SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2015
Rotary promises
‘Roaring Good Time’
at annual auction
Saturday, March 14, will
be “A Roaring Good Time for
Giving,” according to local
Rotarians.
To the lively sounds of a
little ragtime piano, the
Rotary Club of Florence
unveiled its 2015 auction
theme last week, declaring
that its upcoming Roaring
Twenties extravaganza will
set another fundraising record
to support scholarships for
local young people. The auc-
tion is scheduled for 5 p.m.
on March 14 at the Florence
Events Center.
Expect to see a bit of Great
Gatsby combined with some
Downton Abbey as Rotarians
dress the part. Some may
even be seen dancing the
Charleston or sipping a little
speakeasy champagne. A
capacity crowd of 260 is
expected, according to auc-
tion co-chairwoman Bobbi
Brubaker.
More than half the tables
are already sold out. Anyone
interested in sponsoring a
table at this year’s event
should call Kim Erickson at
541-902-9807 for tickets and
information.
In 2014, the Florence
Rotary contributed more than
$45,000 in scholarships for
Herb
from 1A
The goal of the club is,
“Getting the information out
to the community so they can
make healthy decisions,”
Beveridge said.
“We are featuring local
people who live and provide
service in the community.
Many speakers see an
increase in business after pre-
senting to the group.”
For the next topic,
Beveridge knows it will be a
bit more controversial.
“I want to talk to the
(police) chief first,” she said.
students at Siuslaw and
Mapleton high schools and
Lane Community College.
Scholarships range from
$1,000 to $10,000 and sup-
port students in both commu-
nity college and university
degree programs.
“We have already raised
more than $1 million through
our auction program,” said
co-chairman
Kevin
McMullen. “We’re headed
for our second million, and
we continue to be excited
about the academic and pro-
fessional accomplishments of
our past scholarship win-
ners.”
In addition to its ambitious
scholarship program, Rotary
sponsors the Siuslaw High
School
Interact
Club,
Rotary’s service organization
for high school students.
Other projects during the
past year included backpacks,
dictionaries and school
supplies
for
Siuslaw
and Mapleton elementary
schools.
“This year’s theme is our
way of having fun and doing
good at the same time,” said
Rotary President Sadie Ward.
“Florence Rotarians are fabu-
lous and this night will be no
exception.”
“It will be a purely education-
al introduction to the medici-
nal use of cannabis. We
expect quite a turnout for
this.”
Among the projected
speakers for the event are a
master herbalist from
Eugene, a local pharmacist
and doctor.
Florence Herb Enthusiasts
meet next on Thursday, Feb.
19, at 11 a.m.
For more information on
programming or volunteering,
call Jacquie Beveridge at 541-
997-8311, Linda Sadler at
541-902-9888 or visit
florenceherbenthusiasts.com.
The
Chick en Coop
O N M A P L E
We have Valentine Gifts
for your Sweetheart!
Dunes City seeks citizen input on goals
DUNES CITY — The
Dunes City Council has sched-
uled its annual special session
devoted to setting City Council
goals for the year.
The special session will be
held Tuesday, Feb. 10, begin-
ning at 2 p.m.
Although no oral citizen
comments will be heard during
the meeting, Dunes City resi-
dents are invited to submit
written suggestions for City
Council goals, or comments on
the goals, prior to the meeting
and to attend the meeting in
person.
The comments and sugges-
tions will be presented to coun-
cilors for consideration during
the special session.
Club
from 1A
Title II-B federal grants have
a sustainability clause built in.
For the first three years, the
district receives full funding. In
the fourth year, the district
receives 75 percent funding.
The fifth year the district
receives 50 percent funding.
The diminishing grant
amount is designed to encour-
age recipients to acquire local
funding to cover the difference.
The district has three years left
on the grant.
Board member Chuck Trent
said, “We have been running in
the neighborhood of 128 kids
for two hours of the after-
school care, and 148 kids for
the last hour.”
The club, which has not been
on solid financial ground for
several years, compounded its
financial strain in September
2013 with the acquisition of
ABC and in May 2014, when
the club reached an agreement
with QCCF and the school dis-
trict to take over the operation
of the financially challenged
child-care facility.
