The Double R Show
The Double R Show is a weekly podcast, produced in and about Lincoln City, Oregon and the surrounding Central Oregon Coast. Your host, Roger Robertson, brings 50 years of broadcasting experience to the platform having interviewed people from all walks of life during his career including Siletz Tribal Chairman Delores Pigsley, State Legislators Anderson and Gomberg, local and regional thought leaders, and music icons such as Paul Anka.
The Double R Show
Cornucopia
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Episode Highlights:
Welcome to Cornucopia, where we pack the good stuff from across North Lincoln County into one easy listen. Today we’re spotlighting three groups making a real difference: Ground Zero Outreach, serving neighbors on the margins with heart and hustle; AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, helping folks navigate tax season without the headache; and Explore Lincoln City, the crew keeping our coast vibrant, creative, and endlessly discoverable.
Plenty of substance, plenty of stories—let’s dig in.
- Sandra Curry Lewis, President & Chris Lewis / Ground Zero Outreach
- Cathye Mason / AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Cathye.mason.taxaide.or1d12@gmail.com
- Kim Cooper Findling, Explore Lincoln City
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Welcome to the Double R Show, the podcast that features everything about North Lincoln County. The Double R Show, directed and produced by Paul Robertson and hosted by the voice of Lincoln City, Roger Robertson.
RRHappy Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving. Best of the holiday season is upon us.
Son PaulYeah, it's really going fast now, people. It's downhill or uphill, whichever way you you feel about it. Yeah, we'll see January here in about a weekend, it feels like sometimes.
RRJust as well. So happy Thanksgiving. We hope that your day today is festive, joyful, that you have a wonderful time with family and friends, and you'll stay with us throughout the rest of the holiday season because there's lots of things to talk about.
LCCCWoven Legacies is a special sale of Killam's rugs, bags, shoes, jewelry, and home decor made by artesians in Turkey. Sale of these items at the Lincoln City Cultural Center will support the center and also the ongoing care of Julie Reynolds Otraman. All treasures of Woven Legacies were imported by Julie and her late husband, Senare Otraman. View the entire display today at the Lincoln City Cultural Center and own a treasure destined to become a family heirloom.
RRGround Zero Outreach, a new program here in Lincoln City that I know absolutely nothing about, but we're gonna find out together. Cassandra Lewis and Chris Lewis are with us to talk about ground zero outreach, which is what?
Sandra Curry LewisWe are a nonprofit mobile outreach organization where we uh want to assist in the overall wellness and recovery of our communities. We originated in Thurston County, Washington, and recently moved or expanded rather to uh Lincoln County, Oregon. And we can help people find resources for housing, shelter, clothing, food. We recently started programs for laundromat vouchers and gas vouchers for those in need in the community. We also are an authorized distributor of Narcan for individuals who need that uh life-saving medication and assist in rides to and from detox and recovery services.
RRIs it mostly about the the the people that are have got some uh afflictions or drug addictions, this type of thing?
Sandra Curry LewisPrimarily.
RRHelping them.
Sandra Curry LewisPrimarily, yes. However, if there is a single parent raising kids that needs it doesn't have a washing machine and needs clean clothes for their children to go to school, we can help in that those situations too. It's really informal. We don't require anybody to provide any documentation, but if someone says they need something, if we have it, we pay it for it and get it.
RRWhy and why you? Why why are you into this story behind the story, if you will.
Sandra Curry LewisDefinitely because I of the way that I we were raised growing up. Um we definitely had to be resourceful. And I think navigating the system is a skill that I have, and not everybody has that skill. Being able to locate those resources and use the system to your advantage without taking advantage of it, but now I'm able to pay it forward and kind of give it back to the system that helped me when I was a single mom raising three kids and trying to figure it out on my own.
Chris LewisAnd Chris, your reason. Yeah, there's been plenty of times in my life where I've I've had to struggle and I've made it out on the other side, and you know, I I kind of feel like it's my my duty to give back and pay it forward and be there for others just like they were there for me.
