I don’t know about you, but I’ve been busy planting our garden, and ever-so-gingerly peeling off the corners of the Covid-19 mask by, carefully, visiting the big city, enjoying a Spring camping trip, and actually dining in distant corners of a couple of restaurants with bare-faced friends.
But, I also have been helping organize an event that has long been a dream of mine and answers the call of one of the top goals from our retreat sessions earlier this year. On Tuesday, June 1, at 10 a.m., we TillCoDems will be cosponsoring the Bridge The Gap Beach Cleanup at Tierra Del Mar with Tillamook County Republicans.
Yes, you heard me right!
Just after our March 25 TillCoDems Central Committee meeting, and the wonderful address by County Commissioner Mary Faith Bell, I shared my dream with Commissioner Bell. Almost immediately, Commissioner Bell suggested the beach cleanup in Tierra Del Mar. We reached out to Tillamook County Republican Central Committee Chair Mike Sears, and he enthusiastically agreed. The Bridge The Gap Beach Cleanup was born.
Sears and I spoke briefly about our shared belief that the divisiveness of recent elections with its angry rhetoric overshadowed the fact that we in Tillamook County have a long history of working together whenever there’s a community need. I’ve always been encouraged and comforted by the fact that whenever there’s a disaster in our county, people come out of the woodwork to help each other. Nobody asks how you voted. We just see a need and we fill it.
What’s different about this event is that we Democrats and our Republican neighbors are purposely coming together to show that, although we may differ widely in our political persuasions, we are putting those differences aside to make a difference together.
The Bridge The Gap Beach Cleanup will begin at 10 a.m., on Tuesday, June 1 (the morning after Memorial Day) on the beach at Tierra Del Mar. An information station, where collection bags will be provided, will be set up along Sandlake Road at the beach access just south of the southernmost Tierra Del Mar residence. The information station will be designated by an American Flag.
Although Sears generously offered to haul the collected litter to the transfer station, we have just confirmed with Oregon State Parks Beach Ranger Simon Freeman that he will patrol the entire length of the beach on Wednesday morning, June 2, and will pick up all the litter bags. In his support for the Bridge The Gap cleanup Freeman said, “It’s always nice to see members of the community helping. It’s good for everyone,” he said.
Ranger Freeman asked that we just place the bags in visible locations above the high tide line. He urged caution for the “dry sand” area between the northernmost residence of Tierra Del Mar and Sitka Sedge State Natural Area as it is a protected Snowy Plover nesting area. People are asked not to enter this area.
As it was pointed out to me, we TillCoDems are getting older, so I’m happy to report that there are public restrooms (porta-potties) located at the same beach access courtesy of Tillamook County Parks.
Please join the fun on Tuesday, June 1, and help Tillamook County Democrats and Republicans Bridge the Gap!
Fred Basset,
Chair, Tillamook County Democrats