving Stayton, Sublimity, Aumsville, Lyons & Mehama

June 2020

In-car commencements – Page 10

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Sports & Recreation

SHS Highlights coach retires with 14 state titles – Page 20

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Our Town Santiam

Contents

11

© BELCHONOCK / 123RF.COM

Business Relief fund aids small business..............4

Civics 101 Water managers analyze lake level..... 16

Your Health Advise on building immune system.......6 Something to Celebrate Stayton grad wins Ford scholarship.......8 Unique graduation ceremonies set...... 10

A Slice of the Pie............17

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Datebook................................18 Something For The Soul Regis mission trip changes lives.......... 19

Sports & Recreation

Your Garden Tomato time tips................................ 11

FLEET & COMMERCIAL SALES • MEDIUM DUTY DEALER

Dance coach ends career with 14 titles...20

Marketplace.......................21

Helping Hands Downtown Stayton gets signage......... 15

A Grin At The End...........22

On the Cover

Stayton, Regis and Cascade High Schools will have added car-based element for commencement ceremonies due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements.

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Business

A little relief

By Mary Owen

A new fund is available to help get local small businesses back on their feet.

The Stayton Sublimity Chamber of Commerce and Stayton Area Rotary have teamed up to create the Stayton Regional Small Business Relief Fund.

The fund will help small businesses financially hurt by pandemic closures to reopen and operate in compliance with new government guidelines.

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“The Chamber has been working tirelessly to advocate for small businesses during COVID-19,” said Carmélle Bielenberg, SSCOC chief executive officer. “The needs of our local business community far outweigh the available programs, and we wanted to step into the gap. We reached out to both the local city government and Rotary to discuss possible partnerships that would allow us to help those in need.”

According to Bielenberg, Rotary stepped

in to use its non-profit tax status to receive grants or accept donations. The Chamber wanted help to support local businesses which might not qualify for other forms of funding, she added.

Through its charitable foundation, Rotary offered to launch the relief effort with $15,000. The Chamber is applying for grants to add to the fund.

Additionally, Mike and Steffani Klein, the owners of Cascade Floors, have dedicated $100,000 in matching funds toward the relief effort. For each dollar a business, individual or organization contributes, the Kleins will personally match the amount.

Individuals, businesses, and organizations not impacted by the COVID-19 shutdown are asked to join Rotary and SSCOC in donating to the fund to help as many businesses as possible meet Phase 1 requirements to reopen.

“Restaurants have been required to

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Chamber, Rotary team up to raise funds for small businesses adapt and ... can only open their dining rooms at half capacity,” Bielenberg said of Phase 1 requisites. “Restaurants generally operate at a 5 percent margin.

Some of these businesses, like gyms, salons, massage parlors, have already been unable to earn an income for two months and are now being required to invest money in additional safety measures at their establishments in order to reopen.”

A grant committee has been established to oversee the gifting. Members are Jennifer Tiger, chamber board secretary and Rotarian; Debbie Voepel, chamber board treasurer and Rotarian; Karen Andall, Rotarian; and Bielenberg.

“It’s our hope that these grants will offset additional out-of-pocket costs and allow businesses to get back on their feet quickly,” Bielenberg added. “The more support we can offer our local communities, the less likely we are to lose vital businesses as a result of this

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Grant funds may be used for the purchase of items such as protective equipment, plexiglas barriers or signs.

For the purposes of the grant, small businesses are defined as a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or other business entity with 15 or fewer employees.

The relief fund is designed to help businesses through Stayton, Sublimity, Aumsville/Turner, Scio/Jefferson, and the Santiam Canyon.

Applications will become available June 1 on the SSCOC website as well as the SSCOC and Rotary social media pages.

It is anticipated grants will be awarded weekly on a first-come, first-served basis, sas long as funda are available.

“The Stayton Regional Small Business Relief Fund will ensure businesses that otherwise might not make it, due to COVID, are able to survive by helping

them get back on their feet,” Bielenberg said.

“It’s our hope that as businesses ... will thrive and maybe even give back to the fund, thus enabling it to become an ongoing fund that will aid businesses in need, even after the COVID-related threat ceases.”

To donate, make checks payable to Stayton Area Rotary Foundation, c/o Small Business Relief Fund, and mail to: P.O. Box 267, Stayton, OR 97383 or drop off at the Stayton branch of Columbia Bank.

Donations can also be made online to the Stayton Area Rotary Foundation at https://squareup.com/store/stayton-arearotary-foundation.

For more information, call the SSCOC office at 503-769-3464.

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A 13-year-old Utah girl on a family outing was fatally injured by a falling tree at Detroit Lake May 24.

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June 2020 • 5

Your Health

Preventative healthcare

By Melissa Wagoner The gradual slowing of COVID-19 cases across the country and the equally gradual reopening of some of the state, it may be a good time to start thinking about what is to come.

“We are in a great pause, which is a painfully beautiful gift,” Sahaji Fisher – a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, registered nurse and owner of White Oak Wellness in Silverton – said of the current pandemic state.

“I don’t know what lifting regulations is going to mean for your community yet,” she acknowledged. “I myself am taking things really slow. We need to look out for each other over the coming months.

Limiting exposure, especially for at-risk folks and elders is important.”

But even for those who are not as considered vulnerable to COVID-19, it might be a good time to double-down on healthy habits – or to get them started – in preparation for the fall and winter months to come.

“Preventative care is important because it allows you to learn about your body,” Fisher said. “It gives you an opportunity to tune into the messages your body is sending you, listen, and then respond appropriately. Our bodies give us lots of communications and signals if we take the time to listen. Prevention doesn’t mean that we don’t get stressed or upset or overeat. Prevention is knowing why we are doing those things and then working to come back into balance. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about being realistic and aware of what’s actually happening.

“Preventative medicine is about taking responsibility for as much of your own health as you can and also receiving help from others who support you in that.

I like to think of preventative medicine as a way of living, as a way of listening. This is going to be important in the coming months because we are moving into uncharted territory as a community.”

Fortunately, summer is one of the of the best times to establish healthy habits including eating healthy foods, drinking

The time is now plenty of water and increasing exercise.

“Please don’t eat ice cream all summer!”

Fisher laughed. “I’m joking, but not joking. Our bodies respond to the cycles of nature. Summer is an incredible time to fortify our bodies, eat lots of clean healthy food and prepare for the rest and dark of winter. Summer is about expansion and growth both in nature and in ourselves.”

To that end, Fisher recommends every person, no matter what their current health status, focus first and foremost on establishing healthy digestion. That includes drinking water upon waking and then focusing on eating healthfully –and mindfully – throughout the day.

“One of the most comprehensive ways to bolster the immune system is to bolster the digestion,” Fisher said.

“The digestion is a huge part of health, and we don’t want to over-burden our system with sugar, processed dairy, greasy and processed foods. These things create phlegm in the body, which

creates heaviness and sluggishness in the digestion, especially in a damp climate like we have in Oregon come winter.

What we do in the summer is greatly reflected in our bodies in the winter.”

And because no one is entirely certain what the status of the current pandemic will be come winter, increasing immune function is important – especially for those in the higher risk category.

“If someone has a pre-existing condition, I think this is a big opportunity to support yourself and soften into knowing that we are tender,” Fisher said. “I myself have preexisting conditions that make me more susceptible to COVID-19.”

But by utilizing breathing exercises and mindfulness and stress reductive practices as well as speaking with a healthcare provider about possible herbal, vitamin or dietary supplements the effects of illnesses like the coronavirus could be lessened.

