FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2022
Douglas County Commissioners Issue Proclamation
in Honor of National Guard Day
(Douglas County, Ore.) – The Douglas County Board of Commissioners issued a proclamation today Wednesday, December 7, 2022 at the Weekly Business Meeting calling upon all citizens of Douglas County to observe National Guard Day, in celebration of the National Guard‘s upcoming 386th Birthday on December 13, 2022. Commissioners were honored to recognize the men and women who bravely serve our communities and nation in the Army National Guard.
The proclamation was presented by Commissioner Boice, on behalf of the Board and acknowledged, “We know that the U.S. National Guard is the oldest military organization in America and its members respond to state and national emergencies, military conflicts, natural disasters and also conduct search and rescue operations. We recognize that the U.S. Army National Guard is a reserve force of men and women who trace their roots back to Colonial America. Founded in 1636 as a citizen force, today the National Guard is a ready reserve group of 450,000 men and women voluntarily serving in all 50 states and four U.S. territories. We are especially proud to honor members of Roseburg’s Charlie Company unit, who represent Oregon National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment for the invaluable work they do.” A copy of the video presentation can be found on the Douglas County Government Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountyeGovernment.
In addition to deployments all over the world during war and conflict times, in recent years, the utilization of the National Guard has been unprecedented with members of the Oregon National Guard providing critical support to the state's COVID-19 response, assisting civilian law enforcement during periods of civil unrest, as well as assisting state and local governments during hazardous weather and wildfire response operations.
Commissioner Tom Kress presented proclamation certificates to attending Oregon Army National Guard members from Roseburg’s Charlie Company, the Oregon Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment, as well as Oregon Army National Guard Headquarters in Salem, Golf Company out of Salem and Bravo Company out of Salem: Brigadier General Eric Riley; Lt. Colonel Dustin Ballard; Lt. Colonel Jered Carpenter; Master Sergeant Sheri Hoddle; Sergeant First Class Nick Marshall; Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Deputy Arthur Maldonado (Flight Operations SGT w/1st Battalion 189th Aviation) and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Deputy Ricky Perry (Specialist w/1st Battalion 186th Infantry Regiment).
The proclamation presented today is a reminder that the freedoms and liberties we enjoy as Americans owe a debt of gratitude to the courageous men and women who have and currently serve our nation in all divisions of our United States Armed Forces, including our reserves. Today and every day, we especially encourage citizens to honor and support the men and women proudly serving our communities in the Army National Guard.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Proclamation Attached. Photos © K.Trenkle/Douglas County. Individual photos available upon request.
Douglas County Proclamation Project
Douglas County Commissioners, Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress recognized that the pandemic traumatized our country, state and county on so many levels. The impact was not only felt physically, but also mentally, emotionally and financially. The Commissioners collectively decided to start this series of ‘kudos’ proclamations, and are dedicated to recognizing people that have continued to do good things in our community despite the challenges of the past two years. They plan to continue to highlight the amazing, often selfless work being done in order to encourage our residents to do the same. The incredible stories being told during our proclamation events shine a huge spotlight on the amazing people and organizations in Douglas County. We want to focus on what really matters, our people. So far this year, the Commissioners have issued 34 proclamations and honored over 877 Douglas County individuals as a part of our Proclamation Project. They hope you will join them in supporting, thanking and perhaps volunteering to help these wonderful individuals and service organizations, so we can come together to rekindle and restore our sense of community, our faith in others and the joy that makes Douglas County the best place to live, work and play.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2022
*** MEETING NOTICE***
Noxious Weed Advisory Board Meeting
December 8, 2022
(Douglas County, Ore.) The next Douglas County Noxious Weed Advisory Board meeting will take place on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 2:00 pm in Room 216 of the Douglas County Courthouse located at 1036 SE Douglas Avenue in Roseburg, Oregon.
In compliance with ORS 192.610 to 192.690, we will accommodate any member of the public who wishes to watch the meeting. To view the live stream or post meeting recording, please visit: https://video.ibm.com/channel/douglascountyoregon.
For additional information about this meeting, please contact Jennifer Miller by calling (541) 440-4201 or email at jennifer@co.douglas.or.us.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Please see the revised press release. The correct spelling of the exhibit is The Letitia Carson Legacy Project.
My apologies for the incorrect spelling of her name.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2022
New Exhibit Honoring Pioneer Letitia Carson Opens December 9
(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress, along with the Douglas County Museum staff are pleased to announce that they have the honor of unveiling, for the first time, a new traveling exhibit from The Letitia Carson Legacy Project and Oregon Black Pioneers honoring the life of one of Oregon’s first African American pioneers on Friday, December 9, 2022, at the Douglas County Museum of History and Natural History, located at 123 Museum Drive in Roseburg, Oregon. The new exhibit, which is on loan to the Douglas County Museum, includes photographs, historic maps, newspaper articles, published works, and other documentary evidence about Letitia Carson, her family and the Letitia Carson Legacy Project. The public is invited to join the Commissioners, museum staff and volunteers on Friday, December 9, 2022, from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm at Douglas County Museum for a special reception to debut the new exhibit detailing Letitia Carson’s life and legacy.* The traveling exhibit will be on display at the Douglas County Museum through January 2023.
