4A | JULY 22, 2021 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
Cottage Grove Sentinel
116 N. Sixth St.
Cottage Grove, Ore. 97424
damien Sherwood, editor | 541-942-3325 | dsherwood@cgsentinel.com
Opinion
The First Amendment
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Political/Election Letters:
BMD 2021 in Review
(Editor’s Note: Viewpoint sub-
missions on this and other topics are
always welcome as part of our goal to
encourage community discussion and
exchange of perspectives.)
duced as a new tradition in 2019.
However, we had so many other
activities from the past planned
and not enough volunteers so
the idea was shelved.
After the cancellation of BMD
2020, we needed something to be
the focus of a downsized event.
Don reached out to the orga-
nizers of the Outhouse Races in
up, work long hours to make
sure things go well, tear every-
thing down and clean up the
venue. It was especially exhaust-
ing this year to do all that work
for only a day-and-a-half instead
BMD 2021 was different this
of a three-day event.
year.
The BMD Production Team
Producing Bohemia Mining
annually makes appeals for vol-
Days in a normal year takes a tre-
unteers to help create this be-
mendous effort by a small group
loved summer tradition that
of hard-working individ-
brings happiness to thou-
uals, who are passionate
By
Don
Williams
&
Cindy
Weeldreyer
sands. When that help doesn’t
about delivering an event
BMD President & Vice-president
come, we simply do the best
that creates smiles and
we can. Seeing thousands of
happy memories for our
Virginia City and they happily people, young and old, having
community.
Planning BMD 2021 was ex- helped us launch our own simi- such a good time makes all our
planning efforts rewarding.
ceptionally challenging for our lar tradition.
We are delighted the new Feud
The last time BMD was down-
very small production team,
both financially and operation- competition was so well re- town was in 1999 for its 40th
ceived. We are grateful to mem- anniversary. COVID-19 restric-
ally.
We are grateful to our Main bers of the Bohemia Gold Min- tions forced us back to the his-
Stage performers who donat- ing Museum, the Bohemia Mine toric district this year to allow
ed their time and talent, to our Owners Association, E Clampus for social distancing if it was
sponsors who gave us the means Vitus, Dana Merryday and Jake necessary.
After 16 months of surviving
to make the event happen, to the Boone for their valuable plan-
downtown businesses and resi- ning contributions to introduce a global pandemic, we designed
BMD 2021 to bring us together
dents who were inconvenienced this fun new event.
We knew Bohemia Mining again in fun ways, to financially
for the greater good, to the vol-
unteers who gave their all to Days would be different this year help our downtown business-
make it happen, and to the City in many ways. Yet we were total- es that struggled to survive the
of Cottage Grove for its opera- ly unprepared the week before lengthy closures and — most
the event for the distraction of importantly — to celebrate the
tional support.
The backstory of BMD’s new a community controversy sur- return of some normalcy to our
Mine Ore Cart races began in rounding our Grand Miners Pa- lives.
From a logistical point of view,
January 2019, in a dinner con- rade.
It essentially robbed us of the it was convenient to have our of-
versation Bill and Cathy Sim-
mons and Ralph and Cindy second most critical week in our fice in the Cottage Grove Hotel
Weeldreyer had with Wayne and annual planning process. Some on the east end of the venue and
Evie White. The Whites own very important tasks, such as our storage unit in the Odd Fel-
Wild West Events and rent us the outreach to downtown residents lows Building on the west end be
cool Old West walls that give Bo- to learn more of their parking only a short golf cart ride away.
needs, simply didn’t happen. It Yet this year’s hot location spread
hemia City its specialness.
Wayne produces lots of com- nearly pushed our politically di- out over six blocks just wasn’t
munity events and suggested vided board of volunteers to the “home”.
Our real home is the trans-
BMD needed a fun “signature breaking point of cancelling the
formation of Coiner Park into
event” for its 60th Anniversary. event.
In the end, it made us realize “Bohemia City” on the third
Cindy did some research and
found the Outhouse Races in the politically charged culture weekend of July. It’s cooler under
Virginia City, Nevada. She liked around us today requires our the trees, all the attractions are
the idea of a competition rooted small nonprofit volunteer orga- closer together and the Old West
in a local historical event. (Res- nization to develop new policies walls create a vibe that cannot be
idents of the Nevada Gold Rush and procedures to navigate these duplicated downtown.
So Slabtowners and Lematians,
mining town were so angry over situations in the future. We will
begin
that
task
next
month
after
start
planning your ore carts now
proposed city taxes to install san-
itary sewers they literally rolled we’ve had the opportunity to rest for a bigger showdown next year
on July 14-16.
their outhouses down to city hall and recover.
It
truly
is
a
Herculean
effort
to
to protest.)
It was planned to be intro- raise the money, set everything
Guest Viewpoint
Election-related letters must address pertinent or timely
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HOW TO CONTACT YOUR REPS
Oregon state
representatives
• Sen. Floyd Prozanski
District 4 State Senator
PO Box 11511
Eugene, Ore. 97440
Phone: 541-342-2447
Email : sen.fl oydprozanski@
state.or.us
• Rep. Cedric Hayden
Republican District 7 State
Representative
900 Court St. NE
Salem, Ore. 97301
Phone: 503-986-1407
Email: rep.cedrichayden@
state.or.us
• Rep. Peter DeFazio
(House of Representatives)
405 East 8th Ave.
#2030
Eugene, Ore. 97401
Oregon federal
representatives
Email: defazio.house.gov/
contact/email-peter
Phone: 541-465-6732
• Sen. Ron Wyden
405 East 8th Ave., Suite 2020
Eugene, Ore. 97401
Email: wyden.senate.gov
Phone: (541) 431-0229
• Sen. Jeff Merkley
Email: merkley.senate.gov
Phone: 541-465-6750
• Heather Buch
Lane County Commissioner
- District 5
Email: Heather.Buch@lane
countyorg.gov
125 E. Eighth Ave.
Eugene, OR 97401
Or call 541-682-4203
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