“There are so many things you can do to fortify your body and build resiliency and adaptability,” Fisher said.

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• Engage in breathing and mindfulness exercises – try the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program created by Jon Kabat

people are more susceptible, but no one is guaranteed to not get it. I hope more folks will start sharing their stories about being sick so that we can learn from one another and support each other. Viruses and bacteria have been here on planet Earth a very long time. We will continue to see them express in different ways.

While fear is very real and palpable, let’s engender hope and adaptability together.”

• Practice kindness – check in with friends and neighbors as schools and businesses reopen and stress levels increase

Mental health also is a key part of preventative healthcare – and one that suffers most during periods of social distancing and emotional upheaval.

• Be mindful of consuming alcohol and / or cannabis as coping mechanisms

“Mental and emotional health in times like these is all encompassing,” Fisher stressed. “I hope that everyone reading this knows deep inside that they are not alone, that we are all one human collective on a wild journey. My hope and prayer is that we can advocate for each other, lift one another up and find a way forward with everyone, together.”

Practices to strengthen overall wellness and immune system • Plant a garden – food is medicine

• Touch is important

• Eat clean and healthy – real, homemade food with ingriedents you can pronounce

– Place a hand on your heart, your face or your core and say self-affirmations

• Bolster the digestion

• Regulate your day – nature thrives on rhythms

– Drink warm water upon waking and scrape the tongue – Eat sitting down, chew thoroughly and relax – Be mindful of bowel movements – one a day is key • Get good sleep

foods – many have antiviral or antibacterial properties

• Check and maintain good Vitamin D levels • Speak with a healthcare provider about vitamins, herbs or supplements • Move your body • Learn about herbs and wild

• Laugh And for those who have already become infected with the virus and may be experiencing some lingering symptoms, there are ways to help mitigate the effects,

starting with compassion.

I’ve talked to who have been sick are scared to talk about it because of the fear around it in general. The healthiest of people can get COVID. Yes, some

“If you are someone who did get sick, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Fisher stressed. “I’m finding that some people

Consult your healthcare provider for what practices are best for you.

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June 2020 • 7

Something To Celebrate

Persistence

By Mary Owen Stayton High School senior Riley Hodges has been awarded a Ford Family Scholarship.

“This is an incredible opportunity for him – four years of tuition plus room and board, plus all the tools and support he’ll need to be successful at college,” said Vicky Storey, assistant principal. “It’s life changing for him. Riley’s journey to this point has not been easy, and I’m just so proud of him!”

Former Ford Family Scholar Nicole Duncan encouraged Hodges to apply.

Storey called him “a poster student of AVID” (Advancement Via Individual Determination).

“I was new to SHS this year, but I got to know and enjoy Riley almost immediately,” said Susanne Stefani, SHS principal. “He is sharp, sensitive, humorous, and well-liked by staff and students – but few have those attributes combined with the humility and the rocky journey that Riley carries with him.

“He practices persistence not just in his continued focus on academics, but by continually demonstrating courage and kindness,” Stefani added. “He is the perfect example of resilience, and I cannot think of a more suitable ambassador for the Class of 2020 or a more deserving recipient of the Ford Scholarship. We are so very proud of him.”

Hodges grew up in Arizona and, at age

Stayton High student receives full-ride Ford Family Scholarship 16, moved to Oregon to better his life with the help of his aunt and uncle, Sonney and JD Wolfe.

public health, a field that he hopes will open many career opportunities.

“I know that I want to be in a career where I feel rewarded knowing that I can make a change,” he said. “I’ve been interested in occupational therapy for a long time, but who knows where I’ll end up.”

“They were my biggest support systems with helping me get back into school and to pursue my dreams,” said Hodges, who has had to face many changes and obstacles in his young life.

While living in Arizona, he was kicked out of his home and had to drop out of school for a time before moving to Oregon with nothing but the clothes on his back. He lost his uncle six days before Christmas in his senior year. The accomplishment he values the most is “be authentic to myself and others.”

In his spare time, Hodges tends to “hobby jump” – taking hikes, going to thrift stores to update his wardrobe, bingewatching Grey’s Anatomy and The Office, or picking up a new Pinterest project.

“I am so thankful for everyone who has helped me get to this point in my life,” Hodges said. “Words can’t express my gratitude.”

Despite a rocky start, he has maintained a 3.9 grade point average throughout high school, is one of SHS’s first AVID generation graduates, and now is receiving the prestigious scholarship for his hard work.

While at SHS, he has been involved with multiple extracurricular activities, including track and field (discus and shotput), National Honor Society, and ACE-It! tutoring club. He is also a lifeguard at the Stayton Family Memorial Pool, taking “great pride” in what he does for his community.

“Another thing about me is I love Crocs,” he said. “My math teacher, Mrs. Stutzman, was the person who introduced me to Crocs, and now I’m obsessed with them. I even carry my Chapstick in a mini-Croc keychain.”

Riley Hodges.

Hodges has many feelings about getting the scholarship, including being grateful to everyone who helped him succeed.

“I’m excited that this amazing opportunity allows me to further my education and curious to where I’ll end up because of the Ford Scholarship,” he said. “This opens many doors, and I am honored to be a part of the Ford Foundation Family.”

Hodges, who lives in Lyons, plans to attend Oregon State University to study

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Other scholarship winners from this area are: Cassandra Linfield, Mill City, Santiam Jr./Sr. High School; Pasay Raymond, Turner, Cascade High School; and Giovanna Hernandez, Aumsville, Cascade High School.

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STAYTON HIGH ClASS Of 2020 Congratulations, Graduates!

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June 2020 • 9

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Something to Celebrate

Unique endings

By Mary Owen Congratulations Class of 2020!

The COVID-19 pandemic has robbed students of their senior-year events and traditional graduation celebrations, but their teachers, principals and staff have thrown their hearts into preparing graduation ceremonies that will never be forgotten.

Stayton High School “It might not look like the traditional ceremony, but I have no doubt you will be honored the way that you should be,” said Alisha Oliver, North Santiam School District board member, in a recent video to Stayton High School students.

“Our hearts really do go out to you and your family,” Oliver said. “We understand what this year means, the culmination of all the events leading up to your senior year. And we know that you’ve missed out on many of the traditions and celebrations, the times with your coaches, your friends and your teachers, walking the halls of Stayton High before you left on spring break, not realizing you weren’t coming back.”

Principal Susanne Stefani told students and parents that the SHS administration and the district office had closely considered guidelines released by the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Health Authority as well as connecting extensively with high schools in surrounding districts.

“We have heard from seniors and their parents alike,” she said in a letter that was distributed.

“After weighing various options, along

Schools prepare for graduations in the time of pandemic

with the values of the North Santiam School District, we know this: we will put on a thoughtful commencement ceremony worthy of our graduates and their supporters.”

Following social distancing guidelines, that ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 13 at the Sublimity Harvest Festival grounds. Graduation will be a drive-up experience for families and guests, while seniors walk across a stage.

Two vehicles per graduate will be allowed at the ceremony.

“We appreciate Sublimity Harvest Festival for generously donation use of their grounds,” said Stefani, who walked the space, saying, “I am confident we can create a memorable, meaningful and fun event there. While the pandemic has wiped out so much of life and of our routines and traditions, it will not rob us of this joyous event.”

Stayton High has 145 graduating seniors, including Derek Berning, valedictorian, and Carlin Croff, salutatorian.

