News briefs: Hosts needed for exchange students, volunteer at North Fork and Minto parks
Volunteers needed for work at North Fork and Minto parks
Marion County Parks, Oregon Parks Forever, Trailkeepers of Oregon and SOLVE are hosting two volunteer events May 4 and May 5 to aid with restoration efforts in the North Fork corridor in the ongoing response to the 2020 Labor Day wildfires.
Volunteers will work on light construction tasks, including building trails, assembling picnic tables, installing signs, debris and invasive species removal, and more, and will be instrumental in helping North Fork Park and Minto Park open in time for the 2024 recreation season.
Volunteers must sign up through eventbrite.com for their preferred task and shift to participate. Shifts are between 8:30 a.m. and noon and 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. at North Fork Park on May 4 and Minto Park on May 5.
Shuttle service May 4 to North Fork Park will be available from Lyons, at the Oregon Department of Forestry parking lot on Highway 22, and May 4 to Minto Park from the Gates Park and Ride. Event organizers will provide all tools, and a food truck will be onsite for volunteers from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day.
-Capi Lynn
Salem's Historic Landmarks Commission to receive award
The 2024 Oregon Heritage Excellence Awards will be presented April 18 to individuals, organizations and projects that have made outstanding contributions to preserving the state's heritage.
Salem's Historic Landmarks Commission will be among the 12 recipients, for its innovative approach in protecting cultural archaeological resources that serves as a model locally and nationally.
The commission was established in 1986 with the city of Salem's adoption of a Historic Preservation Program. In 2010, an updated plan was adopted and then updated again in 2020.
The commission advises city council on matters pertaining to historic sites and structures in Salem, administers the Historic Preservation Ordinance, and helping property owners preserve historic structures. It is made up of residents who volunteer their time and professional expertise to review, designate and encourage the preservation of historic resources, and to review certain development applications for conformance with the historic preservation code standards and guidelines.
-Capi Lynn
Dallas receives state forestry grant
Dallas has received a grant from the Oregon Department of Forestry as part of the department’s Oregon Arbor Month celebration.
The public celebration of Arbor Day is a requirement for cities maintaining Tree City USA status.
With the $350 grant, Dallas is holding two, two-hour sessions of “forest bathing.” The event will be held at 9 a.m. on April 27. It is going to be led by a Certified Forest Therapy guide at the Delbert Hunter Arboretum.
Dallas is one of six cities to receive grant money from the state. The others are Coburg, Lake Oswego, Pendleton, Redmond and Rogue River.
–Bill Poehler
Local families needed to host exchange students
ASSE International Student Exchange Programs is looking for local families to host high school exchange students aged 15 to 18 from around the world.
Host families — whether a young family, retired, a single parent or empty nesters — have the opportunity to choose a student from diverse backgrounds, countries and interests, according to a press release. ASSEE exchange students arrive with their own spending money and comprehensive insurance coverage.
To become a host family, contact the ASSE Western Regional Office at 1-800-733-2773 or visit the program's website to initiate your host family application.
-Capi Lynn
April is Child Abuse Prevention month in Marion County
On Friday, Marion County’s commissioners and others held a “Paint the Town Blue” parade from the Oregon State Fairgrounds to the Salem Family YMCA to recognize Child Abuse Prevention month.
They then attended the grand opening of the expanded Liberty House in Woodburn, a children’s advocacy center.
The Marion County commissioners proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention month.
Marion County buildings will display blue lights during the month of April.
According to Marion County, there were 1,098 victims of child abuse in the county in 2022, and 41.6% were 5 years old or younger.
–Bill Poehler
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Briefs: Host exchange students, volunteer at North Fork and Minto parks
