[Heritage] Oregon Heritage News 2020-10-02

Fri Oct 2 15:05:22 PDT 2020

Oregon Heritage News 2020-10-02

In this issue:

  *   October is Historic Cemeteries Month, help protect them!
  *   Saving a "treasure of the McKenzie" featured on the Oregon Heritage Exchange Blog
  *   Foundations, businesses, and individuals commit $5 million to Oregon wildfire recovery
  *   Oregon Main Street 101 Webinar Series
  *   New resource available on Travel Oregon's industry site: Virtual training, engagement and assistance
  *   COVID-19 Halloween tips and guidelines from OHA
  *   Oregon Commission on Black Affairs to meet Oct. 10
  *   AASLH Conversations: Fundraising in 2020 and Beyond, Oct. 13

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October is Historic Cemeteries Month, help protect them

October is a great time to explore and protect historic cemeteries. With fall in the air, leaves changing, and morning dew, they are beautiful and powerful places. Here some ways to participate in Historic Cemeteries Month.

Take a walk in the cemetery. It is a great COVID safe activity. Enjoy the natural surroundings, learn about the people that came before you, and your presence curbs vandalism.

Read up. Many historic cemeteries have websites that share the history of the people and the place. Also, learn about mortuary traditions and mourning practices of cultures other you're your own. Search your local cemetery, visit Oregon Heritage Exchange<https://oregonheritage.wordpress.com/?s=cemeteries>, or search the Oregon Historical Society's Oregon Encyclopedia<https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/?i=oep&q=cemeteries>.

Stop Vandalism. This time of year people want to explore the supernatural and perhaps creepy aspects of historic cemeteries. Its OK to have fun. Have conversations with friends, family and neighbors about the respectful treatment of these places. When communities take responsibility, vandalism decreases. Also, report any new damage you discover.

Plan for your Dias de los Muertos tradition. Contact the cemetery to find out their rules for grave goods, celebrations, etc.

Volunteer. These cemeteries need help. Litter patrol, post storm limb pick-up, trained monument cleaning, volunteer coordination, board membership, etc. Contact your local cemetery directly to find out what they need.

Donate. The cost of cemetery care is surprisingly high. Any donation you offer can provide monument repair, landscape maintenance, records management, and more.

Join the Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries. The commission is seeking new members for one for coastal and one for central Oregon position.

The Commission is seeking members with knowledge related to or interest in cemeteries, historic preservation, genealogy, cultural and burial practices of ethnic groups found in Oregon, landscape and native plants, and history.

The Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries is comprised of seven citizens and is empowered by the Legislature to develop and maintain a listing of all historic cemeteries in Oregon, make recommendations for funding, obtain grant funding, seek legislative appropriations for historic cemeteries, and assist in the coordination of restoration, renovation and maintenance of historic cemeteries statewide.

The group meets four times per year in changing locations around the state. There may be an occasional additional meeting for extra projects, programs and grant selection. Commissioners are also asked to provide informal meetings in their regions and work on other projects outside of meeting time. Travel costs are reimbursed. While protections measures are in place due to COVID, the meetings will be teleconferences.

To apply, send a letter of interest and resume to commission coordinator Kuri Gill at Kuri.Gill at oregon.gov<mailto:Kuri.Gill at oregon.gov> or 503-986-0685. Please include your reasons for wanting to serve on the commission, any skills or knowledge you will bring to its work, and ideas or goals you have for your participation. Please submit your information before October 30, 2020.

More information about the Historic Cemeteries program is available online at www.oregonheritage.org<http://www.oregonheritage.org>.

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Saving a "treasure of the McKenzie" featured on the Oregon Heritage Exchange Blog

When the devastating fires began last month, we slowly heard stories of community members and firefighters taking some heroic measures to save some of Oregon's historic places. One of those stories involved the Goodpasture bridge in Vida which was threatened by the Holiday Farm Fire. Check out more of the story on the latest post of the Oregon Heritage Exchange which includes the perspective of those involved with saving this popular historic covered bridge. View the post here<https://oregonheritage.wordpress.com/2020/10/02/the-value-of-heritage-saving-a-treasure-of-the-mckenzie/>.

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Foundations, businesses, and individuals commit $5 million to Oregon wildfire recovery
*From OCF 9/28/20 news release: https://oregoncf.org/news/foundations-businesses-individuals-commit-5-million-to-oregon-wildfire-recovery/

Oregon's three largest foundations announced new donations Monday to the 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund, a pooled philanthropic fund dedicated to helping Oregon communities recover from the state's worst fire season on record. Announced by Oregon Governor Kate Brown on September 14, commitments to the 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund<https://oregoncf.org/oregon-wildfire-relief-recovery/community-rebuilding-fund/> grew to $5 million in just two weeks thanks to support from thousands of individual donors, companies like the Beaverton, Oregon-based Nike Foundation and businesses with strong connections to the Pacific Northwest.

When Gov. Brown asked The Ford Family Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust and Oregon Community Foundation to collaboratively manage the 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund, they responded by providing $3 million in seed funding. The goal: to gather resources and begin planning for what comes next after the extraordinary devastation brought by wildfires across a state already reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and consequences of racial injustice.

