WHAT’S HAPPENING IN COQUILLE
by Lowell Thomas

The Hanging Flower Basket Committee  reminds the community that this project  depends entirely upon financial support  from the public. Through much trial and  error processes they have managed to  reduce by half of the original financial outlay  the annual cost of beautifying Coquille  with 50 hanging flower baskets and over 30  sidewalk planters. Reflecting current economic  conditions, this year’s donations are  slower coming. In the past sufficient donations  have been received by Gay 90's weekend  to cover the entire annual cost of this  project. This year it appears that appeals  may have to continue well into the summer  to cover all the costs.

The committee urges  all flower lovers to come forth with their  donations now so the project team can concentrate  their summer efforts on maintaining  the flowers. Donations can be mailed  to Operation Coquille at PO Box 525,  Coquille, OR 97423. The committee also  suggests those members of the public who  enjoy the results of their efforts stop by the  Coquille Garden Shop on Central next to  the motel to thank the Nishis for providing  all the materials and plants to the project at  cost and for donating the space for nurturing  the baskets before they are ready to be  hung.

The Pool Committee is still collecting  signatures from city residents who are in  favor of having the Coquille Urban  Renewal Agency commit $250,000 of those  funds to the community pool project. Dian  Courtright and Judy Gederos are out on a  door-to-door campaign to obtain another 50  signatures to go with the 350 already on  hand. The committee hopes that a strong  showing of over 400 city resident support  signatures will convince the Urban  Renewal Agency that this project deserves  priority for Urban Renewal funds. In this  tough economy private funding organizations  are only considering giving grants to  those projects having the strongest local  support. Adding the requested commitment  of Urban Renewal funds to monies already  donated by the general public is needed to  strengthen Coquille’s appeals for funding.

The River Front Walkway project continues  selling honor bricks to raise funds for the  project. Purchase forms are available at the  community center, city hall and the Sentinel  office. These bricks will ultimately become a  part of the trail surface between the parking  area near Fat Tuesdays and the trestle. Two  sizes are available (4"x8" and 8"x8") at  $50.00 and $75.00 respectively. Sample  bricks can be seen at the Sentinel office and  in the community center near the entry to the  large auditorium.  Operation Welcome provides newcomers  special bags containing information about  services and merchants in Coquille.  Newcomers, or those knowing of newcomers,  are invited to call the Sentinel phone  number (396-3191) and ask for Dian with  their requests for these welcoming bags.

Latest reports indicate that Operation  Coquille’s request for Federal funds for a  demonstration distributed network type wind  turbine are still included in a major appropriations  bill in Congress. This project is  intended to demonstrate a practical way of  providing locally generated electrical power  that could survive the effects of major disasters  such as a major earthquake which could  destroy the existing power grid lines which  now provide the majority of electrical power  throughout this area.

Local supporters are  being urged to write or e-mail Congressman  DeFazio to encourage his continued efforts in  support of this legislation.  Operation Coquille Inc. needs more volunteer  members willing to help carry out  community benefit projects for improving  our quality of life. Individuals can become  members by coming into the Sentinel office  on First St., completing a membership form,  and leaving the form with a dues payment on  our desk. (Dues are only $20 per year.)  Three new projects have been submitted  since the beginning of this year. Staffing and  funding these projects will provide opportunities  for more community-minded volunteers  to become involved in enhancing the  quality of life in Coquille.