Regis High School Earning diplomas at Regis High School are 23 graduates, including Matthew Nusom, valedictorian, and Jakob Silbernagel and Kelly Lejeune, salutatorians.

The ceremony for students and their immediate families will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 7 at Regis High School. Business teacher Mike Bauer said a drive-through experience may take place followed by students walking through the halls as a final good-bye.

“Given the circumstances, it’s so hard to plan anything, but we are hoping we can

make the day exciting and as happy as possible for our seniors,” Principal Candi Hedrick said. “The Class of 2020 has been an exceptional group of students!

They’ve revitalized school spirit while simultaneously honoring school traditions and creating new ones.

said Matt Thatcher, principal. “However, as I have watched them overcome adversity and challenges in the last few months, I am even more convinced of how special they truly are.”

“Although their senior year didn’t end as most senior years do, they are leaving behind a legacy of pure joy, fun and resilience,” she added. “They are so loved, and we know they are destined to do good for the greater good, just as they have done here at Regis these past four years.”

Graduation logistics are still in progress for Santiam Jr./Sr. High School seniors as staff navigates the latest health guidelines and restrictions, according to Todd Miller, superintendent of the Santiam Canyon School District.

Cascade High School Cascade High School has planned a “very different” graduation on Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 for 163 graduating seniors.

“We will have a very different graduation happening,” said Holly Banks, registrar.

“Students will sign up for 5-minute slots to come across the stage with no more than 20 friends and family present.

Saturday evening, starting at 4 p.m., we will have a parade through Turner and Aumsville that will culminate at the high school for a drive-by celebration!”

The parade will be kept at one car per family, with staging at 3:30 p.m. after Saturday’s graduation, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the high school.

Cascade valedictorians are: Cooper Haskell, Brenna Moore, Rebecca Pynch, Gabrielle Chen, Kandee Xiong, Sarah Adams and Francisco Hernandez.

Katelynn Schmidt is the salutatorian.

“We always knew that the Cascade High School senior class of 2020 was amazing,”

Santiam Jr./Sr. High School

Principal Angela Rasmussen said graduation has been tentatively set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 13.

38 seniors will receive diplomas, including valedictorians Cassandra Klagge, Hunter Reeser, Colin Thurston and Jillian Urban.

Salutatorian is Tzeitel McCormick.

“The graduating Class of 2020 will always hold a special and memorable place in my heart,” Miller said. “All Santiam graduations are special, but this one will forever be memorable!

Even from a distance, we are proud of their accomplishment and care greatly for them and their success.”

Rasmussen called the Class of 2020 one that has passion, creativity, talent and perseverance.

“I am also beyond impressed with how unified this class is,” she said. “They really set the bar when it comes to inclusion and cohesiveness. I am beyond thrilled for each of them and I know that they will all go on to do great things as productive members of society.”

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Our Town Santiam

JUNE 2020

Warmer temperatures are here, so we can plant annuals, including vegetables, with some confidence they will survive. Night temperatures are more frequently over 50 degrees so it’s time to plant tomatoes for midsummer treats. Some people compete for first tomato, largest tomato, or any tomato for the salad. Here are some suggestions for success: Don’t be in a hurry. In our area, tomatoes planted in June have proven to produce as well as tomatoes planted in May. Select varieties that will suit your growing space, time and eating pleasures. “Determinate” tomato varieties will produce for pulpy, juicy fruits for a certain period making them favorites for canning, juices and sauces. They are bushes and require less support. “Indeterminate” tomato varieties will grow as a vine until fall frost, require trellising for greater height or support, and continue producing longer. Vining varieties are often pruned to encourage production by removing unproductive foliage on the lower part of the stem.

Indeterminate varieties include small

Your Garden

VOL. 10, ISSUE 3

salad varieties. Heirloom tomatoes will reproduce from saved seed, but seeds of hybrid tomatoes will not be true.

“Harden off” tomato plants in a sheltered area for increasing lengths of time each day until transplant time. Choose a site where tomatoes, peppers or potatoes have not been grown for two to four years because pests and diseases that attack them may still be in the soil. Plant late in the afternoon on a cloudy day to lessen stress. To prepare the soil, remove weeds that might compete for water, nutrients and space. Make a hole deeper than the original pot. A tablespoon of lime or a handful of finely crushed eggshells in the planting hole will provide calcium that

tomato plants seek. A little fertilizer or bone meal will give the roots a boost in the new soil. A tablespoon of Epsom salts, magnesium sulfate, helps tomatoes set fruit when side-dressed into the soil.

Remove lower leaves and plant the stem deep. Where the leaves are removed new roots will likely develop. If the stem is really tall, dig a trench and lay the stem sideways with the top above ground. Fill the hole with soil, water, and top off with more soil to eliminate large air pockets.

Firm the soil around the plant stalk.

Raised growing beds or containers will be warmer in summer sun but may require more frequent watering. Keeping tomatoes watered deeply every five to seven days during the growing season helps promote stronger roots, drought tolerance, higher yields and better disease resistance. Mulch can help conserve moisture at the root level. Tomatoes don’t like water on their leaves or fruit and may develop diseases or weird shapes. If they are kept too dry they are susceptible to blossom end rot and cracking.

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Tomatoes need pollinators to produce fruit. Bumble bees are preferred since the frequency of their buzz (wing flap) causes the pollen to literally shoot out to the bee. Planting flowers that attract pollinators to the garden will increase fruit set. Tomatoes attract beetles and many other pests. Damaged or stripped foliage, holes bored into fruits, blotched yellow leaves and stunted plants could mean uninvited pests. Keeping the plants healthy with occasional balanced fertilizer, proper watering practices and personal attention will discourage pests and diseases. Planting basil, nasturtiums, parsley, or radishes nearby may help to distract pests from tomato plants.

Interplanting marigolds, onions or garlic may repel pests.

For more gardening information, visit http://extension.oregonstate.edu/ gardening and search for research-based reports on the topic of your interest. A free Master Gardener online vegetable gardening course is available to the public through the extension website.

June 2020 • 11

By Brenna Wiegand A garden can BE so many things – a breezy retreat; a playground for growing kids; a place for entertaining friends; or an unused block of space that needs periodic mowing, just to name a few. It can consist of a couple of containers on an apartment deck or even a few African violets on a kitchen windowsill.

Gardens can DO so many things – help us to “stop and smell the roses” (in every sense of the word); supply fresh produce all summer long or armloads of flowers to bring inside and share with friends. Replete with sensory delights, the garden’s arms are open wide, teaching children about the cycle of life, or where their food comes from. For some, gardening provides a special type of hands-on “therapy” for what ails the soul.

There are gardeners who consider dirt and plants; water and weather; seeds and sprouts and even crawlers and wigglers the components of the most gloriously designed toy imaginable... Pure joy in a realm one cannot ever master (not even a Master Gardener).

It is extremely common to hear people refer to gardening as their “therapy” – semi-jokingly lest they be thought overly eccentric – even venturing so far as to say they cannot imagine living without it. Eccentric? … Or scientific?

As early as 1798, Dr. Benjamin Rush found fieldwork and farm settings curative to mental health. Philadelphia’s Friends Hospital used park-like settings as a part of therapy.

Studies prove that just a few minutes of viewing plants can reduce feelings of anger or fear along with muscle tension and blood pressure.

