Many of our neighbors are aware of the Ridgefield Lions and how they benefit our community. But many don’t know anything about the Lions. Is it a social club? Is it a service club and if so, what do the Lions do? In fact the Lions is the largest service organization in the world. And we in Ridgefield are fortunate to have a very active club that was founded in 1948. Many members have been selflessly serving our community for multiple decades.

So what do the Lions actually do to serve the community and if some of it requires money, where do the funds come from? There are multiple activities the Lions are involved in. Examples are: Clark County sight and hearing, the annual Walk and Knock Food drive, the Green Bag food project that supports the Ridgefield Family Resource Center and Ridgefield Neighbors Helping Neighbors, college scholarships for Ridgefield HS graduating seniors, contributions to HS clubs such as debate and cheerleading, support for the scouts and many other programs. Where there is a need, there is a Lion to help out. Much of the funding the Lions need to support the programs come from our food service in the community. We have a food booth at major activities downtown that include 4th of July, Octoberfest, and other typical First Saturday events. The one big fund raiser is the food booth the Lions operate at the Clark County Fair each year. It, like other events that draw large crowds, has been cancelled for this year.

So we have a big hole in our budget, and that will prevent the Lions from making some of the contributions they have made in the past. We are in the process of brainstorming to come up with ways to fill that hole. And that is the purpose of this post. Do any of you readers have ideas that might make sense for the Lions, considering the virus situation, to pursue to fill the hole? Of course, the Lions being a 501-3c non profit, would happily accept any contributions that would help us carry out our community function.

BTW the Lions, as a civic service to the community, are offering to install flags for anyone that wants one. Just go the the Lions website ridgefieldlions.org for details.

One of Ridgefield’s great strengths is our strong and supportive community. During this time of physical distancing, it can be hard to witness and feel that sense of community. Take a moment today to recognize our community support by sharing small acts of kindness that you have received or witnessed.

These may include:
✔️ Check in on a neighbor, family, or friend
✔️ Display window/porch art to brighten your neighborhood.
✔️ Surprise a friend or neighbor with a note or card.
✔️ Make masks for your neighbors.
✔️ Send flowers or have a sweet treat delivered to a friend
✔️ Have a surprise Zoom birthday party

Share small acts of kindness or something that has brightened your day in the ‘leave a comment’ section above, and I’ll publish some of them. Keep doing the things that make Ridgefield home!

Someone transplanted these lovely Merlot lettuce plants in my plot in the Community Garden, and I don’t know who did it. Was it you? I have exhausted my list of suspects and would love to be able to thank the thoughtful person who surprised me with this gift. Whoever did it knows me pretty well because the plants are arranged just as I would have. Thank you, whoever you are!

During the Ridgefield Shop Local and Save Program the City of Ridgefield is offering utility rebates on your water bills for local receipts. You can earn a credit on your utility bill by buying and eating locally made food and beverages, or by purchasing a gift card from your favorite downtown store. Our local businesses make the possibilities seem endless.

How does it work?
Spend $25 at a local business or restaurant (you can combine two receipts) – the receipt must have the date and business name.

Write your name (as it appears on your utility statement), phone number, and utility account number on the receipt(s).

Scan and email the receipt to utilities@ci.ridgefield.wa.us or drop off the receipt(s) in a sealed envelope at the gray dropbox in front of City Hall at 230 Pioneer St.

The City of Ridgefield will credit $15 towards your utility bill.

You can earn up to 5 credits per account with a maximum credit of $75 per account. Eligible businesses include any business within the Ridgefield city limits. This program will go from May 1st-June 30th.

You can learn more about the program at https://ridgefieldwa.us/shop-local-and-save/

The Community Garden is in full swing, with all plots taken. The derelict building to the south of the garden has been removed as well as the large conifer that shaded so much of the area, so all plots get good sun.

The City might open another garden in a different location if there’s enough interest. Call Lee at 360-887-3557 if you’re interested in having a plot. This might be a good year to grow some vegetables, and there’s plenty of time to start them as the weather is still cool.

The most recent food collection of the Green Bag Project scheduled for April 11th was called off because of the Stay At Home order due to COVID 19.

Instead, we asked food donors to contribute money so that we could still help the Ridgefield Schools Family Resource Center and Neighbors Helping Neighbors even though we couldn’t collect food.

Ridgefield Neighbors really came through, donating over $4,400!

Below is a photo of Clyde Burkle of the Green Bag Project presenting Safeway and Winco gift cards to Christine Poppert, Director of the Family Resource Center.

