The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLVII No. 45 // 2024-11-06

The Nugget

News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Seasonal closure raises questions

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

As has happened every year for decades, the historic McKenzie Highway (Highway 242) closed on the Sisters side last week. A week earlier, the western side closed. The November 1 close is about average, and just in time as a series of minor storms dropped as much as 10 inches of snow above 5,000 feet.

The top of Highway 242, at the Dee Wright Observatory — the halfway point — sits at 5,187 feet. In making its annual announcement of the closures, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) hit a nerve with recreationalists who thought the agency had changed its position and verbiage from largely one of “go past the snow gates at your own risk” to “do not go past the snow gates.”

Two Valley newspapers –The Eugene Register Guard and The Salem Statesman Journal — jumped on the announcement, setting off a maelstrom of criticism and dismay. The latter reported: “But over the past few years, the Oregon Department of Transportation quietly decided that once the

highway is closed to cars, it’s closed to everyone else as well. Officials cited safety concerns and said that anybody who went beyond the closure gates was doing so ‘at their own risk.’”

ODOT denies any change in policy. When reached by The Nugget, ODOT spokesperson Kacey Davey said, “It’s basically the same press release we’ve put out for five years. There is no rule, no

Work underway at Sisters’ East Portal

By Bill Bartlett Correspondent

Curious motorists and pedestrians observed heavy machinery in action as trees were cleared and earth moved in preparation for Phase One of the Sisters East Portal Transportation Master Plan. The hub is located on recently purchased City property between West Hood Avenue, Highway 20, and OR 242 (McKenzie Highway).

The overall plan calls for a dedicated transit patron parking area and drop-off lane. The site layout allows for patrons to park or be dropped off to access transit facilities onsite. Pull-through

bus lanes will utilize “sawtooth” bays for loading and unloading, and limit vehicle/ bus interactions.

According to planners and the city, this design is efficient for transit vehicles and minimizes conflicts. Walking trails along the edge of the site are consistent with the Sisters Transportation System Plan (TSP). Additional trails will be added during the design phase to increase onsite mobility, align with the Parks Master Plan, and limit impacts to trees.

Additional parking along the southern border will facilitate recreational uses,

regulation, no law. It’s a common-sense advisory.”

Davey is ODOT’s public information officer for Central Oregon.

She added, “There are no enforcement measures. OSP (Oregon State Police) isn’t going to arrest anybody. But it is a potential risk, especially in the spring when wind is downing trees and the road is spotty with ice, snow and debris. And there’s no

cell coverage up there.”

“We are asking people to make the right choice and the safe choice and not go into a closed area,” ODOT spokeswoman Mindy McCartt said. “The road is not plowed. There’s no cell service. There’s no resources and it’s extremely difficult for search and rescue to reach anybody that needs help. In the spring

Inductees added to Outlaw Hall of Fame

By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent

The Sisters High School Hall of Fame inducted a total of six individuals and one group at an afternoon ceremony held Sunday, November 3 at Sisters High School (SHS).

Don Pollard, co-chair of the Hall of Fame committee, helped welcome the attendees and thanked the numerous sponsors for supporting the Hall of Fame for the tenth year celebration. Dennis Dempsey emceed the evening.

The ceremony included guest speaker Pat Tyson, currently the head crosscountry coach at Gonzaga University where one of the ceremony’s inductees, Brandon Pollard competed collegiately. Tyson, a runner for the University of Oregon during the Steve Prefontaine era in the early

See HALL OF FAME on page 15

Checking the well-being of youth

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Growing up in Sisters has many benefits for youth. It’s still a tight-knit community that looks out for its people; schools are strong and staff works hard to build beneficial relationships with students. Yet it’s still challenging to be a 21st-century kid, no matter where you are.

Lindsey Overstreet is a licensed clinical social worker working in pediatric behavioral health at Mosaic Community Health’s schoolbased health clinic in Sisters. She works with youth who may be struggling with a variety of issues. She will be one of the featured speakers at the upcoming C4C forum titled “Are the Kids Alright?” set for November 17, 4 p.m.,

PA-C,

at the new Sisters Elementary School.

“I think there’s a lot of strengths in our community — and there’s just a lot of universal challenges for kids

right now.”

Connection with adults is a marker for the well-being and success of youth, and

Mosaic Community Health’s school-based clinic in Sisters works with local families, including helping with behavioral and mental health concerns. Pictured left to right: Sarah Leet,

Danielle Varner, Jackie Muñoz, and Lindsey Overstreet, LCSW.

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

See HIGHWAY 242 on page 20

The gate on the Sisters end of the McKenzie Highway is closed for the season.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

Letters to the Editor…

The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer’s name, address, and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond, or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is 10 a.m. Monday.

We the people

To the Editor:

I have read and heard much about Pat Farr’s letter, and lots of other letters about politics. And while I don’t agree with many of them, I do think we need to hear a variety of opinions. After all that is what Democracy is all about.

I have been reading and working through a book called “Healing the Heart of Democracy,” by Parker Palmer with a book club at Paulina Springs Book Store. I’m learning what it means to live in a healthy democracy, a healthy community that can hold all our tensions and be able to respect and appreciate each other. I’m learning to be the person that can hold the tension of differing opinions, and why that is so important in a healthy Democracy.

Demonizing a person with a differing opinion, or the editor of the paper that published it, does not create a healthy discourse which is required in a healthy family, a healthy community, and a healthy democracy.

My hope is I can become that person, and that my community will as well. We were that people at various times in history, but we have lost our way. Let’s try and recover ourselves and our interaction by not following

the lead of unhealthy conversation in the political arena or the news and get back to healthy conversation that really causes people to step back and think, and makes things happen. It can start with all of us and will expand to our families, our community, and our interactions in letters to the editor and ultimately to those in power.

We need to be “We the People,” people that can hold tension and conflict and then transform it into something meaningful and worthy of respect for everyone within it.

Teri Stratos

s s s

Socialism

To the Editor:

Now that the voting is finished, I would like to address socialism in America. Many folks are afraid of it. I would like to remind them that public schools, libraries, roads, police and fire departments are all things created by socialism.

This means everyone who can (pay taxes) pitching into these things for the public good. If you are against socialism, don’t use these services!

Karen Sweigert

Post-election sanity

By Kellen Klein Guest Columnist

This op-ed will be published the day after Election Day. Once the results are known — and regardless of who is elected to the White House — there’s a good chance that approximately half of you will be elated with the outcome, while the other half feel despondent. Such is the nature of our current political climate in America.

And yet, despite our country’s growing polarization, there’s much that leaves me hopeful about the future – particularly when it comes to life in Sisters Country. So on a day when many are feeling anxious, here are a few reminders to help you stay optimistic.

for a neighbor. Need some help getting started? C4C is offering $150 stipends to folks who host neighborhood gatherings. Visit www. citizens4community.com/ 1000-picnics to learn more.

THANK YOU VETERANS

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1. We’re not as divided as we think. According to research conducted by the nonpartisan nonprofit More in Common, Americans have a tendency to perceive the “other side” of the political spectrum as much more extreme than it actually is. Turns out that on most issues, the majority of us are more closely aligned with folks across the aisle than we are with those on the far end of our “own side.” Don’t believe me? Take the quiz at www.perceptiongap.us to see how your views of polarization line up with where we really stand.

2. Social media and cable news don’t reflect reality. These platforms make money by selling ads. To sell ads, they need to maximize your “time on screen.” To keep your attention, they have to show increasingly eye-catching, often fear-inducing content. That means the content we consume tends to represent the worst – not the best – of humanity. It’s great to remain informed, but take your media with a grain of salt. Better yet, intentionally seek out sources that try to represent a variety of perspectives (such as www.allsides.com) or prioritize uplifting content (I like “goodnews movement” on Instagram).

3. Food is an amazing bridge builder. Through my work I’ve found that nothing brings folks together and mends divides like a hearty meal or a tasty pie. We all gotta eat, after all! And it’s a lot harder to be a jerk when we’re hanging out in person. So if you’ve got the postelection blues, try organizing a block party, hosting a potluck, or baking sweets

4. We can disagree without being disagreeable. Respectful debate is a cornerstone of our democracy. But it’s increasingly easy to insulate ourselves from ideas and perspectives that make us uncomfortable. And when we are confronted with differing opinions, human nature causes us to assume the worst intent from others while giving ourselves the benefit of the doubt. Civil discourse takes practice, and structure! C4C has created tool cards offering nine “terms of engagement” to help keep conversations constructive. Appropriate everywhere from the Thanksgiving dinner table to a City Council meeting, you can download your own at www.citizens 4community.com/resources.

5. What happens “out there” doesn’t have to happen here. Sisters is by no means Pleasantville, and we can’t wall ourselves off from broader political and economic forces at play. But one of my favorite things about our community is that most of us don’t wear our politics on our sleeve. Each day I’m blessed to meet and work with people who care deeply about the wellbeing of folks in our community and are actively working to make it a better place…and I have no idea who they voted for. I’ve seen this community rally around grieving families, homeless veterans, struggling businesses, and vulnerable children, all without even considering where they stand on the political spectrum. So when the news makes you feel like giving up, try giving back instead. There are over 50 nonprofits registered in our zip code, many with open volunteer opportunities (check out www.citizens 4community.com/resources to view them all).

I know the world can feel crazy. But you all are pretty awesome. Together, we can do hard things, and make Sisters Country a shining light for other communities. Kellen Klein is the executive director of Citizens4Community, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to foster a connected community in Sisters Country through civility, collaboration, and civic engagement. Learn more at www.citizens 4community.com.

By

Fearing injury to hoards of costumed street-crossers, the annual Halloween parade in downtown Sisters changed the popular event, moving it to Village Green. Parents and organizers agreed the event was an unqualified success.

The event is sponsored by Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD). Jen Holland, its executive director, told The Nugget, “Trunkor-Treat was a huge success!

We saw over 1,000 people at this event and heard nothing but praise from eventgoers. One of the main hits was our Zombie Flash Mob led by Carol Ast and our Zumba class. Thank you to our sponsors, Sisters Rotary Club and St. Charles Health System. We hope to grow

New Halloween format is a winner

this event next year, so be on the lookout to sign up to host a trunk-or-treat station late next summer.”

More than a dozen business, family, and civic participants provided the fun. Most backed a truck or van to the west side of the park and opened the hatch or tailgate from which they dispensed trinkets or candy. Others staffed game tables inside the park.

Trick or treaters began lining up around 3 p.m., and snaked their way around a designated path to maximize flow. Children and family members braved what had been a day-long rain event, but magically the skies cleared and remained dry for the ensuing two hours.

“We were coming no matter what,” said Bree Dawson whose three tykes

were outfitted in elaborate costumes. “Hey, we’re Oregonians, right. Not going to let a little rain get in the way of a good time.”

Luna Michaels said, “We would have never heard the end of it if we had chickened out.” Husband Keith agreed. “This is just too important for all the kids. They look forward to it every year as much as Christmas I think.”

Everyone was pleased with the change to concentrate the event in a spacious safe zone. Elm Street was closed between Jefferson and Washington streets in front of the fire station. The trucks and ambulances had all been moved and the truck bays turned into a game and treat cavern.

Sisters Fire personnel

See HALLOWEEN on page 13

Seed to Table undertakes changes

As the seasons change from fall harvest to winter cold, local farm and nonprofit Seed to Table (STT) is undergoing changes of its own. Its top leadership position has transitioned. Though 2024 has been a strong year for its three core programs — education, feeding local people, and Sisters Farmers Market — the organization is addressing gaps in fundraising revenue, unrelated to the leadership transition.

Seed to Table recently announced that its Founder

and Farm Director Audrey Tehan will once again step into the position of executive director, this time on an interim basis. Holly Haddad has moved on from the position.

“The Seed to Table board extends its sincere gratitude for Holly’s time, hard work, and contributions,” said board member Katy Yoder.

Added Tehan, “Holly’s work has left a positive mark on our organization.”

Tehan believes the organization will successfully navigate its leadership transition

Learn how to make a difference in Sisters

event will also be recorded for later viewing.

Sisters residents have a unique opportunity to learn how to make a difference in Sisters Country. On Sunday, November 10, 4 to 6 p.m., at the Sisters Fire District community hall, “What Do You Do With an Idea?” is being sponsored by two local nonprofits, Citizens4Community (C4C) and Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC). Kellen Klein, C4C executive director, will facilitate the workshop which can be attended in person or livestreamed online. The

SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR

BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS

Al -Anon

Mon., noon, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-610 -7383.

Alcoholics A nonymou s

Monday, 5 p.m., Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church • Tuesday, noon, Big Book study, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church • Wednesday, 7 a.m.,G entlemen’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church • Thursday, noon, Sober Sisters Women’s meeting, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church

Thursday, 7 p.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration • Fr iday, noon, Step & Tradition meeting, Shepherd of t he Hills Lutheran Church. 5 41-5 48 -0 440. Saturday, 8 a.m., Episc opal Church of the Transf iguration

Central Oregon F ly Tye rs G uild

For Saturday meeting dates and location, email: steelef ly@msn.c om Central Oregon Trail A lliance (COTA) Sisters Chapter will not have their regular meetings in November or December

Ci tizens4Communit y C ommunity Builders meeting, 3rd Wednesday of ever y mont h, 10 to 11:30 a.m. V isit citizens 4c ommunity.c om for loc ation.

Council on Aging of Cent ral O rego n Senior Lunch In- person community dining, Tues. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Grab -and -go lunch Tues., Wed., Thurs 12:3 0 to 1 p.m. Sisters C ommunity Church. 5 41-4 8 0-18 43 East of the Cascades Quilt Guild 4th Wed. (September- June), Stitchin’ Post . A ll are welcome. 5 41-5 49 -6 061. G o Fish Fishing G roup 3rd Monday 7 p.m., Siste rs C ommunity Church. 541-771-2211

Hear twarmers (f leec e blanketmaker s) 2nd Tuesday, 1 p.m., Siste rs Communit y Church. M ater ials provided. 541- 408 -8 505.

Hero Q uilters of Sisters Thursday, 1 to 4 p.m. 5 41-6 68 -1755

Living Well W it h D ementia Sisters

Care Par tner suppor t group. 2nd & 4th Weds., 1-2:3 0 p.m. T he Lodge in Sisters. 5 41-6 47-0 052.

Milita ry Parent s of Sisters M eetings are held quarter ly; please c all for details. 5 41-388 -9 013.

Oregon Band of Brothers Sisters Chapter meets Wednesda ys, 11:3 0 a.m., Takoda’s Rest aurant. 541- 549- 64 69

Sisters Aglow Lighthouse 4th Saturday, 10 a.m., meeting by Zoom. 503- 93 0- 6158

Sisters Area Photography Club 2nd Wednesday, 3:3 0 p.m., at Sisters Communit y Church. 5 41-5 49 -6157.

Sisters Area Woodworke rs First Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 5 41-231-18 97

Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays, 12:30 p.m. at Sisters C ommunity Church. Email sister sbridge2021@gmail.com.

Sisters Caregi ver Sup por t G roup 3rd Tues., 10:30 a.m., Siste rs Episcopal Church. 5 41-719 -0 031.

Sisters Cribbage C lub M eets 11 a.m. ever y Wed. at S PR D. 5 09 -9 47-574 4.

Sisters Garden C lub For monthly meetings visit: SistersGardenClub.com.

Sisters Habitat for Humanit y Board of D irectors 4th Tuesday, 4:3 0 p.m. Location infor mation: 5 41-5 49 -1193.

Sisters Kiwani s 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 11:3 0 a.m. to 1 p.m., at The Lodge in Sisters. 5 41-6 32-3663.

Sisters Parent Teacher Communit y 2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Sisters Elementary School Commons. 917-219-8298

Sisters Red Hat s 1st Friday. For location infor mation, please c all: 541- 8 48 -1970.

Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, Noon, Aspen Lakes. 5 41-760 -5 64 5.

Sisters Veterans Thursdays, noon, Takoda’s Rest aurant. 541- 903-1123

Sisters Trails A lliance Board

Meetings take plac e ever y other month, 5 p.m. In- person or zoom. Contact: info@sisterstrails.org

Three Sister s Irrigation Distric t Board of Direc tors M eets 1st Tuesday, 10 a.m., TSI D Of fice. 5 41-5 49 -8 815

Three Sister s Lions Club 2nd Thursday, 6:3 0 p.m., Spoons Rest aurant. 5 41-419 -1279.

VF W Po st 813 8 and A merican Legion Post 8 6 1st Wednesday of the month, 6:3 0 p.m., M ain Church Building Sisters Communit y Church 541- 549-14 62 (John).

