Ward Service and updates

            Myrtle Creek has a summer festival at the end of July or the weekend closest to July 25th.  We learned that our first year here when Roland had asked one of the members about Pioneer Days - a holiday celebrating the movement of the pioneers to Salt Lake City, Utah.  Our ward here does a service project the Saturday prior to the Saturday of summer fest.  The first year we had moved in, we had gone to Riddle to clean up the cemetery here.  I took several pictures though I was not yet familiar with the majority of members who appeared in each photo. 

            The following year we had painted the shed and spruced up the track and bleacher area at the high school.  I must have forgotten my camera that day.  I don't recall having taken any photographs.  I was hoping that my sister's family would be in town that afternoon or evening, but a fire alarm had disturbed their sleep and put them behind schedule (see here).  So they were not there for service project or pool party afterward.

            Last year we had gone to the American Legion on Old Pacific to spruce up grounds and add stars to the building (it is actually pretty cool looking) 

Before picture taken from Google maps

same building after: taken July 22, 2017 ward activity

I took more pictures of our service project there than I had at Riddle but does not appear that I posted anything - not even on facebook.

            Yesterday's project was at Millsite Park.  I would have taken pictures had I had a camera, but I don't.  And as you can see from my blackberry pics (a few posts back) my cell phone does not take great pictures and would not have been worth the effort.  Mulch was dumped between the walking path and ballpark and looks really nice.  I will have to add pictures at a later date.

            As always, we had a barbeque and pool party later in the evening.  I had not been feeling well but had chosen to go for the barbeque - which may have not been the wisest decision.  I was there for only forty minutes or so before I had Roland bring me back home.

            I aced both of my classes.  My accounting teacher praised me for including Hershey's code of Ethics on my report.  Truth be known, I wasn't including it because I thought it should be part of my report or because I found it interesting.  I needed over 1,200 words and had included whatever I could for the sake of word count.

            I also introduced my Ethics instructor to a made-up place of work based on an actual family owned business that I would guess does not use an auditor, which I had chosen as it has been the subject of my other class.  For the sake of my report (PowerPoint) I had to use my major as a profession for a place of business - not that I will ever specialize in auditing unless it is for nonprofit - which is the point of view I took for my PowerPoint.  All done.  Both classes complete.  I will start another accounting class tomorrow.

Living in South Umpqua

        I'm guessing that Tri City gets its name from being in the middle of three other cities.  Myrtle Creek is north of Tri City, Canyonville is to the south and Riddle is to the west.  Though Tri City has its own fire department and water and sanitation source, it does not have its own post office but shares a zip code with Myrtle Creek. 

http://www.myrtlecreekchamber.com/aboutarea.html

        The communities seem supportive of one another and don't have rival cities - which is good.  I enjoy the comradery of living here.

        Though I've written several posts about the libraries here, I'm afraid I haven't done much with them since last summer.  Riddle has full support from their city and has decided to go independent.  Myrtle Creek doesn't have the same city support - pretty much the opposite, and so the system joined forces with Douglas County who is still trying to get back of their (our?) feet.

       Myrtle Creek does a summer program for youth - but interest is only to a certain age.  Teenagers may find more programs geared to their level at the Riddle library - which is where I took Jenna and her friend yesterday.  They are creating a float for the parade that will be held on the 30th of this month.  The librarian wanted to know if Jenna would dress up and ride on the float.  Of course, she will.  Jenna loves to dress up.  You don't have to ask her twice.  She plans on dressing as Little Red Riding Hood.  Tall Red Riding Hood is more like it.

http://www.bookeinstein.com/

        Every time I do something (or we do something) for Riddle, I feel like I'm betraying Myrtle Creek.  Then again, Myrtle Creek doesn't have a teenage program.  The meetings take place on Monday at 5:30 which overall just hasn't been a good time for me.  The few times I have been able to attend, the meeting gets canceled for whatever reason.

        I have already agreed to be Myrtle Creek's story lady.  I forgot to ask what day of the week.  I hope not on Wednesdays. 

It IS a Big Deal

            Our class size varies at the pool.  We have had as many class members as 15 (our instructor had brought four members of her family to participate in our class on Tuesday) and as few as one or two (I did not attend on Wednesday but had heard that there were only two students to show) Yesterday there were seven students plus our instructor.

