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<DIV>Individuals, organizations and projects that have made outstanding<BR>contributions to preserving Oregon heritage will receive 2012 Oregon<BR>Heritage Excellence Awards next week in Salem. The awards will be<BR>presented at 7 p.m. April 27 at a dinner at The Willamette Heritage<BR>Center at the Mill. The public is invited to attend the awards<BR>presentation.</DIV>
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<DIV>“The award recipients represent the diversity of efforts to preserve<BR>Oregon’s heritage,” said Kyle Jansson, coordinator for the Oregon<BR>Heritage Commission. “They also serve as models for others for how to<BR>make the most out of available resources.”</DIV>
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<DIV>The recipients will be:</DIV>
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<DIV>-- Astoria Bicentennial Celebration, Astoria, for its year-long success<BR>marking Astoria’s 200 years of history and heritage.</DIV>
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<DIV>-- Bob Boyd, Bend, for his scholarship, creativity and enthusiasm in<BR>helping people forge meaningful connections with the history of the High<BR>Desert region for 30 years.</DIV>
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<DIV>-- Chambers Railroad Bridge, Cottage Grove, as an exceptional example<BR>of the preservation of a unique and significant cultural landmark that<BR>boosts heritage tourism, local transportation, and heritage efforts.</DIV>
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<DIV>-- Clatsop County Housing Authority, Astoria, for its excellent work in<BR>making the Owens-Adair building safer and more energy efficient while<BR>retaining the building’s historic character.</DIV>
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<DIV>-- Oregon City 2011 Citywide Historic Building Survey, Oregon City, as<BR>an outstanding example of integrating historic resources and historic<BR>building survey work into comprehensive planning efforts.</DIV>
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<DIV>-- Liisa Penner, Astoria, for her efforts in preserving, promoting, and<BR>disseminating the history of Clatsop County and fostering an<BR>appreciation for local history.</DIV>
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<DIV>-- World War II Veterans Historic Highway, Central Oregon, as an<BR>outstanding partnership to honor World War II veterans and promote the<BR>history and heritage of Oregon’s involvement in the war effort.</DIV>
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<DIV>The Oregon Heritage Excellence Awards are a project of Oregon Heritage,<BR>part of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, which includes the<BR>Oregon Heritage Commission. This year’s awards are being presented in<BR>conjunction with the join Oregon Heritage Conference/Northwest<BR>Archivists Annual Meeting. </DIV>
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<DIV>Tickets for the awards presentation are available by registering online<BR>now at the conference registration website <BR><A href="http://northwestarchivistsinc.wildapricot.org/Default.aspx?pageId=1232289">http://northwestarchivistsinc.wildapricot.org/Default.aspx?pageId=1232289</A>.</DIV>
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<DIV><BR>For more information, contact Cara Kaser at <A href="mailto:cara.kaser@state.or.us">cara.kaser@state.or.us</A> or<BR>(503) 986-0670.<BR></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Poor Richard">Kuri Gill</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Poor Richard">Heritage Grants and Outreach Coordinator</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Times New Roman">725 Summer St. NE, Suite C</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Times New Roman">Salem, OR 97301-1266</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Times New Roman">(503) 986-0685</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Times New Roman">(503) 986-0793 (fax)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Times New Roman"><A href="mailto:kuri.gill@state.or.us">kuri.gill@state.or.us</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Times New Roman"><A href="http://www.oregonheritage.org/">www.oregonheritage.org</A></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>