“It is our honor to be the first museum to unveil this amazing exhibit and celebrate the life and legacy of Oregon pioneer Letitia Carson. We are equally honored that Letitia chose to call Douglas County her home over one hundred and sixty years ago,” commented Commissioner Tom Kress, liaison Commissioner to the Douglas County Museum.
Letitia Carson was a Black Oregon homesteader, farmer and matriarch living in the time of Oregon's exclusion laws. She came to Oregon in 1845 with a white man, David Carson, with whom she would have two children. After David’s death in 1852, the Carson land, cattle and belongings were sold by a neighbor who claimed she could not own land because of the whites-only provision of the 1850 Oregon Donation Land Claim Act. In two unprecedented court cases (1855 & 1856), Letitia successfully sued for compensation. A short time after settlement of the lawsuits, Letitia and her children moved to Douglas County, Oregon. For several years she reportedly lived in the upper Cow Creek Valley with the Hardy Elliff family, for whom she worked. She also served as a midwife for the community. On June 17, 1863, Letitia submitted a land claim for 160 acres along South Myrtle Creek, roughly 13 miles northeast of Myrtle Creek in Douglas County, Oregon. On October 1, 1869, Letitia's land claim near Myrtle Creek was certified by President Grant, making her the first black woman in Oregon to successfully secure a land claim. She lived out the rest of her days as a homesteader raising cattle, and pigs, and tending to her orchard of fruit trees. In 1888, she was laid to rest in The Stephens Cemetery, just a few miles from her homestead property.
“We are so proud to make available this new traveling exhibit about Letitia Carson. Communities around Oregon will be inspired by her story and her legacy,” said Zachary Stocks, Executive Director Oregon Black Pioneers. “We especially thank Oregon State University’s Center for Small Farms and Community Food Systems and The Ford Family Foundation for sponsoring this important exhibit and opening event.”
Oregon Black Pioneers is Oregon’s only historical society dedicated to preserving and presenting the experiences of African Americans statewide. Since 1993, the organization has illuminated the seldom-told history of people of African descent in Oregon. Inspired by the tenacity of Black Oregonians who have faced discrimination and hardship to make a life for themselves here over the past 400 years, Oregon Black Pioneers honors their sacrifices by remembering their stories and by sharing them with the public. Oregon Black Pioneers’ vision is to become the preeminent resource for the study of Oregon’s African American history and culture. Special thanks to OSU Center for Small Farms and Community Food Systems and The Ford Family Foundation for sponsoring this exhibit. The Letitia Carson Legacy Project is a collaboration between Oregon State University, Oregon Black Pioneers, Black Oregon Land Trust, and Linn-Benton Branch NAACP and Museum. For more information about Oregon Black Pioneers log onto https://oregonblackpioneers.org/
Being at the heart of a natural resource-based economy, the Douglas County Museum of History & Natural History pays homage to the mining, fishing, farming and timber industries in Douglas County. Open to visitors for over 50 years, the Museum boasts Oregon’s largest natural history collection with more than 7,500 preserved items that help tell the ancient and contemporary stories of the Umpqua River Valley. It showcases the wonderful ecological diversity of our county, as it traverses an amazingly wide range of elevations, environments, vegetation and creatures from the snowcapped peaks of Mt. Thielsen in the Cascade Mountain Range, through the Umpqua Valley – which is defined by the watershed basin of the Umpqua River, then over the Coastal Mountain Range to the crashing surf of the Pacific Ocean in Winchester Bay. The Museum also features cultural and period relics from a time when Native Americans inhabited the mountains, streams and shores of the County. Home to humans for more than 10,000 years, the valley is named for the Umpqua Tribe that still call this area home. It then chronicles the journey of the first non-native explorers, pioneers and settlers that came to our area as fur trappers, missionaries, prospectors, loggers, farmers and fishermen.
The Douglas County Museum of History & Natural History is located at 123 Museum Drive in Roseburg, Oregon (adjacent to I-5 off Exit 123 and the Douglas County Fairgrounds). It is open Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. It can take 1-3 hours to tour the museum depending on your pace. The Lavola Bakken Research Library is open Tuesday through Saturday 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm. Admission is free for members, ages 0-4 are free, students 5-17 are $2.00, adults are $8.00, seniors and veterans are $5.00. The "Museum Mercantile," our Museum gift shop, offers the area’s leading source of books on Douglas County’s natural and cultural history, as well as a wide range of Oregon souvenirs and other great gift items including educational and historic toys. For more information or to volunteer at our Douglas County Museum of History & Natural History check out our website at https://umpquavalleymuseums.org/ or call the Douglas County Museum at (541) 957-7007.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
* The special debut reception is free to the public and will take place in the Museum conference room. Attendees who want to tour the rest of the Douglas County Museum are asked to pay an admission fee (unless you are a museum member).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2022
Commissioners Honor Lowell Ostrom as Senior Volunteer of the Month
(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice, and Tom Kress, along with our Douglas County Senior Services Department are honored to announce that Lowell Ostrom was awarded the Douglas County Senior Services Volunteer of the Month award for November 2022. Commissioner Tom Kress was honored to present Lowell with the award at the Bistro Sixty Senior Dining Site in Reedsport earlier this month. Bistro Sixty Reedsport which is located inside the Lower Umpqua Senior Center on 460 Winchester Avenue in Reedsport.