PHOTOS BY BRENNA WIEGAND

“Therapeutic horticulture and how yards can be designed for greater accessibility is like a best-kept secret,” Brenda Knobloch told me several years ago. She’s a veteran of Legacy Health System’s Horticultural Therapy Program

Gardener’s Eden Nursery

and the designer of the therapy garden at Providence Benedictine Nursing Center in Mount Angel. “When people have a view of nature they heal faster, need less meds and have a better overall outlook on things. When I see and hear the experiences that come out of it, it tugs at my heart and often brings tears to my eyes.”

Some people create miniature gardens or design them to delight their grandchildren with figurines of animal critters and unusual plants dotting the path to a kid-sized bench where birds sing and wind chimes, well, chime.

Ever heard of a 7-Up plant, a peanut butter tree or a chocolate cosmos? Take a whiff – they’re for real!

Some create stunning water features and outdoor fire pits or take it up a notch with wax-dropping candelabra and chandeliers. For some a “bubbling rock” will do the trick.

You can paint an old bicycle bright blue and fill its basket with flowers as a giant welcome sign. You can mosaic an old table or birdbath with bits of broken crockery and invite some friends over for tea. Do you want a place to retreat to with a good book and a cool ice tea? All you need is a lawn chair – and some fresh air.

Make this summer sensational by giving your garden – or just one special plant – a chance to shine, dazzle and delight you. Live in it.

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Your Garden

OSU Gardener’s June Chores First week: Spray cherry trees for cherry fruit fly and brown rot if fruit is ripening. Spray for codling moth and scab in apple and pear trees. Continue use of pheromone traps for insect pest detection Apples and crabapples that are susceptible to scab disease will begin dropping leaves as weather warms. Rake and destroy fallen leaves; spray with summerstrength lime sulfur, wettable sulfur, Immunox or Captan Plant dahlias and gladioli Learn to identify beneficial insects and plant some insectory plants (alyssum, phacelia, coriander, candytuft, sunflower, yarrow, dill) to attract them to your

garden. Check with local nurseries for best selections.

Lawn mowing: Set blade at .75 to 1 inch for bentgrass lawns; 1.5 to 2.5 inches for bluegrasses, fine fescues, ryegrasses Remove seed pods from rhododendrons, azaleas after blooms drop Prune lilacs, forsythia, rhododendrons and azaleas after blooming Fertilize vegetable garden one month after plants emerge by sidedressing alongside rows

Use organic mulches to conserve soil moisture; an inch or two of sawdust, bark dust or composted leaves minimizes evaporation Pick ripe strawberries regularly to avoid fruitrotting diseases Blossoms on squash and cucumbers begin to drop: nothing to worry about Control garden weeds by pulling, hoeing or mulching After normal fruit drop in June, consider thinning the rest for larger overall fruit

Harvest thinnings from new plantings of lettuce, onion and chard

Late this month, begin to monitor for late blight on tomatoes

Construct trellises for tomatoes, cucumbers, pole beans and ornamental vines

Birch trees dripping means aphids are present; control as needed

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Your Garden

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June 2020 • 13

CasCade HigHThursday, Class ofAugust 2020 1st Wellness EXPO Congratulations, Graduates!

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Our Town Santiam

Helping Hands

New signs

Briefs

The Oregon Garden reopens with new rules, procedures

Downtown Stayton gets a boost

By Mary Owen

are businesses to visit on Second and Third?”

Thanks to a local business owner, six new Stayton signs are going up.

About a year ago, RDS decided to take action, Poisson said.

“We worked with Marion County – they own First Avenue – and the city of Stayton to design directional signs that would be placed on First Avenue,” he said. “We got all of the required approvals, and had six signs made – three that would face northbound traffic and three that would face southbound traffic. We got approval for six locations on First Avenue between Washington and Water streets. They have been sitting in city storage for almost a year.”

“Just as we were going to ask the public to help, Juli Boschler of The Box stepped up and agreed to pay for the installation!” said Steve Poisson, president of Revitalize Downtown Stayton. “We are grateful for her belief in RDS and our downtown, and believe this project will be another step in helping businesses reopen.”

Boschler called RDS “a hardworking group of volunteers improving downtown Stayton.”

“The Box LLC – shared office spaces – gave a donation to RDS to have directional signs installed because many of the hot seat members come from other towns or out of state,” Boschler said, adding, RDS volunteers “work off of donations and grants, and as Stayton opens up, there will be new things to come see downtown and signs to point you in the right direction.”

Over the years, Poisson said much discussion took place about how to get people from the main drag to downtown Stayton, which has a plethora of merchants.

RDS received an estimate for the cost of materials to have the city install the six signs of about $1,100, Poisson said.

“Much better than the $3,000 the county estimated,” he added. “But RDS didn’t have the money needed for installation.”

Poisson said RDS couldn’t ask cash-strapped business owners to chip in for the installation, and just before asking for the public’s help, Boschler offered the finances needed to proceed.

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• The Visitor Center, Gift Shop and Cafe are closed.

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• Only 300 guests will be allowed in the Garden at a time to ensure social distancing.

• The Children’s Garden is closed.

• The tram is not running.

• Drinking fountains are off; bring your own water.

• Some restrooms are closed, to ensure proper cleaning between guests; those by the entrance and Children’s Garden are open.

• Visitors are asked to maintain 6 feet social distancing at all times.

Poisson and other members believe this is a “great time to have the signs installed, as businesses begin to open up after the stay-at-home orders. Particularly now, they can use any help directing more business their way,” Poisson said.

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Something to Think About

Water watch

Experts assess Detroit Lake

By Mary Owen According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a dry winter and early spring has produced less than optimal water conditions throughout the Willamette Valley Project.

So, what does this mean for Detroit Lake?

“A better forecast right now means we’re seeing inflows higher than we previously forecast, about a few weeks ago,” said Lauren Bennett, public affairs specialist for the Portland district. “May has brought a lot of precipitation to the Valley, which is great to help us try to get to the rule curve – the congressionally-authorized maximum water level we can be at on a given day – and have our reservoirs be as full as possible as we head into ‘conservation season’ where we reduce our flows to store water in the reservoirs for recreation.”

Bennett said the Corps has been working with its partners, including the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to reduce downstream releases. Their objective is to keep back as much water as possible across the Willamette Valley’s 13 dams and reservoirs, which are primarily a rain-driven system.

Basin-wide, reservoirs are currently 80 percent full, according to Corps information released on May 15.

“It’s important to note that inflows are better right now because snow melt has largely melted off,” Bennett said.

“Melted snow from high elevations generally sustains inflows into our reservoirs later in the summer months and helps us keep our reservoirs full in the late summer because of this. However, we have had a pretty dry winter and spring, and above-average warm temperatures this spring have melted off a lot of the snow that would usually help fill reservoirs later in the summer. So, while this is good for the ‘now,’ it’s not great for ‘later’ refill.”

In a recent online presentation, Erik Peterson, operations project manager, spoke about the COVID-19 response to continuity in the Willamette Valley. He talked about supporting the emergency and operating facilities by moving water and making power while taking care of people.

Other topics included: monitoring facilities; accomplishing high priority work; complying with the Endangered Species Act; and resource protections.

Current conditions in the Willamette Basin embrace that the Detroit spillway gate construction did not impact refill of the lake, which is at 90% of capacity.

“We’re already back to where we anticipated we should be at the time we began refill in February,” he said.

503-769-2179 503-769-2179 || www.regisstmary.org www.regisstmary.org 16 • June 2020

Following a lean winter of precipitation but with a bump in rain in May, Detroit is “pretty close to full” and should remain there throughout the summer season, Peterson predicted.

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Detroit Lake in the dry summer of 2015.

