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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