4A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL AUGUST 23, 2017
O PINION
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Troubled times
Whether you're looking out your window or watching the TV you
see troubling things. As I turned 67 on the 14th I am speaking as
someone who has personally experienced the Cuban missile crisis,
the Watergate hearings, the 9/11 and the Iraq war and the rise of the
crack cocaine and opioid crisis as well as the loss of jobs overseas
and hope at home, with all the accompanying sadness of the ability
of individuals to set communities on fi re with machine guns and
trucks used as battering rams to drive the message of their nihilism
home. There are almost certainly rough waters just ahead. There
will be shocks and a new normal in high uncertainty. But listen to
me as neighbors in my community please.
There's an old saying that rather than covering the world with
leather it is better to wrap your feet in leather, and likewise for trou-
bled times the best shoes to put on in the morning is goodwill to-
wards all.
It is not the time to spend every cent you make or can borrow on
toys or vacations. It is not the time to take on more fi nancial obli-
gations. It is the time to be sober and be clear about just how much
you need to make it from week to week and month to month. It is
good to imagine you are preparing for an earthquake here in Ore-
gon. To have batteries to last you for a few months? Rice and beans
in screwtop plastic garbage cans? You have large rubber containers
that you can fi ll with water from the garden hose and some iodine,
a few drops in each? Do you know your next-door neighbors? It's
time to quietly prepare for an earthquake seriously. It is a time to
set money aside with the idea in mind you might go 3 months in a
row without any checks in the mail. Just as an exercise. It is a good
time to realize that angry men come to blows over the most ridicu-
lous of reasons, and remember that all human beings have the same
feelings and failings.
It is a good time not to wear your heart on the sleeve and it is a
good time to start watching your tongue. In troubled times the best
shoes to put on are goodwill to all.
Leo Rivers
Cottage Grove
Recently retired thanks
I recently retired from Senior and Disabled Services after work-
ing for more than 36 years and for the county 42 years. I feel thank-
ful to have been able to work all this time in the Cottage Grove
Community, my home town. I especially feel honored to have work
for the Seniors in this Community. I have learned many life lessons
with my work. Being invited to people's home who shared their life
and needs, and in return shared their insight, experiences, and talent
from their many years of living, have given me immeasurable heart-
felt lessons. I have so many people to thank who I have worked
with, who have supported and helped the people of Cottage Grove.
Looking back in time, I would like to name some of the people that
I have had the pleasure to work with. I would like to thank Ted Ste-
vens, a past Director of S&DS who helped and supported the start
of the Cottage Grove Senior Center, along with Cottage Grove citi-
zen Vadna Saunders, Diana Satchel, a past Director for South Lane
Wheels, and Ruth Linoz, current Director of South Lane Wheels. I
would also like to thank Kay Metzger who was the past director of
S&DS, and was at the time the offi ce supervisor, who opened the
Cottage Grove offi ce. She put heart and soul in helping with the
offi ce design and staff that served in Cottage Grove. She was fi rst,
by the way, an Intake Caseworker who served in the Cottage Grove
area. I would like to thank Mary Sherrifs and Becky Strickland for
the work that they did with Adult Protective Services and what they
C ottage G rove
S entinel
taught me. For 19 years I worked with Brenda Allen, Margie Vaver-
ka as well as Marilyn Vann and Debbie Dempsy who also put heart
and soul into their work. I would like to thank Tom Wheeler for his
immeasurable support to our community for his work and direction
with South Lane Mental Health. I feel thankful for the many pro-
grams, and churches that support the people of Cottage Grove. I am
thankful for the local physicians and Social Workers. I am thank-
ful as well to the Volunteers who drive for Medical appointments,
Meals on Wheels, Elder-help Volunteers or are Senior Companions.
I feel honored to have worked with my fellow Senior Connection
Staff that serve all of Lane County including Rina Francisco who
is the new Senior Connection Coordinator in Cottage Grove/Cre-
swell, who will be an asset for the South Lane Community, and
Senior Connection Supervisor Rachel Jacobsen who is supportive
to her staff and their work in their communities.
I covered all of South Lane County as a Senior Connection Area
Coordinator encompassing Disston, Culp Creek area, London area,
to the Douglas County borderline, to Lorane, Creswell and sur-
rounding area, to Pleasant Hill. It is a large area that the Cottage
Grove Offi ce served. I am thankful that Creswell has stepped up to
offer an offi ce at this time. In the past I held offi ce hours at the Cre-
swell Nutrition site for Seniors and their families one day a week
from 10-2 p.m. Also in the past, Creswell offered a space at the
Community Center for Energy Assistance appointments for Seniors
during that season.
