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June 12, 2006

Big Hearts at the Oregon Coast

My family and I just returned from the most wonderful weekend at the Jetty Fishery Annual Crab Derby at Nehalem Bay. In a nutshell, the Crab Derby is an excuse to have a blast crabbing and playing while raising money for two very worthy causes: The Rinehart Clinic and the Wildlife Center of the North Coast.

Dr. Harry Rinehart left behind a successful medical practice to do what he could to respond to the country's health care crisis. His coastal health clinic provides affordable health care to those who could not otherwise have access to it. No one is turned away. The clinic relies heavily on donations, mainly raised through several fundraising events held each year, one of which is the Crab Derby. It is plain to see the locals hold Dr. Rinehart in high esteem.

The Wildlife Center provides volunteer first aid and rehabilitation for injured wild animals – such as those hit by cars, attacked by domestic animals, sickened by pollution, orphaned, etc. Representatives were on hand, along with several beautiful rescued birds, and spent a good deal of time talking with my boys about their work and the animals they save. The group's outreach also helps people understand some things they can do to avoid negatively impacting wildlife.

What a time we had. The Crab Derby was an absolutely delightful taste of un-citified America, with awesome fresh seafood, old-fashioned family entertainment, friendly people, and lots of great prizes. All the local businesses and a number of local people were extremely generous in donating items for an auction to support the Rinehart Clinic and the Wildlife Center. This was not a slick, well-organized event like the festivals in downtown Portland, where at the end of the day you've spent a lot of money and not met anyone new. Spend a weekend here, and you'll meet all kinds of delightful people, such as Kelly, the main guy at Jetty Fishery, who is simply too entertaining to miss. A real human being with a big personality and a big heart.

Our whole family just could not help but get caught up in the fun of the weekend's events. The cake walk, all-ages dance contests, and buoy-throwing contest were hilarious. But the highlight was the auction, where I learned just how generous Oregonians and the coastal business community really are. I bought my husband, an avid outdoorsman, an early Father's Day gift – a guided clamming expedition with Dr. Rinehart. My boys, of course, gleefully tagged along. So 4:00 the next morning, the alarm went off and the men hustled out to try their hands at razor clamming. Afterward, they scooped up a healthy catch of mussels and the good doctor even helped clean them. Next stop was picking up the crab pots we had laid out the night before. Needless to say, we feasted last night and will again tonight on fresh Oregon seafood and some fine Oregon wine. And we're feeling good about having supported two very worthy charities.

Posted by Becky at June 12, 2006 06:08 AM