<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.7601.17940"></HEAD>
<BODY style="MARGIN: 4px 4px 1px; FONT: 10pt Segoe UI">
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 1.0in" class=MsoNormal><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; LETTER-SPACING: 1pt; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">OREGON</SPAN></B></st1:PlaceName><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; LETTER-SPACING: 1pt; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">PARKS</st1:PlaceType></SPAN></B></st1:place><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; LETTER-SPACING: 1pt; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 84pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 60pt; tab-stops: 3.5in 390.0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 60pt; tab-stops: 3.5in 5.0in 5.5in" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>NEWS RELEASE<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">February 8, 2012</SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 390.0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 390.0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 348.0pt" class=MsoNormal><B><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 348.0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">MEDIA CONTACTS:<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Kuri Gill<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">503-986-0685<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 348.0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><A href="mailto:Kuri.Gill@state.or.us"><FONT color=#0000ff size=3 face="Times New Roman">Kuri.Gill@state.or.us</FONT></A><o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 348.0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Cottage Grove receives Heritage All-Star Community designation<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Editor’s Note: The official presentation of the designation will be made during the Feb. 11 Cottage Grove City Council meeting.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Cottage Grove has been designated by the Oregon Heritage Commission as an “Oregon Heritage All-Star Community.” The commission created the All-Star program to recognize the strong efforts by communities to broadly preserve and develop heritage resources. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">An All-Star designation requires that communities meet at least 15 of 20 criteria related to local heritage. These include heritage tourism efforts, historic preservation programs, photo and document archives, museums, historic cemeteries and more. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">“Cottage Grove embraces heritage as a community value,” said Kyle Jansson, coordinator for the Oregon Heritage Commission. “The city, museums, historical society and community members make a magnificent effort to preserve and share local history. The coordinated effort by these individuals and organizations has made local heritage a contributor to the economy and livability of Cottage Grove.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">The city is required to maintain at least 15 of the criteria to maintain the Heritage All-Star status. Technical assistance will be provided to Cottage Grove and other all-star communities to maintain, sustain and expand the heritage offerings and facilities. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">“Preserving our local historical resources is very important to our community. The designation as a Heritage All-Star community not only recognizes us for our efforts but will help us continue to improve our preservation efforts,” commented Thomas Munroe, Cottage Grove Mayor. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Assistance is available for communities seeking to acquire Heritage All-Star Community status. Oregon Heritage of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, that houses the Oregon Heritage Commission, offers technical support, workshops, grants and other resources for all heritage projects in the state. To learn more, visit </FONT><A href="http://www.oregonheritage.org/"><FONT color=#0000ff size=3 face="Times New Roman">www.oregonheritage.org</FONT></A><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> or contact Kuri Gill at </FONT><A href="mailto:Kuri.Gill@state.or.us"><FONT color=#0000ff size=3 face="Times New Roman">Kuri.Gill@state.or.us</FONT></A><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> or 503-986-0685.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> </P>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Gill Sans MT">Kuri Gill</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Gill Sans MT">Oregon Heritage</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Gill Sans MT">725 Summer St. NE, Suite C</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Gill Sans MT">Salem, OR 97301-1266</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Gill Sans MT">(503) 986-0685</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Gill Sans MT">(503) 986-0793 (fax)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Gill Sans MT"><A href="mailto:kuri.gill@state.or.us">kuri.gill@state.or.us</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Gill Sans MT"><A href="http://www.oregonheritage.org/">www.oregonheritage.org</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #c8e0d8" face="Gill Sans MT"><A href="http://www.facebook.com/oregonheritage">www.facebook.com/oregonheritage</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://oregonheritage.wordpress.com/"><FONT face="Gill Sans MT">http://oregonheritage.wordpress.com/</FONT></A></DIV></BODY></HTML>