Board member Michael
Flu
from 1A
Sherwood said, “It’s espe-
cially important for high-risk
individuals to get vaccinated.”
People who are at high risk
of developing serious compli-
cations like pneumonia if they
Written suggestions and
comments may be delivered to
Dunes City Hall, 82877 Spruce
St. in Westlake, mailed to P.O.
Box 97, Westlake OR 97493,
or emailed to recorder@
dunescityor.com.
In order to be considered
during the City Council’s spe-
cial session, comments must be
received at Dunes City Hall by
4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4.
At last year’s goal-settings
special session, the Dunes City
Council determined that pri-
mary goals for the city should
be financial stability, good gov-
ernance, water quality and
resources, and emergency pre-
paredness.
Other significant goals for
city councilors in 2014 includ-
ed continuing their work
to
update
the
city’s
Comprehensive
Plan
by
replacing outdated informa-
tion, and to hold educational
seminars that promote local
awareness of Dunes City’s sep-
tic program.
In addition, during last
year’s goal-setting session,
councilors agreed to continue
their commitment to making
the annual Oregon Dunes
Triathlon and Duathlon a sig-
nature event for the Florence
and Dunes City area.
The second annual Oregon
Dunes Triathlon and Duathlon
held in May 2014 was deemed
a huge success, with more than
twice the number of registered
participants than the first event
held in 2013.
Dunes City Mayor Rebecca
Ruede reminds local residents
and business owners that it is
not too early to get involved
with the 2015 event.
“Businesses and individuals
can help support this unique,
fun event by becoming a spon-
sor or by volunteering to staff
the triathlon and duathlon race
courses,” she says. “Even
though the event is in May,
we’re already looking for spon-
sors and volunteers.”
Information about the event
and sponsorship opportunities
is available by calling Dunes
City Hall at 541-997-3338.
Pearson said, “Our Executive
Director Jonathan Hicks said
that he felt this could work.
From what he said, he gathered
from the QCCF finance com-
mittee and board of directors
that they didn’t manage it prop-
erly and we would manage it
properly.”
Trent said, “What I heard
when I came onto the board
was that through economy of
scale, by having all the organi-
zations, Boys and Girls Club,
ABC and QCCF being able to
share resources, we could man-
age it at a different cost point
than as an individual entity.”
The anticipated economy of
scale savings never material-
ized. In addition, rate increases
needed to make QCCF and
ABC profitable were post-
poned because of contractual
agreements that had to be hon-
ored until September 2014.
“In September we were able
to raise the rates for both ABC
and QCCF,” Trent said. “The
reality is that we lost a signifi-
cant amount of money before
that time.”
Accounting glitches also
prevented current club board
members from determining
which entities were losing
money and which, if any, were
not.
The revenue stream and
expenses for each of the enti-
ties were commingled to the
point that it was difficult for
board members and their
accounting firm, Holloway and
Associates, LLC, to gain a
clear perspective of the finan-
cial health of ABC, QCCF, the
after-school program and other
Boys and Girls Club activities.
“I received a letter from our
accountants,” club board presi-
dent Mike Smith said, “basical-
ly saying ‘As your accountant,
I am telling you that you need
to shut down.’ ABC Preschool
and QCCF were specifically
called out. ‘If you don’t do this
within a certain period of time,
then it will jeopardize the
board of directors liability cov-
erage.’ I took the letter to our
attorney and she agreed.”
Since receiving the letter, the
board has been earnestly
attempting to sort out the finan-
cial maze of each of the club’s
operations and implement cuts
and rate increases to stabilize
the negative cash flow spiral.
“Based on the financials that
we see right now,” Smith said,
“ABC and QCCF for the last
quarter are actually making
money. But, we are not paying
off our debt.”
The pro forma and profit and
loss projections that the board
will present to OPB reveal that
the entities can all be showing a
positive cash flow in 2015.
“Each of the three entities,
ABC, QCCF and Boys and
Girls Club, have to be able to
pay their own way, their own
payroll, all the administrative
costs, and, they have to be able
to retire the current debt,” Trent
said.