COPPERGLANCE

Along with eight other Oregon state parks, Detroit Lake reopened May 5, with social distancing requirements in place. Although boating is on again, several popular events have been postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions, including the Detroit Lake Fishing Derby.

Pending is the popular Fireworks Over the Lake Fourth of July celebration along with the fireworks fundraiser, BBQ & Brews, held on the Friday prior to the fireworks.

Also pending are the annual Cruz-in at the Lake and possibly the waterski show if expected water levels hold.

The National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration forecast for June a below-normal water supply and higher than average temperatures throughout Oregon.

Along with the lack of precipitation received so far this year, as well as early snow-melt runoff due to warmer temperatures, this forecast is setting the stage for “abnormally dry” to “moderately drought” conditions to continue through summer, according to the Corps.

“Every water year is different,” he said. “And forecasting has limitations.”

Based on current conditions and forecasts, the Corps is working collaboratively with federal, state and local agencies to plan water management operations that will optimize water resources.

“Adaptive management has improved system storage projections,” Peterson said. “That’s a really good thing.

Also, timely precipitation and some snow melt runoff is improving the forecast.”

Peterson said some Willamette Valley basins will be more impacted than others.

“Flow targets are under constant assessment,” he said.

“We’ll continue to manage that through the course of the season. Our intent to communicate as forecast and flow conditions change.”

The Corps hosted three virtual information sessions on water conditions, forecasts and management in early May. These recorded meetings can be viewed here: www.youtube.com/PortlandCorps/videos.

Our Town Santiam

A Slice of the Pie

Big things, unseen

What young kids think about a pandemic What do young kids think about this pandemic? How much are they internalizing what is going on around them during this confusing time of school closures, physical distancing and constant healthcare discussions?

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I find myself asking these questions while watching my three children play together in a way that appears to be unchanged from that of months previous. They have asked no big questions, voiced no concerns and yet, I feel certain there must be something there, lingering just below the surface. And so, I asked – just what do young kids know about a pandemic?

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“It does worry me,” my four-year-old daughter, Sonja said when I asked if she had any coronavirus concerns. “Because my friends are maybe going to get it. And when it’s all done, and they still have it, and it’s a school day, I probably wouldn’t see them – the people that have that thing.”

Hearing her voice these fears, which are alarmingly accurate, gave me pause. After all, she is only four and I am not sure how much she understands about viruses in general. So, I asked her.

“It’s these flowing things you can’t see,” she said, describing the visual that will be forever etched in my mind – firmly attached as the graphic depiction of this time. “It’s a circle with lines coming out of the circle all around it.”

But while I am unsurprised that she – an immensely detail-oriented visual artist – could give me an accurate description of the virus itself, it was her description of what might happen if she were to become infected that gave me pause.

“I would be sick and you guys would have to put me out somewhere where I was safe,” she began. “And you guys couldn’t go near me.”

That is a sobering thought. But what is more distressing is her long-term outlook.

“I don’t really think it’s going to be over because it’s a big thing,” she predicted.

“We can’t kill it and make it go away because we can’t see it, and we can’t see where it’s going all around the world.

And we can’t see it if it’s inside us.

So, we can’t kill it.”

Fortunately, most four-year-old children

Our Town Santiam

are not known for their accurate grasp of time and Sonja – who only recently discovered there is a difference between what happened yesterday and today and what will happen tomorrow – is no exception. And because of this, she sees a future that is simultaneously dark and frightening – full of invisible and indestructible germs – but also filled with the promise of wonderful things to come.

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“I’m looking forward to everything I can’t do right now,” she asserted. “Going to Hawaii and camping and going in the pool. And when Grandma and Pappy come, I can hug them.”

While my interview with Sonja might be seen as a discouraging look at what children are dealing with right now, I like to look at it instead as a valuable tool.

Because, while Sonja is apparently very aware of what is going on around her and even the possible dire consequences, she is moving forward and remaining positive just the same. She acknowledges that the present is scary and full of unknowns but that the future still holds the same possibilities and goodness as before.

And really, isn’t that the key to moving forward?

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June 2020 • 17

datebook Cancelled/ Postponed Events

Santiam Hospital Fun Run & Health Walk Marion County Lamb & Wool Show River City Music & Art Festival

Congratulations

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Tuesday, June 2 Coffee & Conversation

10 a.m. Family Building Blocks virtual support on practicing discipline, selfcare, stress management, communication. For families with young children. Visit familybuildingblocks. org/parents/#opportunities, click on “connect through Zoom.” Repeats June 16. 971-701-0076

Wednesday, June 3

Stayton Sublimity Chamber Greeters 8 a.m. Stayton Sublimity Chamber of Commerce virtual Zoom Greeters.

Open to all area business professionals.

Meeting ID: 597-476-5928. Password: GREETERS. 503-769-3464

Saturday, June 6 Can & Bottle Drive

10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Ace Hardware, 1630 N First Ave., Stayton. Benefits senior gift bags for Stayton High’s 2020 graduating seniors. Jill, 503-269-6213

Cascade High Graduation Parade

4 p.m. , from Cascade High School through Aumsville and Turner. One car per graduate.

Sunday, June 7

Regis High Drive Thru Graduation

1:30 p.m. , Regis High School parkling lot.

Wednesday, June 10 Stayton Sublimity Chamber Greeters 8 a.m. Stayton Sublimity Chamber of Commerce virtual Zoom Greeters.

Open to all area business professionals.

Meeting ID: 597-476-5928. Password: GREETERS. 503-769-3464

Caregiver Connection

1 - 2:30 p.m. Caregiver Connection is for family caregivers and unpaid family caregivers. To join the call-in meeting, contact Julie, 503-304-3432 or julie. mendez@nwsds.org. Repeats June 24.

Virtual Parenting Support

7:30 p.m. Family Building Blocks offers virtual parenting support for families with young children.

Visit familybuildingblocks.org/ parents/#opportunities and click on “connect through Zoom.” Repeats June 17. 971-701-0076

18 • June 2020

Website: staytonoregon.gov Email: cityofstayton@ci.stayton.or.us Facebook: City of Stayton - Government

2020 Graduates Thursday, June 11

Tuesday, June 23

6 p.m. Revitalize Downtown Stayton board meets via video conference.

Open to public. Email info@ downtownstaytoncom for instructions prior to meeting. 503-767-2317

1 - 6 p.m., Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 1077 N Sixth Ave., Stayton. Appointments encouraged by visiting redcrossblood.org. Walk-ins welcome and will be scheduled at door.

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Red Cross Blood Drive

Friday, June 12

Wednesday, June 24

10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Santiam Hospital, 1401 N 10th Ave., Statyon. Appointments encouraged by visiting redcrossblood. org. Walk-ins welcome and will be scheduled at door.

8 a.m., Personal Touch Car Wash, 1283 N First Ave., Stayton. Networking event for local business, non-profit professionals. 503-769-3464

Red Cross Blood Drive

Saturday, June 13

Stayton High Drive Up Graduation

6 p.m. , Sublimity Harvest Festival Grounds. Graduates walk across stage, audience in autos. Two cars per graduate maximum.

Monday, June 15 Summer Reading Program

Stayton Public Library invites everyone to Re-Imagine Your Story this with its virtual Summer Reading Program.

Sign up at staytonlibrary.org. Paper options available for those who need it.

