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COMMUNITY CHALLENGE Sports
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CGHS Swimmers 74 49 Wednesday, 9 take Oct District 2 Championship
Benny’s Blackberry Removal Project underway in the Grove The mental City establishing mini health impact homeless camp at 12th Street facing Oregon’s Lifestyle
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CGHS Football Incredible Turnaround See page 8
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Wednesday October 9, 2024 | Number 39, 135 years
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CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
There are many interesting and inspiring individuals in Cottage Grove’s history. One of them is memorialized with a small park at the intersection of Woodson Bridge and North 9th Street for his legendary generosJEREMY C. RUARK ity to others and the extraordinary Cottage Grove Sentinel pride he took in beautifying his Public works crews are in the hometown. process of establishing a new WILSON DAVID HUBBELL smaller homeless camp the The Sentinel publishedsite hisatobituvacant lot on 12th Street in Cottage ary on July 6, 1994. It records that Grove. David Hubbell was born Wilson Cottage Grove City of Manager here in 1908 and died natural Mike Sauerwein said the causes, on June 25, at the city age isof behind its original Oct. 1 timeline 85. He was a roofing and concrete is establishing camp,veteran following contractor and atheWWII who the Aug. 22 closure and cleanup served in the U.S. Army Corps of of the 12th Street and Douglas Engineers. Street homeless the Known mostlycamps. by his During nickname, transition, the adjacent Lulu Dog “Benny”, he was an avid gardener Park shared at 12ththe Street has of been who bounty hisused large as a homeless camp site with hours garden with others, including the from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. staff and patients at the Veterans “NoneinofRoseburg. us have ever managed Hospital It was noted alocal homeless camp before, so we business owners appreciknewthe that datehours was ahe bitvoluntarily aspiraated many tional,” Sauerwein said. “We are cleaned parking lots, storm drains, hoping that this week we will be roofs and gutters. He was widely able to make the transition. Our known as a humble person who goal was to provide folksasking with anygave of himself without athing safeinand secure place to spend return. theHubbell night and that’s what we are loved to walk. In the doing.” 1970’s and 1980’s, the mild-manSauerwein said city was nered senior citizen wasstaff a familiar cleaning up the Lulu Dog Park sight around town, rain or shine,to reestablish it as a dog park. Specific carrying a broom, garden tools, and costs of that cleanup and establishing the smaller homeless camp at 12th Street were not immediately available.
Cindy Weeldreyer / Cottage Grove Sentinel
Community Organizer Don Nordin, left, and City Councilor Dana Merryday joined forces to remove blackberry bushes along the river next to Prospector Park in Cottage Grove.
A Sentinel reporter interviewed passersby warned him to be carethe newest Citizen of the Year on ful and moments later he fell into a the Main Street Bridge because hole that had been concealed by the PHOTO JEREMY C. RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL Hubbell said, “It was time to clean thorny, prickly vines. and the other city officials currently doing, four which is providing offSauerwein the moss (on bridge’s sideFast forward decades. have told the Sentinel, that there a location for folks to spend the walk) before it caused someone to Longtime resident Don Nordin’s are no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” slip or caused the concrete to detedog, Tolle, loves going for walks other long-term sheltering the Read previous about riorate.” The reporter then for described and playing in thecoverage river. The senior homeless. the homelessness challenges in how Benny climbed down the bank citizen and community volunteer, “Cottage Grovepiers will to follow Cottage Grove and follow new near the bridge’s clean out state law as we understand it,” developments at cgsemtinel.com some old berry vines. A couple of See PROJECT, Page 8 Sauerwein said. “That is what we and in the Wednesday print editions are doing. To change that is up to of The Sentinel. the legislature. The city of Cottage Grove has no plans to do any kind of a shelter beyond what we are
WHERE WE LIVE
