Year 25 Members at End of Service Gathering

News & Stories

The RARE AmeriCorps Program places its members in rural communities across the State of Oregon. In each participating community, RARE AmeriCorps members often finds themselves working with local media sources. Whether it is helping develop a news article or finding local fame, it is common for almost every RARE AmeriCorps member to become a local celebrity in their community. Below you will find social media posts, blog articles written by our RARE AmeriCorps members and newspaper articles starring them! By exploring below, you will gain a better understanding of how RARE AmeriCorps members impact the communities they serve.

Stories from the Field

  • Building a Community-Driven Future in Silverton
    By Charles Johann, Assistant Community Engagement & Project Coordinator, City of Silverton One of the most rewarding aspects of my time as a RARE AmeriCorps member has been organizing and leading community conversations as part of Silverton’s Comprehensive Plan update. This project, known as Silverton 2050, is a forward-looking initiative designed to cap
  • Building Food Security in Lane County: A Journey of Collaboration, Communication and Coordination
    By Grant Simonton, Farm & Food Coordinator, Upper Willamette Soil & Water Conservation District Food insecurity is on the rise in Lane County. As a RARE member working on food security projects through Grow Lane County, a partnership between the Upper Willamette Soil & Water Conservation District, Lane Community Health Council, Ensoterra, and FOO
  • Nurturing Nature: A Vision & Community Effort for Ash Creek Restoration
    By Gabriella Dominge, Environmental Education Technician for City of Dallas, City of Monmouth, and Falls City With the rising sun and the stillness of the winter air on a crisp Saturday morning, community members and volunteers gathered along a stretch of Ash Creek in Monmouth, Oregon, just west of Salem in the heart of Oregon's wine-growing region. Thi
  • Chance Favors the Adventurous
    By Cecelia Bagnoli, Destination and Tourism Strategic Planner, Talent Business Alliance My journey to becoming a RARE Member started months before I had even heard of the program. I had just wrapped up another long afternoon of typing variations of “community development specialist” and “urban planner” into job search bars on LinkedIn and Google. Every promi

 

Recent RARE Mentions in the News

  • Helping Rural Communities In Oregon Thrive Through AmeriCorps Program
    By Melanie Moyer, Willamette University Community leaders in rural areas of Oregon are often stretched thin, juggling multiple roles and responsibilities due to staffing shortages or other economic pressures. To support these communities, the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program places college graduates in small communities for 11 months of service. Willamette University…
  • Willamette Ornament Hunting Season Opens
    By The New Era The Willamette Valley Visitors Association (WVVA) has launched its seventh annual Ornament Hunt throughout the region and on non-wilderness trails of the Willamette National Forest and the Umpqua National Forest. As many as 200 locally crafted wooden ornaments were hidden along non-wilderness trails for lucky hikers to find in the following…
  • S. Deschutes County Health Care, Parks & Rec, Wildfire Risk Among Issues Discussed at Newberry Regional Summit
    By Isabella Warren Southern Deschutes County community members, nonprofits and government agencies met Thursday in Sunriver for the Newberry Regional Partnership's Action Summit to discuss strategies and solutions to issues in an area they say is much different than most of the county. "It is a turning point, because no one can do this on…
  • Community Will Build Affordable Housing in Blue River
    By Rachael McDonald A community land trust is breaking ground on six affordable homes in Blue River on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 for people who survived the Holiday Farm Fire. The fire swept through the McKenzie River Valley on Labor…