• Listening to Mayor Kitty Piercy give her farewell to the City Club of Eugene on Dec. 9 made us grateful that we live in this blue bubble in the wake of the recent presidential election. In recapping her 12 years as mayor, she laid out a progressive value system exactly the opposite of Donald Trump’s. She said it was her policy “to never take public potshots at anyone,” a policy designed to bring factions together to inch forward in a caring sustainable society. She told us she would continue working for more trains in the Willamette Valley, probably one of many continuing causes even more important in the time of Donald Trump.

• Since Trump is so divisive, we wanted to write profiles of some folks who are worried about his presidency, as well as profile some of the people who voted for him, to better understand our community. But the Trump voters aren’t getting back to us — no return calls from the Lane County Republicans. We know Libertarians and Republicans read EW, despite our “liberal bias.” Do you know someone who would want to talk to us about their vote? Email editor@eugeneweekly.com with the subject line “Trump interviews.”

• Tis the season for giving and, this year, to combat the gloom that many feel in the shadow of Trump, we are celebrating nonprofits and other organizations that fight the Trumpian agenda. Lane County is a generous community and supports a host of giving organizations that would take a book to fill. We didn’t get them all in, so please take the time to drop us a letter to the editor at letters@eugeneweekly.com and extoll the virtues of your favorite nonprofit so readers know where to donate! 

• One important way you can give back during this wintery holiday season is by volunteering. As the nights drop below 30 degrees, the Egan Warming Center for the homeless open up. They are only able to operate because churches, schools and businesses donate their space and people give their time. Go to eganwarmingcenter.com for activation dates and volunteer training sessions. To get alerts from Egan, text “Activate” to 292929.