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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 2015)
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2015 Toys for girls, toys for boys S oroptimist International of Florence gathered thousands of toys to give to more than 150 families of youth aged infant to 12 years during the annual Christmas Baskets giveaway last Saturday. The community donated baby dolls, bikes, sports gear, board games, action figures, fashion dolls, building sets and stuffed animals at giving trees in loca- tions all over the area. Baskets Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue, Rotary International of Florence and others donat- ed their time and strength to loading baskets, filling cars and guiding traffic. Youth and staff from Camp Florence Youth Transitional Facility helped unpack pallets and load baskets. Siuslaw High School stu- dents from Rotary Interact, Key Club and leadership also helped out. “We appreciate it,” Fraley said. “It’s not just the Soroptimists. A bunch of organizations and individuals helped make it successful.” Community members donated toys at 21 Giving Tree locations in the area. Although Fraley said they do not count the number of toys donated, the toys filled a room at Florence Church of the Nazarene. Storm PHOTOS BY CHANTELLE MEYER SIUSLAW NEWS " #! " " % # % # " "$ $ % " " # St. Mary, Our Lady of the Dunes Catholic Church ! # Come Join Us in Celebration from 1A “We sent our firefighters door to door in the affected area,” said Fire Chief Jim Langborg. SVFR distributed a packet called “Homeowner’s Guide to Landslides” to residents St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church " " from 1A ! $ ! ! ! ! " 7 A “It was a great year. The community again stepped up to the plate to give some ter- rific gifts,” she said. She counted 155 families who were able to get multiple gifts for each child. “It’s wonderful that the community gets to hear and see the aftereffects these events have. It’s powerful for those who donated food, money or toys to know that they touched the life of a child or family. ... You will make the kids so happy,” Fraley said. There are still some toys left in every age group. Families who could not attend the giveaway on Saturday are invited to call Fraley at 541- 997-3434 or another Soroptimist member to pick up toys while supplies last. __________ Follow Chantelle on Twitter @SNews_Chantelle. Email her at cmeyer@thesiuslawnews.com. near Mercer Lake Road. The guide is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Area. “Your neighborhood may be susceptible to more landslide activity at some point in the near or distant future,” said a letter from SVFR. “We strong- ly encourage you to read the guide carefully and thoroughly and pay close attention to the suggestions for monitoring your house and surrounding property.” Slides often occur in areas with heavy rainfall and slopes steeper than 10 to 15 degrees. The guide listed some land- slide warning signs, such as unusual creaking or cracks in buildings, rumbling, cracks forming in landscape and trees tilting. Leaking plumbing or gas lines could also be an indi- cator. “We’re getting reports that more slides are likely in the same area,” Langborg said. Two geologists are actively reviewing the situation. “If at any time you feel con- cerned or unsafe in your home, you should immediately evac- uate yourself, family and pets and seek shelter with family or friends or in a hotel,” Langborg said. Lane County advised the public to not attempt to travel through or move debris from a slide, as a small slide may become much larger with little warning. “Our staff is working hard to keep up with downed trees and landslides,” said Lane County Road Maintenance Division Manager Orin Schumacher. “We have more than 1,400 miles of roads to maintain and we depend on our residents to report issues they encounter, including blocked or partially blocked roads.” The Road Maintenance Division worked to clear two slides on Big Creek Road, north of Florence, on Monday. Landslides at mileposts 2 and 9 closed the road from mile- posts 2 to 10.5. By the end of Monday, the road remained blocked from milepost 9 to 10.5, though one slide had been cleared. Travelers were able to use Highway 101 or Upper North Fork Road as alternate routes. Schumacher said, “We want people to be more aware of their surroundings, especially if they’re traveling on rural roads. Drive a little slower and remember that you never know what’s around the next bend in the road.” The National Weather Service in Portland issued a coastal flood watch through 4 p.m. today. To receive the “Homeowner’s Guide to Landslides,” go to www.svfr.org or SVFR Station No. 1 at 2625 Highway 101 in Florence. To report a landslide on county roads, call 541-682- 6900 during business hours. To report a landslide after hours, call 911. If there is an emergency, call 911.