RRSo, how does somebody reach the organization Ground Zero Outreach? Uh where where are you located? What's the phone number? What how do I get in contact with you?
Sandra Curry LewisSo we have a web page and we have a phone number. Our webpage is groundzerooutreach.com. Our email address is gzor at groundzerooutreach.com, and our phone number is 360-472-5009. We also are on Facebook, which you can find that link on our website, again, groundzerooutreach.com.
RRMoney it obviously has got to come into play here somehow. How are you funded?
Sandra Curry LewisSo we recently were very fortunate to uh receive a grant from Lincoln County, and that which we're really excited about. We do have a we take in a lot of a lot of donations of hats, clothes, uh, warm blankets, things like that, hats, gloves, socks, things that people who are really mostly living in the streets need. And we also get donations of other things, and if we can't pay those things forward, then we do have a annual large yard sale, and all of the proceeds from that go towards funding. Our program needs, buying gas vouchers, buying laundromat vouchers.
RRIs your budget kind of the amount of money that you raise? Or do you have you got a goal every year for the amount that you'd like to have?
Sandra Curry LewisUh, we definitely have a goal for what we'd like to have. It's definitely we don't always we haven't really reached those goals yet, but we're we're still pushing along. And I I think getting engaged in the community and going to the college here and meeting other entrepreneurs and other nonprofits within the community has led to us getting the grant from Lincoln County, and we're continuing to explore, you know, possibilities and opportunities.
RRYou talked about coming down from Washington. What brought you to Lincoln County?
Sandra Curry LewisMy brother lives here. Yes.
RRRight. That works.
Sandra Curry LewisYes, my brother lives here, and his wife and their family lives here, and my daughter now lives here with her daughter. And we also have been really supported. I wanted, I wanted to bring this up, Newport NAS Church. They have been a wonderful support system for us individually as individuals, but then also supported our one of our programs, SAC Lunch Boy, that uh where my brother had this summer distributed almost 300 meals to the community over the summer.
RRSo you are countywide.
Sandra Curry LewisYes. Yes, county wide.
RROkay, which makes a huge difference.
Sandra Curry LewisYes.
RRThe biggest difference you make in somebody's life would be what?
Sandra Curry LewisI think it depends on the individual need.
RROkay.
Sandra Curry LewisI think hopefully giving someone hope. Being able to relate to somebody and relate with them on a level to say I've been in your shoes or I've been through similar situations, been there, done that, and don't think just because you're here that you're stuck. It doesn't have to be this way. And sometimes, you know, when people are ready to make a change in their own life, they've either burned all their bridges or didn't have any to start with. And so hopefully we can be that hand that can help somebody cross the bridge to a better life.
RRWhat brings the most joy to you, Chris, in this whole project?
Chris LewisYou know, I think a lot of it goes unseen, but I I know that when people were doing certain things for me, there was there was a time in my life where there was a group of people who came out once a week and they handed out lunches. And I remember we looked forward to that. And um, you know, a lot of those people never realized the impact that it had in my life. So I don't necessarily do it for any kind of recognition, but I I I know that it's making a difference, and I want to be part of that difference.
RRAnd again, to be able to reach you or to help you reach others, how do I get a hold of uh your organization?
Sandra Curry LewisThe best and easiest way is to call or text our phone, and it's 360-472-5009. And then also please go into our website, groundzerooutreach.com.
RRGroundZeroOutreach.com.
Sandra Curry LewisThat's correct.
RRWhere'd the name come from?
Sandra Curry LewisI think it it originates from starting at the ground, ground level. You have to start somewhere. And we're outreaching. Okay. At the ground level.
RRIt works.
Sandra Curry LewisYeah.
RRIt's all about helping people.
Sandra Curry LewisThat's correct.
RRBack in a moment.
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Cathye MasonYes, thank you.
RRNo, the Tax Aid Foundation does what, Kathy?
