A night of remembrance

Monday night, September 6, the McKenzie Community came together, impressively, to commemorate the Holiday Farm Fire which burned and overturned our beautiful River Valley and lives. The procession of around 50 emergency and personal vehicles and over one hundred residents, staged at the old Rustic Skillet and Harbick's Country Inn parking lots, just East of where the Fire allegedly first ignited. At 8:30 p.m., around the time last year's Fire started down our Valley, the procession headed west, down River, through Blue River on Blue River Drive, and on toward the Leaburg end destination.

Many McKenzie Valley residents either joined the procession where their driveways intersected the McKenzie Highway or showed support with lights and car horns and heartfelt hand-waves.

Needless to say, not all of the folks remained dry-eyed, either watching or driving. As much as it was a commemoration of a historic and devastating event, the procession was equally a testament to the strength, resiliency, commitment, and compassion the McKenzie River community has exhibited this past year.

While it felt good to come together, it was as much a statement that we are not done with our recovery. Our thanks go out to the Upper and Lower McKenzie Fire and Rescue, McKenzie River Ranger District, Suulutaaq Inc., Cascade Relief Team, Lane County Sheriff Department, Oregon Department of Forestry, McKenzie Community Charter School, Lane County, Harbick's Country Inn, McKenzie CDC, LOVEfirst Disaster Relief, McKenzie River Locals Helping Locals, KEZI, KVAL, KMTR, KLCC, KKNU, River Reflections, and the incredible McKenzie Strong River Valley residents.