Below that is a photo of a pickup truck filled with $1000 worth of food and another photo of John Shaw of Neighbors Helping Neighbors receiving it. Another pickup load has been ordered!

THANK YOU Ridgefield Neighbors!

If you meant to donate but just didn’t get around to it, you can still mail a check to Ridgefield Neighbors Food Project, Box 416, Ridgefield WA 98642.

Our sense of humor is still intact. This was forwarded to me from a friend. Enjoy!

Half of us are going to come out of this quarantine as amazing cooks.  The other half will come out with a drinking problem.

I used to spin that toilet paper like I was on Wheel of Fortune.  Now I turn it like I’m cracking a safe.

I need to practice social-distancing from the refrigerator.

Still haven’t decided where to go for Easter —– The Living Room or The Bedroom

PSA: every few days try your jeans on just to make sure they fit.  Pajamas will have you believe all is well in the kingdom.

I don’t think anyone expected that when we changed the clocks we’d go from Standard Time to the Twilight Zone

This morning I saw a neighbor talking to her cat.  It was obvious she thought her cat understood her.  I came into my house, told my dog….. we laughed a lot.

So, after this quarantine…..will the producers of My 600 Pound Life just find me or do I find them?

Quarantine Day 5: Went to this restaurant called THE KITCHEN.  You have to gather all the ingredients and make your own meal.  I have no clue how this place is still in business.

I’m so excited — it’s time to take out the garbage.  What should I wear?

I hope the weather is good tomorrow for my trip to Puerto Backyarda.  I’m getting tired of Los Livingroom.

Classified Ad: Single man with toilet paper seeks woman with hand sanitizer for good clean fun.

Day 6 of Homeschooling: My child just said “I hope I don’t have the same teacher next year”….  I’m offended.

Better 6 feet apart than 6 feet under!

If you are the pastor of a Ridgefield Church and plan to have online services this week, send me a link and I’ll publish it.

Many of you are aware that our local Lions club, a service organization, is out and about routinely supporting humanitarian causes throughout Ridgefield. What you may not be aware of is that they also provide monetary grants to local organizations in need, and scholarships to local high school seniors, plus many other generous acts of community service. So where do they get their funds? The main fund raiser is the Lions food booth at the annual Clark County Fair.

Now that we are in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic many first responders and city organizations are in need of protective gear. The Lions, as one can imagine, uses an ample supply of latex gloves at their food booth and other venues when serving food. Recognizing the need, the Lions decided that they would contribute their stock of latex gloves to the City of Ridgefield. Don Stose, a Lions member and representing the Lions, is shown presenting the contribution to the City. Thank you Lions.

The Family Resource Center will be open Monday, April 6. The center is changing its’ focus. It’s been a place to build relationships and hang out together, providing a hand up not a hand out. They have shifted gears temporarily during the COVID crisis, and only the food pantry and personal care items are available until further notice.

Families are allowed limited time to pack a couple bags of needed items and then head out. The staff does check in with them and provide support the best they can. It is really important that families can have the choice to pack their own bag of items instead of handing out food boxes when they come in.  They do deliver food boxes as the need arises and are following CDC guidelines: using hand sanitizer and gloves and social spacing.

Here are some ways that people can help support our students/families within the current guidelines:

If you shop at Rosauers, you can purchase a $25 gift card to donate to the RFRC.  You can leave it with the checker and the cards will be picked up each week.  It has worked out great so far and families are very appreciative.  This allows them to get items that they can use outside of what the Center has in their pantry.

Making food donations directly to the RFRC is challenging right now.  You can email Chris Poppert (christine.poppert@ridgefieldsd.org) and she can arrange for food donations to be picked up from your porch or they can be dropped off at the back door of the Nazarene church.

Another way to help is to support Compassion 360.  This is a non-profit group that operates as a ministry out of the Nazarene church. This group partnered with Ridgefield School District over four years ago to start the family resource center. They are now one of the many partners that the RFRC relies on to support students and families. There are times that families need certain resources that can’t be accessed through RFRC donations. Compassion 360 is able to provide access to those resources as a non-profit.  They have helped the RFRC provide a broader range of resources for families.

The church currently has a Go Fund Me page for virus shortfalls.  You can donate on the church website or send a check to the church made out to Compassion 360 with ‘virus shortfalls’ on the memo line. The mailing address is PO Box 118, Ridgefield WA 98642. Check our their website: https://www.compassion360.org/

Neighbors Helping Neighbors is a vital food resource for our community.  Many of the families that RFRC works with receive help from them. They are Ridgefield’s only food bank. They hand out food boxes on Tuesdays from 10-12:30pm.  You can reach out to them to see what you can do to help.  360-887-3354

I thought this post from Mark Ford was worth repeating. It puts things in perspective.

