COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL | THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2020 | 3A
Community News
Centennial Celebration
PakTech makes donation to
enhance Bohemia Park lighting
COURTESY PHOTO
From left: Bohemia Foundation Board Members Gary Williams, Lloyd Williams,
Board President Faye Stewart, PakTech General Manager Scott Diehl, Board
Member Tom Munroe, Christina Lund of Lund Development Solutions, Board
Members Steven Stewart and JoAnn Gray.
Recently, members of the Board of Di-
rectors of the Bohemia Foundation gath-
ered at Bohemia Park to receive a $25,000
check from PakTech General Manager
Scott Diehl. Board President Faye Stewart
accepted the check on behalf of the Foun-
dation, which manages the park and has
overseen its transformation from a brown
field to a hub of community activity over
the past decade plus.
Stewart explained that the contribution
will help the Foundation purchase 10 of
the nearly 30 light poles it expects to install
in the Park soon. He said this new lighting
will enhance safety in the Park and expand
its potential uses.
Diehl said that PakTech, which expand-
ed its Eugene-based operations to Cottage
Grove in 2016, “is proud to support local
initiatives aimed at reclaiming important
facilities and buildings for community
use.”
PakTech used extensive resources to
repurpose its own Cottage Grove facility,
formerly home of the Kwikee Corpora-
tion. The company, which manufactures
a broad line of products including the
four- and six-pack handles seen on many
canned beverages, has since supported the
renovation of the Cottage Grove Armory
and the ongoing evolution of Bohemia
Park.
Tucker’s Cupboard hosting ‘Name Your Price’ sale
COURTESY PHOTO
T
his past Saturday, Jan. 15, Cottage Grove resident Charles (Chuck)
Booher (left) celebrated his 100th birthday at the Cottage Grove
Community Center, where family and friends packed the room for the
occasion. Booher, originally from Curtin, Ore., was described by family
and friends as “an amazing man,” “still full of life” and “with a sharp mind.”
Tucker’s Cupboard, a Cottage Grove
area group that aids low-income house-
holds in SLSD care for their canines, is
hosting a “Name Your Price” sale and
fundraiser Feb. 28 and 29 at the Cottage
Grove Community Center (700 E. Gibbs).
The sale will offer a wide variety of
items to name your own price on and all
Th e Carousel Corner
reasonable offers will be gladly accepted.
All proceeds will help aid animals in the
local area.
The sale will take place in the Shepherd
Room each day, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The goal of the volunteer group is to
aid low-income households in providing a
better quality of life for their canines.
Th is advertisement is paid for by Don Williams.
Dear Readers
Th e following is an explanation of why I have left the leadership role of the Cottage Grove Carousel. I come to you to eliminate any rumors or misgivings that I know happens
in Cottage Grove. I’ve seen it time and time again, when projects are injured because someone leaves and the true story is not expressed to the public.
My leaving the Cottage Grove Carousel does not aff ect the longevity and the beauty of a project we began in 2014. When I put this organization together, I knew it would be a
long haul. Anyone who has seen the carousel in the last few weeks will understand my heartfelt thanks to the wonderful crew of volunteers, who have made it happen, along with
thousands and thousands of dollars to make Judy Cash’s dream come true.
Make no mistake about my intent, I’m leaving the carousel project because of personality confl icts. You and I understand these confl icts are in the course of human events. And
in this case, I leave the carousel in excellent hands. Project Engineer Russ McGuire and the crew of volunteers he has working on the project will not be aff ected by my leaving.
Th e publicity, promotions, land use planning and the fundraising event are in the hands of confi dent, qualifi ed individuals who have experience in these fi elds. Th e next big
step is to lay the foundation to move forward with the 2.5 million dollar building and purchase the land for it.
I must say, I do not believe I have missed a board meeting since the project was created. I’ve held at least two exploratory meetings a week since 2014. So, you can see my ded-
ication and I off er my continued prayers for the carousel project’s success.
Th e board has asked me to stay on as an advisor. I sincerely appreciate that off er. Under the circumstances, I feel I must decline.
Th e following is an explanation of why I felt the need to leave the Carousel project.
