Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 27, 2019)
14 Wednesday, November 27, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Donations lag at Kiwanis Food Bank By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief Donations for the criti- cal fourth quarter are down significantly at the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank. Tom Hespe, who oversees the Food Bank project for the service club, explained that October, November and December are the most critical months in donations for the Food Bank. That9s when the bulk of donations come in. <That9s when we have to make it or break it 4 in the fourth quarter, in the giving season, if you will,= Hespe said. So far, the Food Bank is not making it. <Where we are is, we9re down $25,359,= Hespe said. Hespe said that translates to a 30 percent drop year- to-year against 2018, and a 48 percent drop in Q4 dona- tions. Last year, the Food Bank received multiple dona- tions in the $10,000 range. Those have not occurred yet, though Hespe holds out hope for December. He noted that the website has been receiv- ing contributions, and food drives like that conducted through November by The Nugget and the Cub Scouts and others help. It just hasn9t been enough. Hespe said he is not sure what has caused the steep drop-off. <It9s not for lack of trying, I can tell you that,= he said. <There9s no obvious explana- tion for this in my mind.= The drop-off in donations comes at a time when costs and demand are growing. Food expense is up four percent at $53,576 and the amount of monthly food distribution is up 3 percent at 118,489 pounds (9,874 monthly average). The num- ber of clients served is up significantly, among both families who have shelter (31 percent) and those who are homeless (34 percent). To make a cash donation, visit the website and click on the <Donate= button. Checks payable to Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank may be mailed to P.O. Box 1296, Sisters, OR 97759. Hespe assured the public that there is no danger of the Food Bank closing its doors. <We have a very robust business model,= he said. The Food Bank9s model allows its clients to shop for their food, rather than just handing them a box of what- ever is on hand. That means families get what they really want and need. The Kiwanis Food Bank also allows multi- ple visits. That policy makes the food bank more effi- cient and effective, with less potential for waste. However, the downward trend is troubling, especially as the Food Bank is in the midst of a season of high demand and 4 usually 4 generous giving. Hespe deployed a football analogy for the critical nature of this last month of the year. <We9re in the red zone,= he said. <We9ve got to score. We9ve got to score in December.= Congratulations, Turkey Giveaway Winners! Pam Love Colby Quitoriano David Carlson Darcey Ling-Scott Have a Wonderful Th anksgiving! Jason Rybka, 541-588-6245 www.farmersagent.com/jrybka Auto • Home • Life • Business LETTERS Continued from page 2 s s s To the Editor: I wish to echo Josh Groves9 concerns about development in Sisters (The Nugget, November 20, page 2). Although it is both impossible and undesir- able to live in a fossilized community, local development has gotten out of hand. Nugget writer Sue Stafford writes in Area 97 that in Sisters <growth is accompanied by the usual benefits and growing pains one would expect.= This begs the question of what are the <usual benefits=? Do they outweigh the grow- ing pains? The municipal authorities seem to have no resistance to the blandishments of developers or certain businesses no matter what the effect on the community as a whole. They also seem to forget that Sisters cannot be thought of as just a small town of 3,000 people because probably twice that number live within five miles of it and are affected by what happens there. Why does Sisters need a Dollar Store or need to give Laird Industries $50,000 of our money to set up shop? The argument that the town needs to diversify its economy is hol- low, unconvincing and ignores the nature of the larger community (especially retirees). The growing strip mall west of town and sub- divisions in town are turning Sisters into an expanding patch of mostly ugly urban sprawl. In the summer the town almost comes to a halt because of the traffic. Sisters9 small-town atmosphere and natural beauty, which have made it an attractive place in which to live, are being undermined by pointless develop- ment, that is, the irresponsible policies of the municipal authorities. Growth for growth9s sake is the rationale of the cancer cell. The word <country= can now be dropped from the marketing phrase <Sisters Country.= Gary Leiser s s s To the Editor: Just wanted to thank Jim and Sue and the staff at The Nugget for the GREAT coverage of C4C9s <Let9s Sing= event last Friday. It was very well-attended by 200 multigenerational folks who sang and smiled together through the night. Thank you for supporting us so strongly in creating this success. Chris Laing Oregon GIFT BASKET EMPORIUM Gift baskets are a great way to surprise friends and family locally and afar! Order your favorites for Christmas and New Year’s. At Hazelnut Hill, we go nuts for the holidays, and your friends and family will, too! We make small-batch Oregon hazelnut products and then box them up to make great gifts...roasted hazelnuts, chocolate hazelnut toffee, brittle, hazelnut pancake and waffl e mix, hazelnut butter and artisan chocolates. Shop online! 541-510-4464 | www.hazelnuthill.com A tisket, a tasket, we’ve got the most fantastic handcrafted gift baskets! Beautiful on their own, even better with other surprises inside...jewelry, wine accessories, belt buckles and more. Come in and pick your favorite, then we’ll wrap it up for you to put under the tree. Open 7 days a week, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 311 E. Cascade Ave. | 541-549-4251 Beautifully branded gift boxes that are ready to ship to your loved ones! Includes a new custom beanie with leather patch, a Sisters Cofee branded Hydrofl ask, and our classic Black Butte Gold blend. The perfect gift for wintery and cozy days. Order online or email for large-quantity orders. Offering free shipping until 12/20! sisterscoffee.com | customercare@sisterscoffee.com CHOPS Just in time for the holidays, Chops Bistro has added a new specialty food and drink shop in its lounge. Come shop for wine, chocolates, nuts, gourmet cookies, charcuterie, cheeses, olive oils, balsamic more. Choose your favorites and create a gift mic vinegars and more basket extraordinaire anyone would love to receive! Bistro 370 E. Cascade Ave. | 541-549-6015