‘Give thanks with grace’: Cindy Chauran helps rebuild a community
Cindy Chauran is one of USA TODAY’s Women of the Year, a recognition of women across the country who have made a significant impact. The annual program is a continuation of Women of the Century, a 2020 project that commemorated the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote. Meet this year’s honorees at womenoftheyear.usatoday.com.
Cindy Chauran has much to be proud of and thankful for the past couple of years. She beat ovarian cancer, earned an accounting degree, became a grandma and watched her youngest join the U.S. Marines.
In between celebrations, she and her husband lost their Gates, Ore. home during the 2020 wildfires, and her strength and resilience inspired a community and beyond.
Extreme winds over Labor Day weekend 2020 fueled a historic firestorm that killed five people, destroyed 700 homes and incinerated forests in the span of about 12 hours. The wildfires burned 400,000 acres — the third-largest fire since 1900 in Oregon. When help came pouring in, Chauran turned the focus on others. She helped launch a fund that would support local wildfire survivors in the recovery, cleanup and rebuilding of their communities.
Nearly $4 million has been donated to the Santiam Wildfire Relief Fund to date.
"I grew up in this community. I raised my kids in this community," Chauran said from the construction site of their nearly-finished new home. "So when we came through and first saw our house, it wasn't about us. We looked around and saw all the houses that were gone, and I started putting faces to them, knowing this was going to take years. We didn't want those people to leave."
Chauran — pronounced Shuh-ron — said the fund wouldn't have been possible without the efforts of Deana Freres, a friend and neighbor who lost her vacation home during the wildfires. Freres took Chauran's idea, connected with the local hospital's nonprofit, and had the fund up and running within 24 hours.
The fund has served 1,201 families to date, according to its website.
Chauran, a senior accountant for the city of Molalla, is most proud that every penny donated stays in the Santiam Canyon.
"Rural communities are the best," she said, "and they're worth saving."
The Statesman Journal did a Q&A interview with Oregon's honoree. It has been edited and condensed.
How do you overcome adversity?
We challenge them head-on, we don't make excuses, and we accept responsibility for our actions. And I have faith in this family. I know that it might take us longer, but we can overcome just about anything life throws at us.
What helped you survive after losing your house in the wildfires?
Surviving a wildfire was something I don't think we ever thought we would have to go through. Our friends and family are what got us through it. They brought us clothes, they brought food, they brought homemade meals and gift cards. They're the ones that lifted us up and gave us a boost so we could figure out what our next plan was.
Where did you find strength?
I find my strength from him (pointing to husband Bryan). He's the one that keeps us all safe and makes sure we have what we need. I've had some pretty crazy ideas throughout the years, and he always supports me and never questions them. When I was 40, I told him I wanted to get my bachelor's degree. He’s like, 'OK. What do you need me to do?' Then when I got cancer, he never left my side. I'm pretty tough, but without his support, there's no way that we would do what we do.
Where did you draw inspiration?
My family. Bryan and I have always said it's us against the world, that as long as we were all safe and we were all together, then there wasn't anything that we can't do. And I have the most amazing network of family and friends, work families past and present, and they don't allow us to fail. And the people in this community, they're some of the most prideful and inspirational people you'll ever meet. It was pretty inspiring to go through this with them.
Is there a guiding principle or mantra you tell yourself?
In 1999, I started a coffee shop when my son Gabe was born because I didn't want to go back to work. I remember an elderly gentleman who used to come through the coffee shop every day, and I'd always ask him, 'How are you doing?' And he would always tell me, 'Any day I get out of bed and my boots hit the ground is a good day.' Bryan and I used to always laugh at that because we thought, you know, life is just that simple. You can be happy, or you can choose to not be happy. We choose to look at the positive.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life? What lessons did that person teach you?
There's been a lot of influencing people in my life. I would start with my parents, who were high school sweethearts. They've been married for 54 years. That's pretty inspiring. My mom and sister both had cancer and won. My older sister has MS, and on her worst day she never complains. That’s pretty inspiring. When I had cancer, we had prayer groups that this community started that I found out later stretched all the way around the world, and that was pretty inspiring. We have some friends who we've known all of our lives that live here, too. They are always trying to help us. Bryan and I keep telling them we're fine, we're OK. And he got angry at us one time. He said to us, 'Don't take my gift away.' And then Bryan and I thought to ourselves, you know what, it's not what somebody's giving you, the gesture is the gift. We give thanks with grace now.
What are the most important lessons you’ve learned in life?
I think with lessons come mistakes, and I wouldn't change any of them because I've learned something from them. My kids, I've told them my entire life that life is not fair. My youngest used to hate it when I would tell him that. He'd complain about something and I'd say, 'Well, life's not fair.' And what we also told them was you can control your reaction. Life will knock you down, but how you respond, you can control that.
What is your proudest moment?
It's hard to say because there have been so many in my life. My children are my most precious gift. Seeing them happy, have babies, follow their dreams, and feel confident to go tackle the world, I’m pretty proud about that. But if I had to say two moments, one is definitely becoming a grandma (Dec. 27) and the other one when our son graduated (March 4) from the Marines, for him to follow his dream since he was 4 years old.
What advice would you give your younger self?
To slow down and appreciate the little things in the small moments, because we have found that those mean the most. And to give thanks with grace.
Capi Lynn is a 33-year veteran reporter and columnist at the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at 503-399-6710 or clynn@StatesmanJournal.com, or follow her on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.
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This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Wildfire survivor helps rebuild Oregon's rural communities