“Dedicated volunteers like Lowell show up day-in and day-out to meet the needs of seniors through our Meals on Wheels program. This isn’t just an activity for him, he’s made it part of his personal community. We are very grateful to have him as part of the Douglas County Senior Services family,” remarked Commissioner Tom Kress, liaison Commissioner to Douglas County Senior Services.
Food Service Worker Karen Robertson nominated Lowell as Douglas County Senior Services Volunteer of the Month. She said, “Lowell started out as a temporary substitute helper, but that was twelve years ago! He is here every day and helps train new people. Lowell is willing to do whatever needs to be done. He is so very appreciated.”
Lowell saw a need 12 years ago when he was enjoying a meal at the senior center. He noticed that one of the regular volunteers was out and the dishes had started to pile up. He rolled up his sleeves and started clearing dishes. An Army veteran, he’s lived in Douglas County since 1979, and made a career as a refrigeration serviceman until 2007. Lowell has found a family at the Bistro Sixty Reedsport and pours his heart into volunteering there. When not volunteering at Bistro Sixty in Reedsport or watching NASCAR, he spends time in the country, especially traversing logging roads just enjoying God’s creation. Lowell said, “I started as a diner, and then designated myself as a dish scraper. I’ve assisted in every role here and love serving as a driver now. I’m 75 years old and a lot of my family and friends and neighbors have passed on. Bistro Sixty has become a family to me.”
Our Bistro Sixty Senior Dining Sites prepare meals on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at our seven rural dining site locations in Glide, Glendale, Reedsport, Riddle, Sutherlin, Winston, and Yoncalla. Senior Services staff know there are others in our communities who could benefit from their Meals on Wheels delivery program and/or meals at their Bistro Sixty Senior Dining Sites. If residents know of friends or family who are unable to drive, need assistance with daily living activities, would benefit from hot meal delivery, or need other assistance, they are encouraged to call the Aging & Disabilities Resource Connection in the Douglas County Senior Services Department at (541) 440-3677 or by sending an email to adrc@co.douglas.or.us.
Douglas County’s seven rural Senior Dining Sites and Meals on Wheels programs are managed by Douglas County Senior Services Department staff but are successful because of the dedication of volunteers like Lowell. To get involved with Douglas County Bistro Sixty Senior Dining Sites and Meals on Wheels programs or to learn more about volunteer opportunities, contact Darla Hilburn at the Douglas County Senior Services Department via email at dahilbur@co.douglas.or.usor by calling (541) 440-3677. Thank you, Lowell!
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Media Contact:
Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Kellie Trenkle, Public Affairs Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 440-4493 Email: kellie@co.douglas.or.us
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2022
** Meeting Notice **
Douglas County Veterans Advisory Committee
Tuesday, December 13, 2022
(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress are pleased to inform the public that the next Douglas County Veterans Advisory Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 3:00 pm in Room 216 of the Douglas County Courthouse located at 1036 SE Douglas Avenue in Roseburg, Oregon.
In compliance with ORS 192.610 to 192.690, we will accommodate any member of the public who wishes to watch the meeting. To view the live stream or post meeting recording, please visit: https://video.ibm.com/channel/douglascountyoregon.
For additional information please contact the Douglas County Veterans Service Office by calling (541) 440-4219 or email at veterans@co.douglas.or.us The meeting agenda is attached and can be found on the Douglas County government website at www.co.douglas.or.us.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist | Public Information Officer | (541) 670-2804 cell | (541) 957-4896 office | tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2022
** Notice of Meeting **
Douglas County Local Public Safety Coordinating Council (LPSCC)
Tuesday, December 6, 2022
(Douglas County, Ore.) The next meeting of the Douglas County Local Public Safety Coordinating Council (LPSCC) will take place on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 at 11:30 am, in Room 310 at the Douglas County Courthouse located at 1036 SE Douglas Avenue in Roseburg, Oregon.
In compliance with ORS 192.610 to 192.690, we will accommodate any member of the public who wishes to watch the meeting via video conference or listen via phone. Members of the public who wish to watch/listen to this meeting can use the options listed below:
Video participation option: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87253309154?pwd=SkE3UW5FTk9YWnQyUW4rVXJKZW9hQT09
(Zoom meeting)
Meeting ID: 872 5330 9154, Passcode: 971355
Or call in (audio only) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose), United States
Phone Conference ID: *971355#
The meeting agenda is attached and can also be found at www.co.douglas.or.us.
