Gooses and Meese

Posted on January 17, 2026 by webadmin

By Fred Prout

Not to seem like a show off, but, I think I have a passing acquaintance with the English language. I know quite a few words, and, usually which ones go first, which ones make you laugh, which ones make you cry and, most importantly, which ones make you think. It’s the little nuances that get me. Trying to figure out where to put a comma sometimes puts me in a coma. (Parenthetically speaking), I’m not always certain what to do with parentheses. You know, the little smileys that stand up. Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Work, General Interest | Tagged | 9 Comments

Refresh ‘n Refill

Posted on January 9, 2026 by webadmin

Submitted by Joy Stalnaker

Let me start by thanking some of those who helped make the success that we have had. The people who helped cook, prepare food, those who cleaned up, others who served food and that was just about our wonderful meal.

Thanks to those who donated food, cash, personal care items and then showed up to pack the boxes and carry them to the truck that the food bank had sent.

A special thanks to those who helped decorate, create and post signs. I’m sure I have forgotten others. But you can see that it takes a lot of our members to pull off an event like this.

With all that help we gathered together for a New Year’s luncheon, played games (football throw was a success) and watched a little football on TV as well as getting to know some of our neighbors.

As a recap, the first year we collected 625 pounds of food and donated $1,337.38. The second year we collected 890 pounds of food and donated $2,159.00.

Here is the final count for this, our third year. We, as a park, donated 684 pounds of food and personal care items. We collected $3,516.00.

Congratulations to all of you!

Again thanks to all who helped, donated and attended.

Sincerely, Joy Stalnaker
Posted in Announcements, General Interest, News | 1 Comment

Notice – Stove/Oven Shut Down

Posted on January 7, 2026 by webadmin

Chris Beith

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New Year’s Eve Party Photos

Posted on January 2, 2026 by webadmin

Residents celebrated New Year’s Eve with food, drinks, the ball drop, and a spirited game of chair volleyball to start the year on a fun note!

Photos submitted by Lindy Klein


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Office – Important information regarding Checks

Posted on December 22, 2025 by webadmin

The Banks have informed us that any checks written to the Park for payment must be written Payable to: SKP or SKP Park of Oregon.

The banks will not accept checks written to “Timber Valley”. Our registered name is SKP Park of Oregon. So, be prepared to initial any crossed off or re-written checks when you visit the Office. We know that old habits are hard to break … Please be patient with us … this is new for us too.

~ Kim and Sara
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Sutherlin Christmas Toy Drive Wrap up

Posted on December 15, 2025 by webadmin
IT’S A WRAP!

Sutherlin Firefighters arrived Wednesday to pick up the many toys Timber Valley Members donated to the Sutherlin Christmas For Kids Toy Drive.  Thank You to all those who contributed to this city-wide effort to bring joy to children.

We are especially greatful for our Sutherlin Firefighters who do so much for our Community.

THANK YOU!

Christmas Toy Drive

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OUTRAGE!!! Or Pay The Piper

Posted on December 10, 2025 by webadmin
By Fred Prout

This was supposed to be a Christmas story from Ratcheds. Maybe I can morph into that after I vent my spleen over newly disclosed events.

Recently I saw an announcement that cuts to the core. Just a minor notification. No fanfare. We were not supposed to notice until it was too late.  But I did see it . The manufacturer of Cheetos is planning on removing the decades old vibrant orange coloring from their product. NO MORE ORANGE HANDS. ORANGE MOUTH. ORANGE SHIRT. OUTRAGEOUS!!!

Okay, back to Christmas.

The big table at the Ratcheds Senior Center. The usual assortment of local characters. We’re done. Finished. Finito. The thirty foot spruce at our senior center is beautiful. We outdid ourselves. The eight foot faux    (French for Fake) polyethylene tree indoors, done. Tinselled, garlanded and ornamented. Miles and miles of lights aglow. Star on top. Reindeer, nutcracker and inflatable Santa. D.O.N.E.

Shirley Knott Shewill Knott and her sister Summer Knott working the blender. Making egg nog. Shirley’s a little heavy on the nog so hers disappears pretty quickly. A mellow glow emanates from one and all.T Rex (fka Thomas King) gets the coffee pot started. We have to go home sometime after all. For now, a toast from Watson Furst. “L’Chaim”. In any language, good health to all. It’s hard to describe the emotions in the room. A job well done. A minor sense of emptiness as the collective effort of a difficult task completed circles the room.