503-769-3313

Wednesday, June 17 Stayton Sublimity Chamber Greeters 8 a.m., Santiam Teen Center, 2800 Kindle Way, Stayton. Hosted by New Growth Ministries. Networking event for local business, non-profit professionals. 503-769-3464

Sunday, June 21 Father’s Day Monday, June 22 Red Cross Blood Drive

2 - 6:30 p.m., St. Boniface Catholic Church, 375 SE Church St., Sublimity.

Appointments encouraged by visiting redcrossblood.org. Walk-ins welcome and will be scheduled at door.

Stayton Sublimity Chamber Greeters

City Meetings Aumsville

Minutes and agendas for all city-related meetings, and information on how to participate in/view the meetings, are available on the city’s website.

Check the city’s website for updates on Second Saturday Market, Movies in the Park and Summer Programs.

Planning Committee: 6:30 p.m. June 4&18 City Council: 7 p.m. June 8; June 22 Phone: 503-749-2030 Email: rharding@aumsville.us Website: aumsville.us Facebook: City of Aumsville

Lyons

Minutes and agendas for all city-related meetings, and information on how to participate in/view the meetings, are available on the city’s website.

City Council: 6:30 p.m. June 23 Phone: 503-859-2167 Website: cityoflyons.org Email: cityoflyons@wavecable.com Facebook: City of Lyons

Stayton

Minutes and agendas for all city-related meetings, and information on how to participate in/view the meetings, are available on the city’s website.

City Council: 7 p.m. June 1 & 15 Planning Commission: 7 p.m. June 29 Phone: 503-769-3425

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Minutes and agendas for all city-related meetings, and information on how to participate in/view the meetings, are available on the city’s website.

Public Hearing to Approve Budget, City Council: 6 p.m. & 7 p.m. June 8 Planning Commission: 7 p.m. June 29 Phone: 503-769-5475 Website: cityofsublimity.org Email: information@cityofsublimity.org Facebook: City of Sublimity, Oregon

Kids Summer Lunch

North Santiam School District continues its grab-and-go meal service throughout the summer. Times are 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. at Stayton Elementary, 10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Stayton Middle School, 10:45 - 11:15 a.m.

Sublimity School, and 11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at Mari-Linn School.

Cascade School District For info on Cascade School District’s summer food program, email communications@cascade.k12.or.us or visit casade.k12.or.us. Visit summerfoodoregon. org for a list of all Oregon locations.

Food Banks

Joseph’s Storehouse of Hope

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Third Saturday of month.

Santiam Chapel, 440 Fifth St., Lyons.

Phone: 503-881-9846. Facebook: Joseph’s Storehouse of Hope.

Mama’s Community Market

Noon - 5 p.m. Thursdays, 3 - 8 p.m.

Mondays. Aumsville Pentacostal Church, 10153 Mill Creek Road, Aumsville.

Phone: 971-719-5665. Facebook: Mama’s Community Market. Website: aumsvillepcg.org/mcmarket

Stayton Community Food Bank

9 a.m. - noon Monday - Friday, 1210 Wilco Road, Stayton. Phone: 503-769-4088.

Facebook: Stayton Community Food Bank.

Turner Christian Food Bank

9 - 11:30 a.m. Monday. Turner Christian Church, 7871 SE Marion Road, Turner.

Phone: 503-743-2119. Website: turnerchristianchurch.com/food-bank

Marion Friends Community Food Bank

9 a.m. - noon First & Third Monday, 10 a.m.

- noon Second & Fourth Monday. Marion Friends Church, 5997 SE Stayton Road, Turner. Phone: 503-769-7915. Facebook: Marion Friends Community Food Bank.

Datebook Submission Send event info – including date, time, location, activity, cost, contact info – to datebook@mtangelpub. com.

Our Town Santiam

Something for the Soul

Reaching out

Regis St. Mary team looks back on Costa Rica project

By Mary Owen A mission trip taken in January has sparked an interest in building more houses in Costa Rica for Regis High School students.

“This mission trip changed the lives of not only those in Costa Rica, but also for the families and students who were there to help,” said Steffanie Piccirilli, the director of advancement at Regis St. Mary who participated on the trip. “It is with great excitement that the school will support students going annually by creating a partnership with Mercy Homes Ministries to build more houses in the future and to continue their mission to ‘learn, lead and serve.’”

Piccirilli said Regis St. Mary Catholic School prides itself on its mission statement of “Developing Disciples of Christ who Learn, Lead and Serve.”

“On Jan. 1, one needy Costa Rican family of four received a new home for the very first time,” she said.

“Local families and students partnered with Mercy Homes Ministries to organize a week of work to help build the home.”

Regis students Cameron Diacetis, Izak Schmidlkofer and Jackson Reynolds, along with alumni Eric and Tina Reynolds and RSM staff members, Michelle Heuberger, Mike Bauer, Piccirilli, and Bruce Schmidklofer with wife Maria and son Luke went on the mission trip. The group built the 164th house in Costa Rica for a family that was living is extremely difficult living conditions, Piccirilli said.

“Many places in Costa Rica have the poorest of the poor and families living with no running water, no electricity, dirt floors and no hope for better housing,” she added.

“Regis students spent the better part of last year fundraising enough funds to sponsor a new home and stay for a week while the building took place.”

Each day of building had its own set of projects, including pouring foundation, building wall panels, painting, securing the structure, nailing panels into concrete, roofing, wiring and plumbing.

“Students and families learned skills they never knew they had!” Piccirilli said.

Each 20-foot by 20-foot house contained two rooms with concrete floors. The interior walls showed the studs, and the roof was made of corrugated metal.

“For the first time, the family will have running water, electricity and a small bathroom,” Piccirilli said. “It is as simple as possible but is a dream house for many families.

For most of us, our dream house would look far different.

“This mission trip changed everyone’s understanding of wealth and necessities,” she added. “It was a bold reminder of the poverty in which much of the world lives.”

A Regis High School misison group participated in building a house in Costa Rica in January. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Business teacher Mike Bauer called the trip “an amazing experience for all concerned.”

“Not only did we build a complete house in four days, but the interaction with the family that received the house had a profound impact on the students and parents participating in the build,” Bauer said. “In addition, the backdrop of one of Central America’s most progressive countries gave everyone cultural, culinary, and plenty of beautiful scenery to put in the memory banks. I am hoping to be a part of more mission trips in the future.”

Student Jackson Reynolds called going to Costa Rica “a wonderful experience.”

“The culture was so different from our own but so welcoming,” Reynolds said. “The people were so lively despite their impoverished conditions they seemed to be generally happier people than people I know in the United States.

“I think that if anyone is given the opportunity to experience a culture other than their own and to help people that they should do it without a question.”

Catch up with more local news Facebook.com: OUR TOWN / SANTIAM Our Town Santiam

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June 2020 • 19

Sports & Recreation

Amazing career

Robin Meier coached Stayton dance to 14 state titles

By James Day Jamie McCarty was a terrific boys basketball coach at Stayton High.

He continues to excel at Silverton.

No state titles.

Darren Shryock, the AD at Stayton High, coached boys hoops at Silverton for more than a decade. Two third-place finishes at state.

Chris Shields has set the standard for youth and high school soccer coaching in the Stayton area. One state title, in 2010.

Winning state titles is hard. Everything has to go right. You have to have the right mix of kids. The luck sometimes has to go your way. There are coaches all over the state who have had great careers... but have never won a state title.

And then there is Robin Meier. The coach of the Stayton Highlights dance and drill squad for two decades retired this spring with an astonishing 14 state titles. Add in five runner-ups at Stayton plus a first and a second at McKay. Add in a state title in 1987 while performing for Stayton in her senior year at the school.

