 When Doug Thiesfeld and his business partner Bernie Harris took over Countryside Pizza four years ago, it was a stressful time for many. Covid had forced people into isolation, and many were struggling financially, emotionally, and physically. Seeing an opportunity to help make things a little easier, Thiesfeld and Harris decided to open the doors of their restaurant on Thanksgiving Day for a free meal to whoever was interested.
Due to the circumstances, this first meal was on a to-go basis, but it was well received by those who participated. Turnout was good, Thiesfeld says, and one woman remains etched in his memory after informing him that her husband had recently gotten out of the hospital and if it hadn’t been for this act of charity, it would have been their first year without a Thanksgiving dinner. “It was very rewarding, but sad,” Thiesfeld states while recounting this interaction on the Monday morning before Thanksgiving while sitting at a small table and recounting what led to the genesis of the now annual feast. The second year the free dinner was held saw diners being able to eat indoors, but seating was limited so there were more meals that were to-go rather than eaten on site, but each year has seen more people coming through the restaurant’s doors. Thiesfeld’s family takes part, and employees volunteer their time to help out. Food is set up buffet style at the front of the restaurant, just inside the doors, and diners are either given a plate if they are eating in, or a to-go container if they are taking it home. Last year, close to 80 people took advantage of Thiesfeld’s and Harris’ generosity and another large crowd is anticipated on Thursday. Along with turkey and dressing, the meal will include ham, mashed potatoes, yams, green bean casserole, and desserts such as pumpkin pie, apple pie and cookies. Doors will open at 4 p.m. and will remain open until all the food is gone. This Thanksgiving dinner is an act of kindness and compassion that has the potential to touch many and make a difference to those who may be alone for the holiday or may not have the money to be able to afford a traditional feast. It offers a chance for interaction with others who may be experiencing loneliness, isolation, poor health or shaky finances or may not be able to cook for one reason or another. It is a time to come together and share commonalities rather than be focused on the divisiveness of the times. It is a time to start the holiday season with full stomachs and happy memories while giving thanks for life’s blessings while also being thankful for the caring nature of two men who want to make a difference in the community for those who need it most.
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 3-D printed Grinchs' and a pair of 3-D printed Elf on the Shelfs make for a bright display at the West Lane Technical Center On a cloudy Friday morning with moderate temperatures and the ever-present threat of rain, the Fern Ridge area rang in the unofficial start of the holiday season as the Veneta/Elmira/Crow/Junction City areas held their yearly bazaars. Begun 47 years ago by four churches (Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran and Methodist) as an ecumenical effort, the bazaars have since come to encompass so much more. Now, bazaars are held everywhere from the Service Center to the Elmira Grange to the Emporium and Our Daily Bread restaurant and bakery. New this year were bazaars that were held at Elmira Elementary and Elmira High over the weekend so as not to disrupt school, and several residents also opened their homes to showcase their wares. One could find all types of crafts on display by various artisans and there was no shortage of home baked goods from cookies to pies, to sweet breads, to rolls. Hideaway Hollow Books set up shop at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church and a bluegrass quartet could be heard performing lively tunes at the grange. Spirits were high and hellos were exchanged by friends and acquaintances alike as well as those who were strangers but still happy to see one another. It was a time to admire and a time to find a treasure one didn’t even know they were looking for. It was a time to make memories and enjoy oneself seeing all that there was to see while wishing there was time to see more. It was small town living as it is meant to be.  Crocheted Minions, Mario Brothers, Tweety and Sylvester, etc. do their best to catch people's eye at the Elmira Grange.  A pair cats grace a teapot on display at the West Lane Technical Center  Amy Humphrey has been a part of the Fern Ridge community for quite some time. Beginning in 1977, she taught music at Veneta Elementary School before teaching second grade when music was cut out of the district’s curriculum. There were also stints at Elmira Elementary and Central Elementary School and for six years after retiring, she substituted. Shaping young minds was more than her life’s work, it was a passion.
