A4
Opinion
wallowa.com
November 29, 2017
Wallowa County Chieftain
Shop locally:
It’s a good
deal for us all
The average American will spend more than $900
on gifts for friends and families this Christmas season,
according to experts.
Shoppers have lots of options, from “big-box” stores
to regional chains to online.
Wallowa County residents have something that
many communities its
size envy –– a thriving
and bustling retail sector.
Nowhere was that
more obvious than
Voice of the Chieftain
during Small Business
Saturday on Nov. 25.
Many businesses in the county took advantage of the
promotion to boost their sales and notoriety.
Several stores held events in conjunction with the
nationally recognized day, proclaimed by the Small
Business Administration as a day to celebrate and
support small businesses and all they do for their
communities.
Throughout the next three weeks that comprise the
traditional shopping season, local businesses of all
descriptions will offer friendly customer service and a
variety of helpful features you won’t find in too many
places.
The added advantage of community-wide
promotions in both Joseph and Enterprise makes the
chore of shopping that much more enjoyable. Jingle
Through Joseph and Enterprise Winterfest are the
icing on the cake, adding to excitement and activity in
both cities.
While not everyone can do all of his or her
shopping in Wallowa County, there are probably more
opportunities for gift-buying here than you may think.
The important thing is to get out and see what area
shops have to offer.
You won’t know until you go.
There are a long list of advantages to shopping
local. You burn less gas, create less air pollution and
spend less precious time in pursuit of gifts. And you
avoid crowds and packed parking lots.
You also boost the fortunes of businesses that are
always front and center when it comes to supporting
the community.
Ask any nonprofit, school, church or organization
about their base of support and they’ll tell you it’s not
in Portland or Walla Walla or Lewiston.
Notice all of those sponsor signs that grace the
sports arenas in the county? Very few of them carry
the name of businesses located in other communities.
Shopping local also boosts the economy in
Wallowa County, which has long-term benefits in
many directions. Among them are much-needed jobs
for county residents. This year, take the time to visit a
local retailer you may not have frequented for a while.
See what’s new and exciting. We believe you will
pleasantly surprised with the plethora of options
EDITORIAL
etters to the Editor are subject to editing and should
be limited to 275 words. Writers should also include a
phone number with their signature so we can call to verify
identity. The Chieftain does not run anonymous letters.
In terms of content, writers should refrain from personal
attacks. It’s acceptable, however, to attack (or support)
another party’s ideas.
We do not routinely run thank-you letters, a policy we’ll
consider waiving only in unusual situations where reason
compels the exception.
You can submit a letter to the Wallowa County Chieftain
in person; by mail to P.O. Box 338, Enterprise, OR 97828;
by email to editor@wallowa.com; or via the submission
form at the newspaper’s website, located at wallowa.com.
L
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P.O. Box 338 • Enterprise, OR 97828
Office: 209 NW First St., Enterprise, Ore.
Phone: 541-426-4567 • Fax: 541-426-3921
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Enterprise, Oregon
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Contents copyright © 2017. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
Volume 134
1 Year
$40.00
$57.00
Season is cause for thanksgiving
Several years ago I, along with other
cities throughout the state, received a let-
ter from a nice gentlemen from Portland
State University thanking all of the pub-
lic servants during the holiday season. It
was such a nice letter and I never forgot it.
Every year around this time, I thank
about that letter, and I want to continue
that heartfelt thank you.
So here is my thank you, and I am sure
you will agree.
I would like to thank the road crews
for keeping our roads open and safe while
everyone is traveling during the holiday
season. While you are driving to visit your
family and friends, these folks are on call
and quite often pulled away from their
families to gravel streets and highways,
plow snow and clear accident scenes.
This includes ODOT, county and city road
departments.
I would like to thank our law enforce-
ment and dispatchers who really never
get a holiday, they work around the clock
helping those who lock their keys in their
car while shopping, get a flat tire or just
need directions. They also are called out
by dispatchers for crimes that tend to
increase during the holidays and respond
to the many accidents on the roads due to
inclement weather.
I would like to thank the health care
professionals who also are always on call
and or working to help you when you are
sick or injured. They are always there for
you in your time of need whether it be the
EMTs, nurses, aides, lab, X-ray, doctors,
cooks and office staff.
Someone is always available while you
are with your families during the holidays.
I have to add that I was so appreciative the
GUEST
COLUMN
Michele Young
other day when I witnessed hospital main-
tenance staff graveling their parking lots
when it was slick. Thank you.
I would like to thank the fire depart-
ments for so quickly responding to acci-
dents and fires, especially when you just
sat down to eat with your family and
boom, the call comes. Thank you for com-
ing to our aid always.
I would like to thank the public works
departments for leaving their homes to
help get water to your home because
your pipes froze or check the sewer lines
because your toilets aren’t flushing. This
happens frequently during the holidays.
They too have families they are spend-
ing the holidays with, but they come when
called. Thank you for that because during
the holidays and the rest of the year, water
and sewer are critical needs.
I would like to thank my office staff
who get the angry calls during the day if
the streets are slick, people don’t like the
way the snow was plowed, water is fro-
zen, sewer isn’t working or when the police
didn’t respond immediately. We know
these issues can be frustrating, but we
really are here to help, and it can be diffi-
cult when being yelled at. I assure you that
everyone is doing the best job possible to
make sure your needs are met. Sometimes
a little thank you goes a long way.
I would like to thank our department
of human services and Safe Harbors who
often see the worst during the holidays.
They are also on call all of the time to help
children and adults who need their help.
