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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (May 16, 2015)
6 A SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2015 Community Chorus announces scholarship winners On May 3, three Siuslaw High School students were awarded scholarships from the Community Chorus of Florence Oregon (CCFO) at a concert held at the Florence Event Cent- er. Senior students Elizabeth Wartnik and David Johnston each received $1,000 to be used to further their music education. Johnston will be attending the University of Oregon, where he will major in music and dance. He plans a career in vocal music and choral conducting. Wartnik plans to attend George Fox University, where she will major in vocal per- formance and music composi- tion. She hopes to continue her education in a graduate program at the University of Oregon and prepare for a career teaching vocal performance and composi- tion. Wartnik and Johnston both sang solos at the chorus’ “Hooray for Hollywood” con- cert . Wartnik sang “When You Wish Upon a Star.” Johnston performed “I Believe in You,” from “How COURTESY PHOTO Siuslaw High School students Senior Elizabeth Wartnik, Junior Nikita Williams and Senior David Johnston won 2015 Community Chorus of Florence scholarships. to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.” Nikita Williams, a junior at Siuslaw High School, received $500 toward her tuition at a music camp she will attend this summer. Students interested in the vocal arts are encouraged to sing with the CCFO. Each spring, the Community Chorus offers scholarships to area students who will be pursuing higher education in the vocal arts. The awards are limited to those graduating seniors plan- ning on achieving a degree in the subject, or students from lower grades who will be attending vocal music camps. More information about the Chorus and/or the scholarship program is available online at www.communitychorusflo- renceor.org. Three Rivers opens casino in Coos Bay Three Rivers Casino in Coos Bay, 1297 Ocean Blvd. NW, is now open for business. After a ribbon cutting cere- mony attended by approxi- mately 400 guests, including The Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, local busi- nesses and civic leaders, the facility welcomed its first guests and was off to a brisk start. The casino features 250 brand new games and a full service onsite restaurant, Café 1297. Bob Garcia will oversee all operations of the facility and provide all coordination between it and the existing Three Rivers Casino and Resort in Florence. Garcia will also handle all community relations and out- reach in the Coos Bay area. Coos Bay Mayor Crystal Shoji gave a personal and pro- fessional welcome to the open- ing of the casino, “On personal level, I have had the opportuni- ty to work with these tribes for 15 years and I have been so happy working with them,” said Shoji. “And on behalf of the City of Coos Bay, our citi- zens are happy to have this casino here. Our city is actual- ly named after the Coos Tribe, and our bay, which is our dis- tinguishing feature, is also named after the Coos Tribe. So we’re so pleased to welcome you here.” In addition, Mark Ingersoll, Tribal Chairman of Con-feder- ated tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, said they are committed to the Coos Bay community for the long term. “I can’t tell you all how proud we are of this project,” said Ingersoll. “It was a lot of work to get this done, but we are so happy to bring this to you. We are looking forward to being a good partner in this community. And we plan to be here forever and ever and ever.” Three Rivers Casino will be open 24-hours a day, seven days a week in Coos Bay. While providing the city of Coos Bay with an entertain- ment source, it is also opening up the opportunity for econom- ic growth with more than 90 full-time positions. For more information, visit www.threeriverscasino.com. OHAC honors home-health professionals Oregon Association for Home Care (OAHC), an organ- ization that’s primary mission is to support home-health and hospice programs both in regu- latory and quality of care, holds annual awards given to recognize outstanding patient caregivers in the home care field. Disciplines that can be nom- inated include nurses, thera- pists, medical social workers, home-health aides and support staff. Agency managers nomi- nate their caregivers to receive these awards through an essay which describes why this per- son should be recognized. OAHC staff review the nominations and then they select a candidate for each dis- cipline. Award winners are rec- ognized at the annual OAHC conference. This year, PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Home Health and Hospice had two care- givers honored at the OAHC conference on April 24 at Eagle Crest Resort. Eunice Tevlin, hospice vol- unteer, was awarded Volunteer of the Year, and Dr. Stephen Kerner was honored as the Physician of the Year. Kathy Murphy, agency man- ager, nominated these care- givers and presented the awards at the conference. “It was such a blessing to receive recognition at the state level for these outstanding caregivers and to honor them for their hard work and dedica- tion to our patients,” said Murphy, manager for home care services. “I feel so fortu- nate to work with these care- givers who represent our mis- sion and values and continue to be leaders in quality care.” Tevlin has served on the Peace Harbor hospice board for more than 20 years, begin- ning in 1995, when hospice services first began in Florence. Dr. Kerner serves as both the Hospice Medical Director and Home Health Medical Director for PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical Center. Planned Parenthood in Florence to close May 19 For almost 50 years, Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon (PP SO) has provided high qual- ity sexual and reproductive health care and education to adults and young people. Due to limited financial resources, PPSO has made the difficult decision to close its Florence Health Center. The last day of service in Florence will be Tuesday, May 19. The Florence Health Center opened in 2004. It has provided preventive health care to thousands of adults and young people. Services at the Florence Health Center include birth control, annual exams, cer- vical and breast cancer screenings and sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment. “We care about Florence and the families here, and are proud to have served the community for over a decade. It was a tough deci- sion to close the center,” says Cynthia Pappas, CEO. “Our work has been wel- comed and supported by many dedicated donors and community members and has made what we believe is a lasting, positive impact on the community.” Limited financial re- sources and reduced patient volume due to the aging demographic in Florence caused the PPSO Board of Directors to review the via- bility of the Florence Health Center. The combination of health care provider shortages, changing patient needs, and new health care protocols have made maintaining the center cost prohibitive for the healthcare non-profit. Patients can continue to get health care through Planned Parenthood at one of their other locations. The West Eugene Health Center, 541-902-7861, is the closest facility, an hour’s drive from Florence at 793 N. Danebo Ave. Other local providers include Douglas County Health Center in Reedsport, 541-271-4835, and the McKenzie Primary Care Associates in Florence, 541- 997-1251. Featured Home of the Month COMFORTABLE ELEGANCE! Beautiful Shelter Cove home offers the unique combination of comfort and elegance. High quality amenities in sunken living room and custom kitchen. Views to Siuslaw River & Pacific Ocean add to the comfortable elegance. COAST REAL ESTATE $399,900 #10759 MLS#13301638 100 Hwy. 101, Florence, OR • 541.997.7777 “We’re next to the Bridge.” Introducing your brand-new local bank. Community banking is where we got our start 125 years ago. And it’s what we deliver everywhere we go. Which is why even though Siuslaw Bank is now Banner Bank, you’ll still find the same local employees you know, and trust and an unwavering commitment to serving your community. Visit one of our many convenient branches or find us at bannerbank.com. Let’s create tomorrow, together. MEMBER FDIC