4 A
❘
WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ MARCH 23, 2016
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
RYAN CRONK , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
E XTRAORDINARY P EOPLE
Dick & Diane Anderson
C ATHERINE J. R OURKE
For the Siuslaw News
_____________
A family vacation often meant vis-
iting Southwest Indian reservations
where Dick provided volunteer den-
tal services. He also spearheaded “a
monumental community campaign,”
resulting in a Citizen of the Year
Award in 1976. But the area had
become densely populated and the
smog started rolling in.
“It was a good life, but it was time
to move on,” said Diane. “So we
decided to get away from the rat
race.”
The Andersons yearned for a place
that offered similar beauty, with
lakes and a small-town atmosphere.
“After a long search, we found
Florence in 1984,” Dick said. “The
people were so nice, and we felt at
home right away.”
The Andersons built an Old
World-style home on Woahink Lake
and turned it into a mini-farm “to
learn self-sufficiency,” complete
with animals and a vegetable garden.
“It was lots of hard work and no
income, but we learned a lot,” Diane
said.
Now that the Andersons had
retired from their practice and their
children were grown, they were free
to devote their lives to full-time
service. Their first trip in 2001 took
them to New Zealand, where they
spent six months as missionaries and
then another year of volunteer work
in Rarotonga on the Cook Islands in
Polynesia.
“It was remote, primitive and the
A
lecting more than 1,000 toothbrushes
and providing instruction to 4,000
children across three islands. Many
had never seen a toothbrush before.
“The kids actually loved it,”
Diane said, describing schools con-
sisting of a cement slab, with no
textbooks or chairs. “I remember all
these barefoot kids out in this big
field brushing their teeth. It was a
new toy at first, but then they started
beaming their bright new smiles. It
was truly a rewarding experience.”
But Dick wanted to do more.
“We might be saving their teeth
for a day, but I wondered what
would happen in the long run,” he
said. That’s when Dick turned to his
fellow Rotarians in Florence for
help.
“We needed dental supplies in
Rarotonga for a full year,” he said.
“So we worked through the club to
get the district and regional Rotary
clubs to obtain donations.”
The Rotarians organized a dental
outreach project and obtained grant
funding from Rotary International.
The Andersons returned to the
islands in 2003 armed with 20,000
toothbrushes and dental equipment
so Dick could provide more services.
“They were so warm and gracious
and treated us like family,” Dick
said. “If we could bring a smile to
these wonderful people, we hope
what we did is carrying on and
enhancing their lives.”
But the Andersons didn’t stop
there. Their humanitarian work
expanded to Eastern Europe and the
Middle East, working as emissaries
with nonprofit, non-government
agencies to bring relief to war-torn
countries in Eastern Europe and the
Middle East. The couple delivered
food, shoes, medical equipment and
wheelchairs, plus water to a leper
colony in Egypt.
“It was very fulfilling to help so
many people,” Dick said.
But it was also intimidating when
the couple spent six months in
Beirut, with constant bombs and
explosions.
“I was terrified,” Diane said. “War
is a way of life there. We have so
much here compared to other parts
fter mending smiles for over
20 years, Diane and Richard
Anderson, D.D.S., never
imagined they would be brightening
those of underprivileged kids in the
Polynesian Islands. But their love of
people and volunteer work as mis-
sionaries and humanitarian emis-
saries would eventually bring their
dental expertise to some unexpected
exotic places.
Long before the couple embarked
on their international missions, their
focus remained on small-town
affairs, devoting decades of civic,
community, faith-based and charita-
ble stewardship.
Dick and Diane met over half a
century ago during a church service
in Southern California and married
soon after. She dreamed of becoming
a ballerina and studied dance while
Dick attended the University of
Southern California School of
Dentistry in Los Angeles. After Dick
graduated in 1962, the couple began
searching for a small, friendly town
where they could start a dental prac-
tice as well as a family.
“Choose where you want to live
first and everything else will fall into
place,” Dick said. “Relocating for
quality of life is just as important as
for a job.”
For the
“We just love people. True happiness
Andersons, Lake
Arrowhead in the
comes from serving others.”
