Sunriver and south Deschutes County was pummeled by a wet snowstorm that brought down trees and knocked out power to thousands
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Nature Center ............... 8 Calendar ..................... 13 SROA Board................ 22
Public Safety ............... 30 Classified .................... 38 Commentary ............... 39
Sunriver Rotarians joined an international work party for two weeks in Briddim, Nepal to assist earthquake victims
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S U N R I V E R
S C E N E A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSOCIATION
JANUARY • 2016
VOLUME XLII • NUMBER 1
Sunriver friends walk 2,015 miles together in 2015 It sounded like a New Year’s resolution, but ended as a challenge: Could Sunriver residents Katie Hall and Judy Jenkins walk 2,015 miles in the year 2015? After considering questions and concerns, their answer was, “sure we can!” Jenkins and Hall used Fitbit devices to monitor their progress. They were helped by last winter’s mild weather that allowed them to walk outside nearly every day. Their average daily walks were 7 to 10 miles. Sometimes Jenkins and Hall had a route in mind, but they often set out walking and figured out routes as they went. Their average speed was 15 minutes per mile, trying to walk as fast as they could. “Much of our walking took place on the wonderful bike paths in Sunriver, but we also ventured to River Meadows, Bend, and hiking trails in the Cascades. You may have seen us out there striding along, chatting non-stop. We walked with friends, and sometimes alone,” Jenkins said of the endeavor. They named some sections — gnat city, porcupine flats, wacky tree, etc. Hall and Jenkins went through 15 pairs of walking shoes during their adventure, and formed a close relationship with Footzone in Bend. Store management and staff encouraged them with wisdom and discounts. “We walked in the dark with headlamps on, we walked with broken bones, we walked to Bend, we walked in races, we walked in experimental shoes, and we walked without being sure where we were, but we never walked in silence. And as we walked, we shared stories, solved problems, made promises, brainstormed, planned parties and sang songs,” Jenkins said. Some of the memorable comments that passed between Hall and Jenkins during their walks included: “Where are we anyway?” “Why does your Fitbit give you more miles than mine for the same distance we just walked?” and “What were we talking about anyway?” “Our walks sparked a lot of questions,” said Hall. “It was not unusual for SUNRIVER SCENE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSN. VOLUME XLIl • NUMBER 1 P.O. BOX 3278 SUNRIVER, OR 97707
It’s 24/7 for SROA to keep Sunriver roads, paths clear
But there were far more benefits, including being able to eat more of what they enjoy without worrying about adding pounds or inches, celebrating little victories along the way, seeing coyotes, otter, elk, porcupines and lots of birds, discovering streets in Sunriver they’d never been on before, and walking with their children. But the piéce de résistance was consuming 2,015 M&Ms
By Brooke Snavely The winter of 2015-2016 is off to a robust start with 58 inches of snow in Sunriver, just a few inches shy of the 30year average 63-inch annual snowfall. Storms so far this winter have dumped impressive amounts: 14 inches fell just before Thanksgiving; 17 inches materialized the weekend of Dec. 12-13, and 12.5 inches dropped in on Dec. 17. There were several lesser snowfalls in between the major dumps. Another storm was brewing as this issue went to press. The Sunriver Owners Association has 10 pieces of heavy equipment worth more than $1 million and a staff of 12 that works round the clock as necessary
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Katie Hall, left, and Judy Jenkins met and beat their New Year’s resolution to walk 2,015 miles in the calendar year 2015.
us to get home with a list of questions to research. For example, what is the life span of a frog? What do porcupines eat? How long does it take a pinecone to mature? Did you know that male and female pinecones mature at different rates? Indeed, we are much smarter now!” There were a few downsides: Being called “walking fools,” time lost from quilting or reading, spending too much money on walking shoes, and a few blisters and other minor injuries.
SROA Board of Directors increases 2016 maintenance fee 5 percent The Sunriver Owners Association’s maintenance fee will be $118.10 per month in 2016. The SROA Board of Directors approved the rate at its Nov. 20 meeting. The 2016 rate is $5.62 more than the 2015 maintenance fee and constitutes a 5 percent increase. This is the fourth consecutive year the board of directors has selected a maintenance fee increase that is less than the 6 percent it is authorized to increase without a vote of the owners. The maintenance fee increased 4.5 percent in 2015 and 2014, 5 percent in 2013 and 6 percent the previous nine years with two exceptions when owners approved larger increases. With the 5 percent increase in 2016,
SROA expects to fully fund its reserve replacement accounts, maintain a $150,000 contingency and $100,000 operating reserve. Maintenance fees can be paid monthly by mail-in coupon, via credit card through an online payment system, or as an annual lump sum which qualifies for a three percent discount. Contact the SROA Accounting Department at 541-593-2411 or email beckyj@srowners.org to select a payment method. The $118.10 per month ($1,417.12 annual) 2016 SROA Maintenance Fee supports: • Accounting: tracks the association’s annual budget, including accounts pay-
able, receivable, replacements, insurance, reserves, contingency and payroll • Administration: General manager and staff work with SROA Board of Directors and committees to provide services to owners, legal expenses, insurance and human resources, technology services. • Communications: The Sunriver Scene newspaper, SROA websites, Sunriver Navigator mobile app, TV channel 3, owner directory, annual ballot packages, Sunriver maps, marketing collateral and printed materials. • Community Development: Architectural review and property compliTurn to Fee, page 6 PRSRT STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BEND, OR PERMIT NO. 213