Letters, letters, letters

The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday.

To the Editor:

Local merchants need our help.

As a result of the recent fire-caused road closures, our area merchants are experiencing severe losses in sales and revenue.

I feel, considering all the support they give to our community, especially our schools, we must do all we can to help them!

Call out-of-town friends, let them know the air is good, and the weather has been fantastic!

This is the perfect time to come to Sisters. There is so much going on, including the upcoming Jazz Festival featuring "The Swingingest Big Band West Of The Mississippi" with Lilly Wilde from Portland. And the Folk Festival has a tremendous lineup of artists this year.

Also, we should all shop, shop, shop!

Our friends and neighbors are in need and it's our turn to help.

Mark Kershner

* * *

To the Editor:

My wife and I are long-time visitors of the Camp Sherman/Metolius area. We cannot think of a more beautiful place on this planet. We both had tears in our eyes when we first heard of the evacuation of Camp Sherman.

Thank you for the continued coverage you have provided on your website. It has helped us stay abreast of the current status of this terrible fire and helped relieve some anxieties.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by the fire, especially the evacuated residents and the brave and wonderful firefighters.

Thanks again for keeping those of us not physically in the area (but whose hearts and souls remain there after each visit) informed.

Bob and Marilyn Faler

Salem, Oregon

* * *

To the Editor:

As I write this letter, the wild fire races closer to Lake Creek -- and by dawn, the "expansion project of Lake Creek Lodge," featured in The Nugget August 20 may become "the restoration of the land and vegetation at Lake Creek Lodge."

In our half-century in Central Oregon -- 27 years at Tamarack and 29 at Lake Creek -- we have rebuilt and revitalized both areas with special efforts to preserve the natural beauty and wildlife. The preservation of these naturally endowed special places has been foremost in our minds. We are indeed Friends of the Metolius, too, and have spent 50 years proving it.

Even before the B&B Complex fires we realized that we could no longer continue stewardship of Lake Creek. We have resisted offers to sell to a California Spa and Weight Reducing Golden Door, a children's camp, a destination resort (which we thought we were), a commercial spring water bottler, a tavern and bar -- but, contrary to rumor, no high-rise condo.

It has taken us several years to find a solid buyer who will respect nature, keep the resort going and be a good neighbor, too.

We cannot simply lock the Lake Creek doors and walk away, leaving the area in its 1910 state -- more and more people have discovered the Metolius Basin and want to share it. The real friends of the Metolius want to preserve all the natural beauty and help direct the development into an orderly and aesthetically harmonious area which might bring more traffic in.

The Jefferson County Community Development Department and the Local Advisory Council wisely and unselfishly looked into the future and approved the project.

We owned Lake Creek when the Metolius Meadows was developed, yet we never considered hindering a seemingly well planned development for our neighbors even though their septic tanks were making our natural swimming pond unswimmable, the traffic had increased and some houses obstructed our views.

After innumerable meetings of the Jefferson County Commissioners and the Local Advisory Council, it's time to finish the planning and get on with gradual implementation including some building, more jobs and planned and controlled growth.

Margaret Lumpkin, Lisa Taubman, Velda Brust, representing Lake Creek Lodge Stockholders

* * *

To the Editor:

We want to thank the many people who made the annual Art At The Barn at Black Butte Ranch on August 29 and 30 a very successful event.

Many thanks to the artists, patrons, merchants who put up our fliers, the local media and the many committee members who worked so hard behind the scenes to make this event come together.

In spite of the Highway 20 closure and the reduced number of visitors to Central Oregon, we are very happy with the results. Thanks to all of you, we will continue to have sufficient funds to offer scholarships for Sisters High School Seniors who plan to continue studies in their chosen field of art. And, that's what it's all about, folks. Your participation really made the difference.

And, congratulations to Glen Grader who won the raffle quilt. We're sure that Sally is glad he bought a raffle ticket.

We'll see you again next year.

Lee and Marti Kufchak

Co-chairpersons, Black Butte Ranch Art Guild

* * *

To the Editor:

We have had a flag flying at our residence since 9/11 to show support for our country and our troops. We will continue to fly the flag for these reasons till our troops come home. It's the least we can do for them.

However, sometime in the late hours of Saturday, August 23, someone took our flag!

Was the thief a patriotic criminal who wanted his/her own symbol of 227 years of freedom that's been purchased with the blood of those gone before us? OR just a person who enjoys freedom without remembering the cost, therefore belittling the flag to just an object?

The Merrell Family