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Contact: Ellen Nowa
Douglas County LPSCC Interim Coordinator, Douglas County Juvenile Department
Phone: (541) 957-4755 | Email: ednowa@co.douglas.or.us
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 22, 2022
Commissioners Honor the Medlers as Senior Volunteers of the Month
(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress, along with our Douglas County Senior Services Department are honored to announce that Tom & Tina Medler were awarded the Douglas County Senior Services Volunteers of the Month award for October 2022. Commissioner Tom Kress was honored to present the couple with the award at the Bistro Sixty Senior Dining Site in Sutherlin, which is located inside the Sutherlin Senior Center at 202 East Central in Sutherlin.
“The vitality our volunteers bring to our Bistro Sixty Dining Sites is unmatched in Tom & Tina Medler! It is really something to watch them engage with the guests. Volunteers like them are what makes our programs run so smoothly,” remarked Commissioner Tom Kress, liaison Commissioner to Douglas County Senior Services.
Douglas County Lead Food Service Worker at the Sutherlin Senior Dining Site, Victoria Kietzman nominated the Medlers for the award. She said, “Tom & Tina are the foundation of Bistro Sixty in Sutherlin. They are passionate about their duties and fulfill them with kindness and a smile. They’ve done every single job, including driving for our Meals on Wheels program. The best part of how they serve is the time they take sitting and visiting with those who dine with us.”
Tom & Tina Medler have volunteered at Bistro Sixty Sutherlin for 18 of the 19 years they’ve lived in Douglas County. Tom spent 42 years as an industrial engineer and Tina was an interior designer for 20 years, but now they spend their time visiting their seven children and their many grandchildren and great-grandchildren all over the United States. When not volunteering at Bistro Sixty, their church, or the Elks Lodge, they’re traveling worldwide. The couple has been married for 61 years and they love to dance and play cards.
Tina stated, “We’ve been volunteering since we were in our 20s when we belonged to the Jaycees. We volunteer because we receive so much more than we give!”
Our Bistro Sixty Senior Dining Sites prepare meals on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at our seven rural dining site locations in Glide, Glendale, Reedsport, Riddle, Sutherlin, Winston, and Yoncalla. Senior Services staff know there are others in our communities who could benefit from their Meals on Wheels delivery program and/or meals at their Bistro Sixty Senior Dining Sites. If residents know of friends or family who are unable to drive, need assistance with daily living activities, would benefit from hot meal delivery, or need other assistance, they are encouraged to call the Aging & Disabilities Resource Connection in the Douglas County Senior Services Department at (541) 440-3677 or by sending an email to adrc@co.douglas.or.us.
Douglas County’s seven rural Senior Dining Sites and Meals on Wheels programs are managed by Douglas County Senior Services Department staff but are successful because of the dedication of volunteers like Tom & Tina. To get involved with Douglas County Bistro Sixty Senior Dining Sites and Meals on Wheels programs or to learn more about volunteer opportunities, contact Darla Hilburn at the Douglas County Senior Services Department via email at dahilbur@co.douglas.or.usor by calling (541) 440-3677. Thank you, Tom & Tina!
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Kellie Trenkle, Public Affairs Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 440-4493| Email: kellie@co.douglas.or.us
Photos: © K Trenkle/Douglas County. Individual photos available upon request
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2022
2022 Douglas County Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
Sunday, November 27, 2022
(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress, are excited to officially kick off the Christmas Season with the lighting of the 2022 Douglas County Christmas Tree on Sunday, November 27, 2022 at 6:00 pm on the front lawn of the Douglas County Courthouse. That evening we will flip the switch and light up our 2022 Douglas County Christmas Tree for the first time. The family-friendly event is free and open to kids of all ages. Click here for a sneak peek at the save-the-date video for the tree lighting ceremony https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountyeGovernment/videos/1053482331986886/.
2022 Douglas County Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, is a collaborative effort of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, City of Roseburg and Roseburg’s First Christian Church. The evening’s festivities include a family-oriented program with music performed by the Geneva Academy Honor Choir, a fun musical stage production from Occasionally Yours Party Rentals, and a visit from not only the Jolly Old Elf himself, Santa Claus, but also Mrs. Claus too! The First Christian Church will have their traditional nativity scene on display, across the street from the courthouse, and refreshments will be served by Miss Douglas County Scholarship Program. We also encourage the public to take a stroll through Downtown Roseburg to see the festive storefronts and Christmas lights while visiting our local businesses, stores and restaurants. The lights on the Douglas County Christmas Tree and Courthouse will be on display throughout the holiday season.
