The beer from here: Sunriver Brewing is ready to begin local beer production at their new brew facility in the Sunriver Business Park.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Nature Center................ 8 Calendar...................... 13 SROA News.................. 22
Public Safety................ 30 Classified..................... 38 Commentary................ 39
Sunriver residents gallivant across the globe in the our quarterly travel feature Making the Scene
Pages 20-21
Sunriver’s top stories of 2013 – see page 11
S U N R I V E R
S C E N E A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSOCIATION
JANUARY • 2014
volume xxxix • Number 1
The big chill: Below zero temps damage homes By Brooke Snavely At least eight homes in Sunriver sustained water damage from frozen and burst pipes in early December when temperatures dropped to 24 below zero, and stayed below zero for several consecutive nights. Most of the damaged homes were unoccupied and the problems were not apparent until water began flowing out from under doors and windows and freezing on siding, front steps or driveways. That’s when neighbors, contractors and service providers who happened to pass by noticed ice build up and notified owners of possible problems. One Sunriver home had icicles sprouting from its exterior walls, likely the result of water flowing across second story floors until it found a way out. A Scene photographer who took pictures of the exterior ice buildup reported hearing sounds of things falling inside the home; possibly caused by chunks of saturated dry wall and insulation falling off the ceiling and walls. Owners of homes that show signs of water damage are notified by various means. Sometimes neighbors notify the owner. Sometimes a contractor who happens to be working a few doors down notices a problem and calls the water company. The water company reads the meter and discovers unusually high water consumption, a telltale indicator of broken water pipes inside the home. The water is shut off at the street as a precautionary measure and the company notifies the homeowner. Witnesses often call the Sunriver Owners Association which in turn notifies the homeowner. However they get notified, homeowners who experience frozen and burst water pipes have a repair and restoration odyssey ahead of them. Personal experience Sunriver owner Nancy Dunckel experienced water damage last winter when her home’s heating system failed, pipes froze and burst on both levels of her Turn to Freeze, page 3 SUNRIVER SCENE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSN. VOLUME XL • NUMBER 1 P.O. BOX 3278 SUNRIVER, OR 97707
susan berger photo
Shane hostbjor photo
Following a bone-chilling 24 below zero in Sunriver on Dec. 8, several homes sustained broken pipes and severe water damage. This home had a second story water leak, resulting in a frozen waterfall on an outside wall.
Sunriver residents serving as Peace Corps volunteers in Macedonia
By Scene staff Sunriver residents Rob and Sandi Merrigan are halfway through a 27-monthlong Peace Corps volunteer service commitment in Delchevo, Macedonia. The Sunriver couple marked the occasion with glasses of Macedonian wine on the tiny balcony of their small, Tito-era third floor apartment. Sandi is teaching English in a public primary school, and Rob works with a non-governmental organization that advocates for the Roma population, formally known as Gypsies. Sandi described her teaching assignment as rewarding. She said the children make her feel like a rock star every time she enters a classroom. “Hopefully, learning English will give this young generation a better future in a competitive world. Rob’s work with the Roma, an underprivileged minority, has introduced us to a rich culture that is often discriminated against,” they wrote in an email to the Scene. The Merrigans describe the Delchevo villagers as resourceful and generous. “Homemade takes on a new meaning here. Nearly everyone has a garden or
Rob and Sandi Merrigan
farm. Fruits and vegetables are either pickled, canned or dried. Families distill their own plum brandy (rakiya), and make gallons of wine and juice. Hours of labor go into cutting and stacking wood to heat their homes during the cold winters. “When we are out for a walk, strangers give us produce from their gardens. We are often invited in for a Turkish coffee. It is the safest place we have ever lived. Every Saturday, we shop at the outdoor farmer’s market and marvel at the size of leeks and cabbages and the variety of peppers. The vendors often give us free stuff. They are amused that
we only want to buy two onions instead of a kilo.” Macedonia struggles with high unemployment and many Macedonians move to other countries in search of work, which is why the Peace Corps has programs in the country. Although there are modern amenities such as Internet, TV and cell phones, it is common to see donkey carts and mule-drawn wagons on the main streets. Shepherds tend flocks of sheep on nearby hillsides. Villagers are provincial. Many have never been more than a few miles from their places of birth. Village life hasn’t changed much in hundreds of years. The Macedonian Orthodox Church dates back to the 4th century to the origins of Christianity. “The ornate churches are open day and night for individuals to visit, pray, light candles and leave offerings in front of icons. There are numerous saint days, fasting days, and religious holidays throughout the year, but no regular Sunday service as we know them. Families regularly Turn to Macedonia, page 5 PRSRT STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BEND, OR PERMIT NO. 213