SHCF seeks grant applicants
The Sweet Home Community Foundation will begin accepting grant applications for its 2023 cycle beginning Feb. 15. The goal of the foundation is to provide funding and support to worthwhile community projects in the Sweet Home area. Special consideration is placed on projects that can demonstrate lasting benefits to the community.
This year SHCF Community Grants will be available for up to $10,000 each.
Applications can be submitted online from their website at giveshcf.org/grant2023 from Feb. 15 through March 15, 2023.
Grant applicants must be a 501(c) 3 or other qualified tax-exempt organization, or the proposed project may be implemented in partnership or affiliation with such an organization.
Support for the foundation is provided through the generosity of local individuals and the Alice Blaser and Tim and JoAnne McQueary, Leave a Local Legacy endowments.
Grant award recipients will be announced in April.
High school site of blood drive
Sweet Home High School students will host an American Red Cross blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, in the Activity Gym at Sweet Home High School, 1641 Long St.
Donors of all blood types – particularly type O blood donors – and platelet donors are needed.
A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood.
High-school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
Note: Oregon still requires that face masks be worn at all blood drives and donation sites.
To participate, contact Rylee Markell at [email protected] or Jarid Adams at [email protected].
Meals on Wheels weekly menu
Meals on Wheels offers take-out lunch at the Sweet Home Community Center to seniors over 60 at noon on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.
The Senior Center serves a separate lunch on Wednesdays.
Suggested donation is $3.50. All meals are served with milk, coffee or tea upon request and diabetic desserts are available on request.
The menu on Friday, Feb. 17, is parmesan chicken or chicken alfredo bake, an Italian vegetable blend, spinach Romaine salad, a garlic roll and Rice Krispie bar.
Meals on Wheels will be closed for President’s Day on Monday, Feb. 20.
The menu on Tuesday, Feb. 21, is chicken and beef-chicken sausage jambalaya, red beans and rice, whole kernel corn, marinated broccoli salad, cornbread and confetti cake.
For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, contact Norene at (541) 367-8843.
Hungry for a potato bake?
Fir Lawn Lutheran Church will host a potato bake from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at 109 W. Holley Road.
On the menu are “loaded” baked potatoes with condiments.
Cost per person is $5. Proceeds benefit SHEM.
For more information, contact Angela at (541) 704-8714.
Veteran pins to be presented
Veterans and surviving spouses, as well as the public, are invited to a presentation of Vietnam veteran lapel pins scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Sweet Home VFW Post, 580 Main St.
Members of the Northwest Scots Guard will present the pins. Light refreshments will follow.
The Vietnam veteran lapel pin was minted in 2012 to honor all who served our country during the Vietnam War at any posting. A new pin was recently minted to present to those veterans’ surviving spouses.
To RSVP, call (541) 367-4435 or email [email protected].
Club seeking blankets for drive
The Sweet Home Rotary Club is sponsoring a blanket drive for the Family Assistance and Resource Center Group’s managed outreach and community resource facility, Sweet Home’s new homeless center, through Feb. 21.
Clean blankets may be dropped off at the Sweet Home Senior Center, 880 18th Ave.
Also needed are window curtains and rods for windows sized at 2 by 3 feet.
Scams discussed at After 5 event
After 5 Connection will hold its monthly dinner and program from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Ma’s Restaurant, 2416 S. Santiam Hwy., Lebanon.
Lebanon Police Department community policing officer Dala Johnson will lead “Heads Up: Watch Out, It May Be a Scam,” discussing how scammers use the Internet or telephones to trick people into sending money or giving out personal information. She will also share tips for electronic device safety.
Guest speaker Stephanie Carmichael, of Seal Rock, will relate her experiences which led her to write a book entitled “Victory over Cancer and Fear.”
Cost is $18, which includes everything. Credit cards cannot be accepted and reservations are required.
To RSVP, contact Sherri at (541) 258-6414 or Nancy at (541) 259-1396 or by email at [email protected].
Foster Dam road closed Feb. 22
The road over Foster Dam will be closed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, to allow for the removal of woody debris from the reservoir near the penstocks (the large pipes that draw water into the hydropower generator).
For further information, contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at (541) 942-5631.
Samaritan scholarships
The Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital Auxiliary is accepting applications for its scholarship program.
The auxiliary allocates $5,000 to fund scholarships every year and residents of east Linn County are invited to apply. To qualify, applicants must live in Brownsville, Cascadia, Crabtree, Crawfordsville, Foster, Halsey, Lacomb, Lebanon, Scio, Shedd, Sweet Home or Waterloo.
Applicants must be attending college and have completed at least one term in an accepted medical program.
To apply, submit a packet including an official transcript including fall term 2022 grades, a one- to two-page typed statement discussing why you are pursuing a degree in a health field and your goals, an optional explanation of any special circumstances to help the scholarship committee make a fair evaluation, and a signed and dated letter of recommendation.