Cathye MasonWell, AARP Tax Aid Foundation is uh, I guess you would call it a subsidiary of AARP, and they focus on they're a nonprofit and they focus on uh helping seniors. Uh their their mission, if you will, is to end senior poverty. And so one of their programs, their major program, is tax aid. And tax aid's been around since 1967. I think I've I'm right on that. It's been around a long time. I was a small child when they came around. And if you recall, some of us are old enough. This was back when you did your taxes with a pen and a piece of paper, you know, your forms and your booklets and your publications. It certainly predates electronic filing. And it it is IRS certified. Our volunteers are trained and then pass an IRS test. And uh, we are sponsored, if you will, or blessed, maybe you might say, by the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Revenue to provide free tax services to people of low and moderate income.
RRSo it is a service to those seniors free of charge?
Cathye MasonAbsolutely. And not just seniors. Our focus is somewhat on people 50 and older. Our training is really heavy, if you will, on retirement income and things like that that are more pertinent or more relevant to our seniors, but we can do a tax return of anyone of any age.
RRSo, what kind of qualifications do I have to have to become a volunteer?
Cathye MasonWell, it it's not so much qualifications. We provide very thorough training and we help you pass the tests that you have to pass. Really, I would say it's more of what kind of personality or what kind of fit would be good for someone who was interested in volunteering with us to actually prepare taxes. People with kind of a financial background might be comfortable with it. Someone who was, for example, a loan officer and is used to reading tax returns as part of their job, or you know, someone who did books, or really anyone. For example, I think you'll like this story. My dad's birthday was yesterday. He turned 89, and he has been doing his own tax returns all his life.
RRSince the beginning.
Cathye MasonSince the beginning. And he now does it online. He he was one of the early adopters of online software. He it people that do their own returns that just kind of get a kick out of it. And there's a lot of folks out there that are like, I can do my own return. Well, trust me, if you can do your own return, you can probably do the extra training to do returns for others as well. Counselors are something that we really need. So people that are interested in learning more than nuts and bolts and becoming certified and volunteering with us. We do ask for a minimum of four hours a week or 40 hours over the whole tax season.
RRSo, where do I work?
Cathye MasonWhere would you work if you were gonna come join us? Well, and I'm glad you said I, I'm gonna write your name down, doctor.
RRNo, you don't have me up new taxes.
Cathye MasonIn previous years, some folks may remember we were at the community center. When we opened back up, when we were able to open back up after COVID, and last year was the first time we were able to get it opened up specifically here in Lincoln City with our own site, et cetera, et cetera. The library welcomed us back. I guess they had done it years and years ago. So Driftwood was our host last year, and I'm happy to to say that they are willing to do it again this year, and we hope to have more than one day a week. We've scheduled time with them for two days a week if we can get people to come and volunteer and help us. We don't want to burn anybody out, so we would like to have more volunteers, but our goal is to open for two days a week this tax season at the library.
RRAnd again, it's two days a week uh that you you would be there, uh work one-on-one with individuals and help them do their return.
Cathye MasonYes, that's one of the things there are a lot of programs out there to provide free tax help. The Internal Revenue Service, of course, sponsors free file. And up until this year, they all the their new one was direct file, which is no longer available. And then there are other nonprofit agencies that work through a program that IRS sponsors that is called Vita. It's it's just another avenue, and some of them will do remotely or drop off, you know, they'll go online. AARP Foundation is always focused on one-on-one personal face-to-face tax preparation, and that's that's what we're good at. Okay, and that's and that's what we focus on. So, yes, our taxpayers will come to us at the library and we will be there to help you prepare your project.
RRSo if somebody listening right now wants to become a volunteer or even is considering being a volunteer, what do I do?
