COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
Good people still exist in this crazy world
Betty Kaiser
F
or many years, I wrote
a weekly “Neighbor-
hood News” column. It
was always a high point
in my day when readers
would call, email or write
me notes about good
things that were hap-
pening in their lives and
neighborhoods.
I have one of those
good news columns to-
day. I heard the following
story somewhat belated-
ly and tucked it away in
my memory bank only
to lose it! I remembered
it this week and asked
the family to share it with
you.
This local heartwarm-
ing story began in Cre-
swell, in April 2018.
One Saturday morn-
ing, Kaila Ollivant (a
then 16-year-old soph-
omore at Cottage Grove
High School) and two
friends pulled into the
Creswell Coffee Shop*
for some breakfast before
going shopping. As they
parked, Kaila felt the
car run over something.
Getting out of the car she
discovered the “some-
thing” was a smashed
wallet.
She took pictures of the
wallet that contained the
usual stuff, plus a fami-
ly heirloom money clip
along with a significant
amount of money. It also
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6-day
breakfast. He specifically
recommended his favor-
ite, the Florentine Crepe.
Kaila thought that was
very cool but her real re-
ward was his joy in the
returned wallet.
After many exchanges
of emails, pictures and
notes, the families had
become friends. They
made a date to meet.
Keaton’s family came
to Oregon over the July
Fourth where they met
for lunch. They seem to
have bonded over more
than a lost wallet and a
good Samaritan named
Kaila.
The knowledge that
good people still exist in
this crazy world warmed
all of their hearts.
In closing, I’m quot-
ing a note from Keaton’s
aunt that speaks from
her heart for most of us:
“My heart filled with
joy when I got this news.
I’m relieved my nephew
will be reunited with his
belongings. But I’m more
relieved to know that in
a society full of hostili-
ty and self-entitlement
there are still people (a
teenager no less) who
will do the right thing
and prioritize kindness
above personal gain.
“She restored some of
my ever decreasing faith
in humanity and taught
my nephew a valuable
lesson.”
FYI: Kaila graduated
from CGHS this summer
and is attending Lane
Community
College
to become a pediatric
nurse. And I believe that
Keaton must be in high
school now.
*Note: Creswell Cof-
fee’s new name is “Blue
Valley Bistro.”
money to open his first
bank account. Ironical-
ly, he had gone on a bike
ride with his now miss-
ing wallet and lost all his
hard earned money.
When he discovered
it was gone and told his
grandmother, she said (as
all good grandmothers
do), “That is why I told
you to put your money
in your suitcase until you
get home so you won’t
lose it.”
A lesson learned like
most of us do: the hard
way.
After Keaton’s dad told
him that his wallet had
been found, his parents
said he was on Cloud 9.
“He spent the night
singing the praises of
Kaila and the entire state
of Oregon. He even talk-
ed of attending the Uni-
versity of Oregon!”
Now that’s joy and
gratitude!
The wallet was soon
sent from Oregon to a
grateful Keaton in Calif.
In the meantime, both
families had discussions
about the wallet’s jour-
ney and life’s learning
experiences of character
building, including re-
sponsibility, ethics and
treating people as you
want to be treated.
But the story contin-
ues.
A sum of money had
been offered to Kaila
as a finder’s fee but she
declined. Keaton wrote
Kaila thanking her for
being so kind and awe-
some. He was so grateful
to have the money and
items returned.
He wanted to repay
her in some way, so he
purchased a gift card at
the coffee shop for her
and her friends to go for
LORANE NEWS
Contributed by
Lil Thompson
for The Sentinel
• Once again, the sun
came out during drive-
in church last Sunday
at Lorane Christian
Church, until the rain
sprinkled down at the
end of the service. It was
only drive-in service on
Sunday.
All are welcome.
• Just a reminder to
all Lorane Grangers, the
next meeting is July 16
at 7 p.m. with potluck
snacks.
They are still practic-
ing all the distancing,
masks and sanitizing
guidelines.
• As many of you have
seen, work is happening
on Stoney Point. They
are currently working
below the road.
Please: Slow Down
and be alert.
• Wishing everyone
a Happy and safe July
Fourth. Enjoy your
weekend following the
guidelines.
weather forecast
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
77° | 50°
79° | 50°
Partly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy
SUNDAY
MONDAY
78° | 50°
77° | 52°
Sunny
Sunny
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
76° | 53°
SOUTH LANE COUNTY
FIRE & RESCUE
SAVE MONEY. SAVE LIVES.
Ground Ambulance
Memberships
$65 per year
75° | 53°
Ground Ambulance &
Air Membership
Partly Cloudy
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Save your money by
bundling home & auto.
(541) 942-0555
$124 per year
Call 541-942-4493 for info.
FOR EMERGENCY DIAL 911
Serving South Lane County.
Deadline for Press Releases Is each
Monday by Noon.
Email nhickson@CGS ENTINEL . COM .
JULY 2, 2020 |
5A
Pet Tips
‘n’ Tales
Betty Kaiser: Chatterbox
contained a school ID of
a young teen, Keaton S.,
in the 7th grade in North
Hollywood, Calif.
