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Library welcomes new AmeriCorps member

Posted on by kward2

Christian Sala at Library

Hi, I am Christian Sala, Roseburg Public Library’s new Outreach Services Lead.

A little about myself: I was born in Milan, Italy, to Italian parents. Three months later, my parents moved to Kenya, Africa, where they first met, to raise a family and start a small, humble Italian market. I remained there for 12 years, attending various schools, including a British boarding school and an American Baptist missionary school for families conducting missions in the area.

As a family, we moved back to Italy after my father got sick and needed specialized medical treatment available only in Europe. Once better, my father got an opportunity to open an Italian market in Miami, Florida.

I remained there, completing high school in two years, attending Miami Dade Honors College for two more years, and later transferring to Rutgers University-New Brunswick, the State School of New Jersey, majoring in Economics with a minor in Art History. After graduating, I moved to Eugene, where my parents chose to retire.

I worked as a recreation coordinator for the city of Eugene’s recreation department’s annual summer programs: Fun for All, Movies in the Park, rentals, afterschool teen programs and specialty camps. I worked there for three consecutive summers, mainly delivering arts and craft activities for youth ages 5-17. Some camps and activities I worked on were Mural Camp, Minecraft Architecture Camp and Walk in the Woods.

Once I graduated, I sought valuable and relevant experience in economic development, the field I chose to pursue after my coursework at Rutgers. I contacted the head of the city of Springfield Economic Development Department, Allison Camp, and she directed me to the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps program.

I was fortunate to be accepted as a RARE member and placed at Roseburg Public Library. I can see myself striving, growing and developing some of my professional goals, implementing what I learned as a recreation coordinator and giving back to Oregon, which my family has chosen to call home.

My brief time in Roseburg has been overwhelming, inviting and warm, making the transitions much more enjoyable.

One of the best parts about working for the City is getting to know the community on a first-name basis. One thing you will quickly learn about me is that I could improve with remembering names, but I am great with faces. So, I’ll remember you, but I might ask for your name once or twice.

My tasks during my 11-month service term will include continuing the great work at outreach services, assisting in developing and conducting adult programming, working with volunteers, assisting youth services, researching and implementing best practices for a three-year technology plan, and developing and implementing a library use assessment survey.

I already have hit the ground running with developing the library’s basic technology classes, and I look forward to meeting those adult learners.

Feel free to stop by the front desk and say hello. I would love to strike up conversations about the economy, current affairs, art and culture, and great places to eat in Roseburg.

I look forward to meeting all of the patrons, learning about the Roseburg community and discovering the ins and outs of a public library.

Christian Sala is the outreach services lead at Roseburg Public Library. He can be reached at csala@cityofroseburg.org or 541-492-7052.

This article first appeared on The News-Review and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Wyden, Merkley Announce $2.3 Million for Rural Renewable Energy Projects

Posted on by kward2
Adobe Stock

Written by Sander Gusinow

Funding from the Inflation Reduction Act will go toward 28 Oregon projects aimed at building renewable energy and energy efficiency infrastructure.

Last week, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced that 28 renewable energy projects targeting rural parts of the state will receive $2.3 million of grant funding.

Funding for the projects — mostly solar panel installations at rural farms and businesses — comes from  the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes $369 billion in federal funding over 10 years to support renewable energy projects, according to a press release issued jointly by Wyden and Merkley last week.

Nearly half of the procurement — $1 million — will go toward the installation of a ground-mounted solar energy system for Verde Light Community Solar LLC in Ontario. The system is estimated to generate over 8,000,000 kilowatt-hours per year, the equivalent needed to power 750 single family homes annually, and will provide $121,170 per year in energy cost savings to local subscribers.

Smaller projects included $11,824 to help Lexington-based Tin Willow Sheep Dairy farm purchase and install a solar panel system capable of replacing over half of the business’s energy use with solar power, reducing its utility bill by $782 per year in the process.

Of the 28 projects to receive funding, 26 projects involved the installation of solar panel systems.

The Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District, Spark Northwest, North Fork John Day River Watershed Council, and the Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District received a combined total of $100,000 to increase implementation of renewable energy generation by rural small businesses, farms and agricultural producers throughout the state. The University of Oregon’s Resource Assistance for Rural Environments AmeriCorps Program also received $100,000 to work with area partners to increase implementation of renewable energy generation by rural small businesses and farms.

“We can address high energy prices due to the volatility in the price of oil and natural gas by bolstering our clean, domestic energy supplies in every nook and cranny of our state and across the nation,” said Wyden in the press release. “I was proud to have fought for and secured some of the most consequential pieces of the Inflation Reduction Act to tackle the climate crisis and create new jobs, but one of my main goals was to ensure that rural farmers, ranchers, businesses and organizations could benefit from the cost savings. I’m gratified to see so many Oregonians getting much-deserved benefits.”

“Oregon’s communities—both big and small, urban and rural—make our state successful and vibrant,”  Merkley said in the release. “Investing in Oregon’s small businesses, farmers, and ranchers supports strong local economies, especially in the more rural parts of the state. The benefits of these investments stretch to every corner of Oregon, and I’ll continue to champion critical support like this for Oregon’s rural economic opportunities.”

A full list of the funded projects is available on Wyden’s website.

This article first appeared on Oregon Business and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Local Food, Local Dollars: Community Partnership Promotes Klamath Basin Agriculture

Posted on by kward2

Klamath Grown Online Market highlights farmers and ranchers who are producing a rich diversity of agricultural products in the Klamath Basin

Klamath Grown
Katie Swanson (far left), owner and operator of Sweet Union Farm in Klamath Falls, meets with Sarah Akbari (middle) and Nicole Sanchez, OSU Extension horticulturist, on a farm visit. (Courtesy Photo)

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Farming can be a challenge in the Klamath Basin in southern Oregon.

The high desert climate produces wide temperature swings from day to night. The growing season is short. But a visit to a new digital directory highlights resilient small- and medium-sized farmers and ranchers who are producing a rich diversity of agricultural products.

Scrolling through the directory reveals seasonal fruit and vegetables, eggs, garlic, herbs, honey, goat milk, microgreens and pork and lamb. A half-dozen businesses grow flowers, and one farm produces mushroom products for cooking and medicinal purposes. The directory includes a restaurant, a local grocery store, a brewery and a winery.

While the directory gives southern Oregon and northern California residents a chance to meet their farmer, a companion resource allows them to buy from them. A re-envisioned Klamath Grown Online Market launched in December. There, customers can purchase many of the foods and beverages that are produced by the businesses in the directory. The directory provides opportunities for businesses to find out where they can source local ingredients.

The directory also provides an opportunity for people outside of Klamath who are curious about visiting or moving to the area, Akbari said. That kind of economic benefit interests Alison Smith, deputy director for the South Central Oregon Economic Development District, which serves Klamath and Lake counties.

The development district is a strong supporter of the OSU Extension-Klamath Grown partnership because “promoting and buying local food means local dollars stay here,” said Smith, who is also a board member for Klamath Grown.

“That’s vital rural economic development,” Smith said.

Klamath Falls farmer Katie Swanson, a Klamath Grown co-founder and director of community relations for the nonprofit, said the Klamath Basin needs a strong local food system.

“There are so many pieces to a community being able to feed itself,” said Swanson, who owns and operates Sweet Union Farm, a small, diversified vegetable farm in Klamath Falls. “Part of it is cultural and social: Having pride in your community and the land that you live on. That’s important to us.”

Increasing local food awareness

Akbari has contributed to the digital directory and online market of local producers for Klamath Grown’s website as part of her work as an AmeriCorps Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) service member. The position is supported and funded through a unique partnership of the Oregon Food Bank, Klamath Grown and OSU Extension in Klamath County.

Akbari was hired in September 2022 to work on a campaign to promote local food to the community by creating the digital directory and communicating with customers via social media and email newsletters. She’s also conducting research and surveys that will seek to increase customer accessibility to local products and markets.