Mail completed applications to: Scholarship Chair / Auxiliary Volunteer Services Office, P.O. Box 739, Lebanon, OR 97355.
Completed applications, including transcripts, must be received by the Lebanon Community Hospital volunteer office no later than 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22. Late or incomplete applications or transcripts will not be considered. Electronic transcripts must be sealed and received directly from the institution.
Scholarship recipients will be announced by Tuesday, March 14.
For more information, visit samhealth.org/scholarships or call (541) 451-7062.
Register to learn about marijuana
A free Samaritan Health Services and Linn Together virtual training, “New & Trending Marijuana Products,” will be offered from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23.
The presentation is for clinicians, educators, law enforcement and other interested community members. It’s facilitated by Jermaine Galloway, who worked in Idaho law enforcement for more than 18 years. His various assignments included alcohol compliance and enforcement, crime scene investigation and DUII task forces. To date, he has trained more than 650,000 people in the U.S. and internationally.
To register, visit http://www.eeds.com/live/792926.
For additional information, contact Cindy Coke at [email protected].
Candyland event scheduled Feb. 25
Sweet Home residents are invited to a free Walk-Through Candyland event from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at 2470 Main St.
The “trunk ’n’ treat-collides-with-Valentine’s” event will include lots of candy, games, food and fun.
‘Upriver’ film to be screened
The South Santiam Watershed Council will host a screening of the hour-long “UPRIVER” at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at Barsideous Brewing, 644 S. Main St.
The film, made by local filmmakers at Freshwaters Illustrated, highlights river conservation efforts throughout the Willamette River basin.
The event is free and includes a question-and-answer session with the filmmakers.
Donations will be accepted and food and drink will be available for purchase.
Nominate for local DSAs
Nominations for Sweet Home Chamber of Commerce’s Distinguished Service Awards are being accepted through Friday, Feb. 24.
Awards will be presented at the chamber’s awards banquet, which will be a vintage picnic dinner this year, held at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 11, at the Sweet Home Boys & Girls Club.
Nomination criteria are as follows:
— Distinguished Service Award: Must be 55 years of age or older with a minimum of five years of community service in recent or previous years. Areas of consideration include participation in clubs and organizations, community service, youth involvement and church activities.
— First Citizen: Must be over 41 years of age and have served the community for five years or more. Areas to be judged include clubs, organizations, community service, youth involvement and church participation.
— Junior First Citizen: Must be under 41 and have served the community for a minimum of five years with a variety of activities in school, community, church, etc.
— Organization of the Year: Selected based on local organization’s ability to have significant community impact, which may include organizational success (based on mission statement), and measurable community impact as a result of organization’s services and community involvement. The organization must have been active in the community for a minimum of five years.
— Business of the Year: Selection is based on active success, employment/staff opportunity, long-term community impact and community involvement. Businesses must have been involved in the community for a minimum of five years.
— Curb Appeal Award: Recognition is based on exterior appearance. Criteria is not restricted to Main/Long streets.
Nominations may be submitted at http://www.sweethomechamber.com. For more information, contact the chamber at (541) 367-6186.
Blood drive set Feb. 28 at church
Fir Lawn Lutheran Church will host a Red Cross blood donation event from 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 109 W. Holley Road.
To donate, visit http://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html and enter Sweet Home’s zip code to locate the event. Click on the “See Times” button to register for a time slot.
Free genealogy workshop Feb. 25
Sweet Home Genealogical Society is hosting a free workshop in beginning genealogy and research at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at 1223 Kalmia St., Sweet Home.
Participation can be in-person or through Zoom. No membership is required.
To register, email your name, address, telephone number, and email address to [email protected].
Also include whether you plan to attend virtually or in person and what interests you most about genealogy.
Seedy Tuesday in Lebanon
The Santiam Food Alliance will hold Seedy Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, at Lebanon Public Library, 55 Academy St.
The free event will include a seed swap, an introduction to the Seed Library, brief presentations on plants whose seeds are on offer, an advice table staffed by Master Gardeners and a Lebanon Garden Club information table.
Participants are encouraged to bring envelopes and a pen, and any seeds, commercial or gathered, that they would like to share, and take samples of others’ seeds. Well-wrapped plants, tubers and bulbs are welcome.
Seedy Tuesday is co-sponsored by the library, the Garden Club and Linn County Master Gardeners.
For more information about the event or about the Santiam Food Alliance, contact Linda Ziedrich at (503) 707-1539.
B&GC hosts Ladies Night Out
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Santiam will host Ladies Night Out, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 3, at the club’s Lebanon branch, 305 S. 5th St.