Forsythe said, “If OPB says
yes to the consolidation loan, I
think we have the right people
on the board and a new struc-
ture in place. We will be able to
not only survive, but we will be
able to thrive.”
During the Jan. 28 meeting,
Jonathan Hicks, 33, executive
director of the club since Feb.
1, 2013, told the board he
would soon be stepping down.
Hicks, his wife Denise and
their two children recently
moved to Sisters. He has been
commuting back and forth to
work.
get sick with the flu include:
people who have certain med-
ical conditions, including asth-
ma, diabetes and chronic lung
disease; pregnant women; chil-
dren between 6 months and 4
years old; people 65 years and
older, and those who live with
or care for others who are at
high risk of developing serious
complications.
The Center for Disease
Control (CDC) recommends
that unvaccinated people get
flu shots even when drifted
viruses — a virus that has had
its genetic make-up change
over time — are circulating, as
they are this season.
According to the CDC, the
vaccination can still prevent
some infections from drifted
viruses and may reduce severe
disease that can lead to hospi-
talization and death. The
influenza vaccine is designed
to protect against three or four
influenza viruses, some of
which may be circulating later
in the season.
Flu vaccination shots are
available at many local phar-
macies as well as PeaceHealth
Peace Harbor Primary Care
Clinic, 380 Ninth St.
Rally
citizens with publicly funded
health care just like we do for
education, libraries, firefight-
ers and police services.”
For rally transportation
information, contact SK
Lindsey at 541 999-5875, or
come to the Kenneth B.
Gallery, 1458 First St. in Old
Town Florence, or call Stu
Henderson at 541-997-2997 or
Dr. John Egar at 541-999-
6599.
Welcome to 80 Years of Excellence!
We Make All Our Own Ice Cream
– Over 50 Flavors –
Including
Sugar-free Ice Cream & Non-fat Frozen Yogurt
in a variety of flavors.
“Over 5 Generations of
Old Fashioned Goodness!”
129 Maple Street , Old Town Florence
Tw o l o c a t i o n s i n F l o r e n c e
541-991-7739
H i g h w a y 1 0 1 N & B a y S t r e e t i n O l d To w n
Wa l d p o r t • W i n c h e s t e r B a y • A s h l a n d • S i s t e r s
R&R
541-991-3335
RC Hobby Shop
Saturday, Jan 31 •12-2pm
Licensed
Bonded
Insured
(541) 997-6977
(541) 999-0896
P.O. Box 31,000
P.O. Box 31,000 • Florence, OR 97439
Free Hot Dogs • Soda
Raffl e Tickets: Purchase your tickets now!
one for $5 or 5 for $20 (must be present to win)
ONE GRAND PRIZE valued at over $200.00
RC Planes, Cars, Helicopters, Boats, Toys
Trains, Parts & More
NOW O
PEN
2515 Hwy. 101 • Florence M-F 10-6
www.rrrchobbyshop.com
Th e Barber Station
SUPER
DAY
SATUR t only
1
y 3 s
Januar aircuts
$8.00 h fi rst
for the
ple!
15 peo
WEEK DAY SPECIALS:
Early Bird Specials
from 8 am-10 am
Happy Hour cuts
5pm – 6 pm
• Plates • Sterling Silver Jewelry
• Candle Scarfs • Collectible Hand Carved Eggs
• Gallery Pieces • Turquoise Jewelry
• Glass Art • Earrings • Pendants
• Gift items and MORE ON SALE!
Silver Sand Dollar
Gallery Jewelry and Gifts
1499 Bay Street (Old Port Building)
Owners: Jason and Annette
21st and Highway 101
(Diagonal from McDonald’s)
Saturda
y
11-4
We now offer Custom Engraving!
Jewelry, Name plates, ID
bracelets, Pet tags and more.
Opens Today, Saturday, January 31st
Specializing in Men’s
and Womens Haircuts
Open Monday – Friday 8-6
Saturday 9-4
7 A
On-Site
Parking
541-997-0111
Closed
Tues-Wed.
from 1A
time of retirement independent
of health care costs.
“We believe that health care
is a human right and our soci-
etal responsibility,” said
Henderson. “The care we
receive should not be depend-
ent on what we can afford. It is
time we joined the rest of the
free world and provided our