South Lane Community Health Clinic now open Pandemic-related setbacks and leadership changes at Lane County and South Lane School District Rural America does not have slowed the clinic’s progress, yet the enough doctors. advocates persevered. In October Assessing health care services in 2022, a much-anticipated groundrural communities remains a growbreaking ceremony took place. ing challenge. Long wait-times for After two years of construction, the appointments related to preventable Federally Qualified Health Center diseases can be life-altering and (FQHC) finally opened its doors last even life-ending. September. The consequences of the rural “For years, approximately 5,000 CINDY WEELDREYER / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL doctor shortage are dire. According South residents covered Matchbooks from the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story atLane cgsentinel.com. to a September 2024 article in the by the Oregon Health Plan have American Journal of Managed Care, received health care services from more than 90-percent of rural counCindy Weeldreyer / Cottage Grove Sentinel Lane County’s Community Health ties are facing a shortage of primary Clinic patients arriving in the spacious wood paneled lobby Centers in Eugene and Springfield,” care physicians alone compared with are greeted by three office assistants. Pictured are Gina DeDuncan said. “The new South Lane 74% of non-rural communities. Clinic takes pressure off the metro Spain (left) Daniele Rodriguez (right) Not pictured is Office CINDY WEELDREYER the way” during the construction helped us meet many of our future Nearly 50 people attended the A National Rural Health area clinics and reduces the need Assistant Tammy Anderson-Garcia. In the center is Clinic For The Cottage Grove Sentinel project. bookstore customers,” Birdy said. Cottage Grove Historical Society’s Association survey found that rural for thousands of local residents to Manager Jenny Dail. He said he was given an importShe shared a humorous mem“Farewell to the Village Green” at In 1975, when Birdy Hoelzle areas have roughly 30 physicians or miss work or find transportation to ant job of opening the boxes ory they made in the formal Iron the Community Center, Saturday, and her sister Gail opened The the new South Lane Community specialists for every 100,000 people, opportunities. BYB partners work receive needed health care services.” delivered to the guest rooms and Maiden Dining Room that drew Sept. 21. Bookmine they were familiar with for organizations including South Health Clinic (CHC) a reality. while urban areas have 263. WHAT IT OFFERS recalled how cool he felt driving laughter from the crowd. The internationally famous resort The Village Green. Lane School District, Lane Duncan recalled, “Our meetings CLINIC HISTORY The South Lane Clinic, co-located the orange golf cart around the “My sister and I were budding was created by Walter A. Woodard Their father traveled a lot and Community College, South Lane included time to talk directly with This situation is not new. More in Lane Community College’s property for assigned errands. Years feminists at the time and were quite (W.A.) and his son, Carlton. Some often brought its matchboxes home Mental Health and PeaceHealth as Lane County staff, funders and than a dozen years ago it motivated Cottage Grove Center at 1275 S. later, another special memory was shocked by the sexism practiced in members of the family attended and as keepsakes for his girls. The siswell as local businesses who see the other partners. In 2019, the Lane local health and wellness advocates River Road, is one of Lane County’s seeing the famous football player, the dining room,” she said. “The shared personal memories. ters were in their 20’s when they benefit of having increased access to County Board of Commissioners to create Be Your Best (BYB), a six federally funded CHCs. O.J. Simpson, running on one of the menuhealth given and to a wellness woman had no opened the Street builders bookstore local resources. awarded BYB a grant to coordinate coalition of Main community Clinic Manager Jenny Dail THROUGH THE LENS resort’s paths. prices on it and foot pillows were and, to enhance their income, Local business owner Samantha the community outreach campaign working to advance health and wellexplained how the six clinics coorKris Woodard’s introductory To the delight of those gathered, providedissotheladies’ worked waitresses at the resort. Duncan BYB uncomfortable lead facilitator. to build awareness and identify the being in as South Lane County. dinate services and share resources, remarks included personal memKris’ brother, Casey Woodard, shoes could be removed while din“It was a wonderful place to The Health Hub owner said converbiggest needs and highest priorities In 2013, the organization began ories he made through the lens of ing. It was a very different era.” work and, being new in town, it sations in the group’s monthly meet- the community would have for the meeting monthly to improve local a 12-year-old who was often “in See LEGACY, Page 6 ings became the catalyst that made CHC.” See CLINIC, Page 8 community health and wellness CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
Grovers gather to remember Village Green Resort
INSIDE News —3 —3 Lifestyles Obituaries — 4 Death Notice — 4
Opinion — 5 Classifieds — 6-7 7 News Sports——8 8