For those not able to attend in-person, the 2022 Douglas County Tree Lighting Ceremony will be live-streamed on the Douglas County Government Facebook page starting at 5:50 pm. Join us at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountyeGovernment. We would like to take this time to wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy NEW Year! For more information about the tree lighting ceremony, contact the Douglas County Public Affairs Office at (541) 957-4896 or by email dcinfo@co.douglas.or.us.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Public Information Officer - (541) 670-2804 cell - (541) 957-4896 office - tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
(Event Poster Attached)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2022
Douglas County Senior Services Joins Meals on Wheels America
and Subaru of America in Sharing the Love this Holiday Season
15th Annual Subaru Share the Love Event helps deliver nutritious meals and compassion to Douglas County seniors
(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice, and Tom Kress are pleased to support our Douglas County Senior Services Department as they participate in the grant program offered annually by the Subaru Share the Love Event. As a member of Meals on Wheels America, Douglas County Senior Services operates seven senior dining and delivery meal sites in Douglas County that serve over 71,000 meals a year. Meals on Wheels is one of the four national Share the Love charitable partners supported through the Share the Love grant campaign. For any new Subaru vehicle purchased or leased at one of the more than 630 Subaru retailers from Thursday, November 17, 2022, through Tuesday, January 3, 2023, Subaru will donate $250 to the customer's choice of participating charities. Participating Meals on Wheels America members, like Douglas County Senior Services, will receive a share of the donation raised by Subaru in our state. As an added bonus this year, retailers can also add up to two local hometown charities to receive an additional $50 for each vehicle sold or leased. Additionally, 417 participating Subaru retailers nationwide will donate an additional $5 to their registered hometown charity partner for every routine Subaru vehicle service visit during the campaign period.
To celebrate the milestone anniversary of the 2022 Subaru Share the Love Event, Subaru of America is also hosting a kickoff event for its corporate employees on November 17. Employees across the country and at the automaker's headquarters in Camden, NJ will have the opportunity to participate in volunteer projects that will benefit local nonprofits as part of the largest annual volunteer event with local partners that correspond to the national partners.
“Meals on Wheels America is proud to partner with Subaru of America for the 15th consecutive year to
enable more seniors to live with independence and dignity,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO, Meals on
Wheels America. “Since 2008, the Subaru Share the Love Event has helped deliver more than 4 million meals
and friendly visits to vulnerable seniors nationwide. We’re enormously grateful to Subaru and its retailers for
their long-standing commitment to Meals on Wheels and the millions of seniors who depend on it for nourishment
and companionship.”
Over the last 14 years, Subaru of America and its participating retailers have donated more than $227
million to their charitable partners and supported over 1,700 hometown charities to help those in need. This year’s Subaru Share the Love Event is on track to bring that total to over $250 million, proving there’s no limit to the amount of love we can all share.
By purchasing or leasing a new Subaru during the Subaru Share the Love Event and selecting Meals on
Wheels as your charity of choice, you can help deliver nutritious meals and other important services to seniors
right here in Douglas County. For more information, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/sharethelove. For more information about programs for seniors in Douglas County visit Dougals County Senior Services https://douglascounty-oregon.us/452/Senior-Services.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist- Public Information Officer (541) 670-2804 cell - (541) 957-4896 office - tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
About Meals on Wheels America
Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. This network serves virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America’s seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity. By providing funding, leadership, education, research and advocacy support, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 630 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive; Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company’s vision to show love and respect to everyone, and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA has donated more than $120 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged more than 40,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do.
Joint Release with Douglas County Commissioners, Douglas Public Health Network and Aviva Health
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 17, 2022
Dr. Bob Wins Oregon Rural Health Hero of the Year Award
(Douglas County, Ore.) The Douglas County Board of Commissioners along with Douglas Public Health Network (DPHN) and Aviva Health are excited to announce that Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer, our Douglas County Public Health Officer was selected as Oregon’s 2022 Rural Health Hero of the Year by the Oregon Office of Rural Health (ORH). Each year the ORH, a division of Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) recognizes one individual, provider, practitioner or community for making a “distinguished, unique or exceptional contribution to improving the quality of life for rural Oregonians.” ORH lists that the criteria for this award may include someone going above and beyond expected job responsibilities, outstanding volunteerism, sustained and successful commitment to a particular issue or issues affecting rural health care, and long-term impact of contribution. Dr. Bob received the Oregon Rural Health Hero of the Year at the 39th Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference held in Sunriver, Oregon in October this year. A copy of the video presented at the award presentation can be found on the ORH website at: https://www.ohsu.edu/oregon-office-of-rural-health/oregon-rural-health-hero-year-award.
Earlier this year, Teresa Mutschler, Executive Director at (DPHN) and Vanessa Becker, the DPHN PIO, led the charge to get Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer, nominated for this prestigious award. They sent out a request for nomination support letters from our community and received an overwhelming response from not just the medical community, but from local governments, businesses, educators and nonprofit organizations. The list of letters added to the nomination application were from: KC Bolton, CEO/Aviva Health; Jared Cordon, Superintendent/Roseburg Public Schools; Brian Prawitz, BP Media; Analicia Nicholson, Superintendent/Douglas ESD; Natalie Jones, Deputy CMO/Aviva Health; Justin Lyman, Trillium Community Health Plans; Maureen Short, UCAN, Douglas County Commissioner Tim Freeman and Tamara Howell, Douglas County PIO.
“Thank you so much for this recognition, but this is really a team effort. We had incredibly great cooperation from the Commissioners to everyone else in our community who came together to make a great team and made this (response effort) work,” commented Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, Douglas County Public Health Officer.