SCHOOLS

Black Bu tt e School Board of Direc tors 2nd Tuesday, 3:45 p.m., Black But te School. 541- 59 5- 6203

Local individuals and groups often have good ideas for ways to build community or create great new opportunities but don’t have the necessary knowledge to bring their ideas to fruition. Hear from a variety of leaders with experience in establishing and/or running nonprofit and social-impact organizations. Speakers include Roundhouse Foundation Executive Director Erin Borla, City of Sisters Mayor Michael Preedin, and

Sisters School District Board of Directors O ne Wednesday m onthly, Sisters School District Administr ation Building. See schedule online at www ssd6.org. 5 41-5 49 -8 521 x5 002. CIT Y & PARKS

Sisters Ci ty Council 2nd & 4t h Wednesday, 6:3 0 p.m., Siste rs City Hall. 5 41-5 49 -6 022. Sisters Park & Recreation District Board of Dire ctor s 2nd & 4th Tues. 4 p.m., C of f ield Center. 5 41-5 49 -2091. Sisters Pl anning Commission 3rd Thursday, 5:3 0 p.m., Siste rs City Hall. 5 41-5 49 -6 022.

FIRE & POLICE

Black Bu tt e Ranch Polic e Dept. Board of Dire ctor s M eets monthly 541- 59 5-2191 for time & date

Black Bu tt e Ranch R FPD Board of Directors 4th Thurs., 9 a.m BB R Fire Station. 5 41-595 -2 28 8 Cloverdale R FPD Board of Dire ctor s 3rd Wed., 5:3 0 p.m., 6743 3 Cloverdale Rd. 5 41-5 48 -4 815. c loverdalef ire.com. Sister s- Camp She rman R FPD Board of Dire ctor s 3rd Tuesday 5 p.m., Siste rs Fire Hall, 5 41-5 49 -0771.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

Sisters kids had a blast at Village Green on Halloween.

Bill Bartlett Correspondent

By T. Lee Brown Correspondent

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

From the academic to the practical

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

Jennifer Holland has been developing and delivering programs for Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) for the past five years. She’s been working in the field since she was 15 years old, and had previously worked as a program manager with Willamalane Park and Recreation District in Springfield.

Last summer, she determined that she needed to enhance her education in the strategic aspects of her work.

“I felt I needed more education around the bigger picture of local government, and how politics plays into that,” she told The Nugget. “I wanted to be the best person I could be in this position to serve the community.”

Holland enrolled in an online Masters in Public Administration program through Louisiana State University in September, 2021, and graduated with her with a Master in Public Administration degree in August 2024.

Holland had the advantage of being able to apply her work in Sisters to her academic work. She did her practicum at SPRD where she focused on the planning and development of the new community center, which will be housed at the former Sisters Elementary School site.

“I think I was one of very few (in the program) who had been working in the field for a long time on such a big project,” she said.

The program drew students from across the nation — many of them aspiring to city management positions. Holland said she was the only parks & recreation person in the program.

The program involved challenges of organizational analysis, using different “frames” to analyze problems, Holland said.

“When a problem is in front of you, there’s not only one answer, and there’s not only one cause,” she said.

The master’s program covered critical thinking, strategic planning, and the political aspects of working

CORRECTION

The caption of the photo accompanying the story “SES turns bat hangout into learning opportunity” in the October 30 edition identified one of the participants in the project incorrectly. The man pictured is not Jim Naibert but another Sisters Area Woodworkers volunteer.

in the public sector.

In practical terms, that means building relationships with policy-makers whose efforts can have a direct impact on what her district can do. It also means working with other local agencies.

“We are a smaller district,” she said. “We have limited resources.”

That puts a premium on strong relationships with the school district and the City of Sisters.

Holland said that the organizational analysis portion of the program was particularly applicable as SPRD seeks to avail themselves of opportunities, while simultaneously not taking on more than their capacity can allow.

The SPRD director noted that the program’s emphasis on organizational culture and its impact on effectiveness was striking.

“I never really thought of it as that impactful all the way down to what your client is getting,” she said. “That was a big ‘ah-hah’ for me.”

Holland’s extensive hands-on operational experience helped her in her final exam, which she was able

Executive Director Jennifer Holland graduated from Louisiana State University with a Master in Public Administration degree, applying practical experience she has gained through working on SPRD’s new community center project.

to approach with applied knowledge.

The SPRD board of directors was very supportive of Holland’s professional development efforts, and is proud of her accomplishment in earning her degree.

“I really appreciate the board’s support for me to get my degree,” she said.

“Your

&

City installing stop signs at Pine/Hood intersection

City work crews are installing stop signs at the intersection of Hood Avenue and Pine Street. The installation was expected to be completed November 7.

Public Works Director Paul Bertagna told The Nugget that, “The Public Works Advisory Board (PWAB) directed staff to take a look at the Hood/Pine intersection to see if it warranted a stop control change to an all-way stop. We then had our Traffic Engineer (Joe Bessman) analyze the intersection to see if it met the all-way stop criteria. Joe has looked at this intersection in

the past and at that time it did not meet the warrants of an all-way stop.

“His latest intersection review in September recommends installing an all-way stop using the constrained sight distance and elevated pedestrian crossings as justification. He also recommends eliminating the left turn lane on Hood to better align the Hood Avenue travel lanes.

“PWAB in their September meeting unanimously passed a motion to move forward with making the intersection an all-way stop.”

Building & Renovating with Innovative Design and Energy-Saving Ideas! Our team believes quality, creativity, and sustainability matter We want your home to be a work of art worthy of containing your life — Mike & JillDyer, Owners 541-420-8448 dyerconstructionrenovation.com

SUNDAY,

17 • 2 PM

The Native People Presence in Central Oregon from Time Immemorial

Wilson Wewa will present perspectives on the peopling of Central Oregon by the Northern Paiute and other tribes that passed through this land. He will share insights regarding ancient traditions, gathering of traditional foods, and lifeways of his people and how they continue to be an important foundation for their lives today. The land that makes up Central and Eastern Oregon was not a desolate place; there were resources that made this land a welcoming homeland. The evidence of over 100,000 years proves this was a bountiful land — the reason that the Northern Paiute fought to protect the land and its resources for the people of this land.

Sisters Fire Hall, 301 S. Elm St.

Tickets are $10 at the Door (Free to TSHS members)

Doors open at 1 p.m.

Seating is first-come, first-served. Questions? Call 541-610-6323.

Sisters Park & Recreation District

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

Sisters graduate heads senior living home

By Sue Stafford Correspondent

Jennifer Spor Sturdivant, a 1993 graduate of Sisters High School, is back as the executive director of Sisters Senior Living.

Sisters Senior Living, formerly known as The Lodge, has been purchased by Washington resident Chris Blackburn, who also has a home at Black Butte Ranch. Management of the facility is the responsibility of Artegan, with facilities in Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Maryland.

Sturdivant was formerly the marketing/sales specialist and executive director for The Lodge between January 2019 and March 2023. She also served a stint as executive director for Regency Village in Redmond. Jeni attended Sisters Elementary School and Middle School, spent three years at Redmond High School when Sisters didn’t have a high school, and returned to the new Sisters High School (now the middle school building) to be in the first graduating class in 1993. Her dad worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Sisters.

Her first job was working at The Gallery restaurant for 10 years before she worked in retail management in Bend. When her maternal grandparents in Sisters were aging, she helped care for them and realized her desire to “give back.”

Her first job at Touchmark in Bend provided her the opportunity to experience all aspects of senior living. She went on

to be the marketing director for three years at Regency Village in Bend before joining The Lodge staff in Sisters when it opened. She met The Lodge activity director Alea Schliep years before when they both worked in retail.

Sturdivant received her bachelor’s degree in human service management with a concentration in gerontology from Phoenix University. She and her husband Demitrius live in Redmond. She has two adult daughters, Tiffany 28, and Lexi 25, who live together in Hillsboro.

Jeni finds her chosen career very rewarding.

“I enjoy making a difference in seniors’ lives and making them feel valued. I am blessed to come to work every day where I can help them feel heard and understood… My passion lies in making every senior or person matter and bringing joy to their lives,” she said.

It is gratifying when family members say, “We’re so happy our mom is here.” She said, “We take care of their parent so they can relax and be the parent’s children.”

Sturdivant has been in her new position since mid-September, and is busy learning the new management company’s routines. She is creating some structural changes, and intends to be transparent with everyone, ensuring that residents and families are all heard. She has hired a new culinary director who formerly owned and operated Baltazar’s Restaurant in Bend. With a change in management

and name, the residents were asked to select a new logo. This past week, a professional videographer and photographer came to the facility to shoot footage for social media purposes.

Currently, the center has 89 percent occupancy with two move-ins scheduled over the next month. The capacity for Sisters Senior Living is 95

residents. There are studio, one-, and two-bedroom units. Respite care, with a 30-day minimum stay, is available if there is an open unit.

Sturdivant is “happy to be back and looking forward to getting to know all the residents and their families.”

For more information, visit www.sistersseniorliving.com or call 541-549-5634.

Jennifer Spor Sturdivant is back to lead Sisters Senior Living.

PHOTO BY SUE STAFFORD

Movie series wraps up with two shows

After two months and seven well-received programs, Sisters Movie House & Café announced the final two shows of the weekly “Autumn Arts & Adventure 2024” series.

A gallery documentary from the UK’s Seventh Arts Productions — “Exhibition on Screen: Van Gogh –Poets & Lovers” will show at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6.

“This Van Gogh exhibition is out of this world,” said Drew Kaza, Managing Partner of quoin media & entertainment, which operates Sisters Movie House & Café. “This is currently the hottest ticket in the art world in London, where the exhibition continues to run until December. This is the first time we have had a movie about an exhibition that is still running concurrently – and we couldn’t be more excited about it. My wife Yee and I were in London in October and saw it at the National Gallery ourselves. We have seen a fair bit of impressionist paintings and Van Gogh’s works before, but there is so much new in this one, even the jaded will

be impressed.”

The series concludes on Wednesday, November 13, with a rock music documentary. “BOOM: A Film About the Sonics” explores the roots of a Seattle band whose modest beginnings in the 1960s echoed through with an impact on both punk rock and grunge in later decades.

“This is a really fascinating story of a band that turns out to be much bigger decades later,” explained Kaza. “They had a cult local following when they started. But as the guys hit middle age, suddenly they were touring Europe.”

“We are back to seven days a week,” noted Kaza, after the theater took its usual break in September and October by closing on Mondays and Tuesdays. “We will be on a full schedule through the end of 2024, with a ‘fuller’ schedule during holiday periods. That means at least two showtimes a day, or as many as three or four at weekends for your movie viewing pleasure.”

For more information on tickets and upcoming movies go to www. sistersmoviehouse.com.

Lady Outlaws ready for state

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Lady Outlaws wrapped up league play with an 8-0 win on the road at Elmira on Monday, October 28, and finished league with an 8-4 record and secondplace finish. Ranked 12th in the state, they earned a first round bye. They will play Banks on Wednesday, November 6, in round two of the 3A/2A/1A Soccer State Championships. The match will start at 5:00 p.m. and be played at Hillsboro Stadium.

In Tuesday’s shutout against Elmira, Ella Davis scored all three of Sisters first half goals, the first at the 19-minute mark. Davis had a give-and-go with Shae Wyland just outside the 18. Davis received the ball back and passed it on the ground past the keeper to start the scoring.

Davis scored two more quick goals, at the 21st and 25th minute for a hat trick. Wyland played a through ball to Davis from the midfield, and Davis ran onto the ball and booted it into the right corner on the ground for the score. The next goal

came when Davis dribbled up the line on the wing, beat a defender, and sent the ball on the ground into the far right side netting. At the half Sisters held a 3-0 lead.

The scoring frenzy ramped up in the second half with five additional goals.

One minute into the final half the ball was played to Emma Symonds, who passed the ball through the defense to Davis. Davis dribbled toward the keeper and then sent the ball over her head into the upper middle section of the goal.

Zoee Bafford got in on the scoring action in the 57th minute and scored on a penalty shot after the Falcons were called for a handball in the box.

Bafford knocked in another goal just 30 seconds later. She dribbled down the wing, beat her defender, launched the ball from outside into the far left corner for the score, which put Sisters on top 6-0.

Davis scored the Outlaws final two goals of the contest, a header in the 59th minute and two minutes later a shot on the ground into the back right corner of the net.

There was still 20 minutes left on the clock, but with the Outlaws ahead 8-0, the mercy rule went into effect and the game was called.

Coach Makena Zorza said, “It was a slow start for the Outlaws in terms of movement and decision making, but after that they really turned it on in the second half. The girls connected well as a team and took advantage of their opportunities.”

Zorza made note of several of her players.

“Ella (Davis) had some awesome breakaways and runs up top, leading her to repeatedly find the back of the net,” said Zorza. “Shae (Wyland), Mia (Rosas), Devon (Stevens), and Zoee (Bafford) also had some great through balls and crosses that helped our team keep pressure on the Falcon’s defense and goalkeeper. Our defensive line (Nona Smith, Ella Eby, Verbena Brent, and Addie Clayton) and goalkeeper (Kennedy Davis) did great and kept the Falcons out of our half which led to the shut out.”

Holidays bring Scottish Fish to town

SFF Presents will sponsor a holiday concert with the Boston-based quintet, Scottish Fish, at 7 p.m., on Friday, December 6, at The Belfry. The all-female group offers traditional and contemporary Scottish and Cape Breton music. They came together as elementary school children, and have remained together for the last decade. Their youthful enthusiasm, original arrangements, and high-energy performances have entertained audiences across the United States and Europe, including Boston Celtic Music Festival, the Bellingham Celtic Festival, and Festival de Ortigueira. They have been featured on WGBH, KALW, and in American Girl and Folkworld magazines, attracted the attention

of America’s Got Talent, and have over 200,000 followers on Instagram.

In 2017, the group released their debut album, “Splash,” and followed it with “Tidings” in 2019. Their newest record, “Upscale,” was released in October 2022.

2022 SFF Presents holiday show artist Hanneke Cassel describes them as “both incredibly musical and just a little unusual. Individually they are all creative and talented, and together they spark each other, pushing each other even further to make amazing music.”

The Belfry is located at 302 E. Main Ave., Sisters. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, November 6, at 10 a.m., at https://afton tickets.com/Scottish-Fish.

The importance of vitamin D

By Ashlee Francis Correspondent

As the weather turns in Central Oregon, it’s time to start thinking about supplementing with vitamin D. Vitamin D supports bone health and immune function by promoting magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus absorption. When our skin is exposed to the sun, our bodies naturally create vitamin D, also known as calciferol. As the temperatures drop and the days shorten, making enough calciferol naturally can be challenging and we risk becoming deficient in this important staple.

So how do we know if we are getting enough vitamin D from our diets and the sun? The National Institutes of Health recommends a minimum of 600-800 IU of vitamin D daily. This is dependent on age, risk factors, and your current vitamin D levels.

There are two types of vitamin D: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 is plant-based and found mostly in yeast and fungi. Studies show that vitamin D3 is more effective at raising and maintaining vitamin D levels in the body. Vitamin D3 is what is produced in our skin when exposed to sunlight. It can also be found in animal-based foods, dairy and plant-based milk, and orange juice. When choosing a supplement for the winter months, it is important to look at what type of vitamin

D you are purchasing.

If you are not a fan of eating liver on a weekly basis, there are some foods you can incorporate into your diet to help increase your levels of vitamin D.

Mushrooms, especially those exposed to UV light during growing, are a great plant-based source of this nutrient. Mushrooms can enhance the flavor and texture of your meal and one cup of UV light exposed mushrooms can provide more than 700 IU of vitamin D! Do make note that the same cup of mushrooms that were not exposed to UV light during the growth process only offer 10 IU of vitamin D.

Fatty fish, such as salmon and sardines, are some of the richest sources of this needed nutrient. Salmon, which is great for both cardiovascular and bone health, has a great blend of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. It

is best to eat wild-caught fish because they contain higher levels of nutrients than the farm-raised fish.

On the fish note, cod liver oil is also a rich source of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamin A. It helps support heart health, bone health, and brain function.

We live in a community rich with chickens, which is great news for us because egg yolks are another excellent source of vitamins D, A, and B12.

Lastly, dairy and nondairy milk, such as oat and almond, fortified with vitamin D can be an easy option to add to your diet in order to increase your calciferol IU level.

If you don’t think you are getting enough vitamin D in your diet and from sun exposure, make sure to supplement with a multi-vitamin or vitamin D-specific supplement.

DONE TOGETHER

“My husband and I have so much regard and respect for you. You are a great realtor. We think you have a compelling way about you and keen insight that gives that special something to a transaction going through — appreciate you!”

— Julie E. &

Dave B.

The band Scottish Fish will play at The Belfry on December 6. Tickets are on sale now. PHOTO PROVIDED

XC boys repeat as District champs

The special district may have changed, but the result was the same for the third consecutive year as the Outlaws boys’ cross country team won the district title in solid fashion on Wednesday, October 30, at Cheadle Lake Park in Lebanon.