I would like to encourage those who work and have the Elected
and Supportive positions in Cottage Grove to be aware of the needs
of the Cottage Grove Community and area, be informed of pro-
grams and services needed to support our Community and a voice
of how our tax dollars are being spent. To attend County and LCOG
Meetings, gather informed information regarding the budget. Al-
though no services are being cut with the Cottage Grove offi ce clo-
sure, it will be a hardship for the Elderly and Disabled with physical
and hearing disabilities. Transportation, and the ability to drop in
for information, brochures, support, or "face to face" with some-
one for information and understanding will be very diffi cult or an
inability. In a time when we are facing budget issues and programs
being cut, people, families, neighbors and community will need
each other. The supportive programs that are in our communities
are very important and having supportive satellite offi ces as well.
I went and spoke at an LCOG Board Meeting after hearing of the
Cottage Grove Offi ce closure, to be a voice for my community. At
that meeting I shared my feelings, speaking in support for a Cottage
Grove Offi ce and my view of the future regarding the need for the
Cottage Grove offi ce and other satellite offi ces, even if a smaller of-
fi ce with space for all that serve possibly on a rotation basis. I feel
it is important for those that serve in this or any area spend time and
are familiar with the community, its programs, and others that work
and serve in that community. I believe it is good to know each other
and network together. At the end of my speaking, Brenda Wilson,
Director for LCOG, said that currently Lane County has satellite
offi ces in Florence, Veneta, Junction City, Oakridge, and Cottage
Grove. To clarify, besides the main offi ce in Eugene, Florence and
Cottage Grove are/were "full" service offi ces and the others are the
Senior Connections Area Coordinators offi ces. I believe that Cot-
tage Grove serves the largest area in Lane County. I believe that
sharing together and addressing the Community we could come up
with a space for the Cottage Grove area that serves the community
need.
Thank you,
Suzanne Huebner-Sannes
Cottage Grove
Thanks from South Dakota
My mother, Connie Allen, was a resident of Cottage Grove for
several years before her death on August 8, 2017. Her husband,
Dennis, pre deceased her by two years and they both loved the com-
munity and the time they spent there. As their daughter, I was close-
ly concerned in their lives especially during the last two years while
my mom was a resident at Middlefi eld Oaks on Village Drive. Their
careful and considerate care of her during her last two years made
her life so much better and gave me the confi dence that she could
remain in her community and still be safe living so far from me. The
staff there was always kind and responsive to the needs of an 87
year old woman who wanted to remain as independent as possible
yet needed the security of 24 hour availability for help if needed.
Special care came from Wendy, Jen and Carrie. Whenever I called
with a concern for her well-being they were all so very helpful. I
will always be grateful to them.
The last several days of my mother's life were spent at Cottage
Grove Hospital, across the street from Middlefi eld Oaks. The staff
there on the medical unit are all exceptional people. I was called ev-
ery day, not only by the doctors caring for her, but also by the nurses
in charge of her care. No question was unanswered or downplayed,
no attention to my mom was overlooked, from having music softly
played in her room, to opening windows for fresh air, to having a
harp player come into her room to ease her heart and soul. I've never
seen or heard of more compassionate care.
The people of Cottage Grove are so lucky to live in a commu-
nity were this level of care and kindness can be accessed for the
asking. I can never say thank you enough to your wonderful com-
munity for making my mother's life and death more beautiful than
we could have hoped.
Laura Cornwell
Madison, SD
House fi re
A lovely quiet Sunday afternoon turned nightmarish within min-
utes when our friends and neighbors house burned to ashes in less
than two hours. Thankfully, they are all ok and were able to save a
few pictures of their children.
What was amazing was the response from multiple fi re districts
and organizations. Cottage Grove, Goshen, South Lane Fire and
Rescue Station #3, Pleasant Hill, and the Department of Forestry, as
well as a helicopter with a water bucket affi liated with one district
were on-site. Our home is adjacent and was potentially vulnerable
due to wind shifts and a very dry uphill forest between us.
When the house fi re was somewhat under control personnel from
the Goshen Fire District came to our home and assured us if need
be that our property and home was defensible. Later there were
eight fi re fi ghters stationed on the dirt road between our properties
watching for forest fi res.
They extinguished one small brush fi re on our property and
stayed on-site well after the house fi re was fully contained. Today
they have returned and continue to monitor the grounds and forest
between our properties.
All to say THANK YOU to fi re fi ghters everywhere!! We are
forever grateful.
Sincerely,
LeRoy and Bonney Cothrell
Dan and Becky Moore
Please see page A7
for weekly column,
"Offbeat Oregon
History." It will return
to this space next week,
August 30.
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