The distance didn’t
discourage Kaila. She
was determined to find
him and return the wal-
let and its contents.
She began at the Cre-
swell Police Dept. but
they are closed on week-
ends. She then left a note
at the coffee shop and
took the wallet home,
where she and her mom,
Tracy, brainstormed.
So many questions.
North Hollywood is a
long ways away and it
was spring break. How
did the wallet end up in a
Creswell parking lot?
Perhaps he and his
family were passing
through the area on va-
cation? They called the
Creswell hotels with no
success.
The following Monday,
Tracy called the student’s
school and inquired if
he still attended there.
Eventually, someone said
yes and they would con-
tact his family. Within
minutes, she received a
call from Keaton’s dad.
He couldn’t believe
that the wallet had been
found and that every-
thing was intact. He
called Kaila their “Angel”
and filled in the blanks
on how the wallet got
there.
Keaton’s grandparents
live in Creswell and he
had come to visit during
spring break. He had
been staying there and
doing chores to earn
|
By Mary Ellen
“Angel Scribe”
A sweet ‘Lemon’
Everyone wants to hug and squeeze this sweet
“Lemon”.
E
leven years ago, Lemon, a handsome orange-tabby
cat was born to a rescued pregnant and starving cat
suffering from distemper. Of his five siblings, only two
survived. He arrived into the world with the kitty-dis-
ability cerebellar hypoplasia.
His mother’s illness prevented his brain from devel-
oping normally, so the portion that controls fine motor
skills, balance and coordination is out of whack. Sure, it
makes him a little diff-FUR-ent but it’s never slowed him
down — in fact, he’s become a world traveler!
How many people, let alone cats, do you know that
have traveled and lived across the U.S. and Canada,
and Malawi in Africa? He often accompanies his pet
parents, Merrianne and Paul, wherever they live or are
purr-forming humanitarian work.
Like us, the world-wide pandemic has also affected
this loving cat with ‘Lemon’ colored eyes by sep-PURR-
ating him from his loved ones. He is currently being
kitty-sat by a cat whisperer in Montreal who spoils him
while his “mother” is locked down in Toronto, and his
father in Grand Cayman awaits their arrival to their new
home.
If you meet this furry traveler note that he is not bi-
lingual, but he does understand all languages spoken
kindly.
“We never, for a second, considered this sweet cat to
be anything other than completely his quirky self,” says
Merrianne. “We have doted on him from the time he
was born. He is never reprimanded for anything. Ever.
His walking is not very stable, he falls a lot, does not
climb any stairs, and does not litter without assistance.
But none of that makes him any less lovable — just a tad
high maintenance.
“When he wants something, he’ll let you know. He will
sit by his food bowl or lean into you. His meow is an
abrupt sounding ‘MAAAAAH.’ His purring is to die for,
but you have to work for it. He is on a fairly rigid toilet-
ing schedule and hasn’t had an accident in a long time.”
Lemon’s a good traveler who’s taken many road trips,
has been to three countries and lived in 12 apartments.
Once travel restrictions are un-PAWS-ed, it will become
four countries.
After one long drive, the family stopped at a truck
stop. Lemon was resting outside their vehicle leaning
against Merrianne, when another traveler asked, “Has
your cat’s legs fallen asleep?”
“A few people looked at us sideways, thinking that
Lemon would run away, not knowing that he can barely
scoot,” says Merrianne. “His disability makes him espe-
cially portable, so he’s come on picnics and to the beach
with us, no problem. He likes his blankets and favorite
toys that he snuggles with. At bedtime, he curls up and
stays with us all night long. In the morning, he greets
me with a little paw for his breakfast. He is just so cute!”
Over the years, the family has developed an amazing
network of friends, neighbors and family who love their
“quirky” cat and help when his parents are traveling for
work.
Dawn, one of his cat sitters said, “Lemon’s very mus-
cular. He looks like he works out constantly and, with
his cerebellar dysplasia wobbles, he does. His cute walk
consists of him swinging his back legs wide and using his
tail for balance — like a fifth leg. I’ve never met another
feline with a tail that muscular — and I once met a full-
grown cougar boarded at the SPCA.”
Lemon has made his mark in the world. Wherever he
is, people fall in love with his purrs-onality. He is a great
ambassador who advocates for adopting special needs
animals.
“Lemon is not a ‘lemon’ cat,” said Merrianne. “He has
been a wonderful gift whose life continues to be a pow-
erful study of perseverance and determination.”
TIPS:
Lemon indicates with a certain “Meow” or tries to
jump down from where he is when he needs to use his
litter box. He is on a strict schedule of visiting the litter
box first and last thing every day, and one time in be-
tween. (Note: pet diapers are an option for dogs and cats
who have a disability.)
Pets with cerebellar hypoplasia sway while eating. Us-
ing a heavy dish helps keep it in place. Also, there are
Facebook pet CH health pages for pet parents to better
care for their cats and dogs.
Join Lemon’s Twitter account along with his 12,000
other readers. http://www.twitter.com/lemonthecat.