The win in Special District 2 followed two years of winning in Special District 3 at meets held in Pendleton.

“It was a great relief to not have to drive 500 miles round trip just to compete at District,” said Coach Charlie Kanzig.

Cool wet conditions did not dampen the fire for the Outlaws on their way to an 11-point win over runner-up Santiam Christian. Using its trademark tight packing the boys placed all five scorers between seventh to sixteenth place to score 58 points.

George Roberts earned first team honors placing seventh in 17:07, while Spencer Tisdel was just one place behind in 17:10. John Berg (18:10), Zack Kemp (18:14), and Ben Hayner (18:22) completed the scoring for the Outlaws.

“When these guys are all bunched within about a minute of each other it’s wonderful in the team race,” said Coach Kanzig, who was named Coach of the Year by the Special District. “We don’t have the front runner that some teams have, but we have guys who can push one another near the front.

Jude Parzybok and Tyson Kemp also competed in the varsity race for the Outlaws

finishing 38th and 40th respectively.

The Outlaw girls had to wait patiently after their race before finding out they had secured third place and with it an automatic berth to the state meet. They will join 15 other 3A/2A/1A girls’ teams that qualified.

Central Linn won the team title with 60 points, followed by Taft (74), and Sisters (102) among 13 complete teams.

Brooke Duey continued her strong showings, this time with a fourth-place finish in 19:58. Josie Ryan placed 12th (21:12), while Althea Crabtree (22:52) and Mae Roth (22:56) paired up with strong performances to help secure the points needed to qualify. Helena Welty was a bit off her best, finishing in 24:22 to complete the scoring for Sisters. Annalycia Erdekian (24:52) and Kiara Martin (24:56) rounded out the varsity team.

For some of the seniors, the qualification to state makes it four for four, according to Kanzig.

“Roberts and Tisdel qualified as freshmen on a team that placed second at district, but then took second at state and followed that up with three consecutive district titles,” he said. “And Mae Roth has enjoyed appearances at state all four years as well.”

The teams will race at the OSAA State Championships at Lane Community College on Saturday, November 9. Kanzig said it’s hard to predict how Sisters will do in the team race, but has confidence the runners are ready.

“These kids have been so dedicated and coachable,” he said. “They will do their best.”

The girls run at 10:35 a.m. and the boys are set to start at 11 a.m. Tickets can be purchased on the OSAA website at https://osaa.org/tickets.

The Outlaws ran as a pack in a strong District performance.

PHOTO PROVIDED

iconic Lorenzo Ghiglieri sculpture

stallion along Cascade

The imperative of preparedness

By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief

One of the guiding principles that I try to live by is that I want to be an asset when things go sideways — not the guy who’s standing around waiting for someone else to take action.

In that spirit, I signed up for a recent, two-day Wilderness First Aid course through Sisters-based Northwest Precision Medical Training. I’ve taken CPR and basic first aid classes, and read up on wilderness first aid — but I have never buckled down to a full-on, multihour course.

Founder and principal Tracy Trotter knows his stuff. He has deep background as a 21-year firefighter/paramedic. He spent five years in Norway, working in one of the most demanding ski patrol and mountain rescue environments in the world. He has been a field training officer for the Mayo Clinic. He launched Northwest Precision Emergency Medical Training in the Eugene-Springfield area, where he has provided medical support for veterans’ Honor Flights to Washington, D.C.

He is seeking to build a base of well-prepared citizens in Sisters, who know how to react when an emergency presents itself.

Trotter’s outlook on his work aligns with what I wanted to get out of it — a base of knowledge and preparedness that enables me, as a civilian, to take appropriate action if and when I encounter injury or illness out in Sisters’ woods, deserts, and mountains. It should be noted that you don’t necessarily have to be a trekker to benefit from a wilderness first aid course. The same principles apply to a car-camper roaming the highways, and whatever you can apply in the wilderness environment can also be applied in your own neighborhood.

Responding to an emergency may mean performing CPR, applying a tourniquet to stop bleeding, or splinting an injury. Northwest Precision Medical Training teaches all of these things. But my strongest takeaway from the session is that assessing an injury or illness and relaying good information is at least 80 percent of the task at hand. Simply knowing when to call 9-1-1 is a critical skill and can mean the difference between life and death.

Trotter was the main presenter and instructor, assisted by Firefighter/ EMT, Eric Hulse, Dr. Bradley Rethwill, DC, and Trotter’s wife, Dr. Inger Lied, who is working

as a primary care physician at St. Charles Health Clinic in Sisters. Dr. Lied is Medical Director for Northwest Precision Medical Training.

Most of the first day’s work involved learning how to perform a thorough and effective assessment — what questions to ask of a victim and his or her companions to determine what is going on.

Trotter and Hulse emphasized an often-overlooked aspect of first aid response — assessing the scene. It is critical to take a good look around at the scene of an accident to make sure that there are no other dangers posed — lest the rescuer get injured and require rescuing, which only complicates things for emergency responders.

We role-played and practiced the assessment skills in the afternoon.

The course attendees were mostly employees of Hoodoo and staff from Big Lake Youth Camp. They are far from the headquarters of Sisters Country’s emergency responders, so it pays to have knowledge to act when they encounter a problem.

Under such circumstances it is important that we know how to relay solid and thorough information to dispatch so that they can spin up the right resources immediately. With a response time of a half-hour (or much longer) to the backcountry, they need to know from the start what resources are needed. Any delay in mobilizing resources threatens the outcome.

Will emergency responders need ropes to reach an injured person, and a basket to lift them out? Should air assets be mobilized immediately? Those decisions depend in large part on the information we are able to assess and provide on the scene.

I went into the program focused on response to injury, and recognized early on that illness is just as big an issue — and may be more common. In fact, upon reflection, I realized that almost all of the medical issues I’ve encountered in the wilderness — thankfully none rising to the level of an “emergency” — have been more medical in nature than injury-related. Altitude

sickness, digestive issues, cramps, etc.

We got a thorough grounding in the vast variety of ailments and injuries that can present themselves on the trail, how to identify them, and understanding which ones can be dealt with through first aid and maybe hiking out to the trailhead,

and which require immediate emergency response.

The second day of the course featured scenariobased hands-on application of what we’d learned in the “classroom.” This is, of course, the most fun part of the deal — especially for

Tracy Trotter of Northwest Precision Medical Training engages with participants in a two-day Wilderness First Aid course at Big Lake Youth Camp. The course included live-action simulation scenarios that tested and enhanced classroom learning.

PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS

Open Studio at Pine Meadow Ranch

On ursday, November 7, f rom

4 to 6 p.m., join the last Open Studio of the 2024 residenc y season at Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture

Presenters for this event

include folk artist/writer Sylvia Friday, author Jackleen de La Harpe, metal artist Arūnas Ošlapas , and fiber artist Katie Ošlapas . is event is f ree and open to the public at 684 67 ree Creek s Rd . Registration is required at https:// roundhousefoundation.org/ events/. For more info call 5419 04- 070 0 or email inquiries@ roundhousefoundation.org

ree Sisters Ir rigation District Board of Directors

ree Sisters Irrigation District will hold a mail-in election for a TSID Board of Directors Division 3 position. e election will be held at the District O ce, 68 00 0 Hw y 20 W., Bend, on Tuesday, November 12. Polling loc ation will be open f rom 7 a.m. till 8 p.m. Call 541-9 03-4050 for information

Weekly Food Pant ry e Wellhouse Church hosts a weekly food pantr y ursdays at 3 p.m. at 222 N . Trinit y Way Both drive-through pick-up and shopping-st yle distribution are available. Info: 541-549-4184.

Free Weekly Meal Se rvice Family Kitchen hosts weekly togo hot meals on Tuesdays , 4:30 to 6 p.m. Sisters Community Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy Visit www.FamilyKitchen.org.

Free Lunches for Seniors

For those 60+, the Council on Aging of Central Oregon o ers a f un, no-cost social lunch every Tuesday, 11 a .m. to 1 p.m. at Sisters Community Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy. No reser vations needed. No-cost Grab-N- Go lunches take place weekly on Wed . and urs ., f rom 12:30 to 1 p.m. Call 541-797-9367.

STARS Seeks Volunteers to Transpor t Patients

Help Sisters Countr y residents get to nonemergency medical appointments in Sisters Redmond, and Bend . Attend a free t wo-hour training. Emails from STARS dispatchers allow you to accept dates and times that work for your schedule, and a mileage reimbursement is included. Learn more at www starsride.org.

SISTERS LIBRARY COMING EVENTS

Dream Jars

Come make a magical dream jar to keep beside your bed! Fill a mason jar with colored, sparkly water, crystals , and other items then decorate the outside. Friday, November 8 , f rom 1 to 2 p.m., in the Sisters Librar y Communit y Room. More information available at www.deschuteslibrary.org/ calendar/

A NNOUNCEMENT S

THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Thursday, November 7

Open Studio Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts

Care and Connec t Resource Fair

Join Living Well With Dementia Sisters for this opportunity to meet representatives f rom various agencies such as local health ser vices, Alzheimer ’s Association, respite care providers, legal & financial advisors, and supportive ser vices Come to discover what resources are available in Central Oregon for care partners and those a ected by dementia and Alzheimer’s . e Resource Fair will be held at Sisters Communit y Church, 130 0 McKenzie Hwy. on ursday, November 14, f rom 9 to 11:30 a.m

Monthly Song writers’ Sharing Circle

Be in a creative community and be inspired while sharing songs , being a great listener, and providing feedback. Second Sunday of the month, 6 -8 p.m., in the Sisters Folk Festival “JA M Studio” upstairs (chairlift available) in the Sisters Art Works building , 20 4 W. Adams Ave. Free. Info: 541-977-8494, jessaneene@msn.com

Americ an Legion and VF W

American Legion Post 86 and VF W Post 8138 meet the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at Spoons Restaurant, 473 E . Hood Ave. Sisters . Call Lance at 541-233-8399 for info.

Living Well With Dementia Sisters Suppor t Groups

Living Well now o ers t wo support groups . A support group for the care partners and family of those diagnosed with some form of dementia meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month f rom 1-2:30 p.m. at Sisters Senior Living , 411 E Carpenter Ln. A support group for the person diagnosed with some form of dementia in the early stages meets the same days and times , also at e Lodge Info: 541-6 47-0 052.

Central Oregon Federated Republican Meeting

COFRW (Central Oregon Federated Republic an Women) meet s the first ursday of every month f rom 10:45 a.m. (registration) to 1 p.m. at Aspen Lakes Golf Club in Sisters. Come learn f rom guest speakers , and hear and question local and state candidates. Meetings include lunch for $27. RSVP required to attend. Learn more about upcoming meetings and speakers, and RSVP at COFRWBend@gmail.com

Sisters Habitat

Volunteers Needed

Are you looking for something fun to do with your free time? Volunteer with Sisters Habit at for Humanity! Call 541-549-1193.

GriefShare: Surviving the Holidays e holidays can be a challenging time when grieving the loss of a loved one. Join this two-hour seminar to learn: How to deal with emotions you’ll face during the holidays; What to do about traditions; Helpf ul tips for surviving social events; How to discover hope for your future. Saturday, November 16 , f rom 10 a .m. to 12 noon at Sisters Communit y Church Fireside Room, 130 0 McKenzie Hw y. Register online at: bit.ly/ GSHolidays2024

Lions Club Holiday Faire

Consig ners Wanted Consigners w anted for the 13th Annual ree Sisters Lions Club Holiday Faire held November 29 through December 21. Seeking unique handcrafted items . Please contact Angi at boardstu 20@gmail.com for more information

Happy Trails Horse Rescue Seek s Volunteers

Calling all horse lovers! Happy Trails Horse Rescue needs volunteers! Can you help them help horses? New Volunteer Orientation the first and third Sundays at 10 a .m. or call 541-241-0783 to schedule! Learn more at https://www happytrailshr.org.

10 0 Women Who Care 10 0 Women Who Care-Sisters is accepting membership applications in advance of its November meeting Applications must be received by Monday, November 18, for those who wish to attend the meeting on ursday, Nov.ember 21. e group pools donations to fund local nonprofits nominated by its members . More than $24, 000 has been donated since the group’s founding. ere is no membership fee. For more information, email 100wwc Sisters@gmail.com or call/text 541-912- 0750

Lens on Learning : Geolog y of Oregon’s High Desert Friends and Neighbors of the Deschutes Canyon Area (FANs) is hosting “New Insight s on the Geology of Oregon’s High Desert,” presented by Daniele McKay, PhD, on Saturday, November 16 , f rom 3 to 5 p.m. at the Juniper Room, Crooked River Ranch. Daniele McKay, geologist and instructor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Oregon, will explore recent geologic research that has changed our understanding of Oregon’s volcanic landscapes . Registration is required. Attendance is free for FANs members; a $5 donation is requested for non-members To learn more or to register visit www.fansofdeschutes.org.

COTA Potluck

Friendsg iving Sisters Chapter of Central Oregon Trail Alliance is hosting a ‘Potluck Friendsgiving’ on ursday, November 21, f rom 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Tollgate Recreation Hall. Contact sistersrep@cotamtb.com to RSVP

Bike Park 242

Winteriz ation

Bike Park 242 is seeking used tarps . Tarps can be any size or thickness , heavy-dut y, weatherproof, t ypically made f rom vinyl or polyethylene. Used billboard vinyl tarps f rom company banner/advertisements are ideal for draping over dirt jumps to preserve them from the freeze-thaw c ycles over the winter season. If you have any to donate please reach out to COTA volunteer Michelle at sistersrep@cotamtb.com

STAR S Seek s

Dispatch Volunteers

While working from home, help STAR S transport Sisters Country resident s to nonemergenc y medic al appointments . Needed: A computer, the abilit y to use online apps, and a telephone. Call 541-9 04-5545

Free Pet Food Budget tight this month, but you still need pet food for your dog or cat? Call the Furr y Friends pet food bank at 541-797-4 023 to schedule your pickup. Pickups available ursdays , beginning at 12:30 p.m . Located at 412 E . Main Ave., Ste. 4, behind e Nug get

GEORGIE

is active 4-year-old pit bull/terrier mix is looking for an adopter who can match his energy. Hikes , training sessions , and games will keep Georgie entertained and happy in his new home. If you’re looking for a partner for all your Central Oregon adventures , stop by the shelter and meet Georgie!

POLICY: Nonprofits, schools , churches , birth, engagement, wedding , and anniversar y notices may run at no charge on the Announcements page. Business items do not run on this page. All submissions subject to sta approval and editing. Submissions run as space allows . Please email your text to lisa@nug getnews .com or drop o at 4 42 E . Main Ave. before 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to desired public ation.

Stars over Sisters

By Georgia West & Elizabeth Beaver Columnists

While there are many different constellations that are visible in November, this month’s is a challenge to locate because, 1) it skims about 15 degrees above the southern horizon, and 2) its brightest stars are still faint. Sculptor is interesting because it is home to several impressive galaxies, as well as the South Galactic Pole.

The best way to find Sculptor is to start with Fomalhaut, a first magnitude star situated near the eastern border of the neighboring constellation of Piscis Austrinus. From there, Sculptor extends eastward a distance of almost 30 degrees.

The constellation’s brightest star is Alpha Sculptoris, which shines only dimly at a magnitude of 4.3. It is a hot blue giant star which is actually 1,500 times brighter, 14 times larger, and 5 times more massive than the earth’s sun. It lies at a distance of 780 light-years.

Sculptor’s brightest galaxy is NGC 253, also known as the Silver Coin Galaxy, or the Sculptor Galaxy. NGC 253 is one of the easiest

spiral galaxies for amateur astronomers to observe, along with the Andromeda Galaxy and M81. It resides just 11.4 million light-years from the earth.

To round out the galactic quintet are spiral galaxies NGC 300 and NGC 7793, located at distances of 6.1 million light-years and 12.7 million light-years, respectively, and barred spiral galaxy NGC 613 residing at 67 million light-years. Finally, Sculptor contains a dwarf galaxy that is a satellite body of the Milky Way, found just 290,000 lightyears away.

The South Galactic Pole is located approximately two degrees southeast of the Silver Coin Galaxy. It marks the southern extent of earth’s galaxy’s axis of rotation.

Sculptor has no mythology surrounding it, most likely because it was discovered in the 1700s by French astronomer Nicolas Lacaille. Lacaille named it the Sculptor’s Workshop, but its name was shortened to Sculptor by English astronomer John Herschel. The Sculptor’s Workshop is a more accurate name since the constellation is supposed to look like a bust that is being carved by a sculptor.

