Wednesday, March 18, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
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Sisters ‘flattening the
curve’ of virus spread
The painful measures
undertaken in Sisters and
across the globe during the
past week 4 school clo-
sures, event cancellations and
<social distancing= measures
4 are part of an effort to <flat-
ten the curve= in the spread
of the COVID-19 virus.
While cases of COVID-
19 remain few in Deschutes
County, the aim of active
measures is to prevent an
explosion of cases such as
what occurred in Italy.
As NPR reported last
week, <The idea is to increase
social distancing in order to
slow the spread of the virus,
so that you don9t get a huge
spike in the number of peo-
ple getting sick all at once.
If that were to happen, there
wouldn9t be enough hospital
beds or mechanical ventilators
for everyone who needs them,
and the U.S. hospital system
would be overwhelmed.=
On Sunday, the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) called for
the cancellation of in-person
events of 50 or more people
for the next eight weeks to try
to prevent the spread of the
coronavirus.
As of Monday afternoon,
Governor Kate Brown man-
dated that restaurants be
restricted to take out and
delivery only. She also banned
gatherings of more than 25
people, though encouraging
no more than 10.
SOAR Foundation
relaunched programs
The SOAR Foundation
has relaunched to support the
programs of Sisters Park &
Recreation District.
The SOAR Foundation,
a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corpo-
ration based in Sisters, has
relaunched with the appoint-
ment of three new board
members and a revised mis-
sion statement. Its updated
mission is to help secure
funding for designated pro-
grams and projects benefit-
ting the Sisters community,
primarily through the Sisters
Park & Recreation District
(SPRD).
New board members
Tom Bracken, Rosemary
Vasquez and Karinda Boone
join member-at-large Darren
Layne as the nucleus of
the revitalized organiza-
tion. All are residents of the
Sisters community and have
volunteered to continue
to support the growth and
demand for programs offered
through SPRD. Bracken was
appointed president, Vasquez
vice president, and Boone
serves as secretary and trea-
surer. Each new member was
appointed to a three-year
term.
See SOAR on page 18
PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS
Transactions can be conducted at the sheriff’s office where cameras will record activity.
Blue Line Safety Zone now in Sisters
Need to make a legal
exchange of goods with a
stranger, or exchange child
custody in a tense relation-
ship? There9s now a safe
place in Sisters to conduct
that kind of business.
The Deschutes County
Sheriff9s Office has estab-
lished a Blue Line Safety
Zone in Sisters. This clearly
marked and well-lit loca-
tion is for the Sisters com-
munity to use for the vari-
ous kinds of exchanges that
occur every day in Central
Oregon. By providing a loca-
tion in the parking lot of
the sheriff9s office substa-
tion in Sisters, the sheriff9s
office hopes to deter those
that would take advantage
of or do harm to those in our
community.
Sheriff Shane Nelson
said, <Law enforcement is
known as the Thin Blue Line,
protecting our community by
delivering superior public
safety and service. Our office
strives to be as proactive as
we can be in delivering this
service. The Sheriff9s Blue
Line Safety Zone provides a
safer, video-recorded public
area for parent exchanges of
children as well as in-person
transactions following online
sales.=
Deputies will not get
involved in or directly moni-
tor transactions; however,
they will have video sur-
veillance available to refer
back to in the event of need.
Community members should
call 911 from this loca-
tion should an emergency
arise.
Meeting a person
unknown to you to com-
plete an online transaction
comes with inherent risk.
Community members should
always use caution and
choose a public location to
complete any online trans-
action, the sheriff9s office
notes.
The Sheriff’s Blue
Line Safety Zone
provides a safer, video-
recorded public area
for parent exchanges
of children as well as
in-person transactions
following online sales.
— Sheriff Shane Nelson
SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR
BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS
Al-Anon Mon., noon, Shepherd of the
Hills Lutheran Church. / Thurs., 10 a.m.,
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.
541-549-8737 or 541-549-1527.
Alcoholics Anonymous Thurs. &
Sun., 7 p.m., Episcopal Church of the
Transfi guration / Sat., 8 a.m., Episcopal
Church of the Transfi guration / Mon.,
5 p.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran
Church / Big Book study, Tues., noon,
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church /
Gentlemen’s meeting, Wed., 7 a.m.,
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church /
Sober Sisters Women’s meeting, Thurs.,
noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran
Church / Step & Tradition meeting, Fri.,
noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran
Church. 541-548-0440.
Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver
Support Group 1st Tuesday, noon,
SPRD bldg. 800-272-3900.
Black Butte Ranch Bridge Club
Tuesdays, 12:30 p.m., BBR community
room. Partner required. 541-595-6236.
Central Oregon Fly Tyers Guild
For Saturday meeting dates and
location, email: steelefl y@msn.com.
Central OR Spinners and Weavers
Guild One Saturday per month, Jan.
thru Oct. For schedule: 541-639-3217.
Council on Aging of Central Oregon
Senior Lunch Tuesdays, noon, Sisters
Community Church. 541-480-1843.
