News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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"Stepping Up" was the theme of the third annual Volunteer Appreciation Event held for Sisters Transportation and Ride Share last Thursday at Sisters Depot. Recognized for their outstanding contributions to STARS over the past year, the STAR Dispatcher of the Year is Debbie Hewett and the STAR Driver of the Year is Rita Weber. Many individuals, organizations, businesses, and donors were recognized for stepping up over the past five years to establish and grow STARS. Just last... Full story
Family Access Network (FAN) received an $8,900 donation from 110 Women Who Care. After three local organizations made presentations - Seed to Table, Family Access Network (FAN), and Living Well With Dementia Sisters - FAN was chosen to receive the funds donated at last week's 100 Women Who Care Sisters quarterly gathering. The donation was awarded to the nonprofit receiving the most votes from the women in attendance. The $8,900 gift will benefit the Sisters FAN in a number... Full story
"I like being part of something bigger than me," was Sarah McDougall's answer when asked why she is seeking a position on the Sisters City Council. She also enjoys teamwork and has seen plenty of that in her interaction with and observation of the City Council, the City staff, and other City boards and advisory committees. After 14 years living in Bend, McDougall and her husband, Chris, moved to Sisters in 2020, and McDougall has jumped into volunteering with both feet. She... Full story
Steve and Bev Oberg's Powell Butte neighbors like to gather for a little libation at the Bison Bar, where they share camaraderie while looking out over the pastures which are home to the bar's namesakes. And the bison often cooperate by coming up to feed on the other side of the fence. The Obergs have been breeding and raising bison for 18 years on their Powell Butte Bison Ranch. At one point they had close to 100 head, but that proved too large for their acreage to sustain...
Most people traveling over Santiam Pass on Highway 20 are probably unaware of the historic architectural gem hidden in the trees. It sat abandoned and neglected for almost 40 years. Just to the west of Hoodoo Ski Area and across the highway, a group of dedicated volunteers and donors - Friends of Santiam Pass Ski Lodge - are meticulously bringing back to life the rustic lodge built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in just seven months, from July 1939 to February 2,...
With 30 attendees, the September 18 Community Builders meeting at City Hall was the most well-attended yet, including one very cute infant who came with mom. • A majority of the meeting was an overview by Scott Woodford, community development director, of the study currently being done on Sisters’ Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) — should it be enlarged and, if so, where? More information is available on the City website, www.ci.sisters.or.us, administration, land use plannin... Full story
As the days get shorter and the approach of winter is not far away, thoughts of our unhoused neighbors rise higher in our consciousness. For many Sisters agencies and organizations, the welfare of those neighbors is a year-round priority. To provide information to the public on the work being done on behalf of those Sisters residents lacking secure permanent housing, and to provide an opportunity to hear ideas, concerns, and questions from community members, the City has... Full story
Walking into Tim and Jane Killefer's home feels like putting on a comfy robe before settling in to have a nice long chat, with Kenzie the black Lab at your feet. It doesn't feel like a place where death and dying are prominent features of each day. Tim and Jane have always considered themselves athletes, moving from Salem to Sisters in 2019 to partake of all the outdoor recreation opportunities, now that they were both retired from teaching middle school. Jane describes her... Full story
Hi, my name is K-9 Copper and I assist the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) in finding people - even some who aren't happy when I find them. I have the best job in the world (for a dog). I have my own heavy duty pickup truck with my name on it and big lettering to let you know this is my truck. I have my own personal driver, Deputy Donny Patterson, who lives with me and his other dog, K-9 Bloodhound Dani, who retired from Riverside, California, and is my playmate at...