Cathye MasonWhat do you do? That's a great question. And in addition, before I actually go to that, let me just say that you don't have to prepare taxes to help us. We also need volunteers that would be what that job title would be client facilitator, but they don't have to have any tax knowledge. They're there to meet and greet, make sure that taxpayers brought everything they need, like their photo ID and their social security card, you know, all that stuff that you need. They keep the traffic flowing. Uh sometimes they'll be running to the back to get a ream of paper if we're printing running out at the printer. So we need people that aren't necessarily even going to prepare taxes. Those are client facilitators. There are lots of roles to fill. Now, there are a couple of ways to do this. If you just want some more information before you make any sort of jump into the water, then I would recommend contacting me. You can use my tax aid email, and I'm gonna just kind of take this slough and and give it to you because this is, you know, well, it's not radio. We don't, it's a podcast, but it's similar.
RRBut we'll put it on the screen.
Cathye MasonBut you can put it on the screen, great. Okay, so it is my name, C-A-T-H-Y-E, period, Mason, M-A-S-O-N, period, tax aid. Now, tax aid is spelled like you would think, except there's an E on the end of tax aid, just like there's an E on the end of Tax. Right, and then another period, and then O R one, O R standing for Oregon, D as in District 12, and it's at gmail.com. And I'm gonna hand this you if you want to put it on the screen. There you go. Send me an email. That is my tax aid handle, if you will. And not only Lincoln City, District 12 is all of Lincoln County. Right now, last year we had a site here, of course, we were able to reopen in Lincoln City, which is wonderful. We've had a site for years that was open in Walport, and Walport was wildly popular last year because we couldn't get Newport up and running. And we really need help in Newport this year. So if anyone listening out there is in Newport or has folks in Newport that they think might be interested, they can reach out to me too. I am the district leader, if you will, and I still don't know how that happened, but for all of Lincoln County. And so I am happy to send you to the right people in the right spot to talk to them about their site and their site's needs. Absolutely.
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RRIf you're looking for great early garden fresh produce, it's Kenny's IGA in the Bay Area of Lincoln City. Four generations of Morgans caring for your every grocery need. All of your favorite beverages, a full deli, meat produce, and of course, groceries.
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RRThe director of Explore Lincoln City, Kim Cooper Finley, is with us next. And uh, you recently were in front of the council with a presentation about Fourth of July.
Kim Cooper FindlingWe like to talk about Fourth of July early around here, even though it's not even Thanksgiving yet. Yeah, I presented to council, did a debrief of this year's Fourth of July celebration in Lincoln City and talked about some options for next year.
RRAnd some of those options would be what, Kim?
Kim Cooper FindlingWell, as you know, this year we pivoted to a drone show, a more sustainable option than the fireworks that had historically been presented over Solette's Bay. So one option is that we do another drone show next year. We're also considering doing the drone show, but on the 3rd of July, which gives us a big discount in the price to move one day off of prime time and the drone show becomes more affordable, which means we could throw a bigger drone show for the same cost or the same show as last year for less money. So that's an option too.
RRSo you're talking about options. When do you have to make that decision?
Kim Cooper FindlingWell, it depends on which route we go. The drone shows actually book up pretty quickly. They're reaching capacity now. So if that's the direction council wants to go, we'll need to make that decision fairly soon, actually. Some of the other options on the table, like a all-day community party, we could take a little more time to make that decision.
RRBut it's all gonna come to pass again.
Kim Cooper FindlingApparently, the 4th of July will come around again.
RRNow, D River is is uh probably the hot button for you and your staff.
Kim Cooper FindlingIt's been the top of the list since I took this job. It's a project that's been a really long time coming for Lincoln City, and I think we're getting closer every day.
RRSo what are the stumbling blocks or or what's what's in the way of getting the project underway?
Kim Cooper FindlingAaron Ross Powell There have been a lot of negotiations with state agencies, including Oregon Parks and Recreation, who they are actually the landholders of that site. And so we've been working on getting an intergovernmental agreement and a lease in place with OPRD. That has taken a significant amount of time. There's um quite a lot of lawyers involved in that.
RRAnd they're like their billable hours.
