‘It’s disheartening’: Vandals, thieves hit two C.O. volunteer groups’ forest shelter, equipment over holiday break
(Update: adding video, comments from Moon Country Snowbusters, La Pine Lodgepole Dodgers; rewards offered)
BEND Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Moon Country Snowbusters' warming shelter at Wanoga Sno-Park was hit by damaging vandalism over the Christmas Break, according to a post on Facebook. And another group also was hit in a similar timeframe.
The community shelter is open for people to warm up and spend time with their families, but now they're going to have to keep it closed to the general public.
Some of the damage included graffiti, burned wood, names carved in tables and broken glass. Fire extinguishers also were set off. They have not identified the people responsible for the vandalism.
"Unfortunately, when something like this happens -- we're a nonprofit, we're a volunteer organization, and it requires a volunteer to go out there and fix and repair the damage that was caused," Moon Country Snowbusters Vice President Keith Walls explained Thursday.
Snowbusters President Justin Goodman added: "It's disheartening, especially with the snow coming this this next week. We leave it open for people to use and enjoy and get warm and eat their lunch and go about their winter activities. And so now that this has happened, we've locked it."
The La Pine Lodgepole Dodgers also reported missing equipment and damage with their beacon checker located up by the lake.
In a Facebook post, they said, "At some point between December 22nd and December 27th, the sign was forcibly pushed over, snapping the USFS 4x4 posts that it was installed on, and the PV system used to power the beacon checker was gutted from the sign and stolen."
The parts that are missing are the photovoltaic panels, an energy collector, a battery and an electronics package that was mounted inside the cabinet of the checker.
They were originally provided by the Oregon State Snowmobile Association, which purchased 25 avalanche beacon checkers for various locations throughout Oregon.
The beacon checkers are crucial for avalanche safety. According to the Lodgepole Dodgers, fixing the damage could be thousands of dollars.
"It's fairly expensive, especially when you've got a solar panel and all the signage and everything that's that's set up to help with these people," Goodman said. "And it's not only used by snowmobilers -- skiers use them, backcountry hikers. You know, there's a lot of different groups of us that use them."
Neither club is certain whether the two incidents are related.
Moon County Snowbusters are offering a $450 reward for information in regards to the individual/s responsible. The La Pine Lodgepole Dodgers are offering $250 in rewards. You can contact them through Facebook Messenger, or contact the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, if you have any information that could be helpful.