The constellation looks like an upside-down triangle that is very long on one side. When planning a stargazing activity, be aware of any planets that may be visible in the evening/morning. In November, all five of the naked-eye planets can be viewed. Mercury, Venus, and Saturn will be evening objects, Mercury and Venus near the southwestern horizon an hour after sunset and Saturn at night high in the southern sky. Jupiter (in Taurus) and Mars (in Cancer) will appear in the morning.

Track the lunar phases to optimize viewing opportunities. Observe under dark skies, with little or no interfering moonlight. The new moon occurred on Friday, November 1, first quarter will be on the 9th, full moon on the 16th, and last quarter on the 24th.

Light pollution is a big issue that isn’t hard to solve. Turning off lights shows the stars better, but also helps migrating birds. Lights on at night disrupt the birds’ circadian rhythm, potentially causing more of them to die. Leaving lights on

inside a building can cause birds to fly towards them and crash into the windows, injuring or killing the bird. Make sure all lights are off at night, both in and outside the house.

The Silver Coin Galaxy, located 11.4 million light-years away in the constellation of Sculptor, is a dusty spiral galaxy currently undergoing rapid star formation.

Continued from page 9

those of us who enjoy a bit of role-playing. But this is where gaps in action make themselves apparent. In one scenario, we did a good scene assessment, found all the victims of a landslide on a trail, assessed injuries, splinted injuries — but we got caught up in what we were doing and were late in making the determination to call 9-1-1 for the most serious injuries.

And that is why you train. Skills and a willingness to take action are the most important part of wilderness first aid response, but kit does matter. We got a good run-down of the essentials — and how to avoid paying way more than necessary for a good kit. My own kit was already in pretty good shape, but I am adding in SAM splints, based on the remarkable versatility and effectiveness demonstrated in our skills sessions.

The full 16-hour Wilderness First Aid course is not your only option. A Comprehensive CPR, First Aid, and AED Training course is a half-day course designed to equip participants with the essential skills required to provide immediate assistance and support to individuals experiencing medical emergencies. It’s geared toward anyone, from a concerned citizen, a healthcare professional, a teacher, a coach, or anyone who wants to be prepared to respond in critical situations. There is a more advanced option for health care providers. There’s also a basic Child & Babysitter Safety fundamentals course. If, like me, you can’t stand the idea of being a bump on a log when people need your help, you’d be well served to get educated and trained with a quality local outfit that is invested in the community. And, let’s be honest, it’s also a lot of fun.

For more information visit https://northwestprecision medical.com/contact or call/ text 541-735-5434, or email info@nwmedicaltraining. com. FIRST AID: Class

Outlaws fall in second round of playoffs

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Lady Outlaws volleyball team travelled to Horizon Christian (HC) in Tualatin on Wednesday, October 30, and beat the Hawks in three straight sets with scores of 25-18, 25-17, and 25-15, in round one of the state playoffs. They advanced to the second round where they fell in three straight sets to league foe Pleasant Hill (PH) on Saturday.

In the first set against the HC Hawks on Wednesday, the score stayed close until 9-10. From there Sisters went on a seven-point run behind great serves from Jordyn Monaghan, which included three straight aces. HC committed numerous unforced errors, and the Outlaws maintained the lead to close out the set.

Sisters started the set with several unforced errors, but with the score at 14-15 they went on an offensive streak and outscored the Hawks 11-2. In the second half of the set Kathryn Scholl served up three aces, and Haven Heuberger and Audrey Sybesma both put up a big block.

The Outlaws came out aggressive in the third set and jumped to a 5-0 lead that included a four point service run from Alli Fogarty that included three aces. Sisters continued to put down kills, block at the net, and get in some great serves to push to a 17-5 advantage, which included two service aces from Holly Davis.

“Sisters didn’t look back after that and closed out the match with stingy defense,” said Coach Josh Kreunen.

Scholl led the team with a double-double (10 kills, 11 digs), and also had three aces in the match. Ali Gibney finished with five kills and two

It was a tough way to finish the season after so many great matches throughout the season.

— Coach Josh Kreunen

blocks, and both Heuberger and Sybesma added four kills each.

Monaghan and Fogarty had seven digs each, and three and two aces, respectively. Davis dished out 25 assists and had six digs and three aces.

On Saturday, the Outlaws struggled and fell in three quick sets to PH.

In the first set against the Billies, after a 1-1 tie, the Outlaws fell behind and could never recover and lost the set 12-25.

Sisters did a much better job in the second set and knotted up the score six times. Unfortunately, the Billies went on a four-run scoring streak late in the set and the Outlaws found themselves down 19-23. Pleasant Hill closed out the set with a 21-25 win.

The Outlaws were outmatched in every area and were soundly defeated 6-25. The Billies took the match and the season came to an abrupt end for the Lady Outlaws.

“Pleasant Hill played like the No. 1 team in the state, serving well, playing tough defense, and rolling on offense,” said Kreunen. “It was a tough way to finish the season after so many great matches throughout the season.”

Davis recorded 18 assists, two blocks and four digs. Monaghan finished with eight digs, and Scholl and Heuberger both had seven kills and four digs in the match.

WEDNESDAY • NOVEMBER 6

Sisters Movie House Autumn Arts & Adventure: "Exhibition on Screen: Van Gogh – Poets & Lovers" 6:30 p.m. Information and tickets at www.sistersmoviehouse.com.

Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).

THURSDAY • NOVEMBER 7

Paulina Springs Books Book Talk

Krista West presents "Everyday Folk: Over 175 folk embroidery designs for the home inspired by traditional textiles" 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. More info at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Luckey's Woodsman Megan's Terrific Trivia 5:30 p.m. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Located at 352 E. Hood Ave. Ste. B.

FRIDAY • NOVEMBER 8

The Belfr y Live Music: Rainbow Girls 7 to 9 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. “Haunting” album release tour — a spinetingling journey into the unknown. Tickets & info: belfryevents.com.

Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.

Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

Tollgate Clubhouse Holidays in The Pines 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 3rd annual event! A marketplace featuring fall and winter items; locally handmade and homegrown products with a touch of vintage. A portion of proceeds will benefit Sisters Habitat and Central Oregon Veterans Ranch. For information and photos see Facebook or email holidayinthepines@outlook.com. Located at 15004 Saddle, Sisters

SATURDAY • NOVEMBER 9

Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.

The Belfr y Live Music: Lonesome Ace Stringband with Blackstrap Bluegrass 6:30 to 10 p .m. Bridging old-time, bluegrass and folk traditions into a seamless hybrid of original material that is at once fresh and timeless Presented by The Whippoorwill Presents. Tickets and information: www.belfryevents.com.

Tollgate Clubhouse Holidays in The Pines 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 3rd annual event! A marketplace featuring fall and winter items: locally handmade and homegrown products with a touch of vintage. A portion of proceeds will benefit Sisters Habitat and Central Oregon Veterans Ranch. For information and photos see Facebook or email holidayinthepines@outlook.com. Located at 15004 Saddle, Sisters Sisters Depot Live Music: Skybound Blue brings harmony-driven, deep-story-telling Americana. Fronted by married duo Matt and Jenny Behnke, Skybound Blue is magic on stage. 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets $20 at sistersdepot.com/our-events. Hola! Camp Sherman Live Music: Aidan Moye 5 to 8 p.m., free Info: www.facebook.com/HolaCampSherman/.

SUNDAY • NOVEMBER 10

Paulina Springs Books Sunday Scrabble 11 a.m to 12:30 p.m. Come to play Scrabble, socialize, and drink coffee. Open to all. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

WEDNESDAY • NOVEMBER 13

Sisters Saloon Poker Night Texas Hold’em 5:30 p.m. to close upstairs. 21+. $20 (add'l $5 when bounty chip is played).

Sisters Movie House Autumn Arts & Adventure: "BOOM! A Film About The Sonics" 6:30 p.m. Information and tickets at www.sistersmoviehouse.com.

THURSDAY • NOVEMBER 14

Paulina Springs Books Book Talk Ellen Waterston, current Oregon Poet Laureate presents "We Could Die Doing This: Dispatches on Ageing from Oregon’s Outback" 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. More info at www.paulinaspringsbooks.com.

FRIDAY • NOVEMBER 15

Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby

8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114. Paulina Springs Books Magic: The Gathering nights Booster Draft at 5 p.m. $15. Info: paulinaspringsbooks.com.

SATURDAY • NOVEMBER 16

Sisters Depot Live Music: Open Mic Music lovers can enjoy a variety of local talent in a lively atmosphere. 7 to 9 p.m. Info: sistersdepot.com/our-events. Hola! Camp Sherman Live Music: Emilee Paige 5 to 8 p.m., free Info: www.facebook.com/HolaCampSherman/. Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke with Gaby 8 p.m. to midnight. Information call 541-549-6114.

Partners 2024 artners in Giving

Hospice of Redmond is a Level IV We Honor Veterans par tner and has been ser ving Central Oregon veterans for 45 years. We are also honored to suppor t our local veterans by funding the Veterans Lunch at the Redmond Senior Center on the third Wednesday of ever y month. Join us at 12 p.m.!

Some of the ser vices available to veterans through Hospice of Redmond’s prog rams include:

• Connection to Veteran Ser vice Off icers (VSOs) for ser vice-related disabilities

• Access to resources in the community

• Flag lines at veteran funerals

• Flag pinning for hospice patients

• Suppor t for family sur vivors of a patient

Central Oregon embodies the ethic of “see a need, fill a need.” And it’s built on a generous spirit of giving. That’s what makes this a special place, where people want to put down roots.

Dedicated local people staff and volunteer for an array of nonprofits committed to making life better for all Central Oregonians.

They are enabled to do their invaluable work by the generous support of a giving community — you and me. We are the partners of these dedicated outfits that serve children, veterans, seniors, the disabled, and anyone else in need — including our furry friends. Volunteer or donate — and keep the circle unbroken..

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief The Nugget Newspaper

Volunteers with Think Wild help technicians care for injured wildlife.

Photo courtesy Think Wild

Providing for fundamental needs in Sisters

There are many folks in Sisters who need help meeting basic needs like shelter, food and clothing. There are many caring people who step up through local and regional nonprofits to help meet those needs, treating all with respect, compassion and dignity.

The need has grown along with Central Oregon’s population. The Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank served 5,152 people in 2020-21. Through 2023-24, that number has grown to 12,318. Thanks to tremendous community support — and a cadre of hardworking volunteers — the organization has been able to keep pace with the demand. And it is deeply appreciated.

“It’s nice that we have a place in town that helps people in need,” said Scott. “The people that work here are very kind. It’s much appreciated.”

Andre said, “I not only come for the food — which covers every need — but also for the community. The volunteers treat each person with dignity, and as a neighbor. I cannot say enough about the quality of care. It highlights the best of Sisters.”

“The food bank has been a life-saver in helping with food

for families — and you are always welcomed with open arms,” said Janet. “The people are so wonderful.”

Each year at this time, Ray’s Food Place operates a “Stuff the Truck” drive that allows customers to conveniently purchase food that goes directly to the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank.

Having good school clothing is vital to youth success. Assistance League of Bend, through their Operation School Bell program, provides new clothes and shoes for children in grades K-12 in Deschutes County. New clothes elevate self-esteem, improve attendance, promote peer acceptance, foster learning, boost graduation rates, and inspire hope. They also provide emergency clothing bundles to children entering or transitioning within the foster care system. They loan new and gently used long and short dresses, as well as accessories, to students in need at local high schools so they can attend their formal dances.

Donations in any amount can be targeted to support the program, or other programs that support children and

families in need.

Bethlehem Inn is a community-supported, high barrier emergency shelter that provides a warm, safe place to sleep, nourishing meals, and case management services for adults and children experiencing homelessness in Central Oregon. There are locations in Bend and Redmond. Case management means connecting people with resources, and providing wellness services that give people the potential for change, not just a little temporary comfort.

“The goal of our work is to address the reasons for homelessness, rather than putting a bandaid on it,” said Development Manager Caroline Greenlaw. “We want to be sure the people leave here with more than they came in with.”

Winter is a busy season for Bethlehem Inn, as the need for supplies and food grows more acute.

“As we enter winter, we are looking for perishable and nonperishable foods,” Greenlaw said.

Donations of winter clothing are welcome, too. They can be dropped off at 20363 Mervin

The goal of our work is to address the reasons for homelessness, rather than putting a band-aid on it.

— Caroline Greenlaw

Sampels in Bend or at 517 NW Birch Ave., Redmond. There is a donation portal on the website, and a $10,000 match is in play.

“Every donation will go to feed someone in need,” Greenlaw said.

There are many resources in Central Oregon for those in need — but sometimes it’s hard to find your way to what you need on your own. Thrive Central Oregon meets families and individuals in public spaces to connect them with the assistance they are looking for. They utilize a holistic, individualized approach to services, and in doing so help access affordable housing and financial security in a sustainable way. Honoring the dignity and worth of everyone is a key tenet of their work.

See NEEDS on page 3

United Way of Central Oregon continues to work to build resilience in the community by promoting health, education, and financial stability. They work throughout the region, and support local direct-service nonprofits and programs through grants. Individuals and companies can both contribute through donations, planned giving, giving campaigns, and more.

Sisters Cold Weather Shelter’s primary mission is to provide shelter, advocacy, and resources for the unhoused community in Sisters Country. They seek to provide shelter during the coldest months of the year, warm meals, and connections to resources available in the area. The organization is actively engaged in forest outreach, bringing vital supplies to people living in the forest around Sisters. The need is more acute as we move into winter, and they are seeking contributions from the community to purchase propane and other potentially life-saving cold weather gear. Donations of cold weather clothing are welcome.

There are volunteer opportunities for the forest outreach team and for monitors for a

laundry and showering program and other programs that are in development.

Seed to Table brings the vital power of farm-fresh food to bear in a wide range of services and activities in Sisters Country — from sponsoring the Sisters Farmers Market to providing educational opportunities for youth across the region.

Seed to Table seeks to build a vibrant and resilient community where everyone has access to fresh produce that is nourishing, locally grown, and in keeping with their preferences. From a four-acre farm plot, Seed to Table strives to model a food system that restores ecosystems while providing equitable access to fresh foods and opportunities for community members to engage positively with farm-fresh foods.

Thousands of pounds of produce are donated to 13 Central Oregon partners, including two local food pantries.

Sisters Farmers Market promotes access to quality fresh food by accepting SNAP benefits, and promoting Double Up Food Bucks.

Donations from the community are vital to sustaining the farm and all of its community outreach work.

Kiwanis Club of Sisters

Mission of Giving Year-round

Offering compassionate support in times of need

Life in Central Oregon is beautiful — but it can also get hard. And eventually it comes to an end. There are caring, compassionate people who make it their mission to help make the hard times as comfortable and as navigable as possible.

Living Well With Dementia Sisters is a support group for caregivers, adults supporting parents or siblings, and those living with dementia to come together and discuss challenges and successes.

Living Well with Dementia Sisters’ mission is to provide support and illumination, helping to lighten the path for those living with dementia and their care partners as they navigate the intricacies of living well with dementia. They provide resources for families and education. The group sponsors a support group that meets the second and fourth Wednesdays at Sisters Senior Living (formerly The Lodge) in Sisters.

There are opportunities to volunteer to support others in need, and to donate directly to help provide free resources, workshops, and support groups.

The Peaceful Presence Project provides non-medical, thoughtful

support to individuals and families facing serious and terminal illness.

Their work is founded on the Compassionate Community model of care. The Peaceful Presence Project describes this as a public health approach to palliative care, based on the understanding that we all have a part to play in supporting our neighbors, family, and friends in the last stage of life. The Peaceful Presence Project offers: education to improve death and grief literacy; holistic and proactive planning for advanced illness care and compassionate bedside presence.

The Peaceful Presence Project also offers doula training. Doulas are people who are trained to serve. There are birth and postpartum doulas, who serve families during and after the birth of a child; end-of-life or death doulas serve families on the other end of the life cycle.

Monthly donations help The Peaceful Presence Project sustain their work by providing the resources needed to reach the people who desire our services.

Partners in Care offers a wide range of services to people and their families who are facing a significant health crisis and/or

end-of-life.

Their Transitions program is a no-cost, non-clinical case management program for medically fragile individuals with a limited prognosis, including those who may not qualify for home health or hospice.

Hospice care is a medical specialty for people living with an advanced, terminal illness and not expected to recover. Hospice care is tailored for specific needs and offers a wide range of support from light intervention to intensive support available in the last months of life.

The focus and philosophy of the Partners in Care team is to tailor the end-of-life experience around a person’s wishes and lifestyle, while maximizing dignity, quality of life, and comfort.

The work can have a profound effect.

Bev, a transitions client of Partners in Care said, “I was paired with a Transitions Coordinator who visited me at home, listened to my needs, and offered compassionate support after moving here to be with my daughter once my health began to decline. The Transitions Coordinator assisted me with completing a Dial-A-Ride application,

enabling me to regain some independence and explore my new community at my own pace. Thanks to generous donors who support the Transitions Program at Partners In Care, I’ve rediscovered a sense of community and feel supported again.”