The 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund<https://oregoncf.org/oregon-wildfire-relief-recovery/community-rebuilding-fund/> will focus on supporting communities and Oregonians it hard from the devastating wildfires over the long-term, allowing national and local relief organizations to continue addressing people's urgent and immediate needs.

"If there's one thing we can always count on in a crisis, it's the generosity of Oregonians," said Governor Brown. "The outpouring of donations and support in recent days, large and small, has been truly inspiring. I'd like to thank the Oregon Community Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, The Ford Family Foundation and their partners for leading this effort to help Oregon families impacted by these devastating wildfires."

The partnership of these three foundations will magnify donor impact and ensure that each organization's unique expertise is part of the effort.

  *   The Ford Family Foundation, with roots in Southern Oregon, has a deep understanding of rural Oregonians and has worked closely with many of the towns and communities
  *   Meyer Memorial Trust focuses on ensuring the most vulnerable Oregonians flourish, and is committed to making sure that particularly hard hit Latinx, Tribal and timber communities are centered in rebuilding efforts.
  *   Oregon Community Foundation will provide infrastructure for the fund and utilize its experience mobilizing and deploying statewide resources to communities where they are needed most, and activate experience bringing together rural and urban communities, diverse community leaders and donors.

The three foundations are collaboratively managing the pooled fund to address the state's mid- to long-term needs to rebuild systems of support for communities, including housing, health care, education and employment. The state's vulnerable residents - Latinx, Tribal and rural communities - have been disproportionately impacted by the wildfire and will be a core focus of 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund grants.

"A core part of Meyer's mission for a flourishing and equitable Oregon calls us to join with other Oregonians in moments of severe crisis to support the resiliency of communities facing hardships," said Michelle J. DePass, president and CEO of Meyer Memorial Trust. "Within these wildfires, the underlying injustices caused by systemic racism and economic inequality are intersecting, exacerbating historic disparities with new risk, trauma and harm."

The Nike Foundation is among several private foundations and businesses with strong ties and operations in Oregon, committing funds to ensure that Oregon's recovery leaves no community or Oregonian behind.
"Now is the time to come together to support our fellow Oregonians and the communities that have been impacted across our treasured state," said Jorge Casimiro, President of the Nike Foundation. "Nike's roots in Oregon run deep, and we're proud to join other Oregon foundations, companies and individuals to support the 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund with a $750,000 donation from the Nike Foundation."

Foundation leaders expect the fund to continue to grow over the coming months as businesses and individuals recognize the importance of supporting diverse communities across Oregon over the long-term and invest in the 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund.

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Oregon Main Street 101 Webinar Series

Do you need to reinvigorate your committees? Train new staff, board members, or committee volunteers? Or simply want to know more about the highly effective Main Street Approach(tm) to downtown and traditional commercial neighborhood revitalization? Then this free webinar series is for you! We have some of the top professionals in the field providing an introduction to each of the four points of the Main Street Approach(tm).

  1.  Main Street 101: Design Part 1 with Randy Wilson, AIA, Community Design Solutions, Thursday, October 15, 8 am to 9 a.m. The Main Street Approach to Design - Before any building is built, a strong foundation must be laid. In similar fashion, before a community or a committee embarks on design-related projects it is imperative that they understand the basic roles and principles pertaining to the Main Street approach to design. In this session participants will learn what happened to our downtowns historically, the Main Street approach to design, critical design basics, and a Top 10 list of best practices pertaining to downtown design. Utilizing a highly visual approach, this session will provide numerous practical tips for Design Committees and interested citizens so that they might address design and planning related issues in their downtown confidently and creatively.
Main Street 101: Getting the House in Order - Design Part 2 Getting the House in Order: Practical Design and Planning Tips for Downtown. No one would ever think of inviting people over for a party without first getting their house in order. From mowing the lawn to trimming the hedges to vacuuming the carpet to washing the dishes, these are the practical things one must do to be a consummate host. However, when it comes to our downtowns, sometimes we forget to "put our best foot forward" and wonder why our "guests" are not impressed. In this highly visual session you will learn practical design and planning tips that can both activate your downtown as well as plan your preferred future so that all of your guests leave impressed. Click Here to Register for Design<https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2226262966442679823> Part 1 & 2

  1.  Main Street 101: Promotion with Ben Muldrow, Arnett Muldrow & Associates, Thursday, October 15, 11 am to 12:15 pm Click Here to Register for Promotion<https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1242012043095521551>. The Promotion point of the Main Street Approach focuses on bringing community members together to celebrate their downtown and encouraging support for local businesses. This session will cover all aspects of the Promotion element from generating priority ideas to specific ideas to implement in your community.
  2.  Main Street 101: Economic Vitality with Jay Schlinsog, CMSM, Downtown Professionals Network, Thursday, October 22, 9 am to 10:15 am Click Here to Register for EV<https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4331717782450557195>. Economic Vitality helps sharpen the competitiveness of existing business owners, helps to foster entrepreneurial start-ups and expansions, and recruits compatible new businesses and new economic uses to enhance downtowns and traditional commercial districts. This session will cover the basics your EV committee, volunteers, and board members need to know about the Main Street Approach to Economic Vitality. Participants will walk away with an understanding of economic vitality, typical areas of responsibility, and sample project ideas.
  3.  Main Street 101: Organization with Sheri Stuart, Oregon Main Street. Thursday, October 22, 11 am to 12:15 pm. Click Here to Register for Organization<https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4169083520049185295>. The Organization component of the Main Street Approach helps build a strong foundation by attracting the people and financial resources necessary to support the overall mission of enhancing and restoring your historic downtown or traditional commercial neighborhood. Participants will walk away with a clear understanding of why the Organization point is important, how to develop your team, and how to bring it all together to support your efforts over the long haul.

