SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017
Vision
from 1A
“Almost anything you can
imagine is part of this vision,”
Lacer said.
Spencer agreed.
“We’re seeing a lot of diver-
sity between the things that are
institutionally led and the
AND THE WINNER IS...
things where people in the
community said they wanted to
step in, with things like local
foods and the Siuslaw Youth
Soccer Association,” she said.
“What I like about this vision
is that, at the end of the day
when someone comes up to me
and says, ‘I have this great
idea,’ I can say, ‘Great. How
can we help you do that?’”
One of those people is Greg
Wood,
pastor
of
the
Presbyterian Church of the
Siuslaw and founder of the
Florence Emergency Cold
Weather Shelter, who saw a
need in the community and
stepped forward.
He told the story of a home-
less family who asked for a
replacement tent, since the
family’s current one could not
keep out rodents.
“Several pastors I meet with
started talking about this and
came up with the idea of trying
to buy cheap but serviceable
travel trailers and put families
in them,” he said.
Soon after, Wood and others
formed First Step, which oper-
ates under the cold weather
shelter’s 501(c)(3), to provide
transitional housing services
for families.
“A family that is struggling
to stay warm and dry at night
probably isn’t going to be very
productive in the community,”
Wood said. “Our anecdotal evi-
dence suggests that when they
are given even a travel trailer,
their kids go to school more
often and they are free to use
some of the energy to get a job,
clear up their legal records and
do some things that are actual-
ly helpful and productive in
Florence.”
First Step accepts donations
of money or trailers to help
KEEP CHRIST IN
CHRISTMAS
“house the unhoused.” It is
also working with county and
city regulations to legally set
up areas where these trailers
can stay more permanently.
Wood envisions a one-year
pilot program, and seeks addi-
tional community input and
partnerships.
He also presented at
Florence Area Chamber of
Commerce’s Noon Forum on
Dec. 14.
“Something has to be done,”
he said. “That’s why we’re
calling it First Step, because
we have no illusions about our
program as a permanent solu-
tion to anything, but it is a
transition. … Life gets very
much better for them.”
For more information about
First Step or Florence
Emergency Cold Weather
Shelter, contact Wood at
revgwood@yahoo.com or 541-
991-8208.
“This is where you can say
you have a project, and make it
happen,” Spencer said. “That is
really the magical piece of our
Vision. We’re at this amazing
spot where we’re making dif-
ferences in so many ways.”
Vision Keepers also present-
ed on the new community cal-
endar, available online at
RiverCal.org. This website
also hosts information on the
entire Siuslaw Vision 2025.
In addition, people may also
apply for the three Siuslaw
Vision paid positions. Final
proposals are due by 4 p.m. on
Monday, Jan. 8, 2018.
Vision
Co-Chair
Jo
Beaudreau ended the meeting.
“You guys are really the
people who make a differ-
ence,” she said to attendees,
and all the people who attend-
ed forums, joined a committee
or took a survey. “Keep up the
amazing work. You’re doing it
today, you’re going to do it
tomorrow and truly you’re
making the Siuslaw region a
community.”
Watch
Sunshine Armer was the winner of the Christmas Card contest
for Shorewood Senior Living. We had our Holiday Cards printed
with her art work and sent them out with our greetings.
“In Search of the Lord’s Way”
Sunday, 7:30 AM
KMTR Channel 12
Congratulations Sunshine!
Then visit the
Florence church of Christ
1833 Tamarack
Florence, Oregon
She received a $50.00 gift card for her eff orts.
and experience the joy and simplicity of
pre-denominational New Testament Worship. (Romans 16:16)
Sponsored by
St. Mary Our Lady of the Dunes
Knights of Columbus
Assembly 3656
Florence, Oregon
s
a
m
t
s
i
r
Ch ervices
S
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Sunday, December 24 th
6:00 PM
First Baptist Church, Florence
25 th and Spruce
Bible Study: Sunday, 10:00 am
Worship: Sunday, 11:00 am
www.churchofchristfl orence.org
Christmas Eve
Candlelight
Service
Sunday,
Dec. 24th
7 PM
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to
give him the name Jesus, because he will save
his people from their sins.”
~ Matthew 1:21
Please Join Us for a Joyous Evening
on the Eve of Our Savior’s Birth
as We Light the Way to Christmas.
Resurrection Lutheran Church
85294 Highway 101 South
(Located about 1 mile south of bridge).
#ResurrectionLutheranChurchFlorence
541-997-7660
St. Mary, Our Lady of the Dunes
Catholic Church
Christmas Eve.
Dec. 24
5:30 PM Mass
Come Join
Us in
Celebration
Christmas Day
Dec. 25
Florence
11 AM Mass
Reedsport
St. John the
Apostle Church
8:45 AM
9 A