From 2003 through 2014 Meier led the Highlights to 12 consecutive state titles.

Kind of makes us all look like underachievers, doesn’t it?

“Robin is a fierce competitor,” Shryock said. “She did not accept anything less than perfection. Her kids love her because they know she has high expectations but that she genuinely cares for them at the same time.”

And Meier made dance and drill matter in Stayton. When the Highlights performed at halftime at football and basketball games human nature got turned around. Nobody left their seats to buy a hot dog or take a walk. Everybody stayed and watched the Highlights. Concession sales dropped like a rock.

Meier, 51, fell in love with dance watching her older sister compete at Stayton.

“I would go and watch her competitions with my parents,” Meier told Our Town.

“I fell in love with it then, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that.”

Above: Robin Meier on her final day as coach of the Stayton dance team: March 12, the day Meier and the squad found out the OSAA had scrubbed the state meet. “We put the team in costume, and had one final performance. I’m so grateful to have this picture.” Right: Meier with husband Chris and daughters, Belle and Lexi. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

if you want to see results. You have to be able to problem-solve, work with not only the kids but parents as well. You need to be creative. Have a vision, but also know how to make that vision come to life out on the dance floor. You need to be a good communicator and a good motivator. Dance team is such a long season, if you can’t motivate your team on a daily basis, you will not be successful.”

All state championship teams are special.

Meier just has more to choose from than most coaches. For her, 2012 stands out.

“My oldest daughter (Lexi) was a senior, my youngest (Belle) a sophomore. We were going for our tenth consecutive state championship. We had a lot of injuries that year. There was a feeling of ‘Stayton can’t win ten in a row.’ We weren’t sure what was going to happen, but we practiced and worked harder than ever leading up to that state event. That team rose to the occasion and performed flawlessly. Even under all that pressure to get the number 10. I was so proud of them and of that performance.

Sharing that with my two daughters is something I will cherish forever!”

And she put her heart and soul into it.

Coaching her daughters changed her, Meier said.

“To be a successful coach there are so many things that are needed, but the biggest is a very strong work ethic. Coaching is a full-time job. You have to be willing to put the time in on every aspect of the program

“My daughters would say I softened up the last few years of my career. I think coaching my own two girls, I saw what the kids go through, and how much I was really asking of them. I also think I just got better at

20 • June 2020

my craft as far as the quality of performances we put out on the floor. I worked at really understanding and learning what the judges wanted to see out there, and made sure I knew and understood how to do that.”

See, that’s another difference between dance and other sports. If Chris Shields’ Eagles soccer team scores more goals they win.

Period. With dance you have to perform great… but also convince the judges that you are worthy.

Meier already had made the decision to retire when the 2019-20 season got rolling.

And given her fierce competitiveness she clearly wanted to go out with another title, the Highlights were in top form and the state championships were just a week away when the OSAA scrubbed the winter season.

“I have loved coaching. I’ve loved being in the gym with these kids and creating these masterpieces with them for 25 years. I truly believe it was something I was called to do.

Ending my 25-year career with ‘no ending’ has been really hard. There was no goodbye, no farewell.

It just stopped one day. I truly wish I could have seen this final piece on the Coliseum floor. It was my goodbye to the past 25 years, so it feels unfinished and incomplete.”

So why retire now?

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“I feel like it’s just time. 25 years of giving all you have for three hours a day, six days a week takes its toll on you. I want to spend more time with my family. I feel like I’ve accomplished everything I can in this sport, and now it’s time for me to rest and be with my kids and husband (Chris) more.”

How does she plan to spend her “retirement years.”

“Lots and lots of family time. Vacationing and just having a free schedule. I don’t know what that’s like, but I can’t wait to find out.”

New coach: Shryock announced May 8 that April Hermann will take over the program. Hermann, a Stayton High graduate, Highlights performer and middle school and high school assistant “brings a vast knowledge of dance with her,” Shryock said. “While taking over a program the magnitude of Stayton High School dance is a challenge, April is more than up for it.

She will make the program her own while maintaining the extraordinary standards that have already been set.”

Follow me on Twitter.com @jameshday.

Our Town Santiam

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June 2020 • 21

A Grin at the End

A lifetime of luck

And a lifetime of mysteries

As I sit here teetering on the verge of another birthday, I can’t help but think how lucky I have been.

struck up a conversation with one of the maids. She asked why I was there and I explained. She looked me square in the eyes, took my hands and said: “You know he’ll be all right.”

AlwAyS AcceptiNg New pAtieNtS iNSurANceS

Not a Las Vegas kind of luck – the most I’ve ever won A isN$4d– butAit’sla lkindtof luck y pthat e really S ocan’tF gambling be explained.

She was 100% correct. My brother has had his ups and downs but he’s been doing much better. I wonder about her, and I wonder about some of the other chance encounters I have over the past 67 years.

For example, when I was a baby, an Air Force bomber crashed into the neighborhood where my family lived. It was on the island of Guam, and the B-29 had engine trouble and turned back to Andersen Air Force Base. It didn’t make it to the runway, and cartwheeled through our neighborhood, killing many neighbors and the people aboard the plane.

Like the time I begrudgingly attended a banquet and met the woman who would become my wife.

our house, the way it destroyed the houses on both sides?

What would have happened if that truck driver had been Kelly Hanh Ramirez, Maria Fife, daydreaming Carl or W fiddling Leder, with the radio?

MuchLance of the Large, area was a disaster, but my family was unscathed.

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I can’t explain that, nor can I explain an incident that happened a few years later in north Florida.

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It makes me wonder. And it makes me thankful that sometimes – many times – luck is on our side.

General Medicine

I was playing Tarzan with the neighborhood kids, swinging There have been other times when I was sure my luck was on a rope across a road. I’ll stipulate that swinging on ropes running out. I spent a week at St. Mary’s Hospital at the through traffic does not generally lead to a long life, but hey, I Mayo Clinic. What was supposed to be a routine gall bladder Treatment of Chronic Illness was a dumb kid, doing what dumb kids are prone to do. operation – one of those where you go home in the afternoon – turned into a six-hour surgery that could have been the end such as Diabetes/Hypertension When it was my turn, I managed to fall off the rope – in of the road. front of a truck. Quick reflexes on the part of the driver and Preventative Care • Sports Medicine good brakes on the part of the truck were the only things that Then there are other encounters I just can’t explain. prevented me from becoming seven-year-old • grease spot.

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Or the time I saw thousands of butterflies on the trees lining the road near our little farm in Minnesota. Their wings were moving in unison, as if they were breathing. I never imagined such a thing was even possible.

All of the above was a product of luck. Religious people would describe it as something else entirely. They would be right, too.

So what’s it all mean? What’s the take-home message for me and the other seven billion occupants of Planet Earth?

Maybe it’s as simple as this: We’re really not in charge. We are passengers in this great adventure called life. Oh, we can nudge our course in one direction or another, but overall, what happens is something far beyond our control.

And that’s the beautiful mystery of it all.

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ONLINE CODE C2020 or CALL-IN Limited time offer. Limit 1. Not valid with any other offer. Valid only at participating locations. Coupons cannot be sold, transferred or duplicated.

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4 OFF

$

Large Size Pizza

Family Size Pizza

Discount off regular menu price.

Excludes FAVES®, XLNY® and Friday pizza deals.

Discount off regular menu price.

Excludes FAVES®, XLNY® and Friday pizza deals.