There’s a lot of good percolating through Sisters Country as evidenced by the reporting out at the latest Community Builders meeting on August 21 gathering at the Stitchin’ Post classroom. The meeting opened with Jean Wells, founder of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS) 49 years ago and owner of the Stitchin’ Post, providing some history of quilting in Sisters. In 1975, when Wells’ store was in what is now the bar at Sisters Saloon and Ranch Grill, she hung 12 family quilts... Full story
Before moving to Sisters in 2004, I researched the medical community in Central Oregon – doctors, clinics, hospitals, emergency services – and was encouraged that quality medical care would be readily available. And it was, in the beginning. When I moved, I had just turned 60 and was not yet eligible for Medicare. My first job at hospice offered me excellent group health insurance coverage. I quickly established relationships with several medical practices where I found it... Full story
For the last four years, the popular Sisters Ride Share and Transportation (STARS) program has been meeting the needs of residents who aren't able to provide their own transportation to non-emergency medical appointments in Sisters, Bend, and Redmond. In 2018, the need for that service was identified in a community study, and STARS, powered by volunteers, was created as a grassroots initiative to fill the need. Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC), a newly formed 501(c)(3)... Full story
Within the confines of the 2.1, acres known to most locals as Camp Polk Cemetery, lie hundreds of clues regarding the history of Sisters and its inhabitants. There are no well-manicured lawns, paved walking paths, or orderly rows of gravestones. Rather, there are bird houses, horseshoes and other cowboy paraphernalia, a variety of personal memorabilia, and more than a little humor as well as sentimental pathos on display. The land the cemetery inhabits was originally part of... Full story
The Lodge in Sisters was recently the scene of smiles, excitement, and good feelings as 15 residents received an interactive animatronic dog, cat, or bird from members of the Sisters Middle School fifth-grade Sunshine Club. Romeo's Joy, headed by Sisters resident Cheryl Pellerin, is an Action Team of Age Friendly Sisters Country, and provides Sisters-area residents who are at risk of social isolation, living with dementia, and/or unable to have the companionship of a live... Full story
In the late 1970s, when Sisters' new fire chief, Tony Prior, was a boy of 8, he came to Central Oregon from his home near Philomath to hunt mule deer. He also fished for rainbow trout in the Metolius River. And now, some 40 years later, he and his wife Dianna are calling Sisters home. Chief Prior assumed his new duties as of late June, with the retirement of Chief Roger Johnson. Chief Prior moved to Alaska in 1994, married Dianna, had two children, and became an... Full story
1 Women Who Care-Sisters recently raised $8,400 for Age Friendly Sisters Country/Sisters Transportation and Ride Share, the ride share services staffed by volunteers in our community. The fundraising was conducted at the group's June 27 quarterly meeting; the checks were presented to STARS on Saturday, June 29. Members of 100 WWC-Sisters, which now numbers over 100 members, chose STARS after presentations by the three nominated nonprofits, all of which represent Sisters'... Full story
Each month, Citizens4Community facilitates a Community Builders meeting. Each meeting is hosted by a different Sisters Country organization or business and is designed to help local leaders and community volunteers connect with fellow change makers in Sisters, share current individual or organizational priorities, needs, and opportunities, discuss timely local topics and community challenges, and explore opportunities for collaboration and problem solving. All Community Builde... Full story
Eric Benedon, the Volunteer and Events Coordinator for the Sisters Trails Alliance, describes himself as a "forest person through and through." Benedon grew up in Southern California, spending time snowboarding at Big Bear, in the San Bernardino Mountains, an alpine region of pines and snow, not dissimilar to Sisters' high desert. With a degree in art history, Benedon graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver BC. While there, he worked as an assistant to t... Full story
Sisters Trail Alliance (STA) is currently recruiting high school students for the Youth Ambassador program which started last summer with three high school students and will be active again this summer. This part-time summer position is perfect for young people with a strong interest in environmental conservation, outdoor recreation, the Forest Service, or related fields. STA encourages Youth Trail Ambassadors to tailor the role according to their passions, empowering them to... Full story
Mark Clemens and Lisa Barber supposedly retired to Sisters about two years ago, but decided to turn their shared passion for wine into one of Sisters newest businesses - Friends & Vine Wine Shop and Bar at 152 E. Main Ave., Suite 2. Mark's wine expertise comes from years as a wine buyer for Whole Foods, as well as a distributor, wine instructor, and a certified sommelier. He and Lisa have their own 800 bottle wine cellar at home. "We will especially focus on small producers... Full story
Over the years, I have often said if I were to lose one of my abilities as I age, I hope it isn’t my mind. I have always really enjoyed using my mental capacity to create, write, imagine, problem solve, make connections, learn, teach, observe, and remember. My long-time school friends can’t believe I remember the first and last names of everyone in our first grade class as well as all eight of my grade school teachers. In 2019, when I slammed my head into the asphalt dur... Full story
The area surrounding Scout Lake was abuzz with girl power last Saturday as 34 girls, ages 7–14, learned and practiced fire safety and outdoor skills they need for adventuring outside. The U.S. Forest Service and SheJumps Wild Skills co-sponsored the Junior Firefighter day camp combining the skills and expertise of their organizations with mentoring provided by female members of the Forest Service (four from Sisters Ranger District) and SheJumps. According to the program's curr... Full story
Once a month, there is a gathering of Sisters residents who are known as Community Builders to share with each other news of what they, their nonprofits, businesses, startups, and interest groups are doing to add to the community spirit of Sisters. The meetings are fun to attend because there is generally good, upbeat news of projects being undertaken, changes being made, partnerships working together, and other ways in which something is being done to sustain and improve the... Full story
There was enough good news emanating from the May 15 Community Builders meeting that two articles were required, one last week (May 22) and another this week. • As president of Sisters Rotary, Bill Kelly announced the plans for the Fourth of July celebration, Sisters 4th Fest, scheduled for Village Green Park, 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is being sponsored by Sisters Rotary Club, Citizens4Community, St. Charles Health System, and Next Phase Realty, with support from Run Sist... Full story
Sisters Trails Alliance has selected a new executive director. Stephanie Presley came on board as of May 6. Presley brings years of experience leading volunteer organizations and community coalitions, working with boards of directors and collaborating with local, state, and federal stakeholders on a wide range of projects and programs. "The board is delighted to welcome Stephanie as our new executive director," said STA board chair Forest Tancer. "We are fortunate to have... Full story