Abuse is a horrible thing, thank you for
being there and getting them the help they
need.
I have to give a big thank you to the
stores and restaurant owners and their
clerks who work so hard during the hol-
idays to make your shopping and eating
a great experience. Their staff quite often
see the worst in people, as we all tend to
get impatient during this season. These
folks are exhausted by the end of the holi-
day season, please be kind to them.
I would like to thank the many vol-
unteers who do so much during the holi-
days. There are so many people to thank in
this category so I will just say thank you.
Your role as a volunteer is so very import-
ant, and I just want you to know you are
appreciated.
If I have left anyone out, it was not
intentional. Please be kind to others while
out during the holidays. The services pro-
vided to you from all of these various
public servants are quite often taken for
granted.
Please take a moment when they come
to your aid and say thank you, their family
is home waiting for them to return while
they are helping you during this busy hol-
iday season.
Drive carefully, and be safe during
the holidays, give thanks every day for
the many things that you have and are
provided.
Michele Young is city administrator of
the city of Enterprise.
‘Yes for libraries’ needs you
Here’s hoping all of our readers had a
tremendous Thanksgiving Day and sur-
vived the turkey haze that followed.
You couldn’t have asked for more
beautiful weather. It was 65 degrees at
our house early on Thursday morning and
the sunshine was blinding. Rain fell later
in the day, but it was still one of the most
temperate Thanksgivings in some time.
In addition to our feast at home, we
attended the community Thanksgiving
dinner at the Enterprise Senior Center. It
was heartwarming to watch the volunteers
in action and visit with many of the 100
or so who came out for turkey and all the
trimmings.
It was yet another tremendous exam-
ple of the quality of life here in Wallowa
County. Everyone who attended went
home full of good cheer and great food.
There is a feature page on the event else-
where in this edition.
IF YOU MISSED the holiday bazaar
in Joseph this past weekend, you’re in
luck. It will be repeated again this coming
Friday and Saturday. The Joseph Commu-
nity Center was packed to capacity with
vendors and as we understand it, a waiting
list of artisans who weren’t able to get in.
Time to expand to an additional venue,
I would say.
Having spent some time both Friday
and Saturday in Joseph, it appeared shop-
ping crowds were large, and an informal
“bag survey” showed many on the streets
with parcels large and small.
Sometimes amidst all the strife and
bickering coming out of Washington we
WAHL TO WALL
Paul Wahl
miss good news. The economy this year
falls into that category. Nationally. the six
leading economic indicators –– every-
thing from unemployment rates to the
stock market –– are trending upward this
year.
Even the weather has been favorable
for shopping and other outdoor pursuits
thus far this winter.
Although the face of retail is changing
somewhat, hometown shopping oppor-
tunities in businesses operated by folks
you know –– such as those in Joseph and
Enterprise and across Wallowa County
–– can’t be duplicated online. You’ve got
three weeks to take in the fun.
COMING UP next Tuesday, Dec. 5,
will be the next organizing meeting of the
YES for Libraries Campaign Committee
at Building Healthy Families in Enter-
prise. The evening begins with a light
dinner, followed by breakout groups for
each of the committees the group hopes
to form.
The May ballot on which the proposal
for forming a library district will be here
before you know it. This is your opportu-
nity to get involved in the campaign.
We have devoted barrels of ink to this
cause, and I’ll have to admit to being dis-
appointed at the response. Like so many
worthwhile endeavors, the 80-20 rule
applies –– 20 percent do the work and too
many coach from the sidelines.
If this campaign is going to be suc-
cessful, it desperately needs the time, tal-
ent and voices of more than the dozen or
so who have stepped forward to this point.
No one should be deluded into think-
ing that folks happily march the polls and
vote to raise their taxes, even for the best
of causes. If you’re one of those who’s
thinking, “who would oppose funding for
libraries,” think again.
The goal of the “vote yes” committee
is to reach every voter in the county with
the story about why libraries are important
and deserve your tax-dollar support. An
oligarchy isn’t what’s needed to accom-
plish that goal, an all-out full-court press
involving everyone is the commitment
needed.
Follow the YES for Libraries Cam-
paign Committee on Facebook.
Ask not what your libraries can do for
you, but what you can do for your librar-
ies, to paraphrase JFK.
Here’s one I grew up hearing: If a task
has once begun. Never leave it till it’s
done. Be the labor great or small. Do it
well or not at all.
Having watched dozens of ballot ini-
tiatives come and go over 40 years in the
newspaper business, I have deep concerns
as to whether this one can be successful
given the scant participation in the “vote
Yes” movement thus far.
Let’s work to pack the Building
Healthy Families Building to capacity on
Dec. 5.
Foundation event was superb
Wallowa Valley Health Care Founda-
tion put on its annual dinner auction Nov.
11 at the artfully decorated Cloverleaf
Hall. It was a sold-out crowd.
The event was hugely successful.
The citizens and businesses of Wal-
lowa County once again –– even though
they are hit up multiple times each year
–– gave generously of their time and
finances.
The goal was to raise funds for the
LETTERS to the EDITOR
new 3-D state-of-the-art mammography
machine. To this end, more than $113,000
was raised.
All of that money will stay here in our
county. Our hospital, which is ranked as
one of the most outstanding rural hospi-
tals in the nation, is the beneficiary. Our
hospital has directly or indirectly posi-
tively benefited all of us. It deserves our
support.
In a world where there is a pervasive
aura of negativity, we can be proud to live
where we care deeply about each other.
And, we are willing to roll up our sleeves
and commit to seeing that good things
keep happening here at home.
Gail Swart
Enterprise