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New resource available on Travel Oregon's industry site: Virtual training, engagement and assistance

Small businesses, lodging properties, attractions, restaurants, guides and outfitters have all seen massive losses from the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the momentum of the movement against racial injustice, and recent wildfires have exposed more vulnerabilities (and room for further improvements) in Oregon's tourism industry.

To support economic recovery across the state, Travel Oregon, alongside regional and statewide partners, developed the Virtual Training, Engagement and Assistance program<https://t.e2ma.net/click/5ntx0e/pv851c/hlvu9ib> to provide training resources, engagement opportunities and technical assistance. In addition to the industry site, Travel Oregon's industry YouTube channel hosts a Virtual Training, Engagement and Assistance playlist<https://t.e2ma.net/click/5ntx0e/pv851c/xdwu9ib> for anyone who would like to access past webinars. Programming is designed for small businesses, industry leaders and tourism professionals seeking resources and tools from across the state to support their local tourism economy's healthy recovery.

Content includes both industry<https://t.e2ma.net/click/5ntx0e/pv851c/d6wu9ib> and niche business<https://t.e2ma.net/click/5ntx0e/pv851c/tyxu9ib> training series focused on general tourism development and resources, small business marketing and communications, outfitter forums as well as region-specific trainings and external partner resources.

Travel Oregon will continue to offer technical assistance to businesses that seek to develop or improve their agritourism<https://t.e2ma.net/click/5ntx0e/pv851c/9qyu9ib>, travel trade and guide business<https://t.e2ma.net/click/5ntx0e/pv851c/pjzu9ib> experience. You can now submit a request for this support online. Please visit industry.traveloregon.com/training<https://t.e2ma.net/click/5ntx0e/pv851c/5b0u9ib> for upcoming virtual training and engagement events and to access past events.

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COVID-19 tips and guidelines from OHA for fall events

Oregon Health Authority release tips for a safe Halloween during the pandemic. You can find these tips here<https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/OHA-provides-tips-for-a-safe-(but-still-spooky-and-fun)-Halloween.aspx>. They also have examples of infographics for Halloween safety for communities to use to assess the risk of certain activities and you can find those here<https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/Halloween-Social-Cards.aspx>.

Has your organization pivoted any fall events? Some events we have heard of from heritage organizations include: providing Halloween themed gift baskets with activities and treats, a scavenger hunt, virtual costume contests, selling pumpkins online as a fundraiser, adjusted downtown trick or treating event.

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Oregon Commission on Black Affairs to meet Oct. 10

Oregon Commission on Black Affairs (OCBA)
October 10th, 2020
9:30AM - 11:30AM

The meeting will cover Commissioners' reports, legislative discussion, and other topics of interest to the Commission.

Virtual meeting link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87947411678?pwd=dFN6a0J3ZHpSS1JFSmlCRFhoMmZBUT09

The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities.  Requests for accommodations for people with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours in advance. If you would like to sign up to receive this Public Meeting Notice, have questions regarding accessibility or any other concerns, contact Nancy Kramer at nancy.kramer at oregon.gov<mailto:nancy.kramer at oregon.gov> or 503.302.9725.

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AASLH Conversations: Fundraising in 2020 and Beyond, Oct. 13

DATE: October 13, 2020
TIME: 3:00 - 4:00 pm EASTERN (Remember to adjust for your time zone)
COST: $5 AASLH Members/ $10 Nonmembers/ Free for anyone by using promo code below
PROMO CODE: If you or your organization are facing financial strain due to COVID-19, please use the promo code FREEWBR20 to waive the registration fee for this webinar.
ACCESS: You will be provided with instructions on how to access the live event upon registration.

What does fundraising really look like during a pandemic? Join two museum fundraisers--one from a rural county museum and the other from an urban sports museum--as they walk through how they've handled fundraising since March. From closing to reopening and into an unknown "new normal," Jamie Simek (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum) and Mitch Figert (Wabash County Museum) will talk about strategies, results, and what they're planning for the last quarter of 2020 and beyond.

Register here.<https://learn.aaslh.org/p/event-fundraising-2020oct>

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Share your photos of Oregon's heritage on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using #oregonheritage.

Oregon Heritage News is a service of Oregon Heritage, a division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The news editor can be contacted at heritage.info at oregon.gov<mailto:heritage.info at oregon.gov>.

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