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Wednesday, July 19, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Volunteers say good-bye to Sisters
From the moment they
moved to Sisters 10 years
ago, Marvin and Trine
Benson have been avid com-
munity volunteers. They
originally moved from
Colorado to be near their son
Benny, daughter-in-law Julie,
and granddaughter Cammi
Benson, and quickly became
entrenched in a variety of
community activities. It’s the
many people they’ve touched
who will miss them most, as
they are moving from Sisters
on July 26.
When Benny and Julie
purchased the Sisters Airport,
Marvin and Trine moved into
the house located on the prop-
erty, and took over caretaker
duties. This was a gigantic
undertaking as the property
had been generally ignored
and fallen into disrepair for
many years. They started at
the front lawn with the new
airport sign and worked their
way down to what is now a
first rate fly-in campground.
Trine assumed the secu-
rity and maintenance at the
airport. Out-of-town pilots
get a friendly greeting and
assistance on what to do in
Sisters. All the employees
located at the airport knew
the next morning if they had
left a door unlocked or left
food out for unwanted crit-
ters by the infamous sticky
“Note!” left for them from
Trine. During the holiday
season, never was an office
left undecorated.
When the Sisters
Community Garden needed
a new home, Marvin offered
to help relocate the Garden to
the airport property. From a
blank piece of land, a unique
community asset was created
for locals of all ages to share
their green thumbs. Today
the Community Garden hosts
over 50 plots, and grows over
1,000 pounds of vegetables,
of which half is donated to
the food bank.
“ M a r v i n a n d Tr i n e
embody the characteristics
so necessary for gardening
in Central Oregon: a tireless
persistence, unbounded inge-
nuity, and an unflappable
sense of humor. It has been
a gift to work with them as
this plot of dirt and rocks was
transformed into a food bas-
ket for the community. They
have planted many seeds in
this place, and in our hearts,
and we will miss them,” said
Ruthie Douglass, garden
patron.
Marvin cleared out a
dilapidated hangar and cre-
ated a wood shop for his
intarsia artwork, along with a
place to share his craft with
others. With a love for teach-
ing kids, many 4H cham-
pionship wood art projects
were created with his men-
torship. Marvin also works
with Josh Nordell to bring
the special needs kids from
the middle and high schools
Serving Sisters Since 1994
D ESIGNERS & B UILDERS of D ISTINCTION
541-549-1575
CCB#194489
over to Marvin’s wood shop
and the garden at the airport.
He helps them create Intarsia
wood art, and learn garden-
ing skills.
Marvin has volunteered
in the Sisters High School
wood shop for many years,
teaching students a variety
of wood working skills. “The
first day Marvin came in, I
told him we needed a lot of
help in the classes, teaching
students to work with tools.
He said he would think about
it. The next day he showed
up, ready to help, and he
hasn’t missed a day since.
I am really going to miss
him!” says Tony Cosby, SHS
wood shop teacher.
Besides being the airport
caretaker, Trine is also very
active in the community.
She volunteers at Habitat
for Humanity, helping sort
donated goods at ReStore in
Sisters. Trine also turned the
downstairs of the house into a
quilting studio and integrated
herself into the Sisters quilt-
ing community, volunteering
at events, and contributing
her skills to group projects.
The early morning crowd
at the Sisters Athletic Club
recognizes Marvin as a daily
swimmer. His granddaughter
Cammi, a 2016 SHS gradu-
ate, recalls “When we would
go to SHS football games,
PHOTO PROVIDED
Marvin and Trine Benson have been active volunteers in Sisters.
Grampa (Marvin) knew more
people in the stands than I
did!”
There will be a farewell
party for Marvin and Trine
at the Benson’s hangar at
the Sisters Airport next
Sunday, July 23, from 4 to
7 p.m. Food and live music
by “The Noteables” band
will be provided. All who’ve
been touched by Marvin and
Trine’s contribution to the
community are invited.
PARK IT
IN STYLE!
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we’ve got ’em!
541-549-9280
• Sisters Industrial Park
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541-420-9997
phil@blackbutte.com
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