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The INDEPENDENT, December 21, 2006
The
INDEPENDENT
Published on the first and third Thursdays of each month by
The Independent, LLC, 725 Bridge St., Vernonia, OR 97064.
Phone/Fax: 503-429-9410.
Publisher Clark McGaugh, clark@the-independent.net
Editor Rebecca McGaugh, rebecca@the-independent.net
Assoc. Editor Noni Andersen, noni@the-independent.net
Opinion
Caring communities work
to keep everyone safe
At this time of year, most people are thinking of
Christmas and the New Year. In the northwest, howev-
er, we have been distracted by power outages result-
ing from nature’s greater power.
The violent wind storm of a week ago toppled trees
and power lines in huge quantities. In this area, power
was restored to a few people within 24 hours. Some
had electricity in approximately 48 hours, and most
were restored within 60 hours. Some are still without
power, not just in the Nehalem Valley, but throughout
the northwest.
In trying times like these, people have again dis-
played remarkable strength of character and generos-
ity. We have been battered, but we have many reasons
to be grateful; among them are the following:
– The Vernonia Senior Center and Vernonia Cares,
for combining forces and providing a warm haven with
hot meals;
– Volunteers with chain saws who cleared the roads;
– Merchants who opened their doors and worked
without electricity so people could buy batteries, lamp
oil and other needs;
– Student volunteers who accomplished many
tasks;
– Free emergency fire wood supplied by volunteers;
– EMS volunteers who repeatedly made welfare
checks;
– Vernonia public works and police department em-
ployees who worked as long as needed;
– Vernonia’s CERT team, volunteers whose training
is invaluable during a public crisis;
– Wilcox & Flegel for bringing fuel in trucks because
the pumps couldn’t be used;
– Metro West for maintaining medical service in an
emergency;
– Fire Department volunteers who did whatever was
necessary to keep people safe, including hauling gen-
erators and fuel to people with life-threatening medical
conditions.
– Vernonia School District for providing space for the
Red Cross shelter;
— Red Cross volunteers for manning the shelter;
– Vernonia Community Church for providing more
shelter space,
Opinion, continued
– All of the volunteer cooks;
– Not enough can be said of the West
Oregon Electric line crews who spent
untold hours working in dangerous con-
ditions, or of the office staff working
around the clock so members’ phone
calls were answered by local people, not
an answering service.
Though it is always risky, because
some deserving people will be missed,
there are a few people who should be
specifically thanked for outstanding per-
formance under stress. These include
VPD Sergeant Michael Kay, who kept on
top of every situation and prevented
some well-meaning missteps; 47J head
cook Gretchen Lindauer, a real profes-
sional; CERT volunteer Helen Johnston,
who remained cordially business-like
while answering phone calls for many,
many hours; and Vernonia Fire Chief
Paul Epler, who supervised the entire
emergency operation, a huge responsi-
bility that was well done.
Most important, there was no loss of
life. Our community was again spared
that anguish. Best of all, we reaffirmed
our commitment to our neighbors.
Out of My Mind…
By Noni Andersen
‘Twas the week before Christmas
and through all the towns,
not a light bulb was gleaming
to illumine the frowns…
( with apologies to Clement C. Moore )
That little bit of doggerel may be fit-
ting, but some others have something
much more important to say about this
special season of the year.
I heard the bells, on Christmas Day,
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I would rather have peace in the world
than be President.
President Harry S. Truman, Christmas
Message, December 24, 1948