“The directory is a great resource for people in the area who want to find local food and who are interested in supporting local farmers,” said Akbari, a University of Oregon graduate who grew up in the Portland metro area. “It’s a great marketing tool for farmers, who can join the directory for free. There’s been so much interest from people who are excited about what Klamath Grown has been doing, so being able to support local food in a rural area has been very impactful.”

Akbari’s next major project is to break down access barriers to local food. She collaborated with Oregon Health & Science University to conduct a survey that generated 200 responses from individuals and families who receive SNAP benefits. One of the goals of the Farmers Market Promotion grant is to create a first-of-its kind Harvest Box for underserved residents.

“None of this would have been possible without OSU Extension,” Swanson said, noting that Patty Case, a professor emerita in the Extension Family and Community Health Program in the College of Health, was instrumental in writing a successful grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Market Promotion Program, which was awarded to the South Central Oregon Economic Development District. The district disperses the funds to OSU Extension and Klamath Grown.

“OSU support has been essential to everything we’ve attempted do,” Swanson said.

Through the grant, which was for nearly $250,000, OSU Extension has been providing technical expertise and education in the areas of food systems, small farms, supply chain dynamics, market analysis, drought resiliency, irrigation efficiency, food production efficiency, season extension, nutrition education and public health.

Extension’s role in the grant also includes:

  • Facilitating locally grown food bulk sales by schools and serve as the lead for Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Procurement.
  • Collaborating on community and school education and promotion efforts to raise awareness of the benefits of eating locally produced food.
  • Sharing contacts with relevant OSU faculty, connections to local experts and peers through the Oregon Food Hub Network and other local and regional food networks.

“OSU Extension has established connections and relationships both locally and at the campus level,” Case said. “We knew that we had a lot of ways that we could contribute. The question came up, ‘How can we get the boots on the ground and make things happen in our community?’ That’s where we shine as Extension.”

Blue Zones set the tone

Case, who retired in December, helped bring The Blue Zones Project to Klamath County, resulting in what is now Healthy Klamath. She worked with the Klamath County School District to place a FoodCorps service member in two schools. She also partnered with the county school district and Klamath Falls School District to implement a Farm to School and School Garden Program.

In 2015, Klamath Falls was selected as Oregon’s first Blue Zones Project Demonstration Community. The Blue Zones Project brings communities together in a commitment to bolster healthy habits. Blue Zones created a readiness for the Klamath Farmers Online Marketplace, which is now Klamath Grown and the Klamath Grown Online Market. Case said.

“Access to local foods was always something that Blue Zones aimed for,” Case said. “Eventually, our residents will consider supporting local foods as an important value of our community.”

— OSU Extension Service

This article first appeared on Morning AgClips and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Elkton hosts 16th annual ‘Butterfly Run’ to bring together local community

Posted on by kward2

ELKTON — It was cloudy on Saturday morning when a group of dozens gathered at the Elkton Community Education Center to take part in the annual Butterfly Run, a community oriented event to kick off the summer season.

The event was started 16 years ago by John Bradley, an Elkton winemaker, and has continued since as a way to bring locals together.

“I knew John when I was a kid, and his involvement in the community for the schools, the other winemakers and the community in general, was just tremendous,” said Dan Burke, the mayor of Elkton.

Kendra Peterson, a worker with the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments program, operated by AmeriCorps, works with the Elkton Community Education Center to create health and wellness initiatives. Peterson helped organize the Butterfly Run this year as part of a larger effort to improve the wellness of Elkton’s rural community.

“I was asked to help with the butterfly run because it’s something they do every year, but it’s incorporated under the health and wellness umbrella, so it kind of fit with my work here,” Peterson said. “I’ve never done this before, so it was a new experience, but it was good. I think it was pretty successful.”

Visitors came from across Elkton and from beyond, including the Edmans family from Florence, who arrived in butterfly costumes to take part in the fun.

“It’s actually really well attended,” said Jayne Edman. “I had no idea about this, this is really fun.”

Why butterflies? Organizers said that the name came from the local monarch butterfly population, and has stuck ever since.