Kim Cooper FindlingIt's taken some time, but I think we're getting closer.
RROkay. And with that, would uh be all new parking, a new building. Uh there's a lot of work that we do on the ground, correct?
Kim Cooper FindlingYeah. The idea is to reimagine that entire site, to redo the parking lot, to tear down the old bathroom that's been there forever and is kind of falling apart. And the welcome center will be basically in the same footprint as the existing restroom. The welcome center will include, of course, brand new restrooms as well as a small interpretive center. And then the plaza area will also have some amenities and interpretation for visitors to enjoy. And then the parking lot will be completely reconfigured. There actually will be a few more spots than there are now in that reenvisioned parking lot.
RRWhat do you think this will do for the city of Lincoln City?
Kim Cooper FindlingWell, D River State Rec site is one of the most visited locations in Lincoln City. It's also actually in the top five of the state park sites for the state. It's kind of our central primary location. We get 1.2 million visitors a year there, and it really needs a facelift. It's going to, I think, become the beautiful destination it deserves to be with improved amenities and uh just a much more beautiful spot than it is now.
RRAny timeline uh that that you're hoping for, Kim, or or it will happen when it happens?
Kim Cooper FindlingWell, of course it will happen when it happens, but we are hoping that the timeline will kick off early next year that we'll be able to break ground early 2026, and it'll probably be about a year-long project before it's complete.
RRYou would have to, I assume, expand staff.
Kim Cooper FindlingWe already have hired a visitor center coordinator in advance. She's been really integral in in working on the project so far, and yes, we will be adding probably at least a couple more part-time staff to staff that location.
RRNow other projects that you get involved with, uh I mean kite festivals and on and on and on. But you you have a number of those things that are still on the plate, right?
Kim Cooper FindlingOh yeah. The usual things are all on the plate. We have our kite festivals, we have Deck the Dock lighting up the dock down at 51st Street and doing holiday lighting throughout town in February. We have our retro expo, which is the reimagined, it used to be called Antiques Week. So we rebranded that to a little more modern vibe for kind of the thrifting and vintage crowd. So that'll be happening in February. We also have a new thing happening this February that is a partnership with Winter Waters, which is a culinary program that hosts culinary events in February throughout the state.
RRSo will you have something here at City Hall or what will happen with that?
Kim Cooper FindlingIt's going to be a partnership with some local restaurant or seafood. We're not exactly sure what it's going to look like yet. They're they're imagining it for us, but we're sponsoring that so that they'll do something here in Lincoln City.
RRAnything going on with the what used to be the restaurant area of this facility?
Kim Cooper FindlingIt's still closed down. It has it needs some repairs before it might be ever able to be open again. But as a tourism endeavor, it never really quite did what it needed to do. So I'm not sure that it would ever reopen as as a tourism thing. We'll see. Explore Lincoln City.
Son PaulYeah, absolutely. You know, I mean, if you haven't had enough turkey today, boy, you missed your chance.
RRWell, you'll have another opportunity.
Son PaulYeah, well, you know, it's like I think we need turkeys more often than just once a year. I'm a proponent of that, at least.
RRI I actually coming up at the end of the month, uh, end of December, we could have Ludafisk.
Son PaulOkay. I don't see how that correlates or is anywhere near boys of turkey. Oh. Okay, I'm going to go.
