Letters to the Editor 01/10/2018

To the Editor:

We are so grateful for the respect, kindness and generosity that the Sisters community has shown for our service men and women who are serving throughout the world.

Just yesterday I saw a woman approach a soldier and thank him for his service. As he was buying some tea, I offered to treat him and another customer had already stepped up to purchase him his beverage. As I went to the grocery store, I noticed that he was there buying some lunch. So I offered to buy his lunch and the storekeeper said that someone had already stepped up to buy his lunch. It was so humbling and impressive to see people stepping up to support and express their gratitude to this young soldier. He must have felt so loved and appreciated. He, along with other local soldiers and American soldiers, has stepped up to serve and protect our nation and other countries.

This same love and generosity has been shown to my son-in-law and daughter who are presently deployed to different parts of the world.

A local organization called Military Parents has united to support local families who have children or family members who are deployed.

They have sent wonderful packages filled with goodies, healthy snacks and heart-warming cards to our son-in-law and daughter and to other deployed soldiers of local families.

These packages are shared with many other deployed soldiers in their platoons.

When you touch one soldier's heart, you can touch many more.

All of these soldiers are so grateful for this support and we would like to thank Military Parents Group for their generosity and love.

Another local nonprofit, Heartwarmers, gathered to stuff stockings with hand-written notes on hearts, cut-out fleece hearts and hand-made chocolate-filled cards to go to my daughter and son-in-law's platoons halfway across the world. Some of these Heartwarmers and friends sent their own packages full of goodies and supplied us with presents and supplies to send throughout the year. We would like to thank Heartwarmers and our friends and family for their generosity and support.

We are still pinching ourselves for being part of such a loving and caring community here in Sisters. This is one more example of the love and generosity that this community shares and displays.

Thank you all! And most of all, thank you to our service men and women for serving and protecting our country!

Bless you all!

Lori and Dan Chase

•••

To the Editor:

I want to start out by saying that I have truly enjoyed my last four years working at Sisters Park & Recreation District. I feel privileged to have worked with such a fantastic staff and board of directors. I also feel privileged to have been given the chance to serve such a giving and engaged community as Sisters. Because of how connected I feel to this organization, it has been tough for me to make this decision, but I have decided to accept a job offer from the City of Pendleton to be their new Park & Recreation Director.

It saddens me to leave Sisters and SPRD behind, especially at such a busy time, but it is a great professional opportunity that I cannot pass up. The Park & Recreation Department in Pendleton has a large array of parks, a recreation center, and a swimming pool. I am excited for the opportunity to work with facilities like these and be able to deliver great services to the citizens of Pendleton.

I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished at SPRD these last four years. Since 2013 we have expanded programs and now offer over 100 programs to the residents of Sisters. The greatest part of our expansion has come in the form of programs for adults/seniors, and special events, but we still continue to put the youth of our community first and foremost.

I am especially proud of some of the new events we have started such as the Hawaiian Luau that unites the community of Sisters every August for great food and Hawaiian music, and the Great Northwest Cross Country Running Camp which brings almost 100 kids from all over the state to spend a week at SPRD and run some of the best trails in Central Oregon.

Both of these events are big fundraisers, the luau for adult programs, and the cross-country camp for youth programs.

It is because of events like this, and the support of this fabulous community, that we have been able to maintain our service to the community while continuing to have one of the lowest tax rates of any park and recreation district in the state.

If I had one thing I am most proud of, it has been how our staff have united behind the mission of raising money though fundraisers and grants, so that we can keep our services available and affordable for the people of Sisters Country. I am leaving, but the fantastic staff and board here at SPRD will continue providing exceptional recreational programs and facilities for the residents and visitors of Sisters Country.

I will greatly miss all the great people I have met over my years in this great community. Thank you all for everything.

Liam Hughes