Participants may bid on a variety of purses as part of the annual purse auction, shop at pop-up tables provided by locally owned women businesses, and become inspired by motivational speaker Bonnie Milletto. The event also includes vendors, a raffle, entertainment, hors d’oeuvres and beverages, including a champagne welcome.
Tickets are $40 in advance or $45 at the door, or $300 for a table.
All proceeds benefit youths attending early learning and after-school programs provided by the Boys & Girls Club.
Seating is limited. Purchase tickets by Thursday, March 2, at bgcgreatersantiam.ejoinme.org/ladiesnight23.
Search & Rescue offers training
The Linn County Sheriff’s Office is recruiting young men and women — ages 14 to 18 — to join the LCSO Search & Rescue Team, and participate in a 10-day summer training program from June 23 through July 2.
The application process includes oral interviews, a background check and physical aptitude test. Applicants must attend one recruit meeting at the sheriff’s office at 7 p.m. Mondays, March 13, April 10 or May 8. They will also need to pass a physical aptitude test on either May 13 or May 20.
Accepted applicants will be required to attend the pre-academy meeting Monday, June 12. At that time, participants will be eligible to attend the 10-day LCSO Search and Rescue Training Academy, which will include classes in wilderness survival, shelter building, search tactics, first aid/CPR, map and compass reading, rappelling and more.
For more information, contact Emergency Management/SAR Coordinator Ric Lentz at (541) 967-3950 or visit the Linn County Sheriff’s Office website at http://www.linnsheriff.org.
Online applications are available on the website and at the Sheriff’s Office, 1115 Jackson St. SE, Albany.
Fish conservation group to host banquet
The Linn/Benton County chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association of Oregon will host a banquet at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 11, in the Events Center at Linn-Benton Community College, 6500 Pacific Blvd., Albany.
CCA is a nonprofit advocacy group for salmon, steelhead and other Northwest fish. Its 17 state chapters span the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
Banquet tickets are $75 general, $130 per couple, $45 youths 17 and under and $575 per table of eight. For registration information, visit ccaoregon.org/Linn-BentonCounty.
For more information on CCA, visit ccaoregon.org.
Habitat to hold fundraiser event
Lebanon Area Habitat for Humanity will hold a fundraising breakfast for a home currently under construction in Sodaville at 8 a.m. Wednesday, March 15, at Boulder Falls Inn Event Center, 605 Mullins Drive, Lebanon.
Individuals and businesses are invited to hear executive director Kristina Breshears discuss current and future home builds and ways the community can get involved.
The fundraiser will help meet the Lebanon Area Habitat for Humanity affiliate’s $150,000 cost.
The free breakfast tickets are available online at tinyurl.com/HabitatAskEvent or by calling Tina or Lisa at (541) 405-5213 by March 3.
Table sponsorships are also available for the event. To learn about Table Sponsorship opportunities, visit the Events page at lebanonoregonhabitat.com.
Hospital group to honor donors
Lebanon Community Hospital Foundation will honor individuals and businesses who have made donations to support the construction of Samaritan’s new family medicine clinic and urgent care in Sweet Home.
Gifts of all amounts are needed and appreciated.
The building will include a “founding” donor wall in the clinic lobby that honors supporters who have contributed gifts of $1,000 or more to the campaign. Smaller gifts will be acknowledged on a digital display in the lobby.
May 1 is the deadline for donors to make a gift or pledge and be included on the donor wall. There are opportunities to make gifts in honor or memory of loved ones, and room sponsorships are also available.
For more information, contact Brandy O’Bannon, foundation director, at (541) 451-7063.
Blossoms Bazaar seeks entries
The Spring Blossoms Bazaar will return Friday and Saturday, April 14 and 15.
American Legion Auxiliary Albany Unit 10 is seeking crafters, bakers and home-based business representatives to share their wares.
For information on renting space, contact Michelle at (541) 409-4170 or [email protected].
OSU seeks cancer survivors for garden program
Oregon State University seeks eligible cancer patients for its “Hope Grows Here” project, a vegetable gardening and nutrition education program for the health and well-being of cancer survivors. If enough participants sign up, the program is expected to begin in April.
Hope Grows Here provides a four-week basic gardening course taught by master Gardeners, a community garden space to practice growing a vegetable garden, weekly gardening support from Master Gardener mentors, nutrition information and recipes from OSU experts, a complimentary set of personal gardening tools, a chance to earn a $50 incentive for participating in the program and a place to meet and interact with other cancer survivors learning to garden together.
For more information or to find out if you are eligible to participate, take the Hope Grows Here survey at beav.es/HGH-2023, in person at the Samaritan Cancer Resource Center (400 Hickory St. NW, Albany, or 501 NW Elks Drive, Corvallis), or by phone at (541) 812-5888 (Albany) or (541) 768-2171 (Corvallis).