Applegater., July 01, 2018, Page 17, Image 17

Applegater Summer 2018
17
Single in the Applegate?
The Applegater needs your help!
BY SANDY BROOKE
As you may have noticed on page 5, our donor list has shrunk! But our
expenses haven’t. So, in order to reduce our expenses, we are providing the
coupon below to eliminate the significant cost of printing donation envelopes
and inserting them into the paper.
Please cut out the coupon and mail it with your donation check to:
Applegater Newsmagazine
PO Box 14
Jacksonville, OR 97530
Thank you in advance for your understanding—and your donation!
The Applegate Valley is a fabulous place
to live for nature lovers. We are surrounded
by extremely beautiful terrain—mountains,
rivers, creeks, meadows, and farmlands.
The roads are still relatively small and
“friendly.” Population is relatively low.
No doubt it is busier than it used to be,
but we can mostly still avoid crowds and
traffic. When the time rolls around for
an excursion into nature (as frequently as
possible), we’re already there—or the short
drive is as beautiful as the destination.
However, since nothing on this material
plane is perfect, living the country lifestyle
does have a few downsides. Managing a
rural property is time-consuming and often
a rather private endeavor. A lot of time and
energy is needed to maintain this lifestyle
we love, and that’s the rub, especially for
some of us single country folk. By the time
evening or a weekend comes, we’re tired
from handling so much on our own. Yet
if we want a bit of day’s end conversation
(or cuddle), a weekend hiking partner,
a dinner companion, or to potentially
change our solo status, livin’ alone in the
country ain’t the best! There’s another
side to that wonderful independence and
privacy.
So suddenly the Applegate Valley
Connect website has come onto the scene,
a communications and networking tool for
those of us who have in common choosing
to live a bit hidden away in this gorgeous
valley. That’s a lot in common, right there.
I’m still not 100 percent clear how to use
this new system, but it inspired me to think
about an Applegate Valley Singles network.
What if we created an email network of
interested singles in the valley and had
occasional events like a hike or a lunch or
dinner, somewhere where the setup was
such that mingling and meeting was made
easy? I figure since I have room in my life
for a few new local friends, perhaps other
single folks might also. Within a quorum
of interested folks, it might be possible to
find others with some compatibilities, eh?
Nothing ventured, nothing lost.
I proposed the idea both to Applegate
Valley Connect and to the Applegater folks,
and both were supportive. So this is a feeler.
I will simply collect the addresses of those
who respond by email with “Applegate
Singles” in the subject line. Then, in a bit
of time, I will send out an announcement
of an event, probably a hike or a meal in
some place where it is easy and acceptable
to mingle and say hello to new folks.
(Be assured that email addresses will not
be used for any other purpose!) You are
invited to respond if you are interested
in this idea and are single and live in the
Applegate Valley—perhaps from Murphy
to Jacksonville off Route 238?
This seems like a good enough way
to launch this experimental “Applegate
Singles Network” and see if it wants to
claim a life of its own. (I would not be
surprised if this has even been tried before!)
Meanwhile I’d rather be single in the
Applegate Valley than anywhere else!
Sandy Brooke
turn-around@indra.com
■ WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS
Continued from page 1
everyone has some special needs! Example:
do you need a larger travel kennel this year
for your dog who’s not a puppy anymore?
(Yes, I was thinking about Maggie just a
few years ago. Nowadays she kennels on
command and sleeps in an enclosed soft-
sided kennel. Is it huge? Yes. Foldable? Yes.
Expensive? Yes. But, also priceless knowing
that if something happens, she obeys
commands and is comfortable in kennels
away from home!)
So make sure pets, livestock, and, of
course, children are a part of your family’s
emergency planning. Keep a list of “must
takes” for everyone in the family. Get
buy-in from the kids by letting them help
define their lists!
And, what about keeping a family
emergency pack that can provide necessities
for a week or two, including for pets?
If you have an emergency pack already
put together, keep track of the age of
items, replacing older components as
necessary. Finally, practice quick loading
for emergency situations.
So, back to this summer. Do you need
to update your contact information with
out-of-the-area family members? Don’t
forget to update your family members’
medical needs and your evacuation plans,
such as where to meet, who calls who, etc.
How about having the chimney cleaned
annually? Or filling up a storage tank or
swimming pool as a water supply? We’ve
gone so far as to have fire hose, helmets,
and protective clothing in the garage,
ready to use!
And finally, a vital tool for every season
of the year here in the Applegate: if you
have not been contacted by a neighborhood
telephone-tree representative, call around to
friends or to our fire district’s office (541-
899-1050) to learn about, get connected
into, and practice this invaluable local
process! Being prepared and working with
neighbors is part of living in a rural setting.
It’s also rewarding and fulfilling.
Sandy Shaffer • sassyoneor@gmail.com