“June is the time of year when the monarchs [butterflies] start arriving in Elkton,” said Marjory Hamann, the executive director of the Elkton Community Education Center. “So the event, it’s really about us all conjuring the butterflies, telling them they’re welcome here. It’s just a big, big celebration.”

After the 5k took place in the morning, visitors were able to take part in a butterfly costume contest, shop from a number of local vendors and listen to live musical performances.

Will Geschke is a multimedia reporter for The News-Review. He can be reached at wgeschke@nrtoday.com.

This article first appeared on The News-Review and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

The PLAYA 23 Statewide Rural Energy Convening Brought Together Rural Energy Stakeholders from Across the State

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On April 19th, 2023, a network of rural energy stakeholders from across Oregon gathered in Lake County, Oregon, at the PLAYA Center on Summer Lake, for the second annual Statewide Rural Energy Convening.

PLAYA, as the event is often referred to, is a unique multi-day opportunity for non-profit organizations, federal and state agencies, utilities, and landowners to connect in a remote, distraction-free environment to discuss and strategize on overcoming barriers and advancing opportunities for rural community energy development.

The event, which was co-hosted by Lake County Resources Initiative (LCRI), Sustainable Northwest (SNW), the RARE Americorps Program, Wy’East RC&D, and USDA Rural Development, had roughly 30 people from various organizations participating. The relatively small number of attendees allowed each individual to participate actively during the various workshops, personal story-telling activities, and lively panel discussions. This event and network are made possible by Energy Trust of Oregon and a USDA Rural Energy Development Assistance (REDA) grant that aims to fund renewable energy technical assistance for agricultural producers and rural small businesses.

As the country moves rapidly to transition to a clean energy future and take advantage of the unprecedented funding opportunities introduced in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), convening to discuss rural energy needs has never been more important. Rural communities have been historically underrepresented in energy transition conversations and overburdened by energy costs. The PLAYA attendees, collaborating with their affiliated organizations, aim to develop a statewide, coordinated rural energy network that is customer-focused and results-driven. This includes developing effective strategies to ensure rural communities can access their fair share of the incoming federal funding.

The conversations, ideas, and connections that PLAYA cultivates are unparalleled due to the unique, off-the-grid nature of the event. The PLAYA center, which is located in the high desert region of the state right on the edge of Summer Lake – an alkali lake with breathtaking views and vast wildlife activity, offers little to no cell service and very limited wifi. This environment allows attendees to dive deeper into each conversation, collaborate more efficiently, and work together to formulate effective strategies for overcoming barriers to funding, capacity, and information gaps.

Top-level themes that were discussed included:

  • Due to capacity constraints of organizations and agencies, the influx in federal funding is not only an opportunity but also a challenge

  • Rural communities (landowners/customers) require more technical assistance when navigating energy incentives, grant applications, and project technical assistance

  • Further resource-sharing and collaboration across the rural energy network is crucial to properly assist rural energy customers.

As PLAYA concluded, it was increasingly clear that there is a monumental amount of work to be done to ensure community energy development prioritizes the needs of rural communities. Fortunately, it was even more evident that the strong, diverse, statewide network that gathered at PLAYA was equipped with the skills and resources to create a clean energy future that elevates rural voices and priorities.

For more information, contact

Faith Yorba

SNW Energy Program Associate

fyorba@sustainablenorthwest.org

Learn more about SNW’s Energy Program, the Making Energy Work Coalition, and our work in Rural Electrification.

This article first appeared on Sustainable Northwest’s site and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Financial Support Available for 2023-24 RARE AmeriCorps Host Sites!

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The RARE AmeriCorps Program is a firm believer in the power of partnerships. We deeply value the reciprocity and support provided by each of our statewide partners. We strive to create catalytic change across rural Oregon, and our generous partners ensure we have the tools and resources to make that happen. One such partner is The Ford Family Foundation, who is committed to offering financial support to help offset the cost of hosting a RARE AmeriCorps member.