Don Williams
ABBREVIATED
LETTER
OF RESIGNATION TO THE
FRIENDS OF THE CAROUSEL
BOARD
OF
DIRECTOR’S
AND THE COMMUNITY OF
CAROUSEL LOVERS
Heartfelt thanks to the volunteers
who have given so much of their
valuable time to the re-creation of
the 1929 Hershall Carousel. My
thanks go to many donors, large
and small. I am most grateful to
the many businesses who have
contributed many thousands of
dollars to that re-creation.
My further grateful thanks to the
Cottage Grove Sentinel, Creswell
Chronicle, Springfi eld Free for All,
Register Guard, the local Eugene TV
stations, KNND radio, Th e carousel
project would not be where it is at
today – a beautiful, rebuilt machine
that will bring much happiness to
many families for years to come –
without such strong media support.
Having been in the promotion
and
advertising
world,
in
promoting local events for almost
40 years in Cottage Grove, I know
and understand the value of the
media in the success of a project.
Th e media has been outstanding in
covering, in a positive manner, the
promotion and fundraising of the
carousel, for which I am eternally
grateful.
Before I formed the committee
to restore the carousel and bring
it to Cottage Grove, my main
focus was tourism and a place
of community enjoyment and
happiness. I knew little of the
history of carousels, other than my
wife and kids loved to ride carousels
during our 50 years together.
Secondly, I was doing it out of
friendship for a lady with a dream,
Judy Cash. Judy and I met early on
many times aft er the carousel was
suggested at a tourism committee
meeting I had called. Th e purpose
of that tourism meeting was to think
about what we could do to bring
tourism to the Cottage Grove area
and spend a few dollars at local
businesses.
When I fi rst formed the
committee and asked for support
and help, I promised the citizens
a transparent organization – and
I would communicate with the
supporters in the community as best
I could.
Th e carousel is one step from
opening to the public. Th is will fulfi ll
Judy Cash’s vision of a beautiful
meeting place of enjoyment, not only
for tourists, but for creating lasting
family memories, bringing bright
wide-eyed smiles to children’s’ faces.
Th e carousel is well and healthy.
It is with a broken heart that I
come to the community, the donors,
volunteers, and Board of Directors,
and tender my resignation as
President and Board Member
of Friends of the Cottage Grove
Carousel.
For several months there had
been some disagreements and
personality confl icts that your
president has been unable to get his
arms wrapped around and resolve.
An executive board meeting
was called and held. In-depth
discussions
were
presented
regarding confl icts of personalities
of board members. It was suggested
that one board member be relieved
of a place on the Board of Directors.
If this were not to happen, I would
run the risk of losing the remaining
board members. Th is allegation
did not frighten me, as all but one
of the members could be replaced.
I had several very qualifi ed
individuals in mind. Th is would be
Dedicated in memory of Mary Jean Williams
with the exception of the Project
Engineer, Russ McGuire. With his
multiple talents and skill levels,
plus his dedication to bringing the
carousel to South Lane County, he
could never be replaced without
tremendous added expense.
It has been brought to my
attention there are members
of the board who feel I have
demonstrated poor leadership and
unprofessionalism in my written
e-mails. A leader/manager/CEO,
particularly a volunteer, must take
these allegations very seriously and
consider the well-being of the total
project.
I have been taught, in my
professional life, that if leadership is
pointed out as being inadequate, for
the good of the project, you remove
yourself. Th is has a great deal of
infl uence in my decision to leave
the leadership of the Friends of the
Cottage Grove Carousel.
volunteers and donors, my sincere
thanks for your involvement in
the re-creation of the carousel for
South Lane County. It is my sincere
regret that I am unable to fulfi ll the
commitment to many – that I would
see the job through to completion.
In my thinking, when I made that
commitment, it was for a restored
carousel that included a building
and a permanent home for the
carousel in a highly visible location.
At the time, I think it best, for the
health and well-being of the project
to step aside.
I had looked forward to the day
when we could design the inside of
a permanent home. Th is is one of
the fi rst things that Judy Cash and
I talked about over breakfast at the
Koff ee Kup 2014.
Th is letter of resignation is eff ective
at 9:01am January 22, 2020.
Once again, to the wonderful
Dedicated in memory of Susie and Matthew Williams