ONLINE CODE C2011 or CALL-IN Limited time offer. Limit 1. Not valid with any other offer. Valid only at participating locations. Coupons cannot be sold, transferred or duplicated.

LSM-06 1871-060320

Our Town Santiam

ONLINE CODE C2014 or CALL-IN Limited time offer. Limit 1. Not valid with any other offer. Valid only at participating locations. Coupons cannot be sold, transferred or duplicated.

LSM-06 1850-060320

2 OFF

STAYTON • 503-767-PAPA (7272) 1756 N 1st Ave across from Regis HS

Keto & Crustless Pizza

Discount off regular menu price. Excludes FAVES®, XLNY® and Friday pizza deals. Gluten Free crust topped in shared kitchen that also handles gluten ingredients. Additional ingredient info at papamurphys.com. Gluten Free crust in Medium only.

Discount off regular menu price. Papa Murphy’s has several ingredient options that support the basic keto diet plan. For more information please visit PapaMurphys.com.

ONLINE CODE C2001 or CALL-IN

LSM-06 1828-060320

5 OFF

$

$20 Order

$20 minimum purchase required. Discount off regular menu price. Excludes FAVES®, XLNY® and Friday pizza deals.

ONLINE CODE C2015 or CALL-IN Limited time offer. Limit 1. Not valid with any other offer. Valid only at participating locations. Coupons cannot be sold, transferred or duplicated.

LSM-06 1876-060320

ourtownlive.com

$

$

Gluten Free Crust

Limited time offer. Limit 1. Not valid with any other offer. Valid only at participating locations. Coupons cannot be sold, transferred or duplicated.

3 OFF

2 OFF

$

Cowboy Pizza

Pepperoni, Sausage, Mushrooms, Black Olives, Herb & Cheese Blend, Mozzarella, Red Sauce on Original crust. Choose from Large or Family Size. Discount off regular menu price.

ONLINE CODE C2024 or CALL-IN Limited time offer. Limit 1. Not valid with any other offer. Valid only at participating locations. Coupons cannot be sold, transferred or duplicated.

LSM-06 1930-060320

$

ONLINE CODE C2005 or CALL-IN Limited time offer. Limit 1. Not valid with any other offer. Valid only at participating locations. Coupons cannot be sold, transferred or duplicated.

LSM-06 1880-060320

12 TUESDAY

Offer available at participating locations for a limited time on Tuesday only. In-store Family Size prices may vary. Includes Signature, Gourmet Delite®, Fresh Pan, Stuffed or Create Your Own pizza up to 5 toppings; topping additions to recipe pizzas will result in additional charges. Not valid with any other offers, promotions or discounts.

June 2020 • 23

Santiam Service Integration Thanks Our Generous Donors and Volunteers Dixie and Guy Barth for SIT Mobile Space in Sublimity Ditter's Square United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley • City of Sublimity • MAPS Credit Union • Knights of Columbus • OR Community Foundation • Early Learning Hub • SCTC • Fred Meyer • Susan K. Northern • Larry Etzel • Lance and Kelli Feller Trust • Cassie Layton • Heather Anderson • Heather Finch • all of our Anonymous donations Allstate, Tim Fair • Army Force Center, Clackamas Mailroom • Bowers Rod Shop • D3W Automotive • Dept. of Justice • Emery & Sons • Garmin • Hyacinth Collision Center • Littau Harvester • Penetration Concrete of Turner • Q&A Automotive • Ray Heuberger, DVM • Red Built, Brian Cowan • Slayden Construction, Ron Candelo • Stayton Sports • Stayton Wilco • Harry, Stop-N-Save 7-11 • Cherriots • Dharma Relief, Nick Hawkey • Iverson's Nursery • Simply Best Nutrition • Toshiba Electronic Components, Colleen Smith • Farmers Insurance • Chipotle • Giovanni's Mountain Pizza • Paramount Realty, Denise Busch • Roth's Stayton Jerry Martin • Shannon Jackson • Jan Hoffman • Joe Stoddard • Peggy Zak • Bob Croff • Jennifer Rowan • Dorthy Keasey • Becky Charlick • Bill Wymer • Bob Ferguson • Cecile Schmidt • Chris James • Karen Armstrong • Kathie Smee • Kelli Johansen • Richard Metz • Travis Squires • Alan Frisbie • Diana Anderson • Jim Mooney • Judy Frohreich • Karen Armstrong • Pam Pugsly • Tass Morrison • Annie Huffer • BC Nelson • Bert Dotter • Bob Croff • Dr. Farthing • Dr. Winokur, Independence • Mark Kronquist • Misty Zerkel • Nancy & Joe Stoddard • Paige Hook • Roger Clark • Scio Audio • Pan American Berry Growers Special Thank You to Heather Hendrickson of To The Pointe Quilting and all of our sewing talent!

Diane McDermott • Janet Davis • Jenni Suarez • Londa Boeckner • Marcy Crenshaw • Margaret Harris • Michelle Bowersox • Michelle Stratton • Oralia Mandusano • Tamara Scott • Bill Wymer • Cathy Griswold • Cheryl Bradley • Denise Heuberger • Erika Gabba • Gracian Howard • Judy Stutrud • Karen Armstrong • Kathleen Gould • Larry Gower • Londa Boeckner • Margaret Byers • Margo Hampton • Mary K Mcantire • Pat Griffin • Patty Chichester • Patty Sherman • Sharli Darley • Tamara Bruce • Connie Parker • Denise Clark • Elna Winstead • Judy Lewis • Leslie Underwood • Tammy Paulson • Anita Beyer, Chemeketa Sew-N-Sew • Barb Burrell • Becky Hilkey • Cecile Schmidt • Crystal Taylor • Cyndi Chytka • Elaine McNitt • Georgia Brucher • Gracian Howard • Holly Stucker • Jackie Walters • Janet • Jennifer Howard • Joyce Coles • Judy Russell • Karen Vafakos • Karen Woods • Kay Sowles • Londa Boeckner • Marcy Crenshaw • Marta Trinidad • Mary Sangster • Meg Rowe • Nadia Hammond • Old School Quilters, Mehama • Pam Anunson • Pam Pugsly • Paulette Vafakos • Peggy Soll • Quilting Sisters • Robin Sturm • Ruth Lemke • Ruth McWayne • Sew to Sew What, St. James Catholic Church • Connie • Denise • Elna • Judy Lewis • Kathleen Gould • Kelly Johanesen SIT Mobile Drivers and Volunteers: Stayton PD • Aumsville PD • Turner PD • Ann Wynia • Cindy Delamarter • Meg Jepsen • Turner Christian Church • Helen Lara • Alisha Hansen • Angie Anderson • Angie Torres • April Urquhart • Carrie Murphy • Ed Diehl • Gina Nuefeld • Greg Dayton • Jackson Reynolds • Jessica Goodwin • Julie Bochsler • Mike Stair • Nicole Miller • Susan Speece • Yesica Martinez • Ann Kehler • Colleen Bradford • Denise Busch • Mary Lou Hazelwood • Rob Baddley • Rocky Nylund

Donations & Sewing Talent Still Needed!

Email giving@santiamhospital.org or call 503-409-3652 for more information. Thank you!

SIT Mobile is Here for You For those having difficulty meeting basic needs such as food, diapers, formula, etc., we deliver to your doorstep at no charge in response to COVID-19.

Call for yourself, a neighbor or friend: 503-409-3652 sitmobile@santiamhospital.org 24 • June 2020

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Our Town Santiam