East of the Cascades Quilt Guild 4th
Wednesday (September-June), Stitchin’
Post. All are welcome. 541-549-6061.
Friends of the Sisters Library Board
of Directors 2nd Tuesday, 9 to 11 a.m.,
Sisters Library.www.sistersfol.com.
Go Fish Fishing Group 3rd Monday,
7 p.m. Sisters Community Church. All
ages welcome. 541-771-2211.
Sisters Area Woodworkers
1st Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 541-639-6216.
Sisters Astronomy Club 3rd
Tuesday, 7 p.m., SPRD. 541-549-8846.
Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays,
12:30 p.m., The Pines Clubhouse.
Novices welcomed. 541-549-9419.
Sisters Caregiver Support Group
3rd Tues., 10:30 a.m., The Lodge in
Sisters. 541-771-3258.
Heartwarmers (fl eece blanketmakers)
2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 1 p.m., Sisters City
Hall. Materials provided. 541-408-8505. Sisters Cribbage Club Wednesdays,
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Ray’s Food Place
Hero Quilters of Sisters Thursday, 1 to community room. 541-923-1632.
4 p.m. 541-549-1028 or 541-719-1230.
Sisters Habitat for Humanity Board
Citizens4Community, Let’s Talk
of Directors 4th Tuesday, 6 p.m.
3rd Monday, 5:30 to 8 p.m. RSVP at
Location information: 541-549-1193.
citizens4community.com
Sisters Kiwanis Thursdays, 7 to
Military Parents of Sisters Meetings
8:30 a.m., Brand 33 Restaurant at
are held quarterly; please call for details. Aspen Lakes. 541-410-2870.
541-388-9013.
Sisters Parent Teacher Community
Oregon Band of Brothers – Sisters
2nd Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. at Sisters
Chapter Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m.,
Saloon. 541-480-5994.
Takoda’s Restaurant. 541-549-6469.
Sisters Parkinson’s Support Group
SAGE (Senior Activities, Gatherings
2nd Tuesday, 2 p.m., The Lodge.
& Enrichment) Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. 541-668-6599.
to 4 p.m. at Sisters Park & Recreation
Sisters Red Hats 1st Friday.
District. 541-549-2091.
Location information: 541-279-1977.
Sisters Aglow Lighthouse
4th Saturday, 10 a.m., Ponderosa Lodge Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Thursdays,
5:30 p.m., Takoda’s. 541-760-5645.
Meeting Room. 503-930-6158.
Sisters Area Photography Club
2nd Wednesday, 4 p.m., Sisters Library
community room. 541-549-6157.
Sisters Speak Life Cancer Support
Group 2nd & 4th Wednesday, 1 p.m.
Suttle Tea. 503-819-1723.
Sisters Trails Alliance Board 1st
Monday, 5 p.m. Sisters Library.
Public welcome. 808-281-2681.
Sisters Veterans Thursdays, noon,
Takoda’s Restaurant. 541-903-1123.
Three Sisters Irrigation District
Board of Directors 1st Tuesday,
4 p.m., TSID Offi ce. 541-549-8815.
Three Sisters Lions Club 2nd
Tuesday, noon, Ray’s Food Place
community room. 541-419-1279.
VFW Post 8138 and American Legion
Post 86 1st Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.,
Sisters City Hall. 541-903-1123.
Weight Watchers
Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. weigh-in, Sisters
Community Church. 541-602-2654.
SCHOOLS
Black Butte School Board of
Directors 2nd Tuesday, 3:30 p.m.,
Black Butte School. 541-595-6203.
Sisters Christian Academy Board
of Directors Monthly on a Friday. Call
541-549-4133 for date & time.
Sisters School District Board of
Directors One Wed. monthly, SSD
Admin Bldg. See schedule online at
www.ssd6.org. 541-549-8521 x5002.
Sisters Middle School Parent
Collaboration Team 1st Tuesday,
2 p.m., SMS. 541-610-9513.
CITY & PARKS
Sisters City Council 2nd & 4th
Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Sisters City Hall.
541-549-6022.
Sisters Park & Recreation District
Board of Directors 2nd & 4th Tuesdays,
4:30 p.m., SPRD bldg. 541-549-2091.
Sisters Planning Commission
3rd Thursday, 5:30 p.m., Sisters
City Hall. 541-549-6022.
FIRE & POLICE
Black Butte Ranch Police Dept.
Board of Directors Meets monthly.
541-595-2191 for time & date.
Black Butte Ranch RFPD Board of
Directors 4th Thursday, 9 a.m., Black
Butte Ranch Fire Station. 541-595-2288.
Cloverdale RFPD Board of Directors
3rd Wed., 7 p.m., 67433 Cloverdale Rd.
541-548-4815. cloverdalefi re.com.
Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD
Board of Directors 3rd Tuesday,
5 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall, 541-549-0771.
Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD Drills
Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall,
301 S. Elm St. 541-549-0771.
This listing is for regular
Sisters Country meetings;
email information to
lisa@nuggetnews.com