6A | SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021 | SIUSLAW NEWS
Shoppe
LOCAL
#MyFlorence
Shop. Eat. Support.
SAVE. SHOP
This option was se-
verely limited last year
as there were restric-
tions on volunteer
activities and a reluc-
tance in volunteers to
assist when the danger
of infection was high.
That is no longer the
case, and there is an
explosion of onions,
MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
peas, lettuce and oth- Florence Food Share is now open for people to come
er vegetables on the “shop” in-person at the food pantry.
near horizon which
soon will be added to the during 2020.
and we look forward to
possible food options for
“The past year was in- seeing you in our pantry!”
clients.
credibly difficult for so
Florence Food Share is
The Food Share Garden, many people in many located behind Grocery
coordinated by Board Vice ways,” Morgan said. “If Outlet, at the north side
President Bart Mealer, has you or anyone you know is of the Lutheran church
stepped up food produc- experiencing food insecu- parking lot. The nonprofit
tion during the COVID-19 rity, please come and use is open Monday through
pandemic by increasing our services. I also want to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to
the amount of produce thank our clients for being 1 p.m.; on Monday and
grown and distributed by so patient and understand- Wednesday from 4 to 6
2,000 pounds, producing ing for the changes we had p.m.; and every Saturday
more than 12,000 pounds to make during this time, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
VETS from page 1A
SUPPORT
Vet Centers were initial-
ly formed to assist Viet-
nam-era vets with readjust-
ment after serving in that
controversial conflict.
They provide support to
veterans readjusting to ci-
vilian life, regardless of time
of service, and to victims of
sexual assault and violent
trauma. The mission of Vet
Centers has been expand-
ed since its establishment
in 1979 to include veterans
who served in all Ameri-
can military conflicts since
WWII.
Locally, Will Wagner is
a readjustment counsel-
or through the Eugene Vet
Center. He will be leading
the new effort in Florence,
as he specializes in provid-
ing counseling services to
combat veterans and indi-
viduals dealing with sub-
stance abuse and other trau-
matic circumstances.
Wagner himself is a veter-
an and has additional train-
ing in suicide and crisis in-
tervention.
“I travel to Florence from
the Eugene Vet Center every
other Wednesday to meet
with clients at the DAV of-
fice,” he said. “I am really
exited about the chance to
work with veterans in Flor-
ence.”
He clarified that the Vet
Center is part of the Veter-
ans Healthcare Administra-
tion, but does not release
confidential
information
unless releases are signed.
“We are specialists in mil-
itary service related-PTSD,
military sexual trauma,
bereavement and grief
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counseling, and also em-
ploy marriage and family
therapists to help with the
veteran’s transition to civil-
ian life,” Wagner said. “We
are licensed therapists that
work directly with a clinical
team to ensure veterans re-
ceive whole healthcare.”
Steve Baggin is Adjutant
of the Florence DAV and
one of the chapter leaders.
He has been working to find
a way to return some level
of services to Florence-area
vets.
“Since the closed the VSO
office over by Highway 101,
we have to go to Coos Bay
or to Eugene to see some-
one. The office here closed
and there is no longer a VSO
coming here, which makes
it hard on a lot of our vets
who have health and mobil-
ity issues,” Baggin said.
He also pointed out the
increasing need for ac-
knowledgement of the
problem of veteran suicide,
including locally, and men-
tioned it as one of the goals
in having Wagner make the
trip from Eugene to speak
with vets in this area.
Wagner is aware of the
unsettling nationwide trend.
“Suicide Prevention is a
major part of all VA-Care
Modalities. The Vet Cen-
ter is unique in that we’re a
walk-in outpatient format
and utilize a more commu-
nity-based access model
rather than the typical hos-
pital structure,” he said.
Wagner also sees part of
his job as sharing informa-
tion with veterans who may
live in more rural areas or
who have chosen a more
isolated lifestyle.
His major concern is that
many veterans are not aware
of what they are eligible for
or how to access those ben-
efits.
“Thanks to the Mission
Act, which was passed in
the 2020 omnibus CARE
bill, vets that live more than
40 miles from a veterans
medical facility, or have to
wait more than a month to
be seen, can go to NOVA
Urgent Care and be seen
by a physician, and they
can even get set up with a
primary care doctor if they
don’t already have one,” he
said.
