December 2015

2094
Jonathan Crane
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I’ve challenged this community many times, and in each instance it rises to the occasion. Last month when I shared Jessi Thorne’s story about her need for funding to get lifesaving brain surgery and asked readers for help by either donating money or sharing her story, I had no idea how responsive our community would be, but it didn’t disappoint.

Of the staggering 22,000 people that viewed her story on our Facebook page, 175 different people shared her story, over 200 ‘Liked’ it, donations skyrocketed and many others reached out to her directly. I’d have to say the response was overwhelming. Her donations went from $3k to nearly $20k in less than three weeks. Her story was picked up by other media and word is spreading. Others have taken it upon themselves to organize fundraisers, offer advice, offer meals, take care of her son and the list goes on. I had numerous people drop checks to my office for her, some as large as $1,000. Her first-hand account of this experience is below and it is gratifying and worth the read.

Tualatin has rallied around Jessi in a way that is meaningful and sincere. If there was ever any doubt about the sense of community that exists in Tualatin, I think it is obvious that we are a caring, tight-knit community. Much is made of the Holiday Spirit, but nothing I’ve seen exemplifies it more than our support of Jessi during this very difficult time. We might not be able to solve all the World’s problems, but we can certainly take care of one of our own.

Since we are now in the midst of the Holiday Season, Tualatin has some unique offerings that you might want to try this year. If you check out our December Events listings on page 10, you’ll find info on Starry Nights and Holiday Lights, which takes place at the Commons. It’s really fun for young families to see the lighting of Tualatin’s Floating Holiday Tree and enjoy the hours of live entertainment. There are also many other local performances listed throughout the season and even info on one of the best Christmas light shows in town.

Our new Tualatin River Greenway Trail is nearly complete (photos page 20) and it will be another means for locals to enjoy our natural beauty along the Tualatin River on bikes or on foot.

Happy Holidays and please support our advertisers who bring you this paper.

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