The Cottage Grove High School (CGHS) Boys and Girls Swim Team members celebrated their championship win at the District 2 competition Feb. 14-15, and immediately prepared for State competition the following weekend. CGHS Acting Principal Cris Wells said the District victory was a comefrom-behind effort. “Our swimming team won districts as a major underdog,” Wells said. “I talked with Coach Dye who was talking about how they snuck JEREMY C. RUARK up and caught speedier Cottage Grove programs Sentinel unexpectedly.” Oregon’s wildfiresaid season “What a moment,” Headis Coach expected to continue through this Shane Dye. “It took all of our strength month, but the mental scares and and mightoftothe succeed. at our impact seasonWe on were the firebest when our best was needed.” fighters who battle blazes in Lane Dye said hopeful County andhe’s across the each state,student and athlete sees theirmay timelast on the swim their families, a lifetime, team and their championship victory as according to Jeff Dill, the founder Firefighter Behavioral Health aofpositive experience. Alliance “What I(FBHA). hope the students take away fromDill thisestablished is to never the giveFBHA up andintry 2010 following Hurricane Katrina. hard,” Dye said. “We did something He was than a Battalion Chief together that was amazing.” for a fire department in northwest The District 2 competition was held Chicago. Feb.“I14saw andour Feb.brothers 15 at North Bend and sisters Municipal Pool. See results and struggle from the devastation team that scores with so thisI story cgsentinel. they saw, went at back and got com. my degree and became a licensed Dye said the counselor,” hefollowing said. “WeCGHS started tracking EMS and firefighter suiswimmers were scheduled to compete atcides State:across America.” Boys Behavioral Impact • Jorge Rodriguez-200 free relay, According to Dill, firefighters 400 freedon’t relayrecognize the behavioral often • Hayes 200 Medley relay, impact ofValley their work. 400“We free relay, 100 Back, 100 Free become cultural brain• MathewDill Fergason-200 Medley washed,” said. “Whether it’s relay, 400 free relay, 200fires. IM, 500 structural or wildland So, Free we are meant to believe we areRelay, sup• Alex Hawks 200 Medlay posed act strong, brave, be help, 400 FreetoRelay don’t ask Barnes for help, andAlternate we don’t • Svenn Relay want to look weak and ask for • Logan Kneuper Relaynot Alternate help.” • Jackson Gifford 200 Medlay Dill added that while firefighters Relay are on the front lines battling the • Braden one Panter Alternate wildfires, of Relay the biggest chal• Josiah Lidstrom Relay Alternate lenges they face is the unknown. Girlstheses fires can “It’s how rapidly • Avery 200 IM, move, andBengston the unknown is 100 where Back, 200 medlay 400will free this relay is it going to end?relay, Where fire go toKelty and how long will it last? • Aillia 200 medlay relay, 400 Andrelay, that 200 is a free struggle,” he said. free “So, when you are 200 fighting that • Josie Malmstadt free relay fire, you’re trying to do your • Hailey Fergason 200 IM, 200best Free to stop it, and yet the wind kicks Relay up at 60 miles an hour and it drags • Tirzah Poetzl 200 medlay relay, it further and further behind them. 200 relay,of100 Thatfree aspect thebreaststroke unknown is very • Rhianna Poetzl Relay Alternate difficult in wildland fires. The fire• Samara Lidstrom 200 fighters have that stress free and relay, anxiety, 400 andfree thatrelay struggle to protect is a very • Josie Cochell 50 for free,the100 free, difficult challenge wildland firefighters.” 200 medlay relay, 400 free relay is oftenClark veryRelay difficult for fam• ItJasmine alternate ilyThe members of the firefighters to State Swimming Championships understand what emotions there were scheduled for Feb. 21-22 at theare, and thatHills many firefighters Tualatin Aquatic Center,don’t Howard express their emotions, according M. Terpenning Recreation Complex in to Dill. Beaverton. http://www. “We askSee theresults familyat members osaa.org/activities/bsw/results to try to understand the cultural,” the season began, Dye said his heAssaid. “Be direct. Challenge coaching team works directly with with compassion when something each student the swimdoesn’t lookathlete right to or help doesn’t sound right,overcome and do an sizethey up, mers theinternal challenges which the firefighters to may facewein ask the water. do“What as well,” he doing said.”specifically Internal size we are up means asking why am I acting to help the swimmers overcome their this way, and why am I feeling challenges is teach them howthis way? The best thing we can do is
wildland firefighters
Crews began developing the smaller homeless camp site this week on the vacant lot at 12th Street.
often just a paper bag to pick up litter. In appreciation of his generosity and civic pride, in January 1982, The new homeless camp Hubbell wasmini honored as Citizen will include the same restrictions of the Year by the Cottage Grove as the formeroflarger camps. and he also Chamber Commerce, “The same rules willmarshal apply,”of presided as the grand Sauwrwein said. “The camp will a Fourth of July parade on Main be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Street. and the rules will be enforced through our contracting company, One Security of Eugene to help us during this transition period. They are a very experienced homeless camp management company.”
JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel
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