The Ford Family Foundation prides itself on empowering Oregonians to become catalysts of change and stalwarts of sustainability outside of the state’s urban strongholds. The organization’s ideology is simple, yet dynamic: “We believe in the power of rural communities. Communities create the conditions that allow children and families to thrive. Communities are the backbone of our democracy. We believe that a community works best when it works for all its members, especially for those who are disadvantaged or excluded due to poverty, race/ethnicity, and geography. Our investments provide rural communities with the tools and capacities they need to build a vital future for themselves – a future where every resident can thrive.”

Without The Ford Family Foundation’s support, many local government departments, NGOs, and economic development entities across the state would not be positioned to partner with the RARE AC Program. Please visit the Funding Opportunities section of our website to learn out more about the financial support available via The Ford Family Foundation.

Tidings from Titus | January 2023

Posted on by egronert

Tidings from Titus graphic, featuring a head shot of smiling Titus!

Dearest RARE Family,

I can’t help but start by wishing each and everyone of you the best as we all get moving and grooving with 2023! It remains an honor to be affiliated with such an amazing network of individuals who are dedicated to making positive change happen across Oregon and the country as a whole. It’s this network, those whom I have met along the way, that continue to keep me inspired and motivated to make sure the RARE AmeriCorps Program is doing the best we can be for our members, host sites, alums, and the communities we serve.

It’s amazing to think we are already through the most challenging stage of the 2022-23 service year. We are just over 4-months in, and our members are settled, trained up, and positioned for success. As you might recall, it’s those first few months of service that tend to be the most challenging; to be expected when you pick up everything and move to a new community. Our 32 members have risen to the occasion every step of the way, illustrating grit, tenacity, and an unbelievable willingness to “get things done” for rural Oregon. I am grateful to be surrounded by such a passionate and driven cohort.

The last few months have also come with a good bit of change here at RARE HQ. We wished our previous Program Assistant, Kate Coenen, a hardy farewell at the end of October. Kate was a wonderful addition to our team, and we truly wish her the best as she opens a new chapter. After a few months of that positioned being vacated (thank to Julie Foster for stepping up!), I am proud to announce that we have hired Ken Ward as our new Program Assistant. Ken comes to us with a Bachelor’s in Journalism from the University of Oregon and several years of experience within the software development arena. In addition, he is a 2x AmeriCorps Alum, bringing a strong passion for service to the table. We already feel like Ken is a stellar fit for the job at hand and are extremely excited to have him on the team.

Lastly, I can’t help but note that recruitment season is somehow upon us once again! If there is one thing I know, well, it’s that word of mouth remains to be our best method of recruitment. With that, I can’t help but ask a favor to all who are reading this newsletter! Please help us spread the good word by reaching out to prospective members who might be interested in the life changing experience that is truly unique to serving rural via the RARE AmeriCorps Program. Share a copy of our flyer, pass along the link to our website, share a social media post, etc. Every little bit helps ensure continue to have topnotch members serving our rural community partners!

In Service,
Titus Tomlinson, Years 13 & 16
RARE Program Director

RARE AmeriCorps Member Applications for 2023-2024 Now Available!

Posted on by kward2

Are you interested in community building, natural resources, food security, natural hazard planning, economic development or land use planning? If so, you should consider applying to serve as a Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps member.

2023-2024 RARE AmeriCorps member applications are now available!

For more information about the RARE AmeriCorps application process please visit the Application Process section of our website.

To access the 2023-2024 RARE AmeriCorps member application, click here.

If you have questions about the application process or about the RARE AmeriCorps Program, please contact RARE Program Coordinator Victoria Binning at rare@uoregon.edu or 541-632-3147.

UO programs bolstered by $16M in Build Back Better funds

Posted on by kward2
September 2, 2022 – 11:14am

Researchers at the University of Oregon will receive more than $16 million in federal funds as part of a major government grant to the Oregon Mass Timber Coalition from the Build Back Better Regional Challenge.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration has awarded the coalition a total of $41.4 million, with $24.6 million going to the TallWood Design Institute, a collaboration between the UO and Oregon State University to support Oregon’s mass timber industry. OSU will receive $8 million.

