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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (July 13, 2019)
SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2019 | 7A BARK from page 1A “I’m hoping that people will start taking ownership of the park, a pride in it,” Me- deiros said. “I think it’s just become run-down — people just go there and they don’t really care about it. I’m trying to change the perspective on it.” Medeiros runs her own business, Florence Tech Solu- tions (FTS) in Old Town, where her two Goldendoo- dle’s, Ollie and Sophie, hang out throughout the day. “They’re my babies, and they’re the reason I started doing this,” she said. The only local place she can let her dogs run freely is the dog park, which she takes Ollie and Sophie at least three times a day. There, she meets up with a wide variety of peo- ple. “There’s an 8 a.m. group, a 10 a.m. group, a 1 p.m. group and a 5 p.m. group,” Medeiros said. “Everybody is on their own schedule, but you see the same people at those times. So you get to know a lot of people. I met a great group of guys that goes there every day on my lunch. We all con- gregate and sit and talk about stuff that’s going on in the community. … It’s just a nice place to meet people, too.” And they also talk about the issues with the park, which are numerous. “Over the years, because they don’t have an irrigation system, the grass kind of died off,” Medeiros said. “Some parts are patches, some parts come back. And the middle has eroded from the sand, because it is a wetland that the parks built on. It’s just a muddy mess. It floods in the entrance, so really during the winter, nobody goes there because it’s so flooded. And then in the morning, because you have the dew from the grass, the dogs run in and get in the sand, and it’s complete- ly muddy.” In the past, the Florence Public Works has tried to fix the issues with wood chips, but “the problem with that is they’re large,” Medeiros said. “It almost looks like little pieces of driftwood. I almost rolled my ankle on it a few times, and the dogs eat it. Plus, it’s slippery. So it’s just not great for the dog park.” Medeiros posted on Face- book about the problems with the park, and received a lot of responses, including that some people stopped go- ing to the park because of its conditions, but wanted to go back. “I was sitting on my couch late at night, and I thought, ‘I wonder who runs the dog park,’” she said. She decided to go to the city, where she spoke with Public Works Di- rector Mike Miller. “He told me all the problems they had at the dog park.” The problem was city re- sources. “We have a ton of parks in Habitat for Humanity Construction Volunteers needed for each stage of the building process. Experience is a plus, but not required. Help us build a new home For information call 541-902-9227 Helping Hands Coalition We are in need of volunteers on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. We need volunteers to serve food, set up for meals and also prepare meals beginning at 11:00 am and finishing at 2:00pm. New Location: Community Baptist Church, 4590 Hwy. 101, Florence (Across from Fred Meyer) Senior Services Advisory Council Needs New Members Volunteer Get involved Donate Do your part and volunteer today to help support these local non-proft organizations in our community! Are you a senior? Have a passion for working with seniors? If yes, please consider applying for the Senior & Disability Services (S&DS) Senior Services Advisory Council. S&DS serves all of Lane County with a wide range of publicly funded services for older adults and persons with disabilities. The council advises S&DS on services and advocates on senior topics. Contact us at: sdsadvisorycouncil@lcog.org or download an application from: http://www.lcog.org/827/SSAC-Council-Membership Application deadline: April 26, 2019. Meals on Wheels and Cafe 60 Meals on Wheels are available to people over the age of 60 who cannot get out much due to illness or advanced age and who are not eating properly, regardless of income. Cafe 60 is available for those who prefer to make new friends in a dining room setting. 1570 Kingwood, PO Box 2313, Florence 541-997-5673 laneseniormeals.org Memory Care Respite of Florence Come join the team! Memory Care Respite of Florence is looking for new volunteers to spend time socializing, playing games, listening to music, and having coffee and lunch with our participating senior citizens. Our program depends on volunteer power to stay afloat and time is running out! If you’re at all interested in socializing and relaxing with seniors while their loved one takes a break, please email us for more information. We need more volunteers like YOU to keep our program going. Contact us at memcarerespite@gmail. com Oregon Coast Humane Society relies heavily on volunteers. There are many opportunities to volunteer and a variety of skills and talents are always in need. Volunteer interest forms may be found online, at the shelter and at our Thrift Shop on Bay Street. www.oregoncoasthumanesociety.org/volunteer/ Peace Harbor Volunteers Join the Peace Harbor Hospital Volunteers, you will find an area of interest in a caring organization. 400 9th Street, Florence 541-997-8412 ext. 2218 Us Too Florence Saving men one PSA test at a time. “Someone to talk to...who understands!” 541-997-6626 maribob@oregonfast.net www.ustooflorence.org To include your organization in this directory, please call us @ 541-997-3441 JARED ANDERSON/SIUSLAW NEWS Jolene Medeiros and her two Goldendoodles Ollie and Sophie founded the Bark in the Park Fundraiser to fix up Florence’s Singing Pines Dog Park, 1342-1598 Kingwood St. Events will be held this week in conjunction with Power of Florence. Medeiros was able to use in value as one of our grand this community, and I don’t think people realize that,” funds to buy a truckload of prizes.” But that won’t be the end of Medeiros said. “People are fiber-based ground cover for always like, ‘Well, what is the the park, which will be placed the work on the park, as Me- city doing for the park?’ Well, during the first Bark in the deiros is working on creating the city is pretty busy. They’re Park Fundraiser and Florence a committee for the Florence’s doing what they can. They Dog Park Restoration project. Adopt a Park program, which This kickoff to the entire is currently seeking mem- don’t have unlimited resourc- es. The city is not wiping their campaign will be held during bers. The committee will hands of it, by any means. the Power of Florence on hold park clean ups at least We’re helping them. And Saturday, July 20, at the dog once a month, picking up dog that’s what the adopt a park park, starting at 8 a.m. The waste, trash and other debris program is about. They can’t city will also close the park in the area. It will also include do it all on their own. Volun- this Wednesday to help for cleaning out the water dishes teers make a huge difference.” some major rehabilitation by and general yard work. Medeiros said Miller and volunteers. “We’ll just keep it up con- “We will be helping to dig tinuously. I want this to stay the city have been “phenome- nal” in helping with a plan to an irrigation system, spread- clean all year around for peo- rehabilitate the park, “telling ing groundcover throughout ple,” Medeiros said. us what we need to do and the park, and pruning all the And she will also be con- giving us background about foliage that’s in there now,” tinuously working on fund- Medeiros said. “And then raising, as the park still the park.” City employees replaced we’ll trim around the perim- needs an additional $60,000 the water dishes and have eter of the fence, too, because for fencing and grass for the been working on cleaning up, we have some stuff that’s small dog area. but the city needed more help hanging on the fence. It will “The fence that’s there now, to get the park into the con- make it useable for the time it’s rusted and kind of falling dition dog owners needed. being.” apart,” Medeiros said. “The The first major fundraiser city does patch it, but what That’s when Medeiros started a Go Fund Me account to re- for the park will be Saturday we want to do is install a six- from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in foot, vinyl coated chain link ceive general donations. “Then, people said we the Grocery Outlet and City fence that’s weather resistant, should open up an account Lights Cinemas parking lot. like a lot of the dog parks on “It’s called the Bark in the the coast. It has a 15-year at Banner Bank, so we did that. And it just took off from Park, and we’re going to have guarantee, but it costs almost there. We’ve raised almost facepainting for kids, where $50,000 for that.” $5,0000 in less than a month. we’ll be doing dog paws and An additional $10,000 will So yeah, a huge response,” noses with whiskers. We be needed for grass and other Medeiros said. “It was a small have a ‘smooch the pooch’ amenities, including an addi- idea that blew up into a whole booth that somebody built,” tional bag station in the park. project. I was very pleased Medeiros said. “We’re going Medeiros plans to hold with the response we got to have some dogs out there specific monthly fundraisers, from the community, because giving kisses. And then we’re such as holding a car wash it is a big part of our commu- going to have some raffle with dogs and a “yoga on the nity. We have so many people items. We’ve got a bunch of beach” event with proceeds who have dogs here that want donations from businesses in going to the park. to be able to take their dogs town like Mini-Pet Mart and “But our biggest thing, out to run loose. Not every- K-9 Genius. We’ve got a ton which was an idea from Mike body can walk to the beach.” of great stuff donated at $800 Miller, is the ‘buy a brick’ campaign,” Medeiros added. “Almost everybody does it in town. You buy a brick and put what you want on it. Busi- nesses can sponsor a brick and get a 12-by-12 brick, they can have whatever they want on it. Individuals can by a 4-by-8 or 8-by-8 brick. It can be for a dog that passed, it can be for their current family. All those funds will go toward the park.” After doing the program for just a few weeks, Medeiros DENTURE SERVICES INC. has already sold 20 bricks, but she plans on selling 500, LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED which will end up being a Open 4 days a week! large part of the fence that is built in the park. Here to serve your denture needs: She hopes that within time, the dog park will be a place Dentures that both the community and Partial Dentures William Foster LD tourists will view as a destina- Immediate Dentures Sherry, Offi ce Manager tion. Implant Dentures “As a denture wearer myself, “I meet so many people Relines & Repairs Same Day I can answer your that come through now with questions and address your denture concerns.” their RVs, and the first place Monday-Thursday ~ William Foster, LD they look for is, ‘Where can 10am - 2 pm Financing: Citi Health Card we take my dog, where can 12 Month no Interest they run,’” Medeiros said. “I 524 Laurel St. have some people who say, ‘I 541-997-6054 was in Astoria, and they have a beautiful dog park.’ I want people to talk about our dog park that way. I want people to feel like they can come to Florence with their dogs be- cause they have places they can take their dogs.” And for the community as well. “If we can get involved and make it nice, it’s like our home away from home,” Me- deiros said. For questions regarding In 2019 we will be celebrating the 80th anniversary fundraising or to volunteer, of our business in Florence. It is time to express the contact Medeiros at 541- appreciation and gratitude we feel, and have always felt, for 590-2474, or email dogpark the friendship, trust and loyalty of those who live in this restoration@gmail.com. community. It is your confi dence in us and your continued The Power of Florence patronage that has made these 80 years such a pleasurable clean-up will start on July 20 experience. Th ank you. at 8 a.m., and the Bark in the Johnston Motor Company Park fundraiser booth will be Since 1939 in the Grocery Outlet Park- 2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence ing lot from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., (541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475 located at 2066 Highway 101.
