We are deeply grateful to members of Progressive Action Tillamook, Indivisible Tillamook, North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection, Tillamook County Democrats, Tillamook Headlight Herald, Jane Scott Video Productions, Coast Radio.org and to many more individuals than we can name for their unbelievable support in spreading the word for and for attending our Rally for Justice and Equality held in downtown Tillamook Saturday, June 6. This event was literally put together in three days, but was successful beyond our dreams, with 300-plus attending. Our thanks go out as well to Representative David Gomberg, Tillamook County Commissioner-elect Erin Skaar and Debbie Booth-Schmidt, Democratic candidate for House District 32 for attending and showing their support for our rally in support of Black Lives Matter and its work to end excessive use of force by police and profiling against people of color. Our thanks, too, to Tillamook City Police Chief Terry Wright who not only had staff on hand to assist with pedestrian crossing of Hwy. 101, but who spent the entire time of the rally walking up and down both sides of the highway sharing his support for our efforts. We were all visibly moved by the hundreds of people who drove by honking, pumping fists, flashing peace signs and sharing their own hand-made signs of support as they drove north, south, east and west along Hwy 101 and First Street. We'd also like to thank the handful of passersby who shared a single-finger salute. Their display let us know clearly that our work of bringing awareness to the deeply-rooted and systemic problems of racism, hatred and intolerance in our country and our county is not finished. Finally, a word of thanks to Tillamook County Creamery Association CEO Patrick Critesar. His "Message from Tillamook's CEO," dated June 3, 2020 (https://www.tillamook.com/our-story/a-message-from-our- ceo.html?fbclid=IwAR2EUPbBAEqk6GeGw3sfEUjmPkEvG_ggZBpTWVo0BITtfa__qPX_oxJlz 3A) was an inspiration as we feverishly planned for this event. Please read it and follow the link to the note he sent to TCCA employees. It is with this kind of corporate leadership that true education and change will occur in our community and in our nation. We will, with more than just a little pride, enjoy every bite of our favorite aged white cheddar cheese, vanilla bean ice cream and Oregon strawberry yogurt and cherish the spirit with which it is made. We have vowed to keep these vigils going every Saturday at noon and will send out notification of future major events.
Fred Bassett and Sonya Kazen, Cloverdale
Dennis and Mary Haley, Garibaldi
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FtL6fwtmRLVy02ZWmY30asjtJV9xWwOE/view