Of the UO funds, $14.6 million will go toward the Oregon Acoustic Research Laboratory and $2 million is destined for affordable housing prototyping using mass timber, an application that uses solid wood panels that are prefabricated using digital workflows. Both programs are part of the College of Design and contribute to the institute.

“The UO and OSU, through the TallWood Design Institute, have been essential to the development of the modern mass timber industry in Oregon through our research and development,” said UO architecture professor Judith Sheine, design director for the institute. “Combined with the funding that will support smart forestry research, a new fire testing facility, and modular mass timber housing testing at OSU, and UO’s acoustic research lab and prototypes for affordable housing and retrofits, we will continue to advance our R&D work into the future to provide benefits for Oregonians.”

In addition to the UO and OSU, the Oregon Mass Timber Coalition includes the Port of Portland, Business Oregon, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, and the Oregon Department of Forestry.

“This grant will provide a tremendous lift to the TallWood Design Institute, which already leverages the expertise and collaboration of researchers at the University of Oregon and Oregon State University,” said Patrick Phillips, interim president of the UO. “It will also benefit the entire state of Oregon, driving innovation and helping to increase our housing supply in a sustainable way.”

Over time, the funds will contribute to employment growth in construction, manufacturing and sustainable logging, while helping develop energy- and seismic-resilient mass timber for affordable housing.

“I think we’ve been enormously effective in jumpstarting and advancing these mass timber industries in Oregon, but there’s still a huge amount of work to be done and enormous opportunity,” Sheine said.

Affordable housing prototyping

Sheine’s research focuses on using mass timber in the construction of affordable housing that provides energy and seismic resilience while sequestering carbon through its use of wood products. The grant will fund prototypes to prove the viability of constructing small, affordable, single-family homes as well as building and retrofitting multistory and multifamily dwellings.

High-performance testing

The Oregon Acoustic Research Laboratory will be a world-class, state-of-the-art facility designed for high-performance and high-throughput testing for sound-dampening products and construction methods.

“Floor and ceiling acoustics have become a hurdle to increasing the uptake of mass timber structural systems in multistory, multifamily housing,” said Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg, architecture professor and director of the Institute for Health in the Built Environment. “We’re trying to help mass timber find its way into multistory, multifamily housing and reduce sound transmission between units. And you need to test it before you can build it.”

The laboratory will be the first of its kind at a university in North America and among the most advanced in the world. It will be able to test for low- and high-frequency sound transmission and designed for the needs of both university researchers and private sector testing.

“This will also open opportunities for research and technology transfer both in the mass timber space and acoustics space for the university and our students,” Van Den Wymelenberg said.

The lab, which was approved by the UO Board of Trustees in 2019, would be housed at the Port of Portland’s Terminal 2 site.

The Build Back Better funds are meant to bolster and rejuvenate Oregon’s timber industry, contributing to timber manufacturing job creation in rural counties that have seen employment declines over the past half century. They also will be used to start forest restoration projects to improve resilience, reduce wildfire risk, and provide a sustainable supply for mass timber production.

—By Jim Murez, University Communications

RARE Program Assistant has been hired!

Posted on by vbinnin2

Big News! We’ve Hired!

RARE Supervisors and Members:

I am pleased to announce that we have hired Ken Ward as our new Program Assistant! Ken comes to us with a Bachelor’s in Journalism from the University of Oregon and several years of experience within the software development arena. In addition, he is a 2x AmeriCorps Alum, bringing a strong passion for service to the table. It’s already clear that Ken is committed to helping make the RARE AC Program the best it can be for our members, supervisors, and the communities we serve. In Ken’s free time, he’s often reading books, longboarding, or enjoying a solid day hike in the great outdoors. We already feel like Ken is a stellar fit for the job at hand and are extremely excited to have him on the team!

Yesterday was Ken’s first day on the job and he is already excited to start engaging with you folks. I encourage you to reach out to Ken directly if you are interested in learning more about this amazing human.

Please join me in welcoming Ken to the team!

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Regards,

Titus Tomlinson, Program Director

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