8 Wednesday, August 5, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Commentary... A N N O U N C E M E N T S Coast Guard recollections By Capt. Craig F. Eisenbeis USCG (retired) The arrival of Coast Guard Day this week set me to reminiscing about my years in the U.S. Coast Guard. My personal connec- tion with the Coast Guard actually began early in World War II, before I was even born. In the weeks fol- lowing the Pearl Harbor attack, my father joined the Coast Guard under what I like to call the <BYOB= pro- gram 4 that9s Bring Your Own Boat. At that time, the Coast Guard had no resources for maritime security patrols; and a program was cre- ated for potential recruits to join the service and patrol in their own boats! My father had grown up with and around boats on Puget Sound; so, he and a buddy bought a used Chris Craft and joined up. For the first year of the war, operating out of Cascade Locks on the Columbia River, they patrolled between Astoria and Bonneville Dam, guard- ing against saboteurs. By the end of that first year of war, military picket boats were finally built; and the BYOB sailors were replaced. As a result, my dad was reassigned, first as a port security and chemi- cal warfare instructor in Portland, Maine, and then aboard a Coast Guard patrol frigate, the USS Burlington (PF-51), in the Pacific Theater. Patrol frigates were similar to destroyer escorts (DE), smaller versions of the classic destroyer. His service there took him to the battles of the South Pacific and the retaking of the Philippines at Leyte Gulf. Next, his ship was sent north to the Aleutian Islands in prepara- tion for the planned invasion of Japan, where he patrolled off the Kuril Islands and northern Japan. The inva- sion, of course, never hap- pened because the atomic bombs were dropped; and the war was suddenly over. I grew up in the post- war era, where it seemed like everything that took place was somehow in ref- erence to, or in the shadow of, World War II; and I always just assumed that, if it became necessary, I would join the Coast Guard, too. So, when I graduated from Oregon State University during the Vietnam War, that9s exactly what I did. At the time, I didn9t know that I would make it a career. Like my dad, my first assignment was also in port security, although in Corpus Christi, Texas, where I also took part in hurricane recov- ery operations. For many people, their image of the Coast Guard has to do with coastal helicopters and surf rescue boats. While that9s a key part of the Coast Guard9s mission, my first assignment aboard a seago- ing cutter illustrated that the service guards other coasts, as well. So, that ship took me in my father9s wake to the far western Pacific, off the coast of Asia. Our mid- patrol break was in Japan. Compared to the other armed services, the Coast Guard is quite small, not quite as big as the New York City Police Department. In many ways, that9s a big plus, because we have to be always ready for anything required of the Coast Guard. In fact, that9s the Coast Guard9s motto: Semper Paratus 4 Always Ready. As a result, unlike many of those in other services, Coast Guard members are not necessarily <stuck= doing just one thing. At vari- ous times in my career, I was a ship9s Officer of the Deck, a law enforcement board- ing officer, a port security officer, port disaster control officer, a commercial ship inspector, an investigator, oil spill cleanup coordinator, a marine licensing officer, a civil judge, a war planner with the U.S. Navy, and the Captain of the Port in North Carolina. My second sea tour took me to the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea on win- ter fisheries patrols, where we boarded foreign ships to enforce U.S. laws and trea- ties. That tour also showed me how the Coast Guard entrusts its members with special responsibility. When that ship was at U.S. Navy refresher training in San Diego, the Navy instructors actually excused a handful of us Coast Guard officers from part of the curriculum because <you guys already know all this stuff.= At the time, I was a Lieutenant junior grade (O-2) and was operations officer on a major cutter, in charge of navigation and ship operations. The Navy O-2 next to me in the class was in charge of filling pop machines on an aircraft car- rier. A Navy Commander (O-5) from that same car- rier, came to me to ask about operations officer duties on a ship. Later, as a Lieutenant (O-3), one of the best jobs I had was as the sole officer in charge of a maritime safety detachment on the north- ern Maine coast. The intra- service responsibility levels afforded us were very differ- ent from what I observed in other services. In Corpus Christi, we were closely tied to the See COAST GUARD on page 23 Free Weekly Grab-N-Go Lunches For Seniors Th e Council on Aging of Central Oregon is serving seniors (60+) free Grab-N-Go lunches on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Th ursdays each week. Th e lunches are distributed on a fi rst- come, fi rst-served basis drive- through style from 12 to 12:30 p.m. at the Sisters Community Church, 1300 W Mckenzie Hwy. Seniors may drive through the parking lot and pick up a meal each day of service. Come on by, no need to make a reservation. Questions? Call 541-678-5483. SMS Selling Sisters Strong Shirts/Decals Th e student leadership group at Sisters Middle School is hoping to make a diff erence in our community. Th ey are selling shirts and decals featuring a newly designed Sisters Strong logo. Th e proceeds of the sales will go to Kiwanis Food Bank, Family Advocate Network, and the school’s leadership program. So far they have raised $1,200, although they are still hoping to raise more money for these organizations. Shirts and decals can be purchased online and picked up downtown at either Paulina Springs Bookstore or Canyon Creek Pottery. Please go to sistersstrong.org to purchase your items. Shirts are $15 and car decals are $4. For more info email jeff .schiedler@ssd6.org. Weekly Food Pantry Wellhouse Church has a weekly food pantry on Th ursdays. For the next several weeks, food will be distributed drive-through style from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the Wellhouse