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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 8, 2003)
Star festival group shines for I.V. youth By MICHELLE BINKER Correspondent Originators of last year’s Shining Stars Festival have taken their project another step toward becoming a sig- nificant fixture in Illinois Val- ley. The Shining Stars, a com- mitted group of valley parents and community members, is now a private, non-profit en- tity. Its mission: to promote and organize the annual festi- val, which raises money to fund valley youth projects. The new non-profit or- ganization will organize vol- unteer efforts, community and business donations, as well as orchestrate fund-raising events throughout the year in order to produce the Shining Stars Festival in early sum- mer. “The Shining Stars is about the common ground of hope and aspiration,” said Nicole Doran, volunteer coor- dinator for the group, and a board member. “We hope to be able to benefit children throughout the valley,” said Doran. “I was just struck by the joyful energy and exuberance behind the idea,” said Gabri- ella Salas-Groth, a parent, fes- tival activist, and hospitality coordinator. “Economically,” she said, “ the idea of a big festival once a year to draw a few thousand people into the valley sounds good to me. “Especially if you can make it family friendly and have fun doing it,” she said. Last year’s festival was a collaborative effort between parents, community and busi- ness members. Festival organ- izers even secured a grant from Illinois Valley Commu- (Continued on page 8) Court date set for Busk Josephine County is tak- ing an O’Brien man to court to stop him from turning his 2-acre lot off W. O’Brien Street into what neighbors have described as “a junk- yard.” County Legal Counsel Steve Rich sought a prelimi- nary injunction against Rich- ard Busk, according to court papers filed Dec. 17. Busk, who was served the court papers through certified mail, is scheduled to appear in local circuit court on Thurs- day, Feb. 6. Rich said that the county’s legal action was in response to complaints from neighbors. County officials investigated the complaints; and, according to affidavits filed with the court, found the large accumulation of build- ing supplies, furniture, junked cars and other stuff to not only be illegal, but a public health hazard as well. Cleanup at Busk’s former 7902 Takilma Road property - - which the county now owns -- where a large collection of discarded tires caught fire in June, is estimated to cost the county at least $85,000. 2003 starts off with bang By BRITT FAIRCHILD Staff Writer Two alcohol-related inci- dents kept the Illinois Valley Fire District busy New Year’s Eve. And “weird lights” in the sky on Thursday, Jan. 2 also kept I.V. volunteers and staff on the move. At 9:35 p.m. on Dec. 31, the district’s rope rescue team responded to a report of a ve- hicle over an embankment in the 400 block of Little Gray- back Road out Caves Hwy. The vehicle was approxi- mately 40 feet down a hill. Chief Kyle Kirchner said that the four passengers in the vehicle were on their way home from a party. Two of them exited the vehicle on their own, he said, and re- turned to the party to phone in the accident. The rope rescue team ex- tricated a third person and helped the fourth up the hill. Two of the passengers were transported to Three Rivers Community Hospital in Grants Pass. Bridgeview Community Church group (photos above) participated in a week-long mission to Mazatlan, Mexico. Along with other organizations, they offered various services to those in need, including construction of a church foundation, dental care, and food and clothing dis- tribution. Additional photos on page 8. (Photos courtesy of Walter) Bridgeview group on a mission Church members find week-long trip an eye-opening labor of love Six teen-agers and three adults from Bridgeview Com- munity Church in rural Cave Junction participated in a week-long mission to Mazat- lan, Mexico, and found the trip to be an eye-opening labor of love. On the trip were Pastor Charlie Bridges, youth pastors Ken and Becky Loudon; and youth group members Alisa Richards, Tami Wilson, Scott Warren, Melissa Lawrence, Joy Messerli and Ricky Butts. The group, which raised its own funds for the trip, left home in Illinois Valley on Nov. 1, when the temperature was below freezing. Upon ar- rival in Mazatlan, they walked into 88-degree weather with 75 percent humidity. After gasping a bit at the heat and humidity, the participants then faced transportation in a for- eign country. The group eventually got used to riding in vehicles called pulmonias, which re- semble oversized golf carts with open sides and a canopy. They rode primarily on the rear of a flatbed pickup truck to reach the areas where they taught, played, fixed meals and built in conjunction with the church at Urias, La Vin a, with which they partnered. Also on the mission was a dental group from Washington state. Some members of the Bridgeview group assisted the dentists as best they could. The youth and their chap- erone leaders also found it difficult to comprehend the poverty of many of the people they met. The group noted, “It was heart-wrenching to know that the people you spent the day with would be staying in their tarpaper shacks, without elec- tricity or running water -- while were going to a hotel with air conditioning and showers. The contrast between the colonia and the tourist area was like night and day.” Among the meals they served was a lunch of pan- cakes with