            After our class ended, Jenna and I stopped by Millsite Park to look for the FMCL booth for the Myrtle Creek Festival as we had been assigned to man it during a shift yesterday.  It hadn't been set up yet.  We decided to return home for some breakfast and I texted Serena to see if she needed help with the booth.

            Roland fixed French toast for Jenna and me before we returned to the park to help set up.  We were there for just over an hour before we left again.  Jenna had wanted to go to Riddle for their Pre-Solar Eclipse Party. 

It was the end of their summer reading program for the small kids - teens will go until mid-August, I guess.  There is no teen program for Myrtle Creek.  

            I had posted pictures of the Riddle Library grounds before -just over two years ago not long after we had moved to Oregon.  The teen activities usually take place in the pavilion in the park right next to the library.  I thought we would go to the pavilion for the party, but we didn't end up at the pavilion at all.

            First thing on the agenda was to walk from the back door of the library to the door to city hall. Aside from the pictures, I think the Riddle City Hall looks very much like the Myrtle Creek City Hall. 

The librarian had set up a display of the planets moving around the sun.  She explained a bit about sky activity and the solar eclipse.  We then went out into the courtyard to first, use our special glasses to look at the sun, and then several of the children made slime.

            When the slime was done, children packed their treasures in plastic containers and returned to the library for prizes.  It was announced that the total summer reading had included 16,230 hours but then was upped to 18,465.  Prices were awarded to all the children who participated.

            The finale ended just outside the library doors for all participants to enjoy vanilla ice cream floating in the beverage of their choice (Lemon-Lime, Orange, Strawberry or Root Beer).  Jenna left with a book called "Prankster Magic" which she is quite proud of.

            One of the perks I enjoy about small town living is how the community pulls together.  The last weekend in July is reserved for Myrtle Creek Festival.  Some people will check out of their businesses early or may not even open at all.  Time is spent into setting up booths before noon on Thursday.  The booths open at 4:00 p.m. and close at 11:00 pm.

            Jenna had saved her money for this event, and it is still in a storage unit somewhere in Winston.  The thought of it had made her cry, but Roland said we would lend her the money and she can pay us back if/when she should ever get her room (belongings) back.  I don't think she realized how much of her time would be utilized for the sake of the library.

            Our booth offered paint n play . . . $3.00 to paint a rock and play a game.  Most of our consumers were either/or.  We may not have had any customers at all if it wasn't for Jenna - plugging every patron who walked by.  The first day is Not the busiest day.  I think the majority of people come on Saturday.  But there were a few wanderers yesterday.  I believe that Jenna was able to get half to invest in painting a rock or playing the game.

            We were able to leave before the end of our shift, but as Jenna forgot her bag, we returned for it.  Serena and Sheila recruited Jenna to finish out the night and have said that if she will work all of them, they will feed her.  (Evidently, they don't know that she eats like a teenage boy) and so she was left to "sell" the booth's activities until Sheila brought her home. 

            We have an earlier shift today, but I may be dropping Jenna off earlier and she may stay all day; her rewards will be even greater than what she had saved up for. Roland and I both believe this is good for her.  I'm actually excited to see how much she's involved.

Riddle Celebrates

this flag hangs in our yard

Veteran Memorial at Millsite Park

               For every Federal Holiday and each holiday honoring Veterans though may not be observed by others (I had not been aware of all of the "flag" holidays that Myrtle Creek observes) Myrtle Creek lines the streets and bridges with flags.  

South Umpqua Bridger Exit 108

            The mayor credits the Elks for putting out the flags.  I don't know how early they are put out. Though the flags come out every 4th of July, Myrtle Creek itself seems like a ghost town.  People go out of town.  I don't know where they go.  Riddle, perhaps?

  

not the best pic, but the only one I can find of bridge on Exit 106

            Poor Jenna.  Her parents are tired old fuddy-duddys who don't celebrate as we did when we were younger.  Even if we were more active, I know Jenna would enjoy herself more if she were to hang with someone her own age.  We thought she might have that opportunity yesterday, but it didn't work out as any of us had expected.

            Annette had told Jenna that they would pick her up at 8:30 yesterday morning and spend the 4th with her family and she could stay the night after the fireworks.  I don't know what their plans were taking them, but Jenna was not a part of it after all.  Though Annette's mom believes they have the perfect mother and daughter relationship, their communication is even more pathetic than mine and Roland's. 

            Jenna was ready at 7:30.  8:30 came and went and by 9:00 she called to find out what had happened.  They were already on their way to wherever they were going and would not be picking her up.  I heard Jenna crying - sobbing loudly really.  She had cried herself sick and was heaving in the toilet.  I felt so helpless.