Market building, 222 N. Trinity Way. People in need of food may drive through the parking lot and pick up a bag of food for their household. Other Sisters-area churches are joining with Wellhouse Church to contribute both fi nancially and with volunteers to help sustain the program. Call 541-549-4184 for more information. DLT Walk & Hike Series Deschutes Land Trust volunteer naturalists will be leading virtual events where you can learn from the comfort of your own home. Upcoming events include Magnifi cent Monarchs on Wednesday, August 12 at noon and Virtual Nature Meditation on Th ursday, August 20 at 5 p.m. Registration is required to receive the virtual event link. Register for this event at deschuteslandtrust. org/hikes. Info: 541-330-0017. Veterans Meeting Th e Sisters VFW Post 8138 and American Legion Post 86 are meeting at Village Green Park at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 5. All veterans in the area are encouraged to join! For more info call Lance at 541-903-1123. Sisters Habitat for Humanity Th rift Store Extends Saturday Hours Sisters Habitat for Humanity Th rift Store has extended Saturday shopping hours to 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Face masks and sanitized hands are required before entering the store. For more information please contact the Habitat offi ce at 541-549-1193 or email info@sistershabitat.org. Sisters Habitat Volunteers! Th e Habitat Th rift Store, ReStore, and Construction sites have recently opened up and could use your help! New volunteer orientations will take place every Tuesday, Wednesday and Th ursday at noon at the Sisters Habitat offi ce upstairs at 141 W. Main Avenue. An RSVP is required as space is very limited in the socially-distanced meeting room. Each person must wear a mask and sanitize their hands when entering the building. A mask will be provided if needed. Please contact Marie at marie@ sistershabitat.org or 541-549-1193. Antiques & Jewelry Donations Needed Sisters Kiwanis takes donations of antiques, collectibles and jewelry throughout the year for its annual Antiques, Collections & Jewelry Sale, held on Saturday every Memorial Day weekend. Your donation is tax-deductible! New jewelry donation drop-off box at Washington Federal Bank in Sisters. For more information and to arrange for pickup of large or small items, please call Pam at 541-719-1049. Furry Friends Has Moved! Th e Furry Friends offi ce is now located at 412. E. Main Ave., Ste. 4 behind Th e Nugget offi ce. Th ough the offi ce is closed to the public, the pet food bank is still open for no contact porch pick ups. Call to order your pet food for pick up during our regular weekly pickup time on Th ursdays from 12:30 to 4 p.m. or by appointment the rest of the week. For more information call or text 541-797-4023. PET OF THE WEEK Humane Society of Central Oregon 541-382-3537 Sisters Community Church Do you need help with running errands or deliveries or more? Sisters Community Church has volunteers available and is cultivating a caring community. Call Wendy at 541-389-6859. Visit the church website at www.sisterschurch.com. Circle of Friends Circle of Friends, a mentoring program in Sisters, is continuing to fi nd innovative ways to reach out and assist their mentors, children and families. Current needs include childcare to allow parents to continue to work, internet/computer access for online learning, supplies for at- home learning and activity kits, and even basic needs, such as food and medical access. Circle of Friends has also established an emergency fund to provide immediate response for the most pressing needs. Contact Kellie at 503-396-2572 to help. Meet DAKOTA, an incredibly adorable and handsome eight- year-old golden retriever who is looking for his forever family! This very friendly pup has a passion for tennis balls and swimming pools and considers himself an expert on recreation and leisure! Dakota loves being around people and is going to make some lucky family very happy! If you are looking for a wonderful dog to add to your family then Dakota is the pup for you! Come meet him today! SPONSORED BY YOUR PET-FRIENDLY REALTOR! Sponsor an Impoverished Child from Uganda Hope Africa International, based in Sisters, has many children awaiting sponsorship! For more information go to hopeafricakids. org or call Katie at 541-719-8727. ALI MAYEA, Principal Broker/Owner 541-480-9658 • 541-588-6007 Please call the church before attending to verify schedules as buildings begin to reopen. SISTERS-AREA CHURCHES Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (ELCA) 386 N. Fir Street • 541-549-5831 10 a.m. Sunday Worship shepherdofthehillslutheranchurch.com Sisters Community Church (Nondenominational) 1300 W. McKenzie Hwy. • 541-549-1201 10 a.m. Sunday Worship (with signing) sisterschurch.com | info@sisterschurch.com St. Edward the Martyr Roman Catholic Church 123 Trinity Way • 541-549-9391 5:30 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass 9 a.m. Sunday Mass 8 a.m. Monday-Friday Mass Calvary Church (NW Baptist Convention) 484 W. Washington St., Ste. C & D • 541-588-6288 10 a.m. Sunday Worship | ccsisters.org Th e Episcopal Church of the Transfi guration 68825 Brooks Camp Road • 541-549-7087 8:30 a.m. Ecumenical Sunday Worship (Sunday school, childcare) 10:15 a.m. Episcopal Sunday Worship (Sunday school, childcare) Chapel in the Pines Camp Sherman • 541-549-9971 10 a.m. Sunday Worship Sisters Church of the Nazarene 67130 Harrington Loop Road • 541-389-8960 | sistersnaz.org 10:45 a.m. Sunday Worship | 2sistersnaz@gmail.com Westside Sisters 442 Trinity Way • 541-549-4184 | westsidesisters.org 10 a.m. Sunday Worship 6 p.m. Worship the 3rd Tuesday of each month Vast Church (Nondenominational) 541-719-0587 • 9:37 a.m. Sunday Worship Meeting virtually and in small groups. See vastchurch.com for details. Seventh-Day Adventist Church 386 N. Fir Street • 541-595-6770, 541-306-8303 11 a.m. Saturday Worship Th e Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 452 Trinity Way • Branch President, 541-420-5670; 10 a.m. Sunday Sacrament Meeting Baha’i Faith Meetings Devotional Gatherings, Study Classes and Discussion Groups. Call for location and times • 541-549-6586