Programs help families as much as patients. Nate, a family member, reported, “As we (my wife and I) worked with Transitions first and then Hospice, and we got a nurse and social worker, they started settling me in to the caregiver role. The nurse taught me everything. It became a very rewarding thing. At first I thought I couldn’t do it, but when I look back on it, caring for my wife during this time was the best thing I ever did.”

Partners in Care Hospice patient Donald said, “The people at Hospice House just treated me right. They kept me upbeat, they took care of me. If I was cold laying in bed, they’d come in immediately and wrap me up in a nice warm blanket. It was little things like that, that were so appreciated.”

In dark and difficult times, volunteers and staff with Central Oregon’s nonprofits shine a light.

Supporting children, families, and veterans

Sisters has a quality of inestimable value, one that is increasingly hard to find in the fractured and fragmented modern world: A quality of neighborliness. We look out for each other, and support each other in good times and hard times.

Many of the nonprofits that grace Sisters and Central Oregon focus on supporting children and families — the fundamental building blocks of a healthy and happy society.

Circle of Friends recognizes that one of the key elements of success for young people is strong connections with caring adults — and not just members of their families. The Circle of Friends mentorship program offers children experiences and opportunities to ignite their passions and curiosities. In addition to in-house programming such as Lego Robotics, art, STEAM, sewing and cooking, they partner with local business and organizations to provide sports, music, swimming, riding, farming, gardening, day and summer camps.

“We’re always, always looking for new mentors,” said Executive Director Nicole Woodson. “An hour a week, that’s all we ask for.”

Mentors thrive as much as the kids they serve in forging

connections that are solid and meaningful. Direct donations are also very helpful in funding programs and after-school activities ranging from cooking to crafts to fishing.

KIDS Center is a vital resource for children and families in Sisters and across the region when they are facing some of the hardest moments people can face.

KIDS Center provides comprehensive child abuse evaluations

Mission 22 is a Sisters-based veterans nonprofit with a national reach.

Photo courtesy Mission 22

that include a head-to-toe medical exam, child-friendly forensic interview, family advocacy, and mental health services to children and families impacted by abuse. All of their services are free to every family who needs them.

“We rely on a lot of community support to help families at a very stressful time,” said Dawn Boone, a marketing specialist with KIDS Center. “We don’t ever want cost to be a barrier to healing.”

In addition to the evaluations, KIDS Center also provides training in the prevention of child sexual abuse, and Safety Net training for parents on how to protect children from the vulnerabilities created by access to technology. Volunteers are an important part of the organization.

There are many different volunteer opportunities at KIDS Center, from helping out at the front desk to supporting an event. Visit the website for details on volunteer opportunities.

Boone notes that “protective support ripples out through the community. The more adults we train, the safer kids are.”

In addition to direct donations through the website, community members can also purchase gift cards.

“We give them to families all year long and they are specifically designed for families that are under severe financial strain,” Boone said.

Advocates for Life Skills & Opportunity (ALSO) works toward full community inclusion and independence for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing residential supported addition

See SUPPORT on page 8

SUPPORT

Continued from page 6

living services for individuals and families in their homes, workplaces and communities. Financial contributions help fund the gaps in services and support the organization can provide. Beyond financial donations made directly through their website, you can also make contributions through Fred Meyer Rewards, Wish List, and Cans for Cars. Contributions go directly toward safe and affordable housing needs, assistive and adaptive

technology, accessible transportation, and more.

Having a bicycle is an important part of every kid’s life. It’s important to many adults, too. For the past decade, Blazin Saddles bicycle shop has been conducting a holiday-time bike donation drive that pairs donated bicycles in good condition to families with a need in Sisters Country. Bike technicians clean and prep the bikes. What they need most is for community members to identify families who could benefit from a donated bicycle. Contact them at info@blazinsaddleshub.com.

Seed To Table offers access to food and agricultural education to Central Oregon youth.

Photo courtesy Seed to Table

Hearth and home are fundamental to the well-being of families. For decades, Hayden Homes has been partnering with nonprofits who help bring the dream of home ownership within reach for families across the region and right here in Sisters. It is a fulfillment of a longinstilled philosophy of “give as you go.”

One of the most wonderful connections that can be made in the world is the connection

between a rider and a horse. Healing Reins provides people of all ages and abilities the opportunity to heal emotionally and physically through professionally recognized horse-centered therapies and riding lessons. They invite the community to connect with a joyful community through volunteering. With a 1.5 hour training, you can become a “sidewalker,” a job that is just what it sounds like — a person who walks alongside the rider.

“You don’t need to have any horse experience at all,” said Polly Cohen.

Circle of Friends kids at work caring for garden boxes.

A “leader” leads the horse on the ride — and also catches it up and saddles it.

“We do ask that they are ‘horsey,’” Cohen said. “We’re also happy to train people to become leaders.”

Volunteers find themselves part of a community at Healing Reins.

“It’s a very positive environment out here,” Cohen said. “It’s a feelgood place. They’re able to be part of that lesson, and part of changing

people’s life.”

Veterans are an integral part of our community. As Mischa Knea, CEO of Mission 22, says, “every single person’s life is impacted by a veteran.”

Mission 22 emphasizes “posttraumatic growth” for veterans, seeking to help them connect or

See SUPPORT on page 10

Photo provided

Blazin Saddles is asking for DONATIONS OF BIKES of all types and sizes in decent or better condition. We will clean, tune, and replace necessary parts, then donate the bikes to those in need.

ACCEPTING DONATIONS NOV. 15-DEC. 15

Bikes to be delivered Dec. 21-22. In the past 9 years,we have donated over 500 bikes to families! We work with numerous organizations including Sisters Schools and Habitat for Humanity to find those in need. Contact Blazin Saddles if you or a loved one could benefit from a donated bicycle. For all inquiries, please email info@blazinsaddleshub.com.

BIKES MAKE GREAT GIFTS! Shop our in-stock bikes now and we will offer layaway for Christmas (while supplies last).

SUPPORT

Continued from page 8

reconnect with a sense of purpose, and providing health and wellness programs to enhance their lives. The mission is critical in combating veteran suicide.

Mission 22 also recognizes that a veteran’s experience is a family’s experience — families live through all of the ups and downs that soldiers returning home do. The organization — Sisters-based with a national reach — developed a support program exclusively for spouses to take positive steps that renew their identities as individuals and the strengths they bring to their household.

Mission 22 programs require extensive funding support and direct donations are critical to

providing the comprehensive programs that build resilience and offer long-term success to those who have sacrificed to defend the American way of life.

Sisters Veterans — members of VFW Post 8138, American Legion Post 86, and the Sisters Chapter of Band of Brothers — are an integral part of the Sisters community. They honor military service through the annual Memorial Day observances at Village Green, maintain the Village Green Veterans Memorial, and stage annual flag displays. They also connect with Sisters youth in meaningful ways, including a recent partnership with Youth Build to clean and maintain Sisters’ Camp Polk Cemetery.

Donations from the community help sustain their special projects.

Seed to Table is committed to creating access to healthy, locally grown food.

Photo courtesy Seed to Table

Nonprofits build community in Sisters Country

Sisters — and Central Oregon at large — is a community built on the work of dozens of nonprofits. You would be hard-pressed to find a community anywhere that more vividly embodies the ethic of “see a need, fill a need.”

There are more than 50 registered nonprofits in Sisters — and hundreds regionwide. The nonprofit organizations that thrive in Central Oregon work across a broad spectrum of needs — from the most fundamental need for shelter and food, to the need for cultural and creative fulfillment. And some nonprofits specialize in building and strengthening community.

Citizens4Community (C4C) is dedicated to building a vibrant, resilient rural community where everyone thrives and feels they belong. They produce local events and programs that bring folks together, build trust, enable cooperation, cultivate local pride, and help everyone get engaged in community building.

The most important way that local folks can support their mission is to participate in the work. Attend the events and get connected. A sense of community builds upon itself. C4C has programs that cultivate community leadership

to help everyone become involved and effective.

C4C also supports other nonprofits by creating a database that connects them and provides information to the community about their mission and services.

Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC) has served as an incubator of strong ideas for community service and support. They have nurtured two standout projects that have evolved into their own stand-alone entities after receiving initial sponsorship from AFSC — the STARS medical appointment transportation program, and Romeo’s Joy, which distributes animatronic toys to bring joy and comfort to Sisters residents.

“We’re looking for new projects, new ideas,” said Age Friendly Sisters representative Judy Smith. “We’re looking for new board members. It’s the season of giving, so we’re looking for contributions.”

High School (SHS) seniors, the sense of community it fosters may be even more important.

While Sisters Graduate Resource Organization (GRO) provides a conduit for important financial support to all graduating Sisters

“This is a way they can say, ‘We believe in you,’” said Sisters GRO Executive Director Regan Roberts.

Charlotte Seymour, a SHS graduate currently studying journalism, said, “The money of course is great,

but doing Sisters GRO, I think is wonderful.”

Participating in the scholarship awards event showed her how much the community supports its youth.

“It was so fun,” she said. “It was so special. It really reflects our community.”

Makenna Tingey, a 2019 graduate who is now an educator, echoed similar thoughts.

“I was so grateful to the Sisters community,” she said. “They supported me, really, since kindergarten.”

Roberts said that the organization is at a phase of working on long-term sustainability. Direct general fund donations are the best way to support that effort.

Sisters is world-renowned as an arts community. That’s largely thanks to people with a passion forming organizations to stage events, educational opportunities, and general support of the arts. Nothing exemplifies that more but doing Sisters GRO, I

See COMMUNITY on page 12

Romeo’s Joy uplifts seniors with animatronic pets.

Photo courtesy Age Friendly Sisters

COMMUNITY

Continued from page 11

vividly than the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. SOQS started with a few quilts hung on Jean Wells’ quilt shop, and has blossomed into an event that draws people from all over the world to share in the love of the art form. The show is a tremendous economic boon to Sisters, and enriches countless lives through education, fellowship — and entertainment.

SOQS encourages the community to support the show — which does not charge for admittance — by becoming a “Friends of

the Show.”

“It’s also a way to honor your favorite quilter — by donating in their name,” said SOQS Executive Director Dawn Boyd.

For decades, the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce has fostered community connections by linking businesses and nonprofits in the community and supporting events that make the community hum with energy.

Nonprofits are a critical foundation for a vibrant, healthy community. There are many ways to support them — from direct financial donations to volunteering to simply sharing word-of-mouth about the important work they do.

Sisters O utdoor Q uilt Show™

Here is an opp ortunity to honor your favorite person with a gift to the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. Your partnership and financial support allows us to continue to celebrate the beauty of qu ilts while positively impacting our community. And with your help, we w ill continue to produce an event that is culturally, artistically, and financially important to Sisters.

Your contribution now is vital as we prepare for ly 12, 2025. ormation visit qs.org/donate 541-549-0989

QS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit n is to celebrate the tage of qu ilting ber arts while enhancing the Sisters and Central iding enrichment r area youth.

Caring for our land and animals

The glorious landscape of Central Oregon is a prime reason most of us have chosen to make our lives here. All of our love for the outdoors puts a lot of pressure on our natural environment — and it takes dedicated folks to help ensure that the land stays healthy even as we enjoy it.

The Deschutes Land Trust conserves and cares for the lands and waters that sustain Central Oregon, so local communities and the natural world can flourish together for generations to come.

Since 1995, the Land Trust has protected more than 18,700 acres in and around Central Oregon for future generations. The Land Trust owns and cares for many local nature preserves that are managed for the benefit of wildlife and people. Indian Ford Meadow Preserve outside of Sisters is a signature Preserve. Visitors can explore the meadow on a short trail and enjoy a scenic overlook with outstanding views of the Cascade Mountains.

The Land Trust is continually

working on new projects. Recent projects include a landmark effort to conserve the 33,000-acre Skyline Forest between Bend and Sisters. Each year, the Land Trust offers more than 100 free walks, hikes, and outings, an annual Nature Night lecture series, and a variety of volunteer opportunities. Volunteer or donate to give back to the land that gives so much to us.

Sisters Trails Alliance makes the forest surrounding the community accessible through the

creation and maintenance of a remarkable network of trails for hikers, equestrians and cyclists. They’re dedicated to the mission to protect and preserve the outdoor experience through the stewardship of multi-user, non motorized trails and their adjacent wild places. There are many opportunities to volunteer, and direct donations to the work are always appreciated.

The creatures who inhabit our forests and the high desert sometimes need our help. Think Wild,

a wildlife hospital and conservation center for Central Oregon, provides rescue and rehabilitation through a wildlife hospital to provide care for animals that have been injured or orphaned. That can be a wonderful — and serious — handson volunteer opportunity. Imagine holding the talons of a great horned owl while a technician feeds it mice infused with medicine...

“We have hospital volunteers who sign up for a once-a-week shift,” said Molly Honea of Think Wild.

People who encounter an injured animal can call their hotline to find appropriate help. Volunteers can help with rescue and transport, or plant willows for beaver habitat restoration.

“There are all kinds of handson opportunities,” Honea said. Pets, too, need our help sometimes.

Silver Linings Rescue Ranch rescues senior dogs in need of new guardianship, allowing them

See ANIMALS on page 14

Deschutes Land Trust is conserving some of the best places in Central Oregon, ensuring biological diversity and health. Photo courtesy Deschutes Land Trust

ANIMALS

Continued from page 13

to spend their retirement years at the Ranch or in new homes. The Ranch is a haven where these loyal companions can enjoy their golden years surrounded by nature’s beauty and the warmth of human kindness. They also partner with local families and individuals who are interested in adopting these wonderful pets.

Furry Friends Foundation helps families by helping them with their pets — from offering pet food assistance through the pet food bank at 412 E. Main Ave. to free spay and neuter services and free vaccination.

According to Kiki Dolson, founder of Furry Friends, the

need for assistance continues to grow significantly. Furry Friends Foundation is distributing about 2.5 tons of food a month to families and individuals in Sisters Country, and they are providing a record level of spay and neuter services.

Donations of pet food are welcome, as are direct financial contributions through the Furry Friends Foundation website. Direct cash donations are especially helpful. You can also donate your redeemable bottles and cans (labeled OR 10¢) in the blue bins on the porch of The Nugget. Or pickup a few of our blue plastic donation bags to fill and drop off at Ray’s. One hundred percent of contributions goes to Furry Friends Foundation.

Hands-on volunteer opportunities abound at Think Wild, one of several nonprofits that care for animals in Central Oregon.

Photos courtesy Think Wild

Celebrate Thanksgiving with The Nugget!

• Offer your Thanksgiving greeting to the community as part of the November 20 ad in The Nugget

• Help build community as the ad promotes the Community Thanksgiving Dinner

• Provide financial support to buy food for the Community Thanksgiving Dinner (30% of your purchase!)

Football shuts out Harrisburg in big win

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

In Friday night’s contest against Harrisburg on November 1, fans watched teams warm up in a torrential downpour that turned the field into a wet, muddy mess. At the start of the game, the rains stopped for the duration of the contest, but field conditions were still very slick and muddy.

The Outlaws dominated play throughout the contest and beat the young Eagles’ squad 52-0.

At the start of the contest, Sisters stopped Harrisburg on their fourth down attempt, and took possession of the ball at midfield. On the third play, Trent Gordon hit Kolbi Cotner for a 28-yard touchdown (TD) pass, which got the scoring spree started. The point after touchdown (PAT) failed but Sisters was on the scoreboard at 6-0.

The Eagles went threeand-out on their next possession and punted the ball. Hudson Beckwith picked up the ball on the 33-yard line and raced up the Outlaws’ sidelines 67 yards on a great return for the score. Trent Gordon hit the PAT and Sisters went up 13-0. At the close of the first period Sisters held a 13-0 lead.

Sisters scored their third TD of the night in the second quarter on a beautiful 74-yard TD pass from Gordon to Beckwith, again up the Outlaws’ sidelines. Beckwith took a high snap on the PAT attempt, and ran it around the right side for the two-point conversion, which took the Outlaws to a 21-0 advantage.

Ethan Eby followed with a four-yard TD run. The PAT failed, but Sisters pushed to a 27-0 lead.

The Outlaws added one more score in the quarter on a one-yard run by Kayl Mock. The drive included a key 20-yard sweep by Spencer Davis. The PAT failed but at the half Sisters held a commanding 33-0 lead.

Sisters jumped out with another TD just a little over a minute into the third quarter.

Coach Gary Thorson said, “Davis went 45 yards on a beautiful sweep off the right side, getting a great block from Cotner along the way.”

The Outlaws scored once more in the third on a 65-yard interception return for a TD by Dawson Roberson. Freshman Bennitt Hayes hit the PAT and the Outlaws closed out the third quarter on top 46-0.

