The Applegater

2 Winter 2016 Applegater BY CAREY CHAPUT New office manager for fire district Welcome to Tallie Jackson, recently hired as the new office manager for Applegate Valley Fire District! Board members, firefighters, and community members were involved in the hiring process. Tallie excelled in the requirements. She had years of office management experience with a manufacturing company in Arizona and showed great enthusiasm to be part of the fire district team. Tallie worked closely with me, as the retiring office manager, for six weeks to learn the many aspects of managing the Applegate fire district office. From prevention to payroll, there is never a dull moment. October was a great month for training—not only because it was Fire Prevention Month, but also because the district's annual audit was scheduled for that time. The Jackson family visited the Grants Pass area for many years and now are proud to call it home. Husband John is employed with the ree Rivers School District, and son, Rawlins, attends Hidden Valley High School. Together they enjoy hunting, kayaking, and fundraising projects, especially for nonprofit organizations. Tallie served the community of Payson, Arizona, for 20 years, and looks forward to getting involved with community activities throughout our fire district. Her long-term goals are in community outreach. Her desire is to build upon the programs already in place that have been developed over the years with community input. Look for programs in the near future that serve this wonderful community, especially through social media. The fire chief and Tallie are currently working on awareness programs for breast cancer, smoke alarms, and family escape plans. Future plans are for an open-house program that will bring in the community to see firsthand how the fire district serves the community. Keep informed on these developments by visiting the fire district's Facebook page and website at applegatefd.com. Tallie will fill this position very well for years to come. Please stop by and meet your new go-to person! She can also be reached at tjackson@applegatefd.com or 541-899-1050. Carey Chaput Retired Office Manager Applegate Valley Fire District Visit Tallie Jackson, new office manager at Applegate Valley Fire District, 1095 Upper Applegate Road, Jacksonville. Meet the new pastor of Applegate Community Church A warm hello from Applegate Community Church! My family of nine arrived in this beautiful valley on October 3. Our adventure across the nation on Amtrak took us from Sandy Hook, Connecticut, to Applegate for me to pastor this precious congregation. Yes, you heard me correctly— Sandy Hook, where that horrible elementary school tragedy happened almost four years ago. During that time we sought to reach out to a grieving community with the hope that comes only through Jesus Christ. My whole focus in pastoral ministry is the Word of God. Whether preaching, teaching, or counseling, I teach the Bible one verse at a time. It is a great delight to be part of a small community church (as well as Liberty University, where I'm an online adjunct theology professor) where I can use the skills and gifts that the Lord has provided me. Back to our crazy little family (well, I guess nine isn't so little)! We found a new home for Sampson, the mighty small Chihuahua, not knowing if the old man would be able to make the trip, nor if he'd get eaten up by the local bobcats that have been seen in our area. My wife Cindy and I have b e e n m a r r i e d f o r 2 1 h a p p y years (none in addition to the happy years… think and you'll get it). We have bookends of girls with five boys in b e t w e e n . T h e oldest (possibly w i s e s t ? ) , A d r i a n n e , who keeps her brothers straight, graduated from our homeschooling last year and will probably be attending community college after we get settled. She currently is helping in the real estate office of Kendon Leet, a church member and faithful servant of ours who employs several members of the church. We're adjusting to the half-hour drive to the big city when needed, but trying to plan accordingly and minimize the frequency, as we're not the city slicker sort. While we await our own house, we found a big enough shoehorn (remember what those are?) and some extra grease to squeeze the whole family into the parsonage that overlooks the church and the beautiful surrounding mountains. Did I mention how stoked we are about all the fresh veggies, organic chicken, and grass-fed beef? I was sick for years, but the Lord graciously used a strict eating regimen along with natural supplements to heal this body of mine, which almost died…all kidding aside! My naturopathic docs in southern California accomplished more in the past ten months than nearly 30 mainstream medical docs did in five years. So bring on the nitrate-free bacon, eggs from cage-free chickens, and burgers from grass-fed cattle. We truly are glad to be here to serve our Lord and this community. We planted a few trees as a symbol of our desire to sink our roots down into this beautiful area of the country that the Lord called us to. If you have questions about the Gospel, Jesus Christ, or the Bible, why don't you consider reaching out to me at parkerreardon@gmail.com? Visit our church website (applegatechurch. org), my personal website for audio or written teaching (biblicalexpositor. org), or visit us on a Sunday or at one of our Bible studies during the week. A happy new Applegate resident, Parker Reardon, DMin Pastor Applegate Community Church parkerreardon@gmail.com Pastor Parker Reardon is "stoked" to be living in the Applegate Valley. The Reardon family, from left to right, are Pierce, Will, Quintin, Chandler, Cindy, Parker, and Adrianne, with Dayna and Connor in front. "Boy, things are really different in Oregon!" ■ ED TEMPLE Continued from page 1 T h e O r e g o n l i f e s t y l e c a n sometimes throw a curve ball to outsiders, as Ed experienced firsthand. "When we first moved up here, we went to the main branch of US Bank to open an account. At the front door, we were greeted by a young lady dressed as Raggedy Ann. When I asked for the lady we were supposed to meet, she called for her, and another young lady appeared—on roller skates, dressed in a '50s skirt, and with a ponytail. I'm thinking to myself, 'Boy, things are really different in Oregon!' It was, of course, Halloween." Ed, Lyn, and "the dog" plan to relocate to Arizona, where the winters are warmer. ey are ready for a change. ey will miss their friends, the way the Applegate Valley was when they moved here, and the fall weather. ey plan to travel in their motor home to places they have never been before and fish the Sea of Cortez. Ed will be missed, but our community will carr y on in a better state than it was 27 years ago. anks, Ed, from all your friends and the community! David Dobbs lddobbs@yahoo.com For the sixteenth year, the Pacific Arts Guild presents the Winter Arts Festival on Saturday, December 3, from 10 am to 4 pm at Pacifica, 14615 Water Gap Road, Williams. Due to the enthusiastic response of artisans, this year there will be vendors in the Pond House as well as in the Cedar Center. Special refreshments will be available there, with readings by the Applegate Poets at 11 am and 1 pm and light musical entertainment. Tour the historic Pond House while you shop. Continuous shuttle service will be available to take guests between the Cedar Center and Pond House. Handmade clothing, soap, leather goods, ceramics, photographs, paintings, and more are featured. e Crossroads Cafe will be serving a delicious organic lunch with special desserts in the Pond House. Local musicians and vocalists will perform all day in the Cedar Center: Windsong at 10 am, Allie and Lob at 11 am, Harmony Sue at 12 pm, and Jorah, World Music Choir, and Django at 2 pm. Open Mic is from 3 to 4 pm—come to jam. ere will be activities for the kids all day long. Be sure to attend this always-special event. And don't forget to keep Pacifica in mind for your charitable giving in 2016—local support is most appreciated! For more information, contact Peg Prag at peg@pacificagarden.org. Pacifica's Winter Arts Fest on December 3

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