Below is an excerpt from the nomination application:
“Dr. Bob, as our community affectionately refers to him, has been a rural health hero in Douglas County for many decades. His love and devotion to health in our community began with his practice as a pediatrician and most recently in his role as Public Health Officer leading our county COVID response. Dr. Bob remained steadfast in his commitment to Douglas County as he became a chief strategist and leader in our local pandemic response. Dr. Bob not only helped to prepare Douglas Public Health Network (aka DPHN), and the community for a pandemic, but he also was front and center with testing efforts, education, assembling a robust epidemiology contact tracing team, significant communications and was instrumental in vaccine roll out, all for our local rural community.
Dr. Bob became the face for calm, compassionate and correct COVID information during the pandemic at a time when people were full of uncertainty and panic with the strange new virus. His efforts provided our community a foundation in which to negotiate the tumultuous waters that the pandemic threw at us individually, in our families and our community organizations. Dr. Bob’s thoughtful, bright and compassionate work has positively impacted thousands of community members and dozens of our community institutions, as you will see in the many letters of support that are attached. His unwavering commitment to improving health and reducing the morbidity and mortality of COVID was felt far beyond the borders of Douglas County as he advocated for rural communities at a state and national level.”
“Dr. Bob has been a hero in our community for decades, but his unrelenting dedication and drive during the COVID-19 pandemic lifted him to hero status across the state,” says KC Bolton, CEO of Aviva Health. “While he is quick to deflect praise, make no mistake that Dr. Bob is more than deserving of this award, and all of us at Aviva Health are truly grateful for the many contributions he has made to our community.”
“Dr. Dannenhoffer continues to make such a great impact on the lives of so many people in Douglas County. He not only cares for his patients and their families in his pediatrics practice, but he also cares deeply about the people in our community,” stated Teresa Mutschler, Executive Director at DPHN. “We appreciate his commitment and dedication to rural health and congratulate him as he receives recognition as the 2022 Oregon Rural Health Hero of the Year.”
Dr. Bob grew up in New York City, earned his Bachelor of Science in Pre-Med from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, completed his medical school training at Albany Medical College in NY, his pediatric residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and then served in the United States Navy. He moved to Roseburg in 1989 and has practiced pediatric medicine here ever since. In addition to his current pediatric practice at Aviva Health, Dr. Bob has been the Vice President for Clinical Effectiveness at Mercy Medical Center, the President of the Oregon Medical Association, the CEO of DCIPA, and Architrave Health, Executive Director and Chief Health Strategist at DPHN and has served as the Douglas County Health Officer for over five years.
“Your dedication to each and every person you help is pretty remarkable. That is something that each of you do as providers. It’s easy to get wrapped up in policy decisions and the numbers of people you serve, but each of us has to remember that every single person that you help is really, really, important! That individual caring and taking the extra step to help that individual person is something that Dr. Dannenhoffer and all of you do, so I want to thank Dr. Dannenhoffer for that work,” commented Commissioner Tim Freeman.
Douglas County Commissioners recognized Dr. Bob at the Weekly Business Meeting on Wednesday, November 16, 2022. Dr. Bob joined us via Zoom from the American Medical Association’s Annual Conference. A copy of the live video presentation can be found on the Douglas County Government Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountyeGovernment.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Vanessa Becker, Public Information Officer, Douglas Public Health Network | Cell: (541) 817-6552 | vanessa@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org
Mark Tsuchiya, Marketing and Development Director, Aviva Health | Office: (541) 672-9596 Ext 105 | mtsuchiya@aviva.health
Photos: © K Trenkle/Douglas County. Individual photos available upon request.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2022
Membership Recruitment for the Douglas County Planning Commission
(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress are seeking interested persons to serve as members of the Douglas County Planning Commission. The Planning Commission is a seven member advisory and decision making body of Douglas County. Members represent differing interests, geographic areas and occupations. The term of appointment is four years. The recruitment will give priority to applicants who can represent the southern and central region of Douglas County.
The Planning Commission advises the County on land use program activities serves as the appeal body for contested land use decisions and conducts hearings on discretionary land use actions. The Planning Commission is an important and integral part of land use planning under Oregon laws.
Citizens residing in Douglas County who are interested in being considered for Douglas County Planning Commission membership are urged to submit an application to either the Douglas County Board of Commissioners Office or the Douglas County Planning Department. Applications are available in-person at the Board of Commissioners Office, located in Room 217 at the Douglas County Courthouse, or in the Planning Department, located in Room 106 in the Justice Building at the Douglas County Courthouse, both of which are located at 1036 SE Douglas Avenue in Roseburg, Oregon. For an electronic version of the application email: BOC.Assistants@co.douglas.or.us. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Douglas County Planning Department at (541) 440-4289. Applications accepted until position(s) are filled.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Update: Our apologies. We have updated the photo collage with the correct photos and listings.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16, 2022
Commissioners Issue Proclamation for Rural Health Day
(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress issued a proclamation today at the Weekly Business Meeting calling upon all citizens of Douglas County to observe National Rural Health Day, which is celebrated every year on the third Thursday of November. The proclamation was presented by Commissioner Boice, on behalf of the Board and acknowledged that “In Douglas County we are committed to supporting the health and well-being of rural Douglas County citizens, and we want to celebrate our rural health care providers who work tirelessly to meet their needs.” A copy of the live video presentation can be found on the Douglas County Government Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCountyeGovernment.
