I believe we all may have learned a thing or two from the recently passed pandemic; and that is that people love to, and need to, gather.
Since the end of governmental restrictions, events everywhere have been celebrated and attended in record numbers.
Gales Creek Gatherings is an occasional column from Gales Creek resident Sharon Parker that chronicles community events and gatherings in and near the Gales Creek Valley.
The views expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of The Banks and Gales Creek Journal. We do not endorse candidates, ballot measures, or positions on opinion issues, except when such issues threaten our ability to conduct journalism.
Gales Creek has been no exception. In November of 2023 our Holiday Bazaar hosted a crowd of over 400, and at the Gales Creek Strawberry Festival this past June we served a whopping 765 shortcakes, and hosted over 1,000 attendees. This prompted the Gales Creek Community Club to rethink the parking situation for the 2025 event.
Speaking of the Gales Creek Community Club, our monthly meetings are held the last Thursday of each month.
The August meeting saw a transfer of leadership as we just elected a new executive board.
There were 10 members present; member being a loosely held term designating anyone who comes to meetings with an interest or connection to Gales Creek. There are extra chairs with your name on them, so please join us.
At the last meeting, held in the Gales Creek School Library, which began at 6:30, we recapped the Strawberry Festival and the recent National Night Out event on the school grounds.
We then planned the annual Halloween Party to be held, of course, at the Gales Creek School. This year’s party will feature games, prizes, refreshments and a children’s movie. Check the Gales Creek Community Group on Facebook for further info regarding this and the other upcoming events. Or watch for news in this publication.
Initial plans were made for the Gales Creek Holiday Bazaar, to be held November 18, 2024 in the school gymnasium.
The Gales Creek Community Club is a rebranding of the old Gales Creek Chamber of Commerce, now defunct. The focus or goals of the club are twofold: to foster a sense of community, and to put funds back into our little town.
Recent donations were awarded to the Gales Creek Food Pantry, the Cemetery Association as well as National Night Out. Please feel free to join us; we need your ideas and spirit of volunteerism.
Without an overt effort to maintain a community we could easily become just a group of houses in rough geographical proximity. While that may sound okay at face value, in times of crisis, we NEED our neighbors. Please join us and be our neighbor!
The Gales Creek Journal and Banks Post are looking for additional community columnists that would like to write occasional or regular community columns on a variety of topics, including gardening, outdoor activities, and more. Email [email protected] for more information.
Sharon writes Gales Creek Gatherings, an occasional column that chronicles community events and gatherings in and near the Gales Creek Valley.