Sisters wrapped up their scoring spree in the fourth quarter on a one-yard run by Joel Vogt making it a 52-0 game that held until the final buzzer.

On defense, Wyatt Shockley and Beckwith led the team with three tackles each. Roberson had a great pick six and also stole the ball away from a Harrisburg returner on a kickoff.

Freshman Cash Allen had his best night as an Outlaws from his defensive end position and registered a sack.

The Outlaws limited the Eagles to minus-four yards total offense on the night (minus 19 rushing and 15 passing).

On offense, Davis led the squad in rushing with four carries for 72 yards and Gordon was two-forfour for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

Sisters finished the night with 270 yards total offense (168 rushing).

Thorson said, “This was a very odd night for stats, as we scored on defense and special teams, and also had a very short field for most of our drives.

“This was a challenging but fun week for the program,” added Thorson. “Harrisburg is a very young football team and has been outmatched most of the season, but the players worked hard this week and performed well on a very sloppy and wet field. They did not look past this game, and we came out of it healthy, which is huge as we head into the playoffs.”

Sisters will travel to Taft for the first round of the state playoffs on Friday, November 8. Kickoff time is yet to be determined.

Of that contest Thorson said, “Taft is a good football team that throws the ball very well and it will be a great challenge for us again. They gave us a good battle when they came over here Week Two and it will be tougher playing on the road at their place. But, I think our team has shown some steady improvement all season long and they are very excited for the opportunity to continue to play. Friday night high school football games are a whole bunch of fun, but the Friday night playoff experience is that much more of a rush for the kids playing, and they have been looking forward to this for a long time. We had a bad taste in our mouth after we bowed out early last year, and I think they feel like they have something to prove. It should be a great football game.”

HALLOWEEN: Change of venue turned out to be a holiday hit

Continued from page 3

and other volunteers contributed to the merriment. This was Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire District’s chief Tony Prior’s first Halloween in Sisters, and he was visibly delighted with the outcome.

“This is a real treat for me to see so many of our community gather in such a fun way,” he said.

In years past, the children paraded up and down Main, Cascade, and Hood avenues

FORUM: Anxiety has spiked among teenagers

Continued from page 1

Overstreet thinks the Sisters community provides those connections.

“We do an incredible job in a variety of ways of connecting kids with adults — with safe adults — in our community,” she said. “It’s rare that I see a kid in my practice that doesn’t have that. The ones who are not alright don’t have that.”

Such connections can be family, teachers, coaches, mentors — and often there are a variety of those connections in a child’s life here.

“I think that’s a real strength of Sisters,” Overstreet said. “There are people looking out for kids in our community.”

However, Overstreet is seeing a trend that tracks with national and even international trends: “I have seen a real increase in anxiety and eating disorders since 2020.”

Overstreet attributes some of that increase to the continued fallout from the COVID19 pandemic, and the disruptions it created in everyone’s lives.

“We never really had a close to that chapter,” she said.

The omnipresence of technology seems to be a clear culprit in the significant uptick in anxiety. Children, particularly teens, can experience really cruel cyber-bullying (often from people they know) and invidious comparisons with curated versions of other people’s lives that make them feel inadequate. Screen time alone can impede healthy engagement with the world.

“They’re so engrossed by technology that they’re missing out on real life,” Overstreet said.

Overstreet is not advocating for an unrealistic turning away from tech.

“I’m not saying no tech ever, that’s our lives,” she said.

She does , however,

gobbling up treats from shops and businesses whose owners and staff donned costumes. Led by the Sisters Business Association they once again suited up, but this time children, mostly accompanied by parents, left Village Green and made the stroll in family units, not 50-100 in organized groups as in prior years. This presented fewer traffic disruptions, and was less risky.

The biggest thrill to trickor-treaters and their adult companions was the Zombie flash mob put on by the Zumba Class dancers, a regular activity of SPRD.

This high-energy, upbeat class is a full-body workout

advocate strongly for parents to empower themselves to establish rules and boundaries. She says it’s particularly important to keep screens out of kids’ bedrooms at night. That’s often when they get bombarded with negative content — and it’s hitting them at a particularly vulnerable moment.

“They’re seeing this content when they’re …vulnerable — and after they don’t have an adult around to help them process it: late at night,” she said. “Kids should not have screens, phones, tablets when their parents are sleeping. It shouldn’t be in their room dinging at 2 a.m.”

Overstreet says she is unsure what has caused an uptick in eating disorders. And, she says, it is critical to act when such problems manifest themselves. She told The Nugget that an eating disorder is the most lethal mental health diagnosis for youth, and their families should not wait to get help.

“We know that the earlier we catch this, the less likely it is to develop into a full treatment-resistant eating disorder,” she said.

It’s also important to recognize that adolescents actually need to go through adversity and tumultuous feelings in order to grow and become fully functioning, resilient adults. Often, the best way to help them is to strategize and develop skills to regulate emotions. That helps a child much more than trying to “fix” a

set to a mixture of spicy Latin and International music.

After the dancers’ routine the kids joined in to the background music of songs like Michael Jackson’s iconic “Thriller.”

“This is a Norman Rockwell moment if ever I saw one,” said Dawn Holman from Cloverdale.

Many parents expressed relief in having this kind of event, making it unnecessary to go door-to-door trick or treating in the neighborhoods in the dark.

“It’s really so much safer this way and takes a lot of pressure off parents,” said Piper Farber.

problem for them.

“I think that we’re so uncomfortable with negative emotions that we want to ‘rescue,’” Overstreet said. “An important part of parenting is letting them feel their feelings and develop skills. We, as a community, need to be a safety net — without rushing to rescue at the first sign of discomfort… Sometimes that looks like coaching and mentoring rather than stepping in and solving problems for them.”

Overstreet will talk about these issues at the forum. A panel will kick off the discussion, which is intended to also solicit input from the audience about community needs and strategies to promote well-being. The panel currently includes: Ami Formica of Well Wired, a Bend-based tech advocacy group; longtime school counselor Charlie Kanzig; and Faith Keeton, Sisters High School senior class vice president.

Overstreet said she hopes that people attending and participating in the forum are inspired to recognize that they can have a big, positive impact in others’ lives.

“I hope that, as a community, people walk away with a sense of responsibility to look after all of the kids in the community,” she said.

“Are The Kids Alright?” is co-sponsored by The Nugget and supported by St. Charles Health System. The forum will be live-streamed and recorded, and light refreshments will be available.

Outlaws boys soccer season ends in league playoff

By Rongi Yost Correspondent

The Outlaws fell 2-0 at Siuslaw in a league playoff game on Tuesday, October 29, which brought their season to an end.

Sisters fell earlier in the season to Siuslaw in a final score of 1-2 and felt good about their chances coming into this contest.

Coach Jeff Husmann said, “We’ve had some heartbreaking close losses this year, and our plan for this game was to be focused and have fun. There’s the potential for lots of tough emotions when we lose those close games, but there was a positivity and lightness about this game.”

Early in the game the Outlaws dictated the tempo of play and held possession the majority of the time.

Seniors Nick Palmer and Danny Benson were especially motivated to play well.

“Nick had one of his best games of the season, and created opportunities for the Outlaws and distributed the ball well,” said Husmann. “Danny started the contest as an attacking midfielder and then gradually slid into the striker position. Danny was making great movement off the ball and getting some chances to score.”

Unfortunately the Outlaws committed a handball violation 30 minutes into the contest and the Falcons scored on a penalty kick. Outlaws’ keeper, Joseph Derksen, guessed the right way to go, but the ball

got underneath him.

“That was a tough goal to give up, especially since we had been dictating creating most of the chances to score,” said Husmann.

In the first half the Outlaws had seven shots on goal, and a few missed their mark by inches. At the half the Outlaws trailed 0-1.

Sisters headed into the second half with the same energy as the first, but five minutes into the final half the Outlaws had a goal kick from their end and failed to challenge for possession. That resulted in the Falcons getting numbers forward and they scored again.

“The Falcons play a counter-attacking style of play, looking to switch fields quickly and catch our outside defenders isolated against their attack, and that’s how they scored that second goal,” said Husmann.

Sisters’ defense did a great job the remainder of the half and kept the Falcons

from scoring additional goals, but time expired and the Outlaws took the loss.

Husmann did state that there’s always a bright side to any game, and specifically noted his freshmen players.

“We have progressed individually and collectively as a team this year,” said Husmann. “At any given time there were three freshmen playing on the varsity pitch. Jasper Jensen played some of his best soccer in this game as a striker. His confidence continues to

grow as does his understanding of what his role is.

Likewise, JB Greenwood and Odin Rea rotated time as a striker. Each adds a different and positive element to our attack. They all are so very hungry to improve and learn their role. Felix Montanez has worked his way into being a starter for us as an outside midfield. Alex Nieto is such an active and intelligent player, even though he can be a bit outsized. He has such a work rate and coachability about him.

“In a way, this game kind

of symbolized a passing of the torch from the seniors who have been such a part of the development of this program to the younger guys who are eager to continue the tradition of this program,” added Husmann. “Though we lost, the guys knew we played a solid game. There certainly was good camaraderie and lightheartedness on our last bus ride together. It really is all about building relationships and creating positive memories. I certainly will miss this group of guys while also looking forward to the road ahead.”

Portraits O F SISTERS

A self-proclaimed “gym rat,” 16-year old Ryan Hudson lifted weights for muscle and vanity. “It was ‘curls-for-the-girls’ back then,” he says with a wry smile. Inspired by the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ryan went after the glory of bulbous muscle. But that endeavor felt hollow. It took years of chasing dreams, attempting triathlons and semi-pro football before realizing something was amiss. When he discovered the physical dynamics of CrossFit, it clicked. A destiny was born. He moved to Sisters and founded Level 5 CrossFit in 2012. Humble beginnings with a few members has become a 1,200-member proud community today. “CrossFit is made for me, and I’m made for CrossFit. But that’s not my identity,” he says. Emboldened by his faith in Christ and desire to bring others to Him, Ryan has made physical fitness a journey and inspiration for others too. “I do more Bible instruction than fitness now,” he says of the growing fitness-faith group at his gym. “People are hungry for truth and community.” His personal journey has progressed, from vanity to value you might say. “I thought my destiny was winning the CrossFit Games, but serving people here and now is where I belong.”

Continued from page 1

1970s, spent much of his career teaching and coaching at Mead High School in Spokane, Washington, where his boys’ teams won 12 state titles and had 26 individual titles. At Gonzaga, where he has coached for the past 17 seasons, Tyson has built the distance running program to a level of national relevance and he has been named the West Coast Conference Coach of the Year three times.

Tyson spoke directly to some of the current SHS cross country runners during his speech, sharing the three principles Gonzaga adheres to for its student athletes.

“Win in the classroom, win in the community, and win in your sport,” he said. He said he recognized a very positive culture in his short time in Sisters and quipped, “If I could go back and do my high school coaching over again, I would want to coach here!”

Senior athletes introduced this year’s inductees, starting with Brooklyn Cooper, who spoke about Zoe Falk of the class of 2014, selected for her outstanding accomplishments in cross country and track and field. Falk started her running career with a bang as a state qualifier in cross country and track as a freshman and won the 800 meter title that year. She went on to score in multiple track events the following years as well and helped the Outlaws place third at state in both track and cross country. Zoe Willitts accepted the award on behalf of her granddaughter who was traveling in Croatia, and could not attend.

Jim Anderson, the legendary track coach for the Outlaws, was introduced by Spencer Tisdel. Anderson, who retired to Sisters in 1994, immediately got recruited to coach pole vault upon his arrival and has ended up doubling his career, with a total

now of 61 years in the sport. Anderson was described as a coach with a unique ability to inspire athletes and is known as the “Pied Piper of Pole Vaulting” for his ability to get kids hooked on the event starting in middle school. Upon accepting his award, he joked, “I guess if you stick around long enough something good happens.”

A four-sport athlete at Sisters High School, Stefan Redfield (class of 2007), introduced by Cooper Merrill, was honored for his stellar high school and collegiate career as a runner. After his high school years, Stefan went on to compete at Willamette University where he earned All-American honors and was named the Male Athlete of the Year in 2011. Stefan lives locally with his wife and two children and is working as a software developer and engineer.

Natalie Ambrose (Class of 2014), introduced by Tallis Grummer, could not attend due to being overseas, but sent in a video message detailing her gratefulness for being selected while acknowledging the power of the experiences she had as a student and athlete at Sisters High. A standout soccer and track athlete at Sisters who earned numerous accolades, Ambrose went on to compete for Columbia University where she continued to accrue recognition, including the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year. In her video presentation she shared that in the ten years since she left Sisters she has never felt a sense of place as much as her time in Sisters, which she attributed to her experiences as an athlete and, in particular, due to her participation in the Integrated Environmental Expedition (IEE) program.

A three-sport athlete in football, basketball and base ball Bryce Gardinier (Class of 1999), was named the SHS athlete of the year as a senior for his high level per formance across all three disciplines. Former coaches describe Gardinier as having

an unwavering work ethic and spirit. He went on to earn National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics AllAmerican honors in baseball at Western Oregon University. He works in Salem as a senior software engineer.

The final individual recognized was Brandon Pollard, a state champion runner for the Outlaws’ track team as a senior in 2014. John Berg presented the introduction on Pollard, which included a long list of honors and accomplishments including holding the school record at Gonzaga University for 800 meters. Pat Tyson spoke extensively about Pollard in his talk that highlighted Pollard’s incredible persistence after dealing with injuries during his career at Gonzaga. Brandon is now teaching sixth grade in Mukilteo, Washington.

To wrap up the evening the IEE program was inducted under the special contributor

category of the Hall of Fame. The program started 24 years ago under the leadership of teachers Rob Phelps, Samra Spear, Glen Herron, and Rand Runco. Interestingly, four of the inductees, Pollard, Redfield, Falk, and Ambrose, took part in the program while in high school and have remarked on its impact in their lives.

IEE students explore the ecological and cultural significance of our surroundings here in Sisters. Two expeditions each year highlight the program: one into the Three Sisters Wilderness and the other on the Deschutes River. Hands-on activities including leave-no-trace camping, forest studies, orienteering, and restoration projects develop a sense of leadership, community, and stewardship among the students. The program is commonly acknowledged by graduation speakers and past graduates as their most

impactful learning and high school.

Rand Runco said, “It’s such a privilege and an amazing experience to be able to be in the outdoors with kids and see them start to realize what their footprint and impact can be in the world. And when past students come back and tell us what they learned, that’s when we, as teachers, get to understand the power of what the program offers kids.”

Don Pollard summed up the impact of the ceremony.

“Every time we have this event it reminds me of what a special place Sisters is,” Pollard said. “The enduring love expressed by the inductees about their experiences in Sisters from their community, schools, teachers, and coaches, and how their experience had such a positive impact on their lives, is such a strong reinforcement of why we all live in Sisters.”

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The Sisters High School IEE Program was honored by the Outlaws Hall of Fame, along with: Zoe Falk; Coach Jim Anderson; Natalie Ambrose; Bryce Gardinier; Stefan Redfield; and Brandon Pollard. Falk and Ambrose were out of the country, so family members accepted their plaque, a copy of which will be enshrined in the Outlaws Hall of Fame display at SHS.

PHOTO BY JACK TURPEN

and fundraising gaps.

“I’m optimistic that we’ll get the support we need,” she said.

Returning to her 10-year role as executive director, while also acting as farm director, sounds like a lot of work to Tehan. On the other hand, “We’ve learned a ton. We’re not in the same place we were a year and a half ago,” when she decided to step down from the executive director position.

“There’s a part of me that feels like this is a coming home,” Tehan mused. “I feel deeply settled, being surrounded by our staff and board that have been with us so long. This is an unexpected challenge but I wouldn’t want to be doing it with anybody else.”

Seed to Table leaders are taking steps to ensure that Tehan has extra support for a smooth transition. They have identified a consultancy group specializing in grant funding to take some work off of Tehan’s plate next year, and emotional support from around Sisters Country nourishes Tehan as well.

“I’ve gotten an outpouring of words of encouragement, people reiterating how much Seed to Table means to them and the community,”

she said. “That’s given me a lot of energy to head into the unknown.”

A diversified funding model is used by STT receiving about one-third of its revenue from the programs it produces, another third from grants, and a final third from individual donors and sponsors.

Grant funding brought in less revenue than hoped this year. STT recently met with local grant-writing experts who reported a drastic increase in the number of organizations applying for available grants. This means fewer organizations receive less funding.

“Competitiveness increased this year due to multiple factors that have created tough situations for many nonprofits across the state,” explained Tehan.

New projects and large expansions often receive more funding than programs that are already up and running. Yet according to experts such as the Center for Effective Philanthropy, funders generally see strong outcomes when they support existing programs—and the employees that make those programs tick.