San Bernardino
—DICK & DIANE ANDERSON
Mountains ful-
filled that philoso-
phy as a beautiful small town with
experience of a lifetime,” Diane said.
four seasons and a lake in an area
“The people were dirt poor with no
that needed a dentist. They spent 24
indoor plumbing. They had nothing.”
years there building their practice in
They also had limited dentistry
the ’60s and ’70s. Diane trained as a
services. That’s when Dick realized
dental assistant, helping Dick in the
their need for dental hygiene.
office while raising their four chil-
“They had so little but so much in
dren.
their hearts,” he said. “We really
Despite a busy practice and family
wanted to help them.”
life, the Andersons still found the
The Andersons provided free den-
time to remain active in community
tal hygiene and education to the
affairs and charitable endeavors.
schoolchildren for a full year, col-
COURTESY PHOTO
Florence residents Dick and Diane Anderson have supported many
community projects since moving here in 1984.
of the world.”
The Andersons finally returned
home to Florence to continue their
work. Dick served for 20 years on
the Dunes City Council, as bishop of
the LDS church, as president of the
Western Lane Community
Foundation and on countless boards.
The couple also supported numer-
ous community projects, including
the Florence Events Center and the
expansion of local emergency and
surgical facilities at PeaceHealth
Peace Harbor Medical Center.
“It’s different to become directly
involved instead of just writing a
check,” Dick said. “We simply want
to spread the love in our hearts and
wish we could do so much more for
everyone.”
The couple, who recently celebrat-
ed their 54th anniversary, now
reflect on their tireless endeavors
together.
“We look at how blessed we are
and want to pour out and do some-
thing for others,” Diane said. “We
just love people. True happiness
comes from serving others.”
______________________
Catherine J. Rourke is an award-
winning writer, journalist and book
editor who teaches creative writing
at the Florence Regional Arts
Alliance. She may be contacted at
CJReditor@gmail.com.
LETTERS
Outpouring of support
Our hearts are full with the outpouring of
kindness, prayers and support we have received
from our community and friends during this
time of great loss.
Your thoughtfulness means the world to us
and has helped our healing begin. Thank you.
The Phil and Sue Davidson Family
Florence
Freedom of religion
As Easter approaches, it is important to
remember that the United States is not now, and
was never intended to be, a “Christian” nation.
Although the authors of the U.S. Constitution
were almost exclusively Christian, they includ-
ed in the First Amendment to the Constitution
the provision that “Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion, or pro-
hibiting the free exercise thereof.”
Politicians or others who seek to legislate on
the basis of either “Christian values” or biblical
strictures are violating the fundamental princi-
ple on which this nation was founded. Those
who complain about the removal of religious
symbols from public property, or demand com-
pulsory public prayer, are seeking to violate the
basic principles that led to the formation of this
country.
Religious freedom necessarily means the
freedom to practice any religion or no religion.
Among the worst nations of the world have
been those that are theocracies, where one
leader demands to be worshiped and obeyed by
all. Iran, North Korea, Germany under Hitler,
L ETTERS
TO THE
the Soviet Union under Stalin, China under
Mao, Western Europe under the Inquisition, and
possibly Russia under Putin, are all examples of
how state-sponsored religion has oppressed the
populace.
It is perfectly acceptable to preach “Christian
values” as long as it is recognized that these are
personal values, rather than legal principals, and
that many Christians may differ as to what they
consider to be “Christian values.”
Christians typically believe that Christ died
to offer salvation to the world, but most
Christians would not consider His death to jus-
E DITOR P OLICY
The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the editor concerning issues affecting the Florence area and
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tify exclusion, hatred or oppression of those
who have not yet accepted the salvation offered
by Christ.
Paul Floto
Florence
A shout out
The purpose of this letter is to compliment
the staff in the surgical department at Peace
Harbor Medical Center.
I literally got everything but a teddy bear and
a kiss from mom. The entire staff was warm,
professional, comforting and generous with
their time and attention to my procedure.
I am sorry that I cannot remember all the
names, but from entry assistance to RNs, anes-
thesiology and of course my physician Dr.
Stauffer, everything went smooth.
The facility is clean, organized and profes-
sional. I am truly grateful for the excellent care
I received.
James McDonald
Westlake
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Pres. Barack Obama
The White House
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Washington, D.C. 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
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www.oregon.gov/gov
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
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FAX: 503-986-1080
Email:
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313 Hart Senate Office Bldg
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State Rep. Caddy McKeown
(Dist. 9)
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1409
Email:
rep.caddymckeown@state.or.us
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (4th Dist.)
2134 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6416/ 800-944-9603
541-269-2609/ 541-465-6732
www.defazio.house.gov
State Sen. Arnie Roblan (Dist. 5)
900 Court St. NE - S-417
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
West Lane County Commissioner
Jay Bozievich
125 E. Eighth St.
Eugene, OR 97401
541-682-4203
FAX: 541-682-4616
Email:
Jay.Bozievich@co.lane.or.us