Veterans who wish to
speak with Wagner regard-
ing any of the different ar-
eas of physical and mental
health with which he is
conversant can drop in on
alternate Wednesdays at the
Florence DAV office and
sign up.
Wagner especially en-
courages any veterans to
stop in and speak with him,
even if it is in a more infor-
mal session or even at a time
when he is not normally
scheduled.
“I always enjoy coming to
the coast,” he said. “We have
about 6,000 vets between
Coos Bay and Newport,
and I know some of them
extremely well. I really like
working with the vets out
there. Being a vet myself, I
want to do whatever I can to
help my fellow vets, even if
that means setting up a spe-
cial time or place to meet.”
The Florence DAV can be
reached at 541-991-8014.
For more information
about veteran services, visit
www.va.gov.
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#3184-21619735
1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200
Hours:
Monday-Saturday
10:30am – 9:00pm
Dine in and Outdoor Seating
is available
Cocktails to Go!
2020
VOTED
F
BEST O
F LO E
R
E
FOOD from page 1A
NC
From our family to your
family, thank you!
We appreciate your support and
hope you are all doing well.
Best Mexican Restaurant and Best Salsa
2825 Hwy 101, Florence • 541-997-1144
SIUSLAW PUBLIC LIBRARY
BROWSING IS BACK!
No appointment needed.
All ages welcome.
Masks required.
Florence: Monday-Thursday 11 AM - 2 PM
Friday 11 AM - 6 PM
Mapleton: Thursdays 12-5 PM.
Walk-ins with limited capacity;
no public computers.
541-997-3132
WWW.SIUSLAWLIBRARY.ORG
We are open and
ready to assist you!
3pm to 9pm
Thur. to Sun.
O FF
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Early bird 3pm to 4pm
15% off your bill
Dine-in only
Closed Mon., Tue., Wed.
Covered heated porch,
In-door dining and ToGo’s
Reservations highly
recommended
LOCATED IN
OLD TOWN
Johnston Motor Company
Since 1939
541-590-3569
165 Maple Street, Florence, OR
Offbaystreetbistro.com
2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence
(541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475
Since 1983
Alva Bracey
Broker
Your goals are my
top priority.
Let’s get together!
LES SCHWAB TIRE CENTERS
Tires • Brakes • Shocks
Alignments
4325 Highway 101
Florence, OR 97439
541-997-7178
Call, Text or Email
Cell: 541-505-1180
Alva@CBCoast.com
541-997-7777
100 Hwy. 101,
Florence, OR
COAST REAL ESTATE
ESTATE JEWELRY AND
ANTIQUE FURNITURE!!!
We buy, sell and consign quality
estate/heirloom jewelry & furniture.
Gold, silver, platinum jewelry with
precious & semi precious stones.
Call 541-997-8104,
Florence Antiques
&
Coast Jewelers
Insect & Pest Removal
Trapping • Mole/Gopher
Dead Animal Removal • Honey Bee Removal
Crawl Space Cleaning • Exclusion Work
Fumigation of Antiques and Commodities.
(541) 997-4027
MODEL TRAIN
ENTHUSIASTS
Auto, Home, Life, Business
Flood, Antique Auto, RV’s
Medicare Advantage Plans
Medicare Supplements
Health Insurance
Phone (541) 997-9497
1234 Rhododendron Dr / Florence
Over
ars
50 Ye ce!
rien
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CALL ME TO BUY, SELL OR TRADE!
I’M LOCATED HERE IN FLORENCE.
541-255-9822 - Larry
landl316@live.com
Us TOO Florence
Prostate Cancer Education
Support on the Oregon Coast
www.ustooflorence.org
BOTH MEETINGS ARE CURRENTLY ON HOLD.
WATCH SIUSLAW NEWS FOR RESUMPTION
• Tuesday Evening Group (2nd Tuesday)
5-7 p.m. - Ichiban Chinese/Japanese Restaurant
• Urologist Dr. Bryan Mehlhaff attends.
• Tuesday Lunch Group (3rd Tuesday)
12 noon – 1:00 p.m. – Ichiban Chinese/Japanese
Restaurant
• Urologist Dr. Roger McKimmy attends.
Contact Bob for more information:
(H) 541-997-6626 • (C) 541-999-4239
maribob@oregonfast.net