LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Palm Drive saves a life
Editor: To the community of Sebastopol, we extend our most
heartfelt thanks to each of you who helped secure the standing of
your Palm Drive Hospital. We congratulate you for providing such an
outstanding Emergency Room staff, specifically Dr. D. Betts and
Nurse Dave, who were instrumental in saving the life of our
daughter, Vincenza Fulton, who unfortunately suffered a cardiac
arrest the morning of July 27, 2010. We are forever grateful to
them and to the wonderful caring doctors and nurses in your
Intensive Care Unit. Just to name a few: Dr. Morris, Dr.
Cunningham, Dr. Bernstein, and each and every one of the loving
nurses in that department, who watched over her during her two days
in a coma, plus additional days, culminating in a successful
recovery. Our whole family from all over California were treated
with kindness and respect during what was an extremely stressful
experience. Words cannot adequately express our extreme
appreciation for all that was accomplished at your hospital.
Through the Grace of God, our daughter has survived. On behalf of
our whole family, we extend our heartfelt and everlasting thanks
for such a miracle that took place in your hospital!
Carmel and John Dyson (parents)
Groveland, CA
Open House success
Editor: On Tuesday, Aug. 3, the Sebastopol Police Department
held our first Open House in nearly 20 years. We were joined by a
fire truck and crew from the Sebastopol Fire Department,
representatives from the Community Emergency Response Team, HAM
radio network operators, Graffiti Removal services, as well as the
various units within our police department. We were visited by over
250 citizens, including some old friends and VIPs.
The Sebastopol Police Officers Association sponsored a chicken
barbeque and refreshment table with support from our friends at the
Fircrest Market. The Active 20/30 Club sponsored a kid’s activities
area that included an inflatable jump-house. Sebastopol Police
Explorer scouts provided child fingerprinting and identification
kits.
We are grateful to our community for your continued support and
are happy to have facilitated such a successful public interaction.
If you weren’t able to attend this year, we are sorry to have
missed you — but we are already looking forward to another chance
to meet you at next year’s open house. Thank you for making this
event successful, and fun.
Jeff Weaver
Sebastopol Chief of Police
Thanks to the Bohemians
Editor: On Thursday, July 29, the 99th Annual Monte Rio Variety
Show was held. As organizers, we thank our volunteers, supporters,
ticket vendors, donors, and the Bohemian Club of San Francisco. The
show was a significant success financially. More importantly, it
highlighted our commitment to teamwork. Volunteers connected with
St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, The Monte Rio School
Foundation, and the Monte Rio Fire Services Foundation demonstrated
both the vision and value of community cooperation. Additionally,
we were able to showcase the beautiful Amphitheatre owned and
maintained by the Monte Rio Recreation and Park District. The
District was easy to work with and cooperative from set up and tear
down.
For those in attendance, we thank you, too. We appreciate the
sellout crowd who supported our BBQ, dessert, and wine/beer bar
that sold out early in our evening. Preparations underway for next
year include additional food, beverage and restroom facilities for
the improved comfort of those in attendance.
We gratefully acknowledge the members, grovekeepers and staff of
the Bohemian Club of San Francisco who are community neighbors in
the Bohemian Grove for over 100 years. The production of the show
by the Club for 99 years is a tradition, initially supporting the
construction and upkeep of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church
and later expanding their support to include our school and fire
services.
Again, we wish to thank all involved and in attendance for a
successful show. If you were unable to attend this year, please
plan on joining us for our 100th Anniversary in late July 2011.