While she taught second grade at Veneta, Humphrey became acquainted with SMART Reading, also known as Start Making a Reader Today. Begun in 1992, SMART Reading is a nonprofit that is focused on children’s literacy. SMART Reading aids children in the schools with the highest need and communities that are marginalized with two ingredients that are essential for success in learning and literacy – shared reading time with a trusted adult and a book of the child’s own to keep. It has been shown that by the end of the school year, 9 out of 10 SMART Reading pupils have grown in their enjoyment of the written word. SMART Reading also offers a way for volunteers to make an impact in their community and in the life of a child. As a former educator, Humphrey knowns the importance of literacy to school success and when the opportunity presented itself, she became a reader and then, an assistant to former Coordinator Sue Craig. Craig stepped down last year after a stint of 15 years coordinating for SMART so she could have less responsibility and more fun with the program. It was natural for Humphrey to assume the position of Coordinator, but a new assistant was needed, and this was where Sarah Ferguson came in. Ferguson, a caterer and a Kidsports coach, came to SMART Reading with a nudge from her grandmother. It was while on her way to her grandmother’s home so she could read to the elderly woman that she heard a radio ad for SMART Reading and was intrigued. She thought if she could read to her grandmother, she could do this, too, and upon arriving at her grandmother’s house, asked her what she thought. Her grandmother thought she should become a SMART volunteer, so she called the number she heard on the ad and found herself reading at Veneta Elementary School and loving it. It was her inquisitive nature amongst other things that led Craig and Humphrey to ask Ferguson if she would be interested in becoming Humphrey’s assistant and she readily agreed. Currently, Veneta Elementary has enough Smart Readers for its Monday and Thursday sessions, but Elmira Elementary has begun a program and has a total of five volunteers who come and read with students on Wednesday mornings. If more people can step up, more children can benefit and it is hoped that people, once learning of the need, will do so. Reading with a child is more than just looking at a book the child has picked out from the selection available. It is getting to know that child and become a positive influence in that child’s life. It is listening and encouraging and offering praise that might be lacking at home and showing that child that he or she matters. It is giving them one on one time they need and becoming, at least for a while, a part of that child’s “village.” It is a chance to make a difference in the life of a child who may be in foster care or experiencing homelessness or otherwise have turmoil in their young life. It is a chance to say, “I care.” Volunteers with SMART Reading commit to one to two days a week an hour at a time. Each child is read with for a half an hour, and twice a month, the children get to take home a book. There is training that is necessary, and one must fill out a criminal background check. To get started, all one needs to do is either go online to smartreading.org or call 541-600-8035. An hour a week can mean the world to a child. Do you have it to give?  Lane County Sheriff’s deputies took a pair of suspects into custody in Veneta on November 13th after receiving information concerning a stolen camper.
Upon arriving at the 87700 block of Territorial Highway, where it was reported the trailer was, deputies found it occupied by Travis James Bechtol, 30, and Melissa Renee Pederson, 33, both of Veneta. Both suspects were arrested, and deputies discovered additional stolen property within the trailer. Both Bechtol and Pederson were taken to the Lane County Jail on a charge of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle. Pederson was also in possession of drugs and charged with Possession of Methamphetamine. The investigation into the stolen property is continuing.  A 43-year-old man was taken into custody November 8th after a late-night pursuit through Veneta.
A Lane County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to make a traffic stop involving a vehicle driving through Veneta at a high speed just after midnight. The driver refused to comply. Deputies were successful in employing spike strips, resulting in one of the vehicle’s tires deflating and slowing the vehicle down. A deputy then conducted a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) to bring the vehicle to a stop in the 80900 block of Territorial Road. Two occupants were then detained. The driver, Timothy Robert Graham of Junction City, was cited for multiple traffic violations and arrested on charges of Attempt to Elude by Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering, and Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon. He was also taken in on a warrant for Failure to Appear for Unlawful Use of a Vehicle, out of Klamath County. The unnamed passenger was released and provided with a ride from the scene. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office offers thanks to the Oregon State Police for their assistance. |
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