Sisters salutes...

• Wow! Twenty-plus miles of new trails this year.

Sisters Trails offers a heartfelt and enthusiastic thank you and salute to the following supporters that made this ongoing upgrade of the Peterson Ridge Trail System possible:

Major funding from: The Roundhouse Foundation; Anonymous Local Individual; Cycle Oregon.

Large contributions from: Jerry Norquist; Warren Rice/Realm Cycles; Bill Willitts.

Notable contributions from: Oregon Equestrian Trails; Greg Zadow.

In kind donations from: Central Oregon Trails Alliance, tools and crew leaders; USFS/Sisters Ranger District, tools and labor; SOAR, paid crew vehicles; Three Creeks Brewing Co., volunteer lunches; Sisters Movie House, seminar location; Sisters Athletic Club, facilities on work days.

"Get it done" labor from: Dozens of volunteers who collectively contributed nearly 1,000 hours.

The hired crew from Student Conservation Association: 480 hours.

Go enjoy the new trails and come help us finish the project next year!

Interim maps are at the trailhead and at http://www.sisterstrails.com.

• Kay Hill wrote: "A recent experience reminded me of how thankful I am for the freedom and rights that I enjoy as an American.

Sisters High School's Mandarin teacher, David Perkins, has been translating for the Asian chefs at SOJI Noodle & Rice Restaurant.

Through translated conversations I have learned that they had never been able to attend church.

The communist government in China shut down many churches and the chefs, Mr. and Mrs. Hong, had been working on Sundays since they immigrated to the U.S. five years ago.

I am so grateful that I was able to accept David Perkins' invitation to attend the service at Three Sisters Fellowship on the first Sunday that Mr. and Mrs. Hong had the day off.

They shared with the congregation that it was the first time in their lives that they had ever been able to attend church.

When Mrs. Hong followed the words on the projection screen and sang 'Amazing Grace' enthusiastically, I could not stop the tears from flowing.

I am so thankful that I live in a country where we have religious freedom.

I am also very grateful for Mr. Perkins' adult Mandarin class and his help with translation.

I have learned so much about the Asian culture and I am appreciating many things about our own culture that I may have taken for granted at times."