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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2020)
2C | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL Master Food Preservers gearing up for 2020 training program This will be the 40th an- niversary of the popular Extension Master Food Preservers which strives to help Oregonians learn to preserve foods safely. “Lane County has the most active programs in the state and has been involved since its incep- tion in 1980,” says Nellie Oehler, OSU Lane Coun- ty Extension Faculty and program coordinator. The Lane County group of dedicated volunteers last year answered over 2,000 consumer calls on the statewide hotline of which 65 percent had food safety implications. They also presented workshops and classes to over 10,000 individuals at community events. Seventy-seven Certified MFP Lane County Volun- teers reported over 7,500 volunteer hours of service to the community. “If you ask volunteers why they think the pro- gram is important, Saving Lives and Eating Healthi- er are two statements that always pop up,” said Oe- hler. Deadline for Press Releases Is Monday by Noon. Email NHICKSON @ CGSENTINEL . COM . Applications are now being accepted for the 2020 eight-week training program. The full day classes will be held every Monday starting April 6 and continue through graduation on June 1. The course provides in-depth research-based training in all areas of food preservation includ- ing food safety. The classes are taught in a practical, hands-on manner appropriate for people of different ed- ucational backgrounds, learning styles and previ- ous food preservation ex- perience. As part of the program, volunteers also develop skills in critical think- ing, public speaking and building self-confidence while increasing their expertise in food safety/ preservation. Most important, volun- teers make an enormous contribution to the health and welfare of people throughout Lane County as part of an active OSU Lane County Extension Service. To apply to be a part of the 2020 training pro- gram, applications are available on the Lane County OSU Exten- sion website at https:// extension.oregonstate. edu/lane/e vents/mas- ter-food-preserver-volun- teer-training-lane-county, or at the Lane County Ex- tension office at 996 Jef- ferson in Eugene. Cost of the program is $175 plus a minimum volunteer payback of 70 hours in the year follow- ing the training, or the course can be taken for $375 without the volun- teer payback. Deadline for applica- tions is Friday, March 27. ‘Rosies’ to meet Valentine’s Day There will be an Amer- ican Rosie the Riveter As- sociation Chapter Meeting of the “Rosies” this Friday, Feb. 14., from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The Rosies are women who served our coun- try during World War II, when our country needed them to fill jobs for the men that were at war. The American Rosie the Riveter Association seeks to recognize and preserve the history and legacy of World War II era working women, including volun- teer women, and promote fellowship among these women and their descen- dants. All interested people are welcome to attend. Rosie the Riveter meet- ings are held the second Friday of each month at the Willamalane Adult Activity Center, 215 W. C St. in Springfield. For more information, call Yvonne Fasold at 541- 343-4223. Come experience our new laser Dentistry without anesthesia CCB# 225171 Commercial and Residential SITE DEVELOPMENT • Excavation, Clearing, Grading • Rock Hauling • Residential Building Pads and Driveways • Trenching • Commercial Site Work • Demolition Brent Bitner, DDS DENTISTRY WITH FAMILY IN MIND - Over 25 Years of Construction Experience - For Inquiries or a Free Estimate Visit Us Online at www.nwcbuilders.com Give Eric a Call (541) 802-9245 S IUSLAW N EWS C ALL U S T ODAY ! 541.942.7934 350 E. W ASHINGTON A VENUE • C OTTAGE G ROVE WWW.CGSMILES.COM Are you ready? D ISASTER P REPAREDNESS How businesses can prepare for natural disasters Disaster preparedness strategies can help communities overcome floods, fires, hurri- canes, and storms. Many of these strategies focus on helping residents of communities that are prone to storms protect themselves and their homes from the wrath of Mother Nature. But it’s equally important that local business owners take steps to ensure their businesses survive natural disasters. Local businesses can play vital roles as communities try to recover from natural di- sasters. Such businesses can provide supplies like food and water to residents in need. In addition, businesses that are able to simply open their doors to customers can create a sense of normalcy in a community at a time when that normalcy can be comforting. However, in order to provide such services, businesses must first make it through disas- ters unscathed, and that takes planning. • Create a formal written plan. The Insurance Information Institute advises business owners to create formal written plans that detail how the business will respond to and recover from a disaster. This plan may include temporary reloca- tion. Business owners should know where they can go if they need to temporarily set up shop elsewhere in the wake of a disaster. • Make sure employees know the plan and their roles. Once the plan has been developed, business owners should share it with their employees and go over each employees’ role. Assign responsibilities to staff members and train them so they are fully equipped to handle their role and confront disaster if the need arises. Periodically revisit the plan and go over it again with staff members, conducting drills at each review so everyone is in the best position to respond quickly and effectively. • Keep emergency supplies on hand. The Insurance Information Institute recommends business owners store flashlights, first-aid kits and battery-powered radios in their businesses. It may also be wise to store food, water and blankets if the business is in a remote or potentially inaccessible location, such as the top of a high-rise. The III also notes that keeping generators on hand may help businesses return to operations more quickly than waiting for utility companies, which tend to be overwhelmed with service calls in the wake of disasters or heavy storms, to address power issues. • Back up key information and data off-site. Cloud computing has made it easier than ever for businesses to protect important data from natural disasters, and business owners should make use of such services. Make sure to store important disaster-specific information that you might need, such as insurance policies and staff phone numbers, on cloud storage or somewhere else off-site so it is not destroyed. • Do your best to protect the building. Heed warnings from the weather service and board up entry points if a storm figures to be especially violent. Doing so can protect the building where your business is housed as well as everything therein. Businesses that plan ahead for natural disasters can typically get back on their feet quickly after storms come and go. Make sure all the pieces are in place to render you and your family prepared in the event of a natural disaster. • Listen to radio or television newscasts for the latest weather information, and follow all evacuation directions and suggestions. • Keep a stock of non-perishable food items as well as bottled water on hand inside your home. • Keep a 72 Hour Kit on hand inside your home that is easy to get to in the event of a disaster. For more information and tips on disaster response and preparedness, contact your local emergency services center. South Lane Fire & Rescue • 233 Harrison Ave, Cottage Grove 541-942-4493 • 55 South 1st Street, Creswell 541-895-2506 Twitter: @southlanefi re Facebook: southlanecountyfi reandrescue