Harry Wartzenal is the first to break the spell. “I’m beat. I’m going to finish this delicious egg nog and go home and get to bed. I’ve been working so hard on all this decorating I went right to bed last night. Woke up with a nasty case of the hungries so I staggered out to the kitchen to grab a snack. Saw that Tilda or I left a slice of bread on the counter so I put some peanut butter on and took a big bite. It turned out that it was a damn SPONGE. Spit it out and staggered back to bed. Tilda keeps calling me Sponge Bob.” Appreciative laughter fills the room.

Major gut punch. Our festive mood just took a huge hit. Faces going from smilies to frownies in a millisecond. Bonus Diaz ( a late in life baby) just came over to give us the news that one of our own died a few hours ago. I know you’re supposed to say ‘passed away’ but old dogs and all that. Our little community is made up of a tremendous variety of colors and flavors. Our differences are wide and respected. We are tight knit and everybody is important. Please, just give me a minute… Reporting on a loss is the absolute worst part of this job. We get to know each other and then we lose them. The older we get the more this happens.

Peter was a long time member of our community. Among many things he was a bagpiper of enormous skills. I don’t know if any of you have ever tried to just make a sound with one of those things. I have and it was damn near impossible. He always showed up for any and all occasions. Sometimes invited. Always welcome. Art show, Peter played. Full regalia of the Scotch Guards. Skreek skrawk and right into lilting music . Beautiful melodies. Farmers market. Peter was there. Wandering around town. You heard Peter. One time there was an outdoor wedding. Peter stood thirty feet away, waiting, and played a Scottish battle march as the bride and groom left the altar. Seems like it was prophetic.

Many years of being one of the many who helped make life better in and around Ratcheds. Creating smiles. Helping make life a little more enjoyable for all of us. A break from the ordinary. Tomorrow is Sunday . We expect and fear silence in town. A Sunday this close to Christmas with no Peter. Just the suffocating silence of our loss. Silent tears.

 Wanda breaks the silence. “I just had an idea. I’ll go to his house and get the pipes. Raise a hand if you’ll join me in marching silently through town to pay tribute to Peter. “Unanimously all hands go up. A quick mental count and I think we can get over a hundred people. Wanda volunteers to lead the group through town. She will carry the pipes. Chief Muldoon will take care of the traffic. Since it’s almost Christmas, maybe we will hear echoes of Silent Night. Played on a silent bagpipe. Well, almost silent.

Life is funny. Not Ha Ha ,but, you never know what twists and turns it will take. We are delivered many treasures in life. Many of them go unnoticed. Maybe forever. Maybe not. We need to pay more careful attention to the gifts we receive. Pay them more value. Peter was a gift. Too many times we did not unwrap and appreciate him. Kilt swirling, fingers fluting and cheeks puffed out beyond belief. He was a treasure. A gift. No longer. But, wait a minute, some gifts become even bigger after life. They become memories. Of the sweetest kind.

A Christmas wish for you. May you hear nothing but the sweetest echoes of your loved ones. Living or not. May the music last forever and, maybe, for the first time, always in tune.

Fred

Posted in Creative Work, General Interest | Tagged | 1 Comment

In Memoriam: William (Bill) O’Hara

Posted on December 8, 2025 by webadmin

Timber Valley is saddened by the passing of William (Bill) O’Hara of Lot 8 on December 1, 2025.

Bill was born August 7, 1946. He worked for Southern Pacific as an Engineer. He met Diane in 1981 and they were married in May of 1984. In the 1990’s ,after retirement, they got a travel trailer and later a motorhome. They traveled around the country.

Before coming to Timber Valley he and Diane had an Escapees lot in Livingston, Texas where they met and became friends with Marc and Joyce
Stalnaker. After about ten years Bill thought a move to Timber Valley was a
good idea. Marc agreed and they all got on the Active Waiting List at the
same time. Bill received Lot 8 on October 16, 2013. As Diane’s health
deteriorated they became less social. Diane passed away in December of
2019. Bill had always been a private person and after Diane passed he
became more so. Even when he became ill, he didn’t tell anyone. He didn’t
tell Marc or his nephew Rick and his wife Chris until it became obvious
something was wrong. They all tried to care for him as much as he allowed
until he passed away on December 1, 2025. Although he didn’t socialize
much, he is remembered in the park as a kind and caring man.

He is survived by his nephew Rick Brumfield and his wife Chris of
California.

Posted in Members, Obits | 1 Comment

Mr Gobble has been Found

Posted on November 29, 2025 by webadmin

Mr Gobble has been found after a long week of waiting for someone to find him.

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Your Thanksgiving Dinner is Prehistoric

Posted on November 27, 2025 by webadmin

November 22, 2025
Happy Thanksgiving! Want some gravy with that dinosaur?

Working at NOVA has taught me a few fun things about the classic Thanksgiving dinner, but here’s my favorite: Continue reading →

Posted in General Interest | 1 Comment