By Dixon Bledsoe
Bittersweet is apropos as my four-year run with Silverton Area Community Aid ends June 30. I am so glad Teresa Warriner was selected to take the helm. She is a good one, and I don’t think she would mind being called a “keeper.”
This is job has made me both tired and joyful. It was the perfect mix of physical and mental labor, from helping the remarkable Dick Palmquist, inventory manager, move food to helping Esmeralda Munson at the front desk find a solution for a family with financial challenges. I am leaving SACA in the good hands of good people.
We helped a lot of people. We turned heat and electricity back on in the dead of winter. We learned the vast majority of people are good people just needing a hand up.
Here is my dilemma – How to thank hundreds of benevolent people. Please don’t be offended if every name doesn’t appear in print. Just know that you are special and appreciated.
Thanks to the wonderful people at Roth’s, Safeway, EZ Orchards and Grocery Outlet. A special thanks to my friend, Darin Rybloom, Roth’s former Silverton store manager, who always found ways to say “yes” when SACA came calling, and to the distinguished man in the green bow-tie with a heart the size of Texas. Thank you, Orville Roth.
Thanks to Duane Tipton and Glen Golomski of BrucePac for the marvelous meats and specialty products that kept our freezers full.
A special thanks to the churches that have helped us so much it is difficult to put into words. Immanuel Lutheran, with Pastor Leah, Dave Ricther and Eric Stroup – you rock. Your SACA Sunday over my four years brought in more than 40,000 pounds of food. The Apostolic Christian Church is magnificent in cutting wood and donating thousands of dollars so we could give out milk and eggs. People of faith from every church in town helped keep our shelves stocked and our souls replenished.
I would be remiss to leave out those who volunteered in food drives. We received close to 1 million pounds of food from donors over my tenure, and more than 200,000 pounds came from food drives. Thanks to the Rotary, Lions, schools, U.S. Postal Service, The Flywheels Car Club, Silverton Fire District and many others.
I have to give a special shout-out to Dr. Michael Kim, a local dentist. He and his incredible staff have done so much for us. The new honorary graduate of Silverton High School is a hero in every sense of the word. From food drives garnering thousands of pounds of food each year to generous donations of gifts, time and money, he is always there for us. His middle name should be “Compassion.”
My board of directors – what a blessing it is to have worked for and with you. It is nice to trust and be trusted to do the right thing. Your support, generosity, guidance, candor and time were and are amazing. Thank you for keeping me on my toes. Kudos to the “boss” – Andy Bellando. I could not have asked for a better leader, friend and supporter.
My thanks to the volunteers who gave and give so much. I appreciate each and every one. My tough days were made easy and gentle by the likes of Ann Henderson, Vera Satern, Sue Rivers, Sue Roessler, Norm English, Katrina, Ramona, Lee, Sammie, Ross, Andrew, Gary, Evelyn, Becky, Mihei, Leslie, Dave, Dan, Yvonne, Linda, Terry, and so many more.
Those who gave the gift of money deserve thanks because without that support we would be relegated to helping with only food. The need is great now, too. Donations of money pour in from October to December and dry up in spring and summer. We are fortunate to have helped so many but managed conservatively so “dire straits” is not in our vocabulary. Our donations to date are nearly $20,000 less than what we budgeted. Please help if you can. Hunger knows no holiday.
Thank you, Silverton. It has been quite a ride, and one I would not want to have taken without the people of the most charming, coolest little town in Oregon. It was a labor of love.
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
– Mahatma Gandhi