Commissioner Kress presented Rural Health Day proclamation certificates to various organizations in our community that promote healthy living and provide health care services in our rural communities. They included: Douglas Public Health Network (DPHN) - -Teresa Mutschler (ED) Laura Turpen and Andree Shidlovsky; Umpqua Valley Ambulance – Rodney Blake and Thomas Krokoski; Douglas County Fire District #2 –Nick Wecks (Chief Training Officer); North Douglas FD & Oakland FD – Chief Brian Burke; AVIVA Health - Mark Tsuchiya (Marketing and Development Director); ADAPT Integrated Healthcare - Dr. Theresa Lundy (CMO); CHI Mercy Medical Center - Sarah Baumgartner (Director of Communications) and Taylor Moore; UCAN – Colleen May (Healthy Families); Umpqua Health Alliance - Brent Eichman (CEO); Thrive Umpqua (formerly Blue Zones) - Jessica Hand, John Dimof and Board President Lance Colley. After the certificates were presented, representatives from each organization were invited to the podium to talk about their organization and the work they do in promoting and responding to rural health issues in Douglas County.
“As each of you came up today, I got to thinking about the uniqueness of our community and how everybody really works together. I also got to thinking about how through the years all the different ways I have gotten to help and watch you do your jobs, and every time I continue to be impressed with each organization represented here today...especially over the past two and half years. I honestly believe that no other county in the state was as well-prepared as we were for that and the work that was done, was done so successfully because of our great community partnerships,” stated Commissioner Tim Freeman.
The proclamation presented today is a reminder and encouragement for our citizens to honor and support our rural health care providers, practitioners, organizations and support staff, and also work together to bring about a stronger, healthier rural Douglas County. #ruralhealthday #celebratingthepowerofrural
Following the proclamation presentation, the Commissioners acknowledged Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer, our Douglas County Public Health Officer for recently being selected as the 2022 Oregon Rural Health Hero of the Year from the Oregon Office of Rural Health, a division of Oregon Health Sciences University.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Proclamation and Photo Collage Attached. Photo © K Trenkle/Douglas County. Individual photos available upon request.
Douglas County Proclamation Project
Douglas County Commissioners, Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress recognized that the pandemic traumatized our country, state and county on so many levels. The impact was not only felt physically, but also mentally, emotionally and financially. The Commissioners collectively decided to start this series of ‘kudos’ proclamations, and are dedicated to recognizing people that have continued to do good things in our community despite the challenges of the past two years. They plan to continue to highlight the amazing, often selfless work being done in order to encourage our residents to do the same. The incredible stories being told during our proclamation events shine a huge spotlight on the amazing people and organizations in Douglas County. We want to focus on what really matters, our people. So far this year, the Commissioners have issued 33 proclamations and honored over 870 Douglas County individuals as a part of our Proclamation Project. They hope you will join them in supporting, thanking and perhaps volunteering to help these wonderful individuals and service organizations, so we can come together to rekindle and restore our sense of community, our faith in others and the joy that makes Douglas County the best place to live, work and play.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 15, 2022
** Meeting Notice **
Douglas County Parks Advisory Board
Thursday, November 17, 2022
(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice and Tom Kress are pleased to inform the public that the next Douglas County Parks Advisory Board (PAB) meeting will be held on Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 10:00 am, in Room 216 of the Douglas County Courthouse located at 1036 SE Douglas Avenue in Roseburg, Oregon.
In compliance with ORS 192.610 to 192.690, we will accommodate any member of the public who wishes to watch the meeting. To view the live stream, please visit: https://video.ibm.com/channel/douglascountyoregon.
For additional information about this meeting, please contact the Douglas County Parks Department at (541) 957-7001. The meeting agenda can be found on the Douglas County government website at https://douglascounty-oregon.us/.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Deb Pack, Division Business Manager, Douglas County Parks Department (541) 440-6040 office –dmpack@co.douglas.or.us
Updated: Corrected spelling for Steve Snawder with Roseburg Race
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2022
Roseburg Outlaw Kart Racing Brings Commerce to Douglas County
(Douglas County, Ore.) We are off to the races and it’s going to be a mud-flying, wheels-whirling, and gears-grinding kind of time! But, it will not be your typical night at the races, we are talking about Karts, that’s right karts with a ‘K’ races for Kids! Douglas County Commissioners Tim Freeman, Chris Boice, and Tom Kress along with our Douglas County Fairgrounds are always proud to support youth and family activities in our county. Especially, when the activity also brings much needed commerce to local businesses such as hotels, campgrounds, restaurants, grocery stores and auto parts stores in our community.