Disclaimer: The point of this post is NOT AT ALL to say that since Covid is not as bad as cancer, Covid is not that bad. Hear me, that is NOT the point. I am trying to provide some calm to those who, like me, were freaking out for the last two days about the 100,000 figure recently and suddenly put out by the W.H. task force. Trying to provide a little perspective and mostly just trying to say: We are all emotionally reeling from info. we are not accustomed to handling.

Ok, I have made posts to help people know this is serious, but I have also made posts to help people know it is not the end of the world. This post is of the latter variety.

According to the CDC and the American Cancer Society, around 700,000 people died from cancer in 2019 and that’s about average. Close to 10 million people die of cancer every year, across the globe. EVERY YEAR.

Did you know that? Have you heard that info repeated thousands of times over a period of days/weeks from your president, from your governor, from the CDC, from your neighbor and from someone talking in line at the grocery store? No? Me neither.

We simply are not accustomed to thinking in these kinds of terms. Our human brains really struggle to even comprehend 7 billion people living on this planet in the first place. Can you really grasp 350 million people in America? One percent of that population, by the way is 3,500,000 people. Read that again. One percent of the population of the U.S. is 3.5 million people (roughly).

Sunday, I heard Dr. Fauci say there would like be at least 100,000 deaths from COVID in the U.S., even with social distancing. Okay, I freaked out a little bit. But, I’ve been thinking. We already know that everyone dies, right? And yet, we hear these numbers and we feel panic or at least profound sadness and concern. And that’s not all bad. Death will never feel right, but don’t make me get theological.

Here is my point: The average human being does not normally think in these terms. We keep our worlds small, because it is all we can handle. Every once in awhile someone we know dies (pretty rarely) and we deal with it on a personal level, because we knew them. It’s called mourning. We all get that, but it is not a daily, weekly or probably even yearly occurrence for most of us. The truth is, we rarely experience death. (Note: pastors get it a little more… doctors/nurses get it a lot more… morticians, well….)

Enter 24/7 media and the internet constantly telling us it is practically a foregone conclusion that 100,000 Americans are going to die and we are all starting to lose it. I think we are all in a little bit of shock, because before all of this pandemic talk, none of us were sitting around thinking about the fact that every five minutes, about 600-700 people die in the world (50-60 million per year). Sorry to break it to you, but in the time it took you to read this maybe close to a thousand people died. Whoah. Like I said, we really can’t handle it.

Social media is a place for two things: 1.) too much information and 2.) our reactions to too much information. Ok, wait, actually the third thing is our reactions to other people’s reactions… and guess what, it goes on from there, doesn’t it? We are all reacting. And then there are the judges. The ones who get to decide if you are overreacting or underreacting. Ok, this paragraph is a whole other post for later.

In my opinion, we simply were not designed to be this close to omniscient. Only One being in the universe can handle all of this and it isn’t me. You neither. You just can’t handle the truth, to quote Nicholson. Not this much of it. Not this much about death, in particular.

So, back to the point: The idea that there will be 100,000 new deaths from this new/novel thing is a big deal. It’s a very big deal. But on the other hand, if you weren’t freaking out about 700,000 cancer deaths each year (who knew?)… there’s no need to freak out about this, either. Sorry if this scares you, but you are a whole lot more likely to be diagnosed with cancer THIS YEAR than to die from COVID-19 THIS YEAR. Remember how you didn’t let yourself sit around and think, “What if I have cancer?” Right, good idea. So… extrapolate to COVID, please.

Note to self: I am dealing with an acute case of TMI.  (Too Much Information)

Again, I am still in support of all current protocols to save as many lives as possible, etc. I am only saying to keep in mind that you and I are not accustomed to thinking about how many people die every day and what killed them. This is all in our face right now, and the fact is we just weren’t ready for it. We need to give each other time. We need to have grace for those who haven’t processed or those who are more accustomed to it or those who feel however they feel. Emotionally and socially, we just were not ready for this and there is no way we could have been. Let’s give each other a break.

During the COVID-19 crisis and inevitable shortfalls, Compassion 360 wants to come together as a community to ensure available resources are shared with people who need them. We define our community as Ridgefield, LaCenter and Woodland.

Funds raised will be used to purchase food for food boxes but we will also use funds to meet other virus shortfalls in our community as we learn about them.
Even small donations can make a big difference in helping our neighbors. We are Ridgefield strong!

For more information, check out this website: https://www.gofundme.com/f/virus-shortfalls?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet