Hi everyone; hope you all are enjoying this beautiful Fall weather. I also hope you all are planning to come to the Thursday, October 5th Community Meeting for our Oakdale Fire Protection District. This community meeting, at the Gene Bianchi Community Center in Oakdale starting at 5:30 p.m., has been put together for all of us in the Oakdale Fire Protection District. This includes Valley Home, Oakdale, Knights Ferry, and our surrounding areas. Please come to this very, very important meeting. Although right now it is our Valley Home station that is closed, this definitely affects each of you too. When Valley Home has an emergency and needs to call for help, a fire engine has to leave their post in Oakdale, Knights Ferry or wherever the closest available engine is. Yes, another engine will be called to come cover, but what happens when several engines are on an emergency call at the far corner of our huge – approximately 324 square mile district – every Fire Station counts. When one station closes, it puts not only that community in danger, it puts neighboring communities in danger also. It is almost certainly a domino effect. You wonder which station will be the next to close. With so much going on right now, with insurance companies making the decision to not cover our properties as they have in the past, with so much changing we need to all be aware. These changes can put not only our property, but our lives and the lives of our families in danger. Please take the time to come to this important meeting … we need to know what is happening with our fire service.

We would like to send a Huge “Thank You” to our Modesto City Fire Department for providing excellent and much appreciated fire coverage to our Oakdale Fire Protection District. We are grateful! Please, even if you cannot stay for the entire meeting, come hear very crucial information on the future of our fire service. This IMPORTANT meeting will be held Thursday, October 5th at the Gene Bianchi Community Center, 110 S. Second Ave., Oakdale from 5:30 pm until 7:00 pm.

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This week I would like to share some really fun happy news. Excitement was everywhere at the Escalon Fire Department as the “Littles” gathered there for Escalon Library Story Time. I would especially like to share sweet little Lorelei Wendland’s exciting trip to the Escalon Fire House. Beautiful little Lorelei is the precious granddaughter of our Oakdale Leader editor, Marg Jackson. Marg became a very, very proud grandma when little Lorelei was born in January of 2022. Lorelei is growing very quickly and is definitely the ‘apple of her grandma’s eye’. Lorelei is the beautiful daughter of Ally and Judd Wendland. I wanted to give you all an update on this little lady who is such a huge part of Marg’s world. Lorelei loves books, cars, animals, and flowers. She especially loves Escalon Library Story Time and she was thrilled to visit the Escalon Fire Department recently. She loved the Fire House and she loved her Story Time. More updates to come on sweet little Lorelei in the days ahead.

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This week we would like to welcome two new members to our Valley Home Park Board … Welcome Mrs. Kathy Shepherd and Mrs. Amanda Beltrami … we are excited to have you both on our Park Board!

A special “Thank You” to Sharon Furtado, Megan Wells, Bill Martin, and to our amazing Stanislaus County Supervisor Buck Condit.

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Please remember to mark your calendar for:

Valley Home PTC Meeting, School, October 5th, 3:15 pm

Valley Home MAC Meeting, School, October 11th at 6:30 pm

Oakdale Fire Protection District Board Meeting, Valley Home Fire Station, October 12th, 10:00 am

Valley Home Park Meeting, McCutcheon Shop/Lone Tree, October 19th, 4:30 pm

Valley Home School Board Meeting, School, October 20th at 5pm

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Have a wonderful week ahead. As always you may reach me by text or telephone at 209-985-5233.

Until next time, “Happy Trails to All!”