Michele McDonell,
St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church
Kristin Thurman-Fein,
Monte Rio School Foundation
Ken Wikle,
Monte Rio Fire Services Foundation
Visualize not watering
Editor: I just can’t resist responding to “Watering” appearing
in the latest “Through the garden gate” by Judy Brinkerhoff (Sonoma
West Times & News, Aug. 5, 2010):
“Have you discovered that even drought resistant plants look
more chipper and colorful with occasional summer water? They seem
to struggle through without, but I find that the salvias, rosemary,
lavenders, cistus, and penstemons are a lot perkier if I give them
a sprinkle. It’s a good time to deep and thoroughly water all your
trees and shrubs. …”
We live in a culture that focuses on how something looks, aka
image, and strives to obliterate death. When we garden, even with
natives or Mediterranean plants, we seem to want them to look lush
rather than connecting with the natural cycle of California climate
and its natural ecology. Often, this recognition of the natural
cycle is blunted or overlaid because we are transplants ourselves
from some place that has greens in the summer instead of yellows,
goldens, browns and rusts that begin presenting themselves as the
rain ceases and hot (well, not this year), sunny, dry weather
predominates.
I have read the four botanical mysteries by Rebecca Rothenberg
in which she so clearly portrays an Eastern seaboard woman engaging
in rootedness in the agricultural lower San Joaquin Valley. In her
second novel, “The Dandelion Murders,” the protagonist is “simply
enjoying the Valley’s roadside colors. Alkali white, cool gray
green (jimsonweed, turkey mullein), rust (curly dock), all against
the omnipresent pale gold of dry grass: by eastern standards these
were the subtle colors of autumn or early winter, but here they
were the dead-summer palette of dormancy, estivation.” Judith
Larner Lowry calls this season of dormancy “the fifth season.”
So perhaps instead of watering, which disrupts the natural cycle
of estivation, we could retrain ourselves to embrace what happens
naturally here in Sonoma County.
Maybe in the process of honoring nature we’ll lose some plants,
but isn’t that what gardening is all about? And in the process of
allowing our garden a time of rest, we’ll preserve our watertable
which is falling way faster than it can be replenished here in
Sonoma County.
Cathie Haynes
Sebastopol
Trystan’s legacy
Editor: The one year anniversary of the August 22, 2009 crash
that took the life of our son, Trystan Nash Shelly, is upon us.
Since January, our family has attended court hearings to hold the
alleged driver who killed our son accountable. We are grateful to
Trystan’s friends and the Sebastopol community for your ongoing
love and support for our family.
In the spirit of Trystan’s generous nature, we would like to
thank Sonoma West Times & News for printing his obituary gratis
as a service to our community. We are grateful to the Sebastopol
Police’s quick response in notifying us of Trystan’s passing after
being contacted by the coroner. Pastor Gene Nelson of the Community
Church of Sebastopol held a beautiful service in memory of our son.
Molly Eckler and Sprint Copy Center created and printed an
unforgettable service program with Trystan’s pictures; a program
that people still cherish today. Pizza Vino, the Ceres Project and
local friends brought food to our family when we were in the throes
of grief. There are many angels that stepped up to help our family
and we deeply appreciate your support and thoughtfulness.
Since Trystan’s passing, family and friends have taken steps to
honor his beloved memory. In December, over 70 people donated to
Blood Bank of the Redwoods in Trystan’s name (he was a regular
donor). The SRJC performed a dance in honor of him Mother’s Day
weekend. Annual scholarships are now being offered through Analy
High School and Orchard View Charter School: The Trystan Nash
Shelly Selflessness and Giving Award and the Random Acts of
Kindness Award with plaques designed by Bill at Triple Crown
Awards. Orchard View also planted a tree in his memory.
We are currently working on environmental scholarships for young
people. The Trystan Nash Shelly Legacy Fund has been set
established under a 501(c)(3) foundation called Philanthropic
Ventures and all donations are a tax write off. The fund will
support projects lead by young adults that help children overcome
immense challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions.
Thank you to those who have donated and continue to give to the
fund. Your generosity will be impacting many lives now and in the
future.
We couldn’t have made it this far on our long journey of loss
without you. Know that you are remembered each day for your
kindness and care for others. You are in our hearts for the
remainder of our days.
Jessalyn Nash and Dr. Randy Shelly
Parents of Trystan Nash Shelly