Sisters salutes...

• Fourth of July Picnic organizers Julia Rickards and Cindy Rainey wrote:

We would like to thank the 150 of Sisters who contributed $10 (or more) each to "Be One of Us," a Presenting Sponsor of the first annual Fourth of July Picnic in the Park for the benefit of Sisters Habitat for Humanity.

From the early morning 8K/5K fun run to the old-fashioned fun that was had at the picnic in Creekside Park, the 300-plus people who attended had a great time and were so impressed by the sense of community at the event.

We also thank our other Presenting Sponsors, COAR, the Sisters Habitat for Humanity Board, Sisters Athletic Club, and The Nugget Newspaper along with all the dedicated Sisters Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers for helping us accomplish our mission of bringing the Fourth of July back to Sisters, along with raising money for Sisters Habitat for Humanity. We are honored to be a part of such a giving and caring community!

• Mikaela Cowles of Sisters and Bellevue, Washington wrote:

Between Detroit Lake and Sisters my low fuel light came on. It was 8:30 p.m. I had no cell phone service. The idea of "walking" for help seemed impossible.

I started to sweat and let the car coast. A long line of angry cars built up behind me. My eyes searched frantically for a gas station. I prayed.

The Marion Forks Restaurant and Lounge appeared. "Open 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.," the sign read. Through the locked doors two ladies looked at me, at each other, and back at me. They didn't have any gas, but they did have a phone.

When I hung up with my father my face was red and wet. "Come over here," Evie Grindstaff said, "you need a hug." She and Faye Glass rubbed my back. As I waited in my car there was a knock on my window. "You come inside and wait," Evie said. It wasn't a question.

It took nearly two hours for my parents to arrive. They sat with me the whole time. We talked about books, the quiet hours, and their kids spread from the Oregon coast to the flat plains of Missouri. Finally my heart stopped racing. I noticed the lofted wood ceilings and the creek outside.

On my drive out of town I stopped for breakfast. Evie greeted me. The food rivaled the staff in its warmth. I had asked Evie what her favorite thing on the menu was. She said she couldn't pick, because she "liked it all so much." If the rest of the menu is as good as my vegetarian omelet was, I won't be able to pick, either. I guess I'll have to keep stopping in to find

out.