4 A
The First Amendment
Letters to the editor
and press releases:
Email:
pressreleases@thesiuslawnews.com
To contact the editor:
editor@thesiuslawnews.com
C
ongress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press, or the right of the
people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the Government for a redress of grievances.
WEDNESDAY
JANUARY
14
•
2015
LETTERS
published last week, we have had a dozen new
volunteers!
All this new human energy will do wonders
to invigorate the program and support the
preparation and serving of lunches every
Tuesday and Thursday at the Methodist Church
at Second and Kingwood.
All the board members, volunteers and
clients appreciate the wonderful way the
Florence community “steps up!”
Thank you, volunteers! Thank you Siuslaw
News!
Suzanne Mann-Heintz, Co-coordinator
Florence Free Lunch Program
Police officers
In reading the article from Lynn Lamm,
Chief of Police, in the Jan. 7 Siuslaw News, it
truly saddened me to learn how often police
officers are misrepresented in our society and
country today.
When people are running away from danger-
ous situations to spare their own lives, the
police, the fire department, the EMTs with an
ambulance, the sheriff and the military are all
running to dangerous situations to save our
lives. In my book they are our heroes.
When we hear sirens, our first response
should be to offer a quick prayer that God
would help and protect these men and women
who are putting their lives on the line for all of
us. At what time any one of us is in trouble, who
do we call? It’s 911 for the police, and
whomever else the police determine is needed
in the situation presented, and then the police
dispatch help. Thank God they show up if we
call.
This week I had a bad fall in my house and
was trapped and having difficulty breathing
because my ribs were being squished and I
could not get myself out of the position I was in.
I was really stuck and alone at the time.
Fortunately I had put my cell phone in my pock-
et and I was able to reach it and call 911. The
police came right away and so did the EMTs
with an ambulance.
All of these men were incredibly profession-
al, concerned and helpful.
I for one have every bit of respect they
deserve for the job they performed for me and
Editor Baer
anyone else who calls the police and is in trou-
ble. The police, firemen, EMTs, sheriff and mil-
itary have been and are continually in my
prayers because they are here day and night no
matter the time or situation, if we call them they
show up to serve all of us. They are not running
away if we call.
We are a people most fortunate and blessed to
have these dedicated men and women at our
disposal just by picking up the phone and call-
ing 911. Thank you from the bottom of my heart
for your service to all of us.
Lindy Gessaman
Florence
City steps up, as always
Dear Siuslaw News staff,
Thank you so much for the article about the
Florence Free Lunch program. Since it was
I have known Theresa Baer since she was
hired to replace me at Oregon Coast and
Northwest Travel magazines back in June 2002
when I retired from the magazines — for the
first time. We have been friends ever since.
When she went to work for the Siuslaw News
in 2006 as a reporter, I appreciated the way she
made complex stories easy to understand. Later,
when she became editor, I watched her grow
into a perceptive, wise and mentoring editor
who could handle whatever came her way. She
was a good fit for the newspaper and good for
the town.
I know that I won’t be the only one to miss
her. I wish her the very best as she starts this
new chapter of her life.
Judy Fleagle
Florence
Emergency warming shelter on firm ground with new manager
how to push myself in all aspects.”
Laney started doing part-time land-
scape work when he was about 12.
“I did a lot of landscaping with a
family friend’s business. I worked at
restaurants as dishwasher and busser.
Most recently, I did an internship with
an art gallery on Bay Street, helping to
open and run a dinner movie theater as
well. The whole art world is pretty
neat.”
Laney also found the first two
nights of having the Florence
Emergency Cold Weather Shelter an
inspiring experience.
B Y G EORGIA C. D U B OSE
Special to the Siuslaw News
Interview with Julian Laney, man-
ager of the Florence Emergency Cold
Weather Shelter
Working as the manager of an emer-
gency shelter for homeless people
draws on Julian Laney’s previous
experience in the Army in Afghanistan
and Europe, his experiences growing
up in Florence, and his hopes for the
future. Asked what drew him to apply
for his new job, the Lane Community
College student responded, “I think
this town has needed a program like
this; it’s the first shelter like this I have
heard of here. In the long run, I have
ambitions to go elsewhere, but I want
to be a part of something positive
while I am here and thought this was a
great gig.”
The shelter opened New Year’s Eve
and New Year’s Day night at the
Masonic Lodge south of Florence.
Laney has been hired by the
Florence Emergency Cold Weather
Shelter board of directors to oversee
operations at the shelter during spells
of bad weather.
Life in the Army — four years —
taught Laney a lot about leadership.
“When I applied, I was convinced
that the job would suit me because I
have been in leadership for some time
now; this is a new way to learn to be a
leader. For the most part, leadership in
the military is leading by example, try-
ing to do the next right thing; others
are inspired by that. I think I can con-
tribute that to the Cold Weather
Shelter, show them what good leader-
ship looks like.”
Laney, 24, found a strong example
of leadership in his father, who died
when he was 12.
“My primary mentor was my father
— he passed away when I was 12 —
“To see all the volunteers working
very well together without a lot of
instruction was pretty amazing.
Everyone worked so well-all the mov-
ing parts were moving, everyone was
trying to help. What stood out for me,
as well, is that the homeless people
had such diverse personalities and sit-
uations; for the most part, the guests
were really appreciative.”
Laney says he has one hope for the
future of the shelter:
“I’d like to see that this community
really understands and supports what
we are trying to do here. I hope we’ll
see support for the shelter branch out,
because the community will under-
stand the need, get together, and make
a real difference in the situation. A lot
of people have worked hard to get it
off the ground, but we will need con-
sistent help from a wide variety of
churches and organizations to sustain
the effort.”
The emergency warming center is at
84910 Highway 101, south of the
Siuslaw River Bridge.
For more information about the cen-
ter, call Robert DuBose at 304-620-
8685.
Julian Laney
and could only be here two months a
year because he worked at a casino in
Las Vegas. He crammed a lot of guid-
ance and knowledge and expectations
into a limited time.”
Laney hopes eventually to become a
screenwriter and filmmaker.
“After deployment, I felt like I had
a story to tell. I want it to be truly
experienced by the people I tell it to. I
think the best way for that to happen is
to have it done well on screen. In
today’s society, films make a really
strong statement.”
The inspiration to seek leadership
roles, and to try to have a good influ-
ence on others, came from people
other than Laney’s father.
“My art teacher, Kim Pickell, was
first to inspire me. I was kind of a trou-
bled youth without my dad being
around, just doing my own thing in
school. Ms. Pickell showed me what
kind of potential I could have. Also,
Trace Tucker, an English teacher with
whom I had several courses through-
out high school, enlightened me about
how smart I am. I thought I was an
uneducated statistic. Finally, Tim
Dodson, the football coach, taught me
Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National
Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore.
Postmaster, send address changes to: The Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439. Phone (541) 997-3441 (See
extension numbers below). FAX (541) 997-7979.
John Bartlett
Publisher, ext. 327
Jenna Bartlett
General Manager, ext. 318
Theresa Baer
Editor, ext. 313
Susan Gutierrez
Advertising Director, ext. 326
Ryan Cronk
Features Editor, ext. 314
Cathy Dietz
Office Supervisor, ext. 312
Ron Annis
Production Supervisor
Jeremy Gentry
Press Manager
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