The Roseburg Outlaw Kart Racing (ROKR) winter indoor youth racing series has been going strong since a small group of race enthusiasts started racing on a handmade dirt track inside River Arena at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in the late 1980s. The 30 plus-year-old youth racing association continues to rent the same arena from the Fairgrounds today. They sponsor 14-16 kart racing events from November through February each year that bring 200-500 visitors to Douglas County each and every race weekend. The ROKR winter racing series typically offers 6 racing classes for youth ages 5 to 18 plus. The winter kart racing series has become the focus for several generations of kart-loving families and some even travel to as many as 100 races a year. The sport offers the opportunity for youth to learn about good sportsmanship and self-confidence, as well as enjoying many hours of quality time with family and friends.
Youth kart racing arrived on the scene in northern California around 1984, with the opening of the Outlaw Sprint Kart series in Red Bluff, California, when a small group of local racers built homemade karts to race on an oval dirt track. They say the winter indoor caged kart racing concept was essentially born out of boredom, as race car drivers were looking for something to do during the off-season. It eventually evolved into a youth sport for both boys and girls of all ages. Since then the sport has grown exponentially with several dirt kart tracks opening in the northwest and in many regions all over the world, but Red Bluff is still considered the birthplace of Outlaw Kart Racing. Now, the karts are not your typical play karts or shifter karts that run on pavement, they are more like tiny versions of the sprint cars that race in the bigger dirt track leagues. Today’s sophisticated karts are all about safety and protecting the drivers with cages, 5-point harnesses, aerodynamic wings and high-tech components that allow them to fly around dirt tracks at speeds as high as 100 mph. While the kart size, weights, designs, protocols and regulations have evolved for the sport over the years, the basic need for speed and family comradery it brings has not. In fact, many of the youth that have participated in kart racing over the years have gone on to race sprint cars like their “Nascar” heroes.
This weekend, November 10 – 12, 2022, ROKR and event promoter Fast Four Promotions will be hosting the inaugural “TIMBER50” event, which will feature the largest purse in Outlaw Kart Racing history, a whopping $44,444! The TIMBER50 kart event will feature three racing classes: Box Stock (7-13 year-olds); 250 Intermediate (10-18 year-olds) and 500 Open (13 year-olds and up). As of Wednesday, they had around 110 karts registered, but anticipate as many as 140 karts by race day. They have racers and families traveling from California, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Oklahoma to compete for trophies and cash prizes. Races begin tonight, at 4:00 pm (for the complete schedule of events, log onto ROKR’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/RoseburgKartRacing). Kart race enthusiasts can also watch the races via live-stream subscription video at https://fastfour.tv/categories/live. Fast Four Promotions is managed by Kyler Shaw, who lives in Fresno, California and specifically chose the Roseburg Outlaw dirt track for this event because of the great people and the family atmosphere that ROKR Association has created. They hope that the TIMBER50 event will continue to grow each and every year and become a kart racers premium destination event.
Our hats are off to the ROKR all-volunteer youth racing association family. ROKR is currently managed and promoted by Michael Crisp and Brad McMaster. The duo, who have been part of the association for 3 and 9 years respectively, are the latest in a long succession of local promoters for the Roseburg based youth kart racing series that started with the likes of Drake Nelson, Gary Perry, Ron Scevers and Will Ellison. McMaster and Crisp both hold full time jobs in the construction industry, and spend their evenings and weekends organizing the racing series for kids.
“I have followed this sport for many years, my kids even raced in the series, and it has truly been amazing watching it evolve and prosper into a multi-generational family sport that is supported by and helps bring revenue back into our community,” commented Commissioner Tom Kress. “McMaster and Crisp are two members of the four person Roseburg Race Promotions team, that also includes Brian Crockett and Steven Snawder, that recently won the bid from the Douglas County Fair Board to turn the big track at the Douglas County Speedway into a dirt track. The TIMBER50 event is an example of the caliber of events we can expect to see from this group in the future.”
If you are looking for a fun family friendly activity this weekend, we encourage you to head on out to the Douglas County Fairgrounds on Thursday, November 10 through Saturday, November 12, and enjoy the non-stop thrilling excitement of Kart racing. For more information and the racing schedule, check out Roseburg Outlaw Kart Racing’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RoseburgKartRacing/.
“It’s all about these kids,” commented Brad McMaster, ROKR promoter. “All you have to do is take a walk down through the pit area and see the pure excitement and smiling faces of the kids competing, and you know THAT right there is what it is all about!”
The Douglas County Fairgrounds Complex is nestled along the Umpqua River in Roseburg, Oregon. They are located off I-5 Exit 123 at 2110 SW Frear Street, just minutes away from Downtown Roseburg, lodging, restaurants and more. They also offer a full hook up RV Park and over 80,000 square feet of rentable buildings. They complex can host any event imaginable. For more information about the Douglas County Fairgrounds, log onto our website: http://douglasfairgrounds.com/gateway.html.
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Media Contact: Tamara Howell, Douglas County Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist, Douglas County Public Affairs Office | Office: (541) 957-4896 | Cell: (541) 670-2804 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us
Photos Attached: Available Upon Request. © T.Howell/Douglas County