Here, There & Everywhere
From our weekly issue dated December 19, 2007
HOLIDAY TIMES - Positive deadlines of 5 p.m. Thursdays, Dec. 20 and 27, are set for Illinois Valley News because Christmas Day and New Year’s Day will fall on Tuesdays, our normal printing day. Because of the holidays, the News will be published on Mondays, Dec. 24 and 31. Those who want an announcement or advertisement in either issue must get them to the News office in time.
TOY LAND LACK - Because there was no I.V. Bikers Toy Run this year, although the group made a donation, the CJ Cares annual Christmas breakfast and visit by Santa will be short of playthings. Those who can donate new toys can take them to A+ Mini-Storage or Bi-Rite Auto Parts. And volunteers and cash always are welcome, said Lynn Boucher-Johnson, CJ Cares coordinator. On Christmas Day, the free meal for all comers will be held in the pavilion (heated and “tarped off”) at Jubilee Park, 10 a.m. to noon.
‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS’ - A celebration of the birth of a Savior will be held Saturday, Dec. 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. The family event, open to the public, will be held at the Josephine County Bldg. in Downtown Cave Junction. For information, or to arrange for a ride, phone Lyn Berry at 592-3818. The theme of the gathering is, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” (2nd Corinthians 9:15)
CANDLELIGHT SERVICE - Community Bible Church will conduct its traditional Christmas Eve candlelight service at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 24. Anyone can attend the approximately one-hour service at the church, 113 S. Caves Ave. Phone 592-3896 for additional information.
CARE-GIVER SUPPORT - The holidays can be particularly difficult for spouses, friends and family of adults disabled by physical aging, illness, accident and/or dementia. Starting In June 2007, a group of care-givers began meeting for an hour or so on fourth Fridays at 1:30 p.m. at I.V. Senior Center on E. River Street in Cave Junction. Leaders noted, “All too often it is not a group, but one to three persons hoping for information, compassion and support from others in situations similar to their own. The ideal group size would include six to 10 participants. If you are a care-giver, your insights and experience could lighten the burden for others as theirs could for you. Consider visiting the next support group meeting on Friday, Dec. 28.”
TEETH SAVER - Dr. Jon Robinson, an orthodontist in Grants Pass, is offering free, custom mouth-pieces for any I.V. High School or Lorna Byrne Middle School athlete. He will come to the schools for imprinting, to save students a trip to GP. Permission slips for students will be needed. Parents or guardians who want more information can phone IVHS at 592-2116 or LBMS at 592-2163. Robinson is offering the free service because he has witnessed too many young people with damaged teeth as a result of sports injuries. The mouth-pieces can be in school colors.
LIBRARY IDEA - “Instead of ties and fruitcake and bath salts for holiday gifts this year, consider giving or receiving a donation to reopen and operate the libraries in Josephine County, which closed last May due to lack of county funding,” said Josephine Community Libraries Inc. It’s the private nonprofit corporation dedicated to operating the region’s libraries. It needs to raise $600,000 to $1 million to reopen the four branches of the library. Checks in any amount can be made payable to “RCC Foundation/Josephine Community Libraries” and sent to P.O. Box 1684, Grants Pass OR 97528. Those interested in getting involved with the library effort can send e-mail to info@josephinelibrary.org or visit josephinelibrary.org.
HOCUS BOGUS? - Josephine County Sheriff Gil Gilbertson is alerting the community about what sounds like a bogus deal. Someone is phoning some residents and claiming to be the “County Records Dept.” with the possibility of a low-interest 30-year loan. The Canada-based organization also calls itself “Consumer Association Corp.,” the sheriff said. “Use caution in providing any information,” he said. “This may be a fraud.” He noted that when contacted, the organization “dodged absolutely every question and would not provide a contact for authentication.”
NOTEPAD - Don Wylie and Chris Farnham are thanked by I.V. Chamber of Commerce for helping Marty’s Tree Service decorate the Community Christmas Tree on the Junction Inn lot ... “Pizza Bob” on Saturday, Dec. 15 was removing items from his CJ business, wrecked July 1 by a motorhome. He plans to raze the rest of the place and rebuild a new Pizza Pit ... The “winter break” for Christmas and New Year will be observed by Three Rivers School District. It’ll run from Friday, Dec. 21 (after classes are dismissed) until classes resume Monday, Jan. 7 … The I.V. Visitor Center count for October 2006 was 894, and during October 2007 it was 777, a decrease of 117, reports Dulcie Moore, I.V. Chamber office manager ... Two seats are open on the JoCo Rural Area Planning Commission. Applications will be accepted until Friday, Dec. 28 or until the seats are filled. Phone 474-5221 ... KOBI and KOTI TV (NBC 5 and 2) will receive the Outstanding Media Award for 2007 from Oregon’s Council on Alcohol & Drug Abuse for its documentary, “Southern Oregon Meth Project and the Roadblock for Crystal Darkness” ... T-shirts: *He who doesn’t cook better not complain. *Here I am! And what are your other two wishes? *Forget World Peace. Visualize using your left-turn signal. *If idiots grew on trees, this place would be an orchard.
LAST WORDS - *Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas. All else is outward display, just so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn’t the holly, it isn’t the snow. It isn’t the tree nor the firelight’s glow. It’s the warmth that comes to the hearts of men when the Christmas spirit returns again. (Anonymous)
*Don't expect too much of Christmas Day. You can’t crowd into it any arrears of unselfishness and kindliness that may have accrued during the past 12 months. (Oren Arnold)
