EDITOR’S NOTE: Showing off Tillamook! What a way to welcome Elizabeth. This is what we’re talking about. Do you have a community kindness to share? Email your story to editor@tillamookcountypioneer.net
By Elizabeth Asahi Sato, Executive Director Care, Inc.
Don’t tell anyone, but Tillamook has a wonderful secret—one I am certain folks here don’t want getting around. Before I moved here in April to serve as the new Executive Director of Care, Inc., I was a bit nervous. People had warned me, “It’s going to take a couple of years for folks to warm up to you since you aren’t a Tillamookan.” But my experience has been something else entirely.
It started with the small things. On my first visit to the Starbucks at Safeway, the barista was incredibly warm and welcoming, thanking me for coming to serve the community. She even dug through the pastry case to find unbroken biscotti—my absolute favorite—so I could stock up for my coffee breaks. Then there was the manager at T-Mobile, who shared his own past experiences with Care, Inc. He wished me the best in my new role and offered some truly great ideas.
I soon met the Police Chief, a muscular, polite fellow who showed remarkable gentleness while helping a homeless client through a difficult moment. Then there was Commissioner Erin Skaar. She is much younger than me, but her warmth and straightforward Tillamook demeanor made me feel right at home, reminding me of visiting my grandma on a Sunday morning. I want her to run for Governor, but she laughed at me because she is committed to Tillamook; now I see why.
And my goodness, then there was Mr. Jerry Dove. He is an incredible human being. I knew immediately he was a good person because he likes dogs, and I like dogs. We both graduated from Parkrose High School, and we share a deep love for helping others. He even shared stories of his late best friend, Loren Parks, a straightforward man who trusted Jerry to continue administering his kindness and generosity even after his passing.
The warm welcomes just kept coming. On a recent Friday, I had the pleasure of meeting Eric Swanson, the CEO of Tillamook Adventist Hospital. Did you know he used to be a paramedic and a police officer, holding just about every job in Tillamook before stepping into his current role? I also met Melody Ayers, Project Director for OUR Tillamook, who volunteers tirelessly for several organizations and welcomed me with open arms.
With all this genuine kindness, I found myself actually wanting to go to church. This past Sunday truly took the cake—literally. By sheer happenstance, I felt a tugging to visit Tillamook United Methodist Church. I hadn’t been to church in a while, but the entire congregation received me beautifully. They even prayed for my eldest son, Gabriel, who is young and tragically losing his eyesight to a medical condition. My three sons—Gabriel, Elijah, and Samuel—lost their father just two months ago. I am always praying for my boys, but now I have new friends joining me in those prayers. The parishioners invited me to their indoor picnic, and I have never felt so much warmth and kindness served up in the form of food, especially the pie and cake. I suppose it helps that their pastor, Jonathan Mead, is a witty, prolific soul who encourages his flock to be thoughtful. Heck, even the children were happy, and I rarely see that on a long Sunday.
In a moment of sheer contentment over that exceptional welcoming, I realized what Tillamook’s best-kept secret really is: the genuine kindness and authenticity of its people. Folks here don’t try to make a fuss; they just care.
There are many misplaced assumptions about this town that simply do not do it justice. People are profoundly kind here. I’ve seen it at the local pizza parlor, the fancy restaurants, and the hole-in-the-wall burger joints. I experienced it at a bustling Fred Meyer while shopping for things I didn’t need, and I definitely felt it at the Blue Heron while picking up my favorite fruit salad. The Tillamook Creamery and the Smokehouse aren’t just hiding their deliciousness in the form of ice cream, fried cheese curds, and beef sticks. It is the locals who work hard, serve hard, and play even harder that make Tillamook such a joy.
I really like my new hometown. It may take a few years to become a “true” Tillamookan, but where else does a local author, Michael Randall, drop off two books he wrote about humanity and loving kindness? Where else do you find a part-time Episcopal priest working full-time hours to raise money for a commercial kitchen to feed the hungry, before inviting you to meet the congregants over coffee? I think I’ve gained ten pounds since I moved here, and it’s only been ninety days. Community, family, and neighborliness seep into every nook and cranny of this county. While I will never gossip or spill the tea, I will gladly shout this from the rooftops: Tillamook, Oregon, is the best-kept secret for the warmth of human kindness.
See ya, Portland.
