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 @
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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.
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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