syrup, oranges, an Oreo cookie and juice. Said the Bridgeview group, “The people who received meals were so grateful. For some, this was the only meal they had to eat for the day. When everyone had received a meal, the empty plastic containers were given to some of the mothers to take home. Noth- ing was wasted.” Another part of the mis- sion was pouring the founda- tion for a new church in an area without one. “Using water from a large tank that had been brought in the flatbed pickup, we mixed cement and other ingredients on the ground with shovels,” said the group. “We then car- ried the concrete in five-gallon buckets to pour into a form.” The group distributed toys and clothing, which they had brought in suitcases. “It seemed like so much,” said the Bridgeview group, “until we began handing it out. We ran out before everyone had re- ceived something. It was diffi- cult to see young faces waiting in line, and to know that we had nothing left for them. The need is great.” However, at another loca- tion, the group found that its six remaining suitcases of clothing and toys was enough for everyone to receive at least one item. Throughout their week in Mexico, the Bridgeview Com- munity Church Youth Group and leaders continued their work of building, feeding, playing with children, and as- sisting the dental group. In addition, the group helped paint a school at Tres Colonia. “We were so busy that our trip was over before we real- ized it,” said the youth group. “We worked hard all while that we were there, but did find time for a little fun, in- cluding swimming in the warm ocean water.” In conclusion the group said, “We had our whole trip planned. But as soon as we arrived, God showed us that he had another plan. His ways are so much greater than ours. We never would have guessed that we could be so hot, sweaty and tired -- and yet so happy at the same time. Each of us has the desire to return as soon as we can. “We can’t wait to see what God has planned for us next!” (Editor’s Note: The pre- ceding article was adapted from the December issue of “The Body Works!” - - a publication of the Illinois Valley Christian Women’s Fellowship, by Bobbie Blakely). Headline blooper: Man found dead in cemetery . I.V. firefighters also re- sponded to a roll-over acci- dent at 10:55 p.m. at Bridge- view and Takilma roads. A more mysterious emer- gency occurred two days later, on Jan. 2. At approximately 2 a.m., firefighters were called out to somewhere southeast of Cave Junction to determine the source of what appeared to be extremely bright lights flick- ering on and off, said Fire Marshal Jerry Schaeffer. He added that he first thought it was a fire. However it was later determined that the glow was caused by elec- trical conductors being down at three different locations on top of Scott Mountain and a three-pole structure down on the Cave Junction side. As of 3 p.m. that day, more than 1,720 Northern California residents in Happy Camp, Hamburg, Scott Bar and Seiad were without power. According to Schaeffer, power was restored the fol- lowing day. ‘Learn something new,’ says I.V. Community Ed. Coordinator Pam Cooper As the new Training Ser- vices Coordinator for the Illi- nois Valley Community Edu- cation program for Rogue Community College, Pam Cooper has a new motto: “Learn something new.” Cooper, former managing editor of “Illinois Valley News,” began her new role with the college in early De- cember, and is working on a roster of classes for the spring term, which begins March 31. “Community Education is a series of non-graded, non- credit classes available to adults 18 and older,” Cooper said. Cooper said she feels this job is a natural for her be- cause she is a “people” per- son. “We have an incredible number of fascinating people right here in our valley,” Coo- per said. “I like to network, find out what’s new, what people need and want, and connect people who are look- ing for and have information, services or things.” Cooper said that Commu- nity Education is not just about learning how to do something in your spare time. “It’s learning something that may factor in later as job or self-employment opportu- nities,” she said. “The key word is ‘opportunity’ and how we handle all the opportunities and possibilities that are laid before us every day,” she said. Based part time in an of- fice in the RCC Belt Bldg. in Kerby, Cooper’s office hours are 10 a.m. to noon Mondays and Wednesdays. She said that the program is year- round, and that although the Belt Bldg. is the primary site, classes could eventually be held throughout the valley - something she hopes to see. Approximately one year ago, RCC took over the Com- munity Education program from the Illinois Valley Com- munity Response Team (IVCRT), which agreed to a two-year grant to help jump- start the program. “RCC has a better re- source base in many ways to take on this program,” said Cooper. “IVCRT got the ball rolling. Now that the program is affiliated with the college, maybe it will put down deeper roots. But budget cuts are happening all over the state. This community educa- tion program is self- sustaining; it must pay for itself.” Cooper said that anyone interested in teaching, or tak- ing, Community ED classes should phone her at 592- 2120. Class schedules and registration forms are avail- able in the lobby of the Belt Bldg. New ‘Noose’ Deadlines Display Ads, letters, announcements, news releases - Friday, 3 p.m. There will be a late fee ( 50 cents per column inch) for display ads turned in after the deadline until Monday, noon.