            When Annette called at 10:00 to say they were on their way to pick her up, Jenna informed her that she was sick.  I don't think Annette believed her.  Whether the miscommunication happened between Annette and her mom or Jenna and Annette, I really don't know.  But I do know that Jenna did not feel well and that her sensitive stomach in a car going straight makes her even more queasy.  The curvy roads of Oregon would just add to her car sickness even more. 

            I had told Jenna to lie down and she had tried laying down in mine and Roland's bed (as she is still currently without) but was afraid her stomach might send her heaving before she could make it to the bathroom. Thus Jenna spent the majority of the day on the bathroom floor.  I think she slept for a couple of hours.  After she started feeling better, we left the house for a while.  It was 5:00 I believe. 

            There had been a sawdust jubilee in Riddle - perhaps it's something they do every fourth of July.  Would have been nice to know that our first year here.  The only activity I could seem to find within the county was in Glendale - which I'm sure for many of the members in Glendale was a big deal - but for someone from Salt Lake City who is accustomed to city parades and fireworks and activities ALL SUMMER LONG, Glendale had been a huge disappointment - but had felt about 20 degrees cooler than Myrtle Creek - which was nice.  The year we had moved to Oregon was an especially hot summer - especially for this area - or so we were told.

            We did make it to the fireworks and saw people celebrating and felt a happiness among the people.  Perhaps we can make it a tradition next year.  I had actually hoped to have Jenna spend a few months in Salt Lake but with the unexpected death and return, it just didn't quite fit into our plans this year.

            She enjoyed the fireworks immensely.

            It really was a good show.  And I enjoyed the band that was there.  Of course she chattered the entire way home, and Roland realized he didn't have his glasses.  We said a prayer that we would be able to return today and find them.

            Jenna and I left the house this morning.  Our intention was to go north to pick blueberries, but ended up going south and west to return to the high school to look for Roland's glasses.  She found them right away.  The frame was bent and one of the lenses had popped out and the nose pads were missing.  She straightened out the frame and attempted to push the lens back into place.  Probably we'll be going to Roseburg after Roland gets off work.  Don't know whether we'll make it to the blueberry farm today or not.  It's only 68 degrees at 9 a.m.  It feels a lot warmer than that. 

Riddle Rocks

More from The News Review – representing Douglas County

Riddle Library to move forward with plan for checking out books

• CARISA CEGAVSKE Senior Staff Writer The News-Review  May 9, 2017

Riddle is moving forward with a plan to reopen its library and even check out books.

The smaller branches that were once part of the Douglas County Library System shut down April 1, victims of the financial crisis faced by county government. While the county’s Library Futures Task Force continues to search for a long-term solution, many cities have come to the conclusion their best bet, at least for now, is to take charge of their own libraries.

Previously, libraries had been told by the county they could reopen, but only as reading rooms. Under that model, county-owned books would remain with each branch, but would have to be read on site and couldn’t be checked out. The county would no longer provide a computer catalog.

But Riddle began looking into a way around that. It’s been investigating smaller computer catalog services it could contract with on its own, and it sought an intergovernmental agreement with the county that would allow it to provide its own catalog and resume checking out books.

Monday, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners approved Riddle’s proposal.

Rita Radford, director of library services for the Riddle City Library, said Monday she anticipates Riddle will become a model for other cities that want to reopen their libraries but aren’t satisfied with the reading room approach.

Radford said Riddle will be able to use the county’s computers, scrubbed of the county’s software, and acquire catalog software of its own. The city, which owns the library building, will provide internet and Wi-Fi service.

Radford said most of the other library branches have expressed interest in following suit. Riddle is forging ahead with the approval of its city council, which is eager to have the library reopen.

Riddle’s reopening is planned for 3 p.m. June 6, and a full slate of summer programs for kids is in the works. It includes a gardening program with Master Gardeners, story telling, music, a Peter and the Wolf musical presentation, a puppet show called “Dogs to the Rescue,” and a rock painting “extravaganza.” Family events will include a pre-solar-eclipse party and a professional magic show.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Radford said.

The library has a list of about 40 volunteers, who will keep the library open five hours each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Radford is a volunteer herself, though she was formerly a paid library assistant.

“It’s a passion for me. I just love the library and I want to see it continue and be a help to the community,” she said.

