Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Appeal tribune. (Silverton, Or.) 1999-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 2022)
SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | | 3A Wildlife Continued from Page 1A In the midst of rebuilding Progress for those rebuilding runs the gamut. Mack and her husband have a new house thanks to Christian Aid Minis- tries. The nonprofit sends volunteers to help survivors rebuild after wild- fires, hurricanes, tornados and floods. Recipients are generally underinsured and have a low income, with nowhere else to turn to for help. Insurance has been a headache for most. One member of the group is fac- ing a deadline, and several members offered help with filing an extension. If all else fails, someone suggested, play hardball and threaten to sue. One member had to get an attorney to han- dle her case. She was dropped by her insurance about a year after the wild- fires. Most discovered they were unde- rinsured, that replacement cost cover- age — to replace an item without de- preciation deduction — isn’t all it’s made out to be, and that there are caps to what can be claimed. Glen Kent said they would have gladly paid more money for their in- surance if all that had been explained and they understood the ramifica- tions. He and his wife, Tammy, hope to have their house rebuilt by mid-2023. It took them a year to get a building permit with Marion County, “who promised to cut through all the red tape,” Glen told the group. “Marion County has put up one obstacle after another.” It has been more of the same for Amundsen and Roantree, both retired from the U.S. Forest Service. She was a fire lookout. He was a botanist. They both lost homes in the fires, hers in Detroit and his on North Fork Road. They had been married about four years but kept both residences. They decided to sell her property and build on his. The first contractor they hired went to jail for criminal charges not related to his work, but permits have been their biggest obstacle. “I thought maybe a year and things would be settled,” Amundsen said. “Then you realize the magnitude of it, and everybody in the same boat trying to rebuild, and then there was COVID.” Since the group’s last meeting, the couple was granted a building permit by the Marion County Public Works Building Inspection Division. Al and Laurie Brooks lost their Niagara home in the Labor Day Wildfires two years ago. They had moved to Niagara in 2018 and opted to buy a nearby house instead of rebuilding. PHOTOS BY BRIAN HAYES/STATESMAN JOURNAL “Meeting people where they are, providing that level of support and empathy, and being able to offer it from an outreach perspective reduces a lot of barriers for people.” Teri Morgan Program manager with Marion County Health & Human Services, said. A helping hand While the group has its gripes about the county permit process, it has re- ceived ongoing support from another department. Marion County Health & Human Ser- vices has been involved in wildfire out- reach since the beginning, first at the Oregon State Fairgrounds where resi- dents were evacuated and eventually in the canyon. “Meeting people where they are, pro- viding that level of support and empa- thy, and being able to offer it from an outreach perspective reduces a lot of barriers for people,” Teri Morgan, a pro- gram manager with Marion County Health & Human Services, said. Since nearly the beginning of the Monday wildfire survivor support group, the county has been providing meals and a certified recovery mentor at each meeting. “This is such an impressive group,” Morgan said. “They are so active in their community and in helping each other. It’s really a privilege for us to come alongside and be able to support their efforts in any way we can.” Certified recovery mentors have lived with substance abuse and bring with them experience navigating bar- riers. They are there to answer ques- tions and provide support as needed. With this group, however, not much is needed. “This is a great self-directed group, supporting each other and helping each other through barriers as they navigate recovery,” Morgan said. The building where the group meets doesn’t have a restroom. When it became a financial strain on the church a couple of months ago to pay for a portable toilet, Marion County picked up the tab. On Monday, the two-year anniver- sary of the wildfires, the group will hold its regular meeting but no one from the county will attend because of the holiday. The county will still pro- vide dinner. Being together is important to these survivors. They met last year, too, on the first anniversary. They’ve grown close, like family, with plans to social- ize outside of meetings. The Kirks want to host something at their place around Halloween. The Brooks have been talking about having a barbecue at their Mill City home. Members also volunteer together. Some are involved with a group that meets on Saturdays and does every- thing from brush removal to tree plant- ing for fellow wildfire survivors. Oth- ers work volunteer shifts at United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley’s Good360 warehouse, a gifts-in-kind program that has helped furnish their new homes. “It not only helps in a therapeutic way,” Al Brooks said, “but we’re paying it forward.” Capi Lynn is the Statesman Jour- nal’s news columnist. Send comments, questions and tips to her at clynn@statesmanjournal.com or 503- 399-6710. Follow her work on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiL- ynnSJ. CALL BY OCTOBER 2ND TO LOCK IN OUR BEST WINDOW OFFER! BUY 2 WINDOWS GET 2 FREE * PLUS 60 MONTHS LOW-INTEREST FINANCING** • Our custom-built windows both seal and insulate your home, helping you save money on your energy bills. • Available in a variety of styles and colors to best complement your home. • Backed by our best-in-class Limited Lifetime Warranty† so you can feel confident in your purchase. OFFER EXPIRES 10/02/22. Call by 10/2 to book your FREE ESTIMATE! 971-332-8813 We design, build, install, and guarantee it.™ EveryHomeNeedsAChampion.com *40% national windows discount applies to white double-hung and hopper windows with standard installation. Minimum purchase of 4 Comfort 365 Windows® required. Earn an additional 10% off with participation in the YES! Program (up to $2,000), making your window discount a total of up to 50% off. YES! Program valid only on the date of your initial free in-home estimate appointment and once per residence per term. All prices include installation. All discounts apply to the MSRP cost. No adjustments can be made on prior sales. **Subject to credit approval. Fixed interest rate of 6.99% for 60 months. Payment example assumes one-time $10,000 purchase on approval date (APR 7.15%) with 1 payment of $236.96 followed by 59 amortized payments of $197.96. Payments assume Account Activation charge of $39 applies and is due with first required payment. Financing for GreenSky® consumer loan programs is provided by federally insured, equal opportunity lender banks. †The Champion Limited Lifetime Warranty applies to Comfort 365 Windows® and qualifying Champion products as long as the original purchaser owns the home. See website or a Champion representative for details. Offer subject to change. Offer expires 10/02/22. ©Champion Opco LLC, 2022 OR-GCI0933436-04