RREverybody out there that would uh like to have Ludafisk, uh, happy days. We'll just leave it at that. And speaking of uh the holidays and Ludafisk and Lefsa and all that kind of good stuff, we got holiday music uh at its best coming up by the Pacific Coast Singers. They're presenting holiday sounds of the season. This will be Saturday, two performances uh December the 13th at 3.30, and then again an encore performance at 7 o'clock, again, December the 13th. This is at the Congregational Church located at 2435 Northwest Ore Place, right here in Lincoln City. Now, the concert is absolutely free of charge, but please bring packaged or canned foods with all of it going to the food bank to make certain those families in the area that need it have it. Uh also one of the biggest events of the year obviously uh takes place uh in December, and that's Angels Anonymous Festival of the Trees. Uh, this is on December the 6th at Chinook Winds Casino Resort. Uh, but you will have an opportunity to uh visit early on and see all of the trees, uh, place a bid on one of the trees, and or at least buy some raffle tickets. And some and wreaths as well. Yep. Uh and support Angels Anonymous as they again throughout the course of the year uh provide uh immediate and basic services to those in need of North Lincoln County. From your side of the table, uh we'll have uh a gathering on December 2nd. December 2nd. So the uh Giving Tuesday?
Son PaulOh, yeah. You know, uh Cascade Advisor is not gonna be able to join that group uh this year. But yeah, Giving Tuesday is coming up here at the Lincoln City Cultural Center. Uh so I encourage everyone to head on down there uh and uh see some of your local nonprofits and you know put some cash in their pockets uh early early on and uh you know or look at look at some of the stuff that they're selling or giving away as well.
RRYep. And our good mayor Susan Walkie is the organizer of that event. Now, King Tides are having an effect on the holiday season. Uh the Salads Base splash will be January 17th, and that's sponsored by the Lincoln City Parks North and North Lincoln Fire and Rescue because of King Tides.
Son PaulBe mindful. Yeah, I mean the King Tide, of course, is just happens every year. We have uh they're really just uh they happen every month, frankly, but uh the King Tides is a is uh uh informal name that the Australians have given us now, and so that's where that came in the last five, ten years. You know, people started saying that. Uh it's really just the largest of the winter tides. Moon's aligned with the sun, and you get bigger tides. So that does not include the swell. You could get a big ocean out there any day. It doesn't have to be a king tide. You need to look at the swell conditions uh to be safe out there.
RRIt may not be so swell. Yeah, for sure. Uh Boy Scouts are selling Christmas trees uh this time of the year. They have a lot set up at the Lincoln City Cultural Center, plus uh there is an opportunity uh to go into the Sioux Lincoln. National Forest and cut your own tree. Go to the Hebo Ranger Station for permits and information about cutting your own tree out in the forest.
Son PaulI'm glad you mentioned that. I saw that come through. And uh it's a nice little tradition you could start. Uh get a permit and uh go find your favorite tree and bring it home.
RRBring it home. Bring it home for the holidays. Uh uh upcoming meetings uh sponsored by the by Lincoln City on Wednesday, December 3rd at 3 30. We've got a library board meeting on Monday, December the 8th at 6 o'clock. The City Council meets and the Public Arts Committee on December the 10th at 4 o'clock. Uh let's see. What else do we got to talk about? We talked about the Angels uh Anonymous Festival of the Trees. We talked about the music concert at the Congregational Church, and I'd like to uh make mention as well uh that this is the time of the year uh to be mindful of those less fortunate. And if you've got an opportunity to help uh the Lutheran Church, uh that uh big uh space that they have there is jammed full of food and toys that are being wrapped up and put together to be distributed to families of North Lincoln County. Uh that's compliments of uh the Eagles and uh North Lincoln Fire and Rescue.
Son PaulRight, yeah, yeah. That's a good opportunity. And of course, we had uh ground zero outreach on our cornucopia folks on the show, and of course, the work that they're uh starting here in our county is important as well.
RRIt is critically important. So, anything else your side of the table?
Son PaulNo, just you know, Happy Thanksgiving, Dad, and uh look forward to you know having a turkey leg.
RRAnd of course, be mindful of others this time of year. Happy Thanksgiving, and we'll uh see you in December.
JanaYou've been listening to the Double R Show. Join Roger and Paul Robertson as they explore everything about North Lincoln County. The Double R Show produced by Always Productions and hosted by Roger Robertson. Have a story? Email contact at alwaysproductions.com or call four five eight two zero one three zero three nine. For the Double R Show, I'm Janet Ron.