Radford said she’s very thankful Riddle received the go ahead to work toward checking out books.

“The reading room is a cute little idea, but it doesn’t serve the public very well,” she said. “Very, very few people have the time to sit down and read at the library. Most of them would rather go home and read in their pajamas.”

Three libraries — Reedsport, Oakland and Sutherlin — have reopened already, and several more plan to reopen this summer. The Reedsport branch, now called the Reedsport Public Library, has also requested an agreement with the county that would allow it to check out books. At this time, though, it can’t afford the cost of a cataloging system, according to City Manager Jonathan Wright. Both Oakland and Sutherlin have begun local book collections so that some books can be checked out.

The Roseburg branch remains open until the end of the month.

Time for Roseburg to get serious about library

• The News-Review Editorial Board
• May 11, 2017

Unwilling to see their libraries die, community members and city leaders in those towns were ready to reopen virtually the day their libraries closed down. They had dozens of volunteers signed up to staff their libraries. In Sutherlin, for example, where the library shutdown lasted a single day, a team of 50 volunteers has signed up to keep the library open as many hours as before closure. While they aren’t checking out the county-owned books, they’ve collected several hundred of their own that they are checking out. Reedsport plans to put its own regional district up for a vote this November. Riddle, which plans a June reopening, and Reedsport are working on obtaining catalog systems so they can check out the county-owned books at their branches. These cities have become examples that others, including Roseburg, should seriously consider following.

Libraries in some communities remain closed, awaiting some action from the county. It’s their patrons who have suffered from that miscalculation, and if Roseburg doesn’t move very quickly, their library patrons will suffer as well. A community without a library is a poorer, and ultimately a dumber one. Roseburg owes it to its citizens to give them what they voted for — a library whose doors remain open. We hope to see a solid plan for how to do that emerge as soon as possible.

Roseburg library to close May 30, council plans for business model

• APRIL EHRLICH The News-Review
• May 9, 2017

Sutherlin, Oakland and Reedsport have been more proactive. They’ve opened their libraries again as reading rooms, by using all-volunteer staffing, and Riddle this week gained permission from the county to pursue obtaining its own cataloging system so it could check out books once it reopens in June.

Sutherlin, Oakland and Reedsport libraries have already reopened, with intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) signed with the county. The IGAs are necessary because while all the cities outside Roseburg own their library buildings, the county owns the books. Sutherlin is open the same hours as before the branch closures, with volunteer staffing, while Oakland is open on Fridays. Reedsport has even gathered enough money to keep a paid librarian, at least for the next three months.

Yoncalla has signed an IGA to reopen as a “reading room plus,” as has Riddle. The “plus” allows these libraries to check out books if they acquire their own catalog systems. Riddle plans to reopen at 3 p.m. June 6. Glendale is close to getting an IGA signed. It plans to reopen in the summer, and have a bookworm mascot, and a summer reading program. It’s short on volunteers and money, but plans to publicize its grand opening with a poster campaign and a Fourth of July parade float. Myrtle Creek has an active group of 50 volunteers and has formed a nonprofit to raise funds. It hopes to have the library reopened by July 1.

Winston and Canyonville do not yet have plans to reopen their libraries. Winston leaders are concerned about a shortage of volunteers.

Drain has scheduled two community meetings at 7 p.m. May 25 and 2 p.m. June 3 at the Drain Civic Center, 205 West A Ave. to determine what residents want to do about the library. The city has had offers of financial donations, but is short on volunteers.

         Riddle had their grand-opening and library kick off the day that Jeanie passed away.  Jenna and I had gone to the library on the first as she had a dentist appointment and we were already in the area anyway. She signed up for the summer reading program though she is already doing one through school and will be doing one through Myrtle Creek.  I was told I could sign up for a library card but that it would cost eight dollars (as we don’t reside in Riddle) We’d like to incorporate Myrtle Creek, Canyonville and Riddle to operate together and thought I would weigh it out. 

Roland told me to go ahead and get a card so that I could check out some audio books to listen to on the road.  I wish he had gone to pick them out himself.  He always ends up making an audio book purchase as I don’t do well with selection – not that there was much to choose from.  Mostly Nora Roberts collection which I just didn’t think he’d be interested in. 

Myrtle Creek's summer kick off does not start until July 3.  At this point we don't even know where that will be as the city has not made a commitment for location.  But I will save that for another post.  Oh, we’re not done.  There is and will be more.