“It’s really the people on our team that make everything happen. Investing in our people is the most important thing we pay for,” Tehan said. “It can be hard to fundraise for staff — but without them, we are an empty field covered with cheatgrass.”

Six months’ operating reserves have been built up by STT.

Tehan said, “We’re thankful that the reduced grant revenue isn’t going to cause cuts in any of our programming — yet.”

Donations from the community provide essential financial support and lift spirits, too. “Farming and running programs takes a lot of heart and grit,” Tehan said. “We are in it so much every day—teaching the kids, battling the wind, the team is out there farming in icicles right now—so when someone sends us a check, it’s inspiring to all of us.”

Core programs of STT have grown this year. The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce share now reaches 180 households. The farm is growing nearly 100,000 pounds of produce this year; weekly, more than 2,200 people receive these fresh, local veggies. Forty percent is donated to food pantries and partners such as Family Access Network.

“We’ve had an incredible fall bounty,” Tehan enthused. “The colors that are coming out of the field right now and the quality of food are just so good.”

In the organization’s education program, director Hannah Joseph revamped curricula and lesson plans

that serve over a thousand local students. Sisters Farmers Market, another core program of STT, expanded into new territory (see related article, page 17).

Tehan expressed deep gratitude for the board of directors.

“I am so thankful for the board’s support of me and the staff, and the care they bring to overseeing the organization,” Tehan elaborated.

Board chair Sheila Doyle Kelley offered a statement about STT’s time of transition. “Audrey Tehan, Hannah Joseph, and Willa Bauman are powerhouse leaders in programming. Helen Vaskevitch has been elevating our operations over the past five years. Our farm managers Jenn Gardener, Rubye Fangmeier, and Vivian

Toll have been in leadership roles with us for three years, championing efforts on the ground every day. That kind of stability, dedication, and indispensable talent will continue to empower the organization as we work on longterm sustainability plans.”

STT leadership will use the farm’s fallow period over the winter to explore possibilities for the future.

“Decisions regarding a longer-term executive director will be made once the organization thoughtfully assesses the best path forward,” according to a press release.

In the meantime, STT is reaching out to supporters for end-of-year donations. For more information on Seed to Table visit www.seedto tableoregon.org.

A record-breaking season for Sisters Farmers Market

By T. Lee Brown Correspondent

Playing host to a recordbreaking number of visitors, accepting a range of new vendors, and trying out expansions of its physical footprint, Sisters Farmers Market just closed out its biggest season yet.

“We had a great season,” market manager Willa Bauman enthused. The final market, October 27, marked the latest time of year Sisters Farmers Market has ever been open.

“The last day was really great. We got blue skies right at 10 o’clock after a rainy morning. It was a nice crisp fall day,” Bauman said.

Since nonprofit Seed to Table (STT) brought the market under its wing in 2020, the market has grown consistently. The 2024 season brought an ambitious expansion with new opportunities for programming and vendors—not to mention more shoppers than ever.

“We recorded our highest attendance ever in a single day: 2,136 visitors on Opening Day,” Bauman said. A record 87 different vendors brought farm produce, handmade goods, art, and locally made foods over the course of the season.

Expanding its physical footprint to an empty lot across the street allowed for more space and more vendors. “First Interstate Bank gave us a generous in-kind donation to use the lot,” she explained. “That meant we could invite in larger farms like Rainshadow Organics, Marquam Hill Berries, and Baird Orchards.”

Bauman and STT leadership decided to extend the market season based on feedback from vendors. “As we get closer to holiday gift shopping, it’s a crucial time for people selling storage crops, pantry staples, crafts, jewelry, bottled sauces, and other gifts,” said Bauman.

The longer season also allowed Double Up Food Bucks customers more time to use their extra dollars on farm-fresh produce and other goods.

Vendors and visitors alike enjoyed another addition to the market’s offerings: an indoor space provided in cooperation with Sisters Makers.

“When we had smoky weather early on in July, a month before we normally need to worry about the smoke, it was crucial to have that indoor space,” Bauman said. “We could invite in people with health issues around smoke, and vendors selling products that needed to get out of the heat.” Workshops were also held

indoors: making wildflower seed bombs with Worthy Environmental and School of Ranch, coffee tastings, and a series of workshops covering electrical and home repair, gardening, and other handson activities.

Customer feedback showed local appreciation for the added variety that new spaces and new vendors offered: meats, more bakers, and fresh pasta among them. “As we improve the market, we take into account how we can bring more diversity in terms of what is offered each Sunday,” Bauman explained.

Community support fueled the market’s expansion and season extension, which involved planning, working with the City of Sisters, and business sponsorships. “We’re thankful to have their input and support,” said Bauman.

Why are vendors attracted to Sisters Farmers Market?

Lillian Owen, co-owner and baker at Curmuffins, appreciates the market’s friendly vibe and direct connections to local ingredients.

“The wonderful thing about the farmers market is

we get to feature fresh local produce in our bakery, and get to know the farmers,” she said. Working in the culinary industry in Central Oregon previously, she found that many people claimed their foods were local while sourcing their produce from places like Portland.

At the Curmuffins booth, usually tucked into a corner near Sisters Historical Museum, Owen said she can point to her baked goods and identify which farms at the market provided ingredients for each item.

She said some of the new

foot traffic flow felt different and she expects the market will “tweak it. I think it’s great that the market has expanded and let more vendors in because it’s such a great market. The relationships, the Sisters community, have always been nice and friendly,” Owen said.

One record-breaker for 2024 caused difficulties: more conditions of smoke and excessive heat than any

season since STT brought the market into its fold. A new grant from Oregon Farmers Markets Association will help the market address those issues next year.

Focused on climate resiliency, the grant will improve the comfort and health of vendors, staff, performers, and visitors. Misting systems and making cold water available on hot days will help vendors on days when the smoke and heat are troublesome but not high enough to cause a market closure.

The grant also funds a promotional campaign around eating local all season long and encouraging visitors on those days with less than ideal weather and air quality.

Bauman is excited to keep refining and improving the market. Finishing out her second season as the market’s director, she said, “I feel so grateful and supported by our community. We have a really creative group of people.”

A growing Sisters Farmers Market closed out its season just over a week ago, a longer market season than ever before.

PHOTO BY WHITNEY WHITEHOUSE

NONPROFITS:

Workshop will

representatives from AFSC, Sisters Transportation and Ride Share (STARS), Sisters Community Leadership Initiative (SCLI), Rotary Club of Sisters, Living Well With Dementia Sisters, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC), and The Grant Lab.

Age Friendly Sisters Country is an organization that helps other groups get started. Their biggest success story to date is STARS, which became the first AFSC team, benefitting from AFSC’s nonprofit status and guidance in the early days of their becoming a functioning organization. STARS has become an independent nonprofit which offers free rides to medical appointments for those unable to drive themselves. AFSC provided the opportunity for STARS to secure necessary volunteers, become firmly established on a sound financial base, work out any problem areas and streamline their operations, and recruit a board of directors.

The workshop is an opportunity for community members to learn how and where to volunteer or what it takes to establish, finance, and run an organization or individual effort.

Mike Deal, AFSC’s board president, explained, “We’ve heard from many people who have great ideas but aren’t sure how to implement them. Our workshop will walk them through the ins and outs of various pathways like volunteering, fiscal sponsorship, starting a nonprofit, and more.”

“This is really a ‘Nonprofits 101’ kind of event,” said Klein. “There are so many opportuni

worthy local causes. But knowing where to dive in can be overwhelming. We aim to demystify the process — showing folks different levels of engagement based on their interest and capacity.”

The workshop will help answer questions like:

• Where do volunteer opportunities exist in Sisters Country?

• What does serving on a nonprofit board look like?

• What does it take to start a nonprofit?

• What is fiscal sponsorship, and how can it be an efficient way to launch a new community program?

• Where does one find funding for a new community program or initiative?

The event is free, but registration is requested for both in-person and online attendance and is accessible at bit.ly/wdydwai. The workshop is possible thanks to support from St. Charles Health System, AARP, and the City of Sisters. Transportation assistance, interpretation services, and childcare stipends are also available upon request; email hello@citizens4community. com to inquire.

EAST PORTAL: Design will improve transportation

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provide parking for downtown Sisters, and accommodate oversized vehicles. Existing on-site features (e.g., public restrooms) will be retained, which will reduce costs by avoiding reconstruction of existing amenities. Some features may be revised or expanded based on future operational needs. The bus pullout along US 20 will be used by eastbound transit vehicles.

The City says that the design will improve transit operations and reduce waiting times. Electric vehicle charging stations will be constructed along Cascade Avenue as part of Phase One, and will serve the transportation hub and downtown Sisters. Initial design concepts for these stations include covered parking with solar panels to aid with charging activities. Covered waiting areas will be located along the bus pull-through lane.

Security/Safety lighting

along roads and within parking areas, and pedestrian scale lighting along pathways, will be added. Flexible options to provide additional parking and/or other amenities to the north RV parking area on the southeast corner of the site will allow for oversize vehicles traveling to or through Sisters to have a dedicated place to park to access downtown amenities.

The layout and function of this portion of the site will continue to be refined through future design efforts. Bike parking (both short term and long term) will be added to the site as part of future design efforts to encourage multimodal site access and use. The project’s cost is estimated at $3.7 million and completion of the majority of the work is scheduled for 2025.

Work is underway at the East Portal where Highway 20, Highway 242, and Hood Avenue come together.

PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT

Poet shares love of Oregon’s outback

Bend-based author and poet Ellen Waterston will present essays from her forthcoming book, “We Could Die Doing This: Dispatches on Ageing from Oregon’s Outback,” along with poetry from her award-winning books on Thursday, November 14, at 6:30 p.m.

“Inspired by the example of the Poets Laureate who have preceded me, I am eager to share my love of poetry, place, and the power of the written word with Oregon’s diverse audiences,” said Waterston, “and to kindling creativity and community as I go.”

As a “card-carrying member of the over-the-hill gang,” award-winning high desert author and Oregon’s 11th Poet Laureate, Ellen Waterston, engages the reader in a rollicking conversation about ageing in “We Could Die Doing This: Dispatches on Ageing from Oregon’s Outback,” her

fourth nonfiction title. These lyrical short takes range from sacred to profane, sassy to compassionate, as Waterston addresses everything from green burial to sex to after seventy.

As poet and memoirist Judith Barrington says of this collection of short essays, “Most of us, whether of that ‘certain age’ or simply approaching it, need to listen to Waterston’s thoughts on the joyful possibilities of ‘the third act’; Waterston believes that ‘this phase of life is as rich, complex and dynam ic as any before it.’”

Caryl and Jay Casbon said, “You can bank on wickedly fresh language, original perspectives, and a rich mix of politics, nature, and dangerous opinions. After reading an essay, you will think about it. You will want to read it again.”

Waterston has published four poetry and four literary nonfiction titles. She is founder of the Writing Ranch

which, since 2000, has conducted workshops for established and emerging writers, and of the annual Waterston Desert Writing Prize, established in 2015 and adopted in 2019 as a program of the High Desert Museum. In 2024 she was appointed to a two-year term as the 11th Oregon Poet Laureate and awarded both the Literary Arts of Portland’s Stewart H. Holbrook and Soapstone Bread and Roses awards recognizing her work as an author and advocate for the literary arts. She serves on the guest faculty of OSUCascades’ MFA in Creative Writing. Ellen is completing a fifth collection of poetry.

For a profile of Waterston, see The Nugget’s fall edition of Spirit of Central Oregon magazine, at newsstands around Sisters or at issuu. com/nuggetnewspaper/docs/ spirit_2024_fall.

Paulina Springs Books is located at 252 W. Hood Ave.

Heart of Oregon’s YouthBuild students, in partnership with Sisters Band of Brothers, did maintenance work at Camp Polk Cemetery on Halloween. Sisters Band of Brothers educated the youth about the flag, the significance of veteran’s burials, and Camp Polk history.

HIGHWAY 242: ODOT warning is not a change in policy

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we have crews and heavy equipment up there reopening the road. It’s not a safe area when it’s closed.”

McCartt is Davey’s counterpart for the section of Highway 242 that is in Lane County.

Yet, despite its public statements, recreationalists don’t seem to be buying it. Christian Sammons of Stayton started a moveon.org petition that has already garnered over 1,900 signatures and more than 150 signers have donated money to the cause.

Petitioners to ODOT’s director, Kris Strickler, “are asking ODOT, USFS, and other key stakeholders

to reconsider this closure. Instead of blocking winter access completely, let’s work together to create a solution that allows safe and responsible recreation while maintaining public safety and supporting local economies.”

The Nugget asked local heads of the Forest Service and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office to comment on the alleged changes. Neither agency was aware of any changes and neither thought their agencies’ roles would in any way change.

When The Nugget contacted Sergeant Nathan Garibay of the Search and Rescue unit of the Sheriff’s Office, he too was unaware of any changes.

“If there are changes, it won’t affect the way we respond,” he said.

Those who venture beyond the snow gates on Highway 242 should be aware that they are undertaking the enterprise at their own risk. Anyone venturing into the backcountry should be prepared for adverse conditions.

He reinforced the need for preparedness when in such areas.

Davey said law enforcement and emergency services personnel all have keys to the gates.

In the winter, Highway 242 beyond the closed gates, is used by Nordic skiers, snowshoers, and snowmobilers. The Mt. Jefferson Snowmobile Club has groomed McKenzie Pass for over two decades. The club’s grooming efforts mitigate avalanche risks and maintain clear trails in an effort to provide a safer environment for all visitors.

The bulk of ODOT’s

concerns are not for winter recreationalists, but in the spring when the snow starts to melt and the highway is a magnet for bicyclists. They worry most when their crews are on the road clearing it of downed trees and limbs and plowing the remaining snow.

The McKenzie Pass–Santiam Pass Scenic Byway was designated a National Forest Scenic Byway in February 1989. It was later made an Oregon State Scenic Byway in February 1997 before becoming a National Scenic Byway in June 1998.

The McKenzie Pass Scenic Bikeway is a highly rated ride up and over the Cascade

Mountains along Highway 242. Starting in Sisters and finishing in the community of Rainbow, this 36.1-mile road traces an 1860s wagon route with picturesque switchbacks and is listed on the U.S. Register of Historic Places.

PHOTO BY JAROD GATLEY

The McKenzie Pass–Santiam Pass Scenic Byway was designated a National Forest Scenic Byway in 1989. It was later made an Oregon State Scenic Byway in 1997 before becoming a National Scenic Byway in 1998.

PHOTO BY JAROD GATLEY

Sisters crew responds to national disasters

Since the end of September, GFP Enterprises, LLC has been actively engaged in disaster relief recovery efforts following the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. At the height of the response efforts, GFP was providing needed resources and services at 40 separate locations throughout North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. The services and resources being provided include full-service base camps, shower trailers, laundry trailers, restroom trailers, potable water provision and wastewater removal, food services, along with onsite management and staffing.

To date, GFP has provided over 55 shower trailers, 31 laundry trailers, 25 restroom trailers, more than 75 power generators, 10 potable water tankers, 10 waste water tankers, 4 base camps, ADA accessible restroom and shower trailers, 4 full service staffed mobile kitchens, and over 150 first responders. Many of the sites that GFP is servicing require full wrap services including the provision of potable water, power, wastewater removal, fuel, propane, and onsite management. One of the standout feeding missions required GFP providing 2,500 meals within 18 hours of notification. Many of these sites do not have clean water, requiring this lifeline provision to be trucked in many times per day.

“The devastation caused by the flooding cannot be overstated,” said GFP’s CEO Don Pollard. “The human factor has had a lasting impact on GFP and its employees.

Mike Denning, one of GFP’s Senior Vice Presidents of Logistics said, “This has been an extremely rewarding experience. We are making a difference here in the local communities more than any job I can remember. It was a very eye-opening experience that I won’t forget. We have a solid group of people that work for us. (I believe) no other company could do what we did with the quality and compassion our employees showed.”

With over four hundred pieces of mobile equipment and over three hundred employees geographically located throughout the United States, GFP can respond quickly to fires, hurricanes, and other disasters, natural or man-made.

Pollard noted in a press release that the organization is thankful to be a valued and trusted partner to its customers in responding to disasters or crises nationwide.

“These relationships have been developed based on trust and reliability over a span of two decades,” he said. “Since 2000, very few companies have had the multitude of opportunities GFP has had to respond and provide needed resources and first responders in a time of need. None of this is possible without a large amount of capability, scalability, and a large pool of trained, qualified and experienced employees who are committed.”

GFP Response is still servicing over 20 locations in North Carolina today and will continue to provide services for as long as they are needed.

Resource fair helps those dealing with dementia

Living Well with Dementia Sisters will host the Care and Connect Resource Fair on Thursday, November 14, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Sisters Community Church, 1300 McKenzie Hwy. This free event is designed to connect all care partners with local organizations and resources to help them navigate the challenges of supporting loved ones living with dementia.

