Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 8, 2017)
Wednesday, November 8, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Exploring ‘age-friendly communities’ Sisters schools will honor veterans In what has become a beloved local tradition, Sisters schools will honor veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces this week in advance observance of Veterans Day, November 11. Sisters Elementary School will hold its observances on Wednesday, November 8, starting with breakfast for vet- erans and their families at 8 a.m. followed by an assembly at 9:20 a.m., where veterans of all service branches will be recognized. Sisters High School’s leadership students will host a Veteran’s Breakfast from 8 to 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, November 9. Sisters commu- nity veterans and their fami- lies are encouraged to attend. The breakfast will be fol- lowed by the annual Veterans Day assembly – from 9:20 to 10:20 a.m. Jay Wilkins, Sisters resident, school board mem- ber and U.S. Army veteran, will be the featured speaker. Fulfilling a childhood vow made with friends, Wilkins entered the Army, where he served on active duty for six years. He went to Ranger School and earned the coveted Ranger Tab and became an Apache attack helicopter pilot. B r e t t M i l l e r, A r m y By Sue Stafford Correspondent National Guard combat vet- eran and founder of the non- profit Warfighter Outfitters in Sisters, will be the featured speaker at an assembly at Sisters Middle School sched- uled for 2 p.m. on Thursday, November 9. Veterans Day is observed on November 11, which was the date when the armistice that halted combat on the Western Front in the First World War took effect in 1918. The date is observed in many countries as Armistice Day. In the United States it became officially known as Veterans Day in 1954, a day to honor all veterans from all branches of service. Sisters Elementary School — Wednesday, November 8 — 8 a.m. Veterans’ Breakfast 9:20 a.m. Assembly Sisters High School — Thursday, November 9 — 8 a.m. Veterans’ Breakfast 9:20 a.m. Assembly Sisters Middle School — Thursday, November 9 — 2 p.m. Assembly What makes a community friendly to seniors? Some of the key factors are housing, transportation, health ser- vices, community services, social participation, and com- munication and information. Margaret Neal, Ph.D. pro- fessor from Portland State University, discussed the 10 factors involved in the three necessary environments for fostering the develop- ment of age-friendly com- munities at a presentation in Sisters. Following Dr. Neal’s PowerPoint presenta- tion, attendees broke into three groups, one address- ing the built environment, one looking at the service environment, and one con- sidering the social environ- ment here in Sisters, as they relate to the seniors who live here. Participants assessed what is currently working, what is creating barriers, and what can be done to improve the environment for seniors. The afternoon wrapped up with each group reporting out on what they had identified in each category. Overall, there was agreement on a number of issues for seniors: lack of affordable housing; inadequate transportation options; social isolation; and no central coordination of services. Establishing programs and opportunities for inter- generational interaction and consistently practic- ing “neighborliness” would help reduce isolation, build a sense of community among all ages, and provide assis- tance to those of any age in need. One group proposed the establishment of a paid position for a Director of Senior Services to serve as a clearinghouse to coordi- nate programs, volunteers, services, and transporta- tion for seniors in Sisters Country. Perhaps a first step in that direction would be the development of a resource guide listing available local services, programs, and per- sonnel available to seniors in Sisters. Exploring changes in zoning laws and incentives for developers and builders could possibly help improve t h e a ff o r d a b l e - h o u s i n g The Showroom @ 30% to 50% OFF November 11 & 12, 2017 Save Over 50% Handcrafted King Size Bed Set Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center 3800 SW Airport Way, Redmond PA FREE A Celebration of the Holidays Variety of Arts, Crafts, Food, Live Entertainment, Candyland Maze to Santa ❅ ❆ ❄ HOURLY DRAWINGS ❄ ❆ ❅ FF N $1 O ISSIO ADM is ad ith th w on! coup Admission: $5 Bring a canned good to benefi nefi t “Lil Bit Food Pantry” Children 6 & under FREE Information: 541-549-8905 centraloregonshows@gmail.com www.centraloregonshows.com 151 W. Main Ave., Sisters 541-549-FISH | Open 7 days a week picture. The suggestion was made to be sure that representa- tives from Sisters serve on the Central Oregon Council on Aging board so COCOA knows and understands the needs of Sisters seniors. The fact there are no medical providers in Sisters currently accepting new Medicare patients is of con- cern to those 65 and over. The lack of any urgent care facility in Sisters is also a problem. Sisters is the only major city in the tri-county area to have no established senior center. Social isolation can be a result of lack of transporta- tion options, medical condi- tions, unavailability of fam- ily, and the timing of events not being convenient to older residents. The Senior Alliance has been formed to address these issues and provide a platform for seniors. The majority of attendees at the Age-Friendly Forum would like to see the Alliance and Citizens4Community pur- sue solutions to the identi- fied issues to help make Sisters a more age-friendly community. Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. • Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. ALL Smith Sunglasses! Were changing brands & blowing out our entire stock! 17 RKING 541-904-5162 Regularly $3,400 on Sale for $1,500! 411 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters This stunning original bed will look great in your master or guest bedroom. bluepinedesigns.com Open Wed.-Sat. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