The Care and Connect Resource Fair will feature more than 20 local service providers and community organizations, each offering valuable information and tools for caregivers. The fair aims to foster a supportive environment where care partners can learn more about resources available to them, meet representatives from various

support organizations, and find guidance on managing the unique needs of dementia care and other illnesses.

“We understand the challenges faced by families and friends who provide care for loved ones with dementia,” said Debbi McCune, Living Well with Dementia Sisters. “This fair is our way of empowering caregivers, regardless of the type of disease, with knowledge, support, and resources right here in our community. It’s an opportunity to connect and find the support they need.”

Living Well with Dementia Sisters encourages all local care partners, families, and community members interested in learning more about dementia care resources to attend.

s Crossword Sponsors

ALL advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

CLASSIFIED RATES

COST: $3.50 per line for first insertion, $2.50 per line for each additional insertion to 9th week, $1.50 per line 10th week and beyond (identical ad/consecutive weeks). Also included in The Nugget online classifieds at no additional charge. There is a minimum $5 charge for any classified. First line = approx. 20-25 characters, each additional line = approx. 25-30 characters. Letters, spaces, numbers and punctuation = 1 character. Any ad copy changes will be charged at the first-time insertion rate of $3.50 per line. Standard abbreviations allowed with the approval of The Nugget classified department. NOTE: Legal notices placed in the Public Notice section are charged at the display advertising rate.

DEADLINE: MONDAY, noon preceding WED. publication. PLACEMENT & PAYMENT: Office, 442 E. Main Ave. Phone, 541-549-9941 or place online at NuggetNews.com. Payment is due upon placement. VISA & MasterCard accepted. Billing available for continuously run classified ads, after prepayment of first four (4) weeks and upon approval of account application.

CATEGORIES:

102 Commercial Rentals OFFICE/RETAIL

SPACE FOR RENT

Great location across from Ace Hardware. Several space types available. Call owner

Jim Peterson/RE Broker. 503-238-1478

STORAGE WITH BENEFITS

8 x 20 dry box

Fenced yard, RV & trailers

In-town, gated, 24-7

EWDevcoLLC@gmail.com

MINI STORAGE

Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631

Sizes 5x5 to 15x30 and outdoor

RV parking. 7-day access.

Computerized security gate. Moving boxes & supplies.

Executive Office Space

Very nice executive office space for rent in Sisters light industrial park. 224 sq. ft. private office.

Shared restrooms with shower. Shared conference/kitchen room. Easy parking. All utilities included. Starting at $750 per month. Call 541-549-9631

103 Residential Rentals

2 BR, 2 BA back corner unit #205 at Cowboy Court

Apartments, 154 W Adams Ave.

$1,600/mo. W/S/Garbage Paid, dishwasher, microwave, washer & dryer, patio, garbage disposal, granite countertops, energy efficient windows, storage, plank flooring throughout, electric heat w/air conditioning, off-street parking - 1 reserved space (covered space $20/Month), some pets considered (dogs & cats OK with add'l $350 RSD per pet), owner pays landscaping, approx. 1,000 sq. ft., NO SMOKING, RSD $1,600, Lease thru September 30, 2025.

PONDEROSA PROPERTIES

–

Monthly Rentals Available–Call Debbie at 541-549-2002

Full details, 24 hrs./day, go to: PonderosaProperties.com

Printed list at 178 S. Elm, Sisters Ponderosa Properties LLC

3 bedroom, 2 bath house with attached garage. Near old grade school. Refrigerator, stove/oven, washer/dryer, A/C. Fenced yard. Small pets allowed. Owner pays all utilities including internet.

$2,500 first/last month's rent plus $300 cleaning deposit ($500 with pets). No smoking. Call 541-639-2875.

Gorgeous architectural home. 22 min. east of Sisters.

Available Jan. 4 thru March.

Fully furnished, 3,380 sq. ft., 3 BR, 3 BA. $4,900/month, plus utilities. 541-480-4083

CASCADE HOME & PROPERTY RENTALS

Monthly Rentals throughout Sisters Country. 541-549-0792

Property management for second homes. CascadeHomeRentals.com

104 Vacation Rentals

~ Sisters Vacation Rentals ~ Private Central OR vac. rentals, Property Management Services 541-977-9898

www.SistersVacation.com

Downtown Vacation Rentals

Popular 1 and 2 Bedroom

SistersVacationRentals.net

Great pricing. 503-730-0150

202 Firewood

• WINTER 2024 •

SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS

DAVE ELPI – FIREWOOD

• SINCE 1976 •

Doug Fir – Lodgepole –Hardwood – Juniper – Fir

DRIVE-IN WOOD SALES

– 18155 Hwy. 126 East –

SistersForestProducts.com

Order Online! 541-410-4509 541-699-7740

204 Arts & Antiques

Studio at the Loop Art Sale

780 Westview Loop in Sisters Weekends in November Thurs-Sat, 10 to 5. Pictures of American flag; and poppy pictures and merchandise. 15% of sales donated to Tunnel to Towers in your name.

205 Garage & Estate Sales

HERITAGE USA

Open daily 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

253 E. Hood Ave., Sisters. Happy Trails Estate Sales and online auctions!

Selling, Downsizing, or Deaths?

Locally owned & operated by... Daiya 541-480-2806 Sharie 541-771-1150

301 Vehicles

We Buy, Sell, Consign Quality Cars, Trucks, SUVs & RVs ~ Call Jeff at 541-815-7397

Sisters Car Connection da#3919 SistersCarConnection.com

401 Horses

ORCHARD GRASS HAY ALFALFA TRITICALE

New crop. No rain. Barn stored. 3-tie bales. $240-$360/ton. Hwy. 126 & Cline Falls. 541-280-1895

403 Pets

SISTERS WHISKERS

Your purr-fect friend is waiting for you at our local nonprofit cat rescue! Apply to adopt at: sisterswhiskers.org

Junk removal, new home, garage & storage clean-out, construction, yard debris. You Call – We Haul! 541-719-8475

GEORGE’S SEPTIC TANK SERVICE

“A Well Maintained Septic System Protects the Environment” 541-549-2871

• DERI’s HAIR SALON • Call 541-419-1279

501 Computers & Communications

3 Sisters TeleNetworks, LLC Cable jobs, security cameras, WAPs. CCB #191099 541-318-7000 • 541-306-0729

502 Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning GORDON’S LAST TOUCH Cleaning Specialists for CARPETS, WINDOWS & UPHOLSTERY

Member Better Business Bureau • Bonded & Insured • Serving Central Oregon Since 1980 Call 541-549-3008

M & J CARPET CLEANING

Area rugs, upholstery, tile & dryer-vent cleaning. Established & family-owned since 1986. 541-549-9090

504 Handyman

3 Sisters Handyman Services

20+ years experience No job too large or small. Snow removal services available. Licensed, Bonded, and Insured Call Nate 907-748-4100 CCB# 253556

- 9 9 4 1 www.NuggetNews.com

600 Tree Service & Forestry

– All You Need Maintenance –Tree removal, property thinning & clearing, forestry mastication & mulching, stump grinding. Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122

LOLO TREE WORKS

Tree Services: Tree Removal, Tree Pruning, Stump Grinding, Emergency Tree Services. ISA Certified Arborist Owner / Operator: Erin Carpenter lolotreeworks.com Call / Text: 503-367-5638

4 Brothers Tree Service Sisters' Premier Tree Experts! – TREE REMOVAL & CLEANUP –Native / Non-Native Tree Assessments, Pruning, High-Risk Removals, 24 Hr. Emergency Storm Damage Cleanup, Craning & Stump Grinding, Debris Removal. – FOREST MANAGEMENT –Fire Fuels Reduction - Brush Mowing, Mastication, Tree Thinning, Large & Small Scale Projects! Serving Black Butte Ranch, Camp Sherman & Sisters Area since 2003 ** Free Estimates **

Owner James Hatley & Sons 541-815-2342

4brostrees.com

Licensed, Bonded and Insured CCB-215057 T

500 Services

SMALL Engine REPAIR Lawn Mowers, Chainsaws & Trimmers

Sisters Rental 331 W. Barclay Drive 541-549-9631

Authorized service center for Stihl, Honda, Ariens/Gravely, Cub Cadet, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, Kawasaki Engines

Email: erin@lolotreeworks.com CCB #240912

TimberStandImprovement.net Tree Removal & Pruning TRAQ Arborist/ CCB#190496 541-771-4825 JS Mulching LLC Forestry mulching, Land clearing. Free estimates. Licensed & Insured 541-401-9589

Custom Homes

Additions - Remodels

Residential Building Projects

Becke William Pierce

CCB# 190689 • 541-647-0384

Beckewpcontracting@gmail.com

SPURGE COCHRAN

BUILDER, INC.

General Contractor

Building Distinctive, Handcrafted Custom Homes, Additions, Remodels, Cabin Renovations Since ’74

A “Hands-On” Builder

Keeping Your Project on Time & On Budget • CCB #96016 To speak to Spurge personally, call 541-815-0523

From Ground to Finish

Accurate and Efficient 541-604-5169

CCB#248916

INSPIRED CUSTOM HOMES

www.teeharborconstruction.com

541-213-8736 • CCB#75388

Construction & Renovation

Custom Residential Projects

All Phases

• CCB #148365 541-420-8448

Custom Homes • Additions

Residential Building Projects

Serving Sisters area since 1976 Strictly Quality

CCB #16891 • CCB #159020 541-280-9764

John Pierce

jpierce@bendbroadband.com

Earthwood Timberframes

• Design & shop fabrication

• Recycled fir and pine beams

• Mantels and accent timbers

• Sawmill/woodshop services

EWDevCoLLC@gmail.com

New construction, addition, remodel. Large and small projects. Contact for estimate. 541-325-3020 sales@gardnercontractingllc.com

602 Plumbing & Electric

Ridgeline Electric, LLC

Serving all of Central Oregon

• Residential

• Industrial

• Commercial

• Service 541-588-3088 • CCB #234821

SWEENEY

PLUMBING, INC.

“Quality and Reliability” Repairs • Remodeling

• New Construction • Water Heaters 541-549-4349

Residential and Commercial

Licensed • Bonded • Insured CCB #87587

Commercial • Residential • Industrial • Remodels • Generators • Hot tubs/Saunas monteselectric@hotmail.com

CCB#200030 • 541-480-9860

– Advertise with The Nugget –541-549-9941

603 Excavation & Trucking

Excavation: septic system installation and repair, utility installation, site prep, demolition, road and driveway construction and maintenance. "We dig your project" contact 541-325-3020 sales@gardnercontractingllc.com

ROBINSON & OWEN

Heavy Construction, Inc.

All your excavation needs

*General excavation

*Site Preparation

*Sub-Divisions

*Road Building

*Sewer and Water Systems

*Underground Utilities

*Grading

*Sand-Gravel-Rock

Licensed • Bonded • Insured CCB #124327 541-549-1848

BANR Enterprises, LLC

Earthwork, Utilities, Grading, Hardscape, Rock Walls

Residential & Commercial

CCB #165122 • 541-549-6977

www.BANR.net Full Service Excavation

Free On-site Visit & Estimate Tewaltandsonsexcavation@gmail .com

541-549-1472 • CCB #76888

Drainfield

• Minor & Major Septic Repair

• All Septic Needs/Design & Install

General Excavation

• Site Preparation

• Rock & Stump Removal

• Pond & Driveway Construction Preparation

• Building Demolition

Trucking

• Deliver Top Soil, Sand, Gravel, Boulders, Water

• Dump Trucks, Transfer Trucks, Belly

• The Whole 9 Yards or 24 Whatever You Want!

604 Heating & Cooling

ACTION AIR

Heating & Cooling, LLC

Retrofit • New Const • Remodel Consulting, Service & Installs

actionairheatingandcooling.com

CCB #195556 541-549-6464

– Sisters Oregon Guide –Pick one up throughout town!

605 Painting

~ FRONTIER PAINTING ~ Quality Painting, Ext. & Int. Refurbishing Decks

CCB #131560 • 541-771-5620 www.frontier-painting.com

JUNE PINE PAINTING

Interior & Exterior Painting

Staining & Deck Restoration

541-588-2144 • CCB# 252954

METOLIUS PAINTING LLC

Meticulous, Affordable Interior & Exterior 541-280-7040 • CCB# 238067 Interior/Exterior Painting

Deck Refinishing Jacob deSmet 503-559-9327

peakperformancepainting1@ gmail.com • CCB#243491

EMPIRE PAINTING

Interior and Exterior Painting and Staining

CCB#180042

541-613-1530 • Geoff Houk

606 Landscaping & Yard Maintenance

Keeping Sisters Country Beautiful Since 2006 candcnursery@gmail.com 541-549-2345

Complete landscape construction, fencing, irrigation installation & design, pavers/outdoor kitchens, debris cleanups, fertility & water conservation management, excavation.

CCB #188594 • LCB #9264 www.vohslandscaping.com 541-515-8462

STEVE'S HAULING

Yard and other debris, landscaping services, chain saw work, etc. 707-328-8370

All Landscaping Services

Mowing, Thatching, Hauling Call Abel Ortega, 541-815-6740

– All You Need Maintenance –Pine needle removal, hauling, mowing, moss removal, edging, raking, weeding, pruning, roofs, gutters, pressure washing. Lic/Bonded/Ins. CCB# 218169 Austin • 541-419-5122

701 Domestic Services

BLAKE & SON – Commercial, Home & Rentals Cleaning WINDOW CLEANING! Lic. & Bonded • 541-549-0897

I & I Crystal Cleaning, LLC Specializing in Commercial, Residential & Vacation Rentals. Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 541-977-1051

704 Events & Event Services

Homespun Holiday Bazaar

Sat., Nov. 9 (9 a.m.-3 p.m.)

St. Thomas Parish Center 1720 NW 19th St, Redmond

A Country Store, Grandma

Martha's Attic, Handmade Items, Quilts and Keep Christ in Christmas Gifts. Entire proceeds help with Altar Society Projects and Local Charities!

Country Christmas Bazaar

Fri.-Sat., Nov. 8-9 • 9-4

Homemade, affordable gifts of all kinds. Delectable array of homemade cookies, candy, jams. 69427 Crooked Horseshoe Rd. Off Camp Polk Rd., Sisters Trudy, 541-410-3858

Holidays in The Pines

A marketplace featuring fall & winter items, handmade & homegrown, with a touch of vintage. Nov. 8 & 9, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Tollgate Clubhouse, 15004 Saddle.

A portion of proceeds will benefit Sisters Habitat and Central Oregon Veterans Ranch. holidayinthepines@outlook.com

802 Help Wanted

Sisters Habitat for Humanity:

Thrift Store Assistant/Online

Sales: Join an energetic, positive, Sisters Habitat Thrift Store staff. The Thrift Store Assistant works with customers, donors, volunteers, and other staff. Responsibilities include online sales, donation intake, cashiering, supporting volunteers, and other tasks as needed. Schedule is 19-26 hours per week plus fill vacation days, holidays, and sick days for other staff members. This position is part-time permanent. See job description at https://www.sistershabitat.org/ employment. To apply, email cover letter and resume to rick@sistershabitat.org.

Keep up-to-date! Check us out for breaking news at www.nuggetnews.com

803 Work Wanted POSITION WANTED; for Companion Caregiver. Looking for part-time; must be close to Sisters downtown. References upon request. Please call 503-274-0214

999 Public Notice CITY OF SISTERS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS CITY FORESTER

The City of Sisters is soliciting Request for Proposals (RFP) for a City Forester to provide Urban Forestry Advisory Services to City staff and the City’s Urban Forestry Board (UFB). Responding firms/individuals shall be certified by the Society of American Foresters as a Certified Forester and/or certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) as a Certified Arborist Municipal Specialist and/or certified by the American Society of Consulting Arborists as a Registered Consulting Arborist. Respondents shall provide one electronic (PDF) copy on a thumb drive and one hard copy of their Proposal marked "CITY OF SISTERS CITY FORESTER" by 4:00 P.M. on November 19, 2024, addressed to: City of Sisters Rebecca Green, City Recorder 520 E. Cascade Avenue PO Box 39 Sisters, Oregon 97759

For more information please visit the City of Sisters website at https://www.ci.sisters.or.us/rfps

SERVICE TO PROVIDE? BUSINESS TO PROMOTE? VEHICLE FOR SALE? HOUSE TO RENT? LOOKING FOR LAND? GARAGE TOO FULL? NEED SOME HELP? Advertise in The Nugget Newspaper's CLASSIFIEDS For no additional cost your classified goes ONLINE! Go to www.NuggetNews.com DEADLINE: Every Monday by noon. Call 541-549-9941

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