July Community Update

Your United Community Partners at Work

What a busy and exciting summer we’re having in Pine Valley! As we wrap up another productive board meeting, we wanted to share some wonderful updates about the projects and initiatives that are making our community stronger every day.

Supporting Our Local Organizations

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve approved four new grants this spring, totaling $2,000 in direct support to organizations that make Pine Valley special:

• $500 to Lions Club for their Senior Meals program – ensuring our neighbors have nutritious meals and social connection
• $500 to Chautauqua Music Festival – bringing joy and culture to our valley
• $500 to Cornucopia Arts Council for new microphones – amplifying local voices and performances
• $500 to Farmers Market for shade canopy and signs – making market days more comfortable for vendors and families

These grants represent more than just funding – they’re investments in the heart of our community life.

The Village Fund: Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Our Village Fund continues to be a lifeline for families facing unexpected challenges. With $3,794 available, we’ve already helped three families this year alone. Since we started this program in April 2020, we’ve assisted 58 of our neighbors through tough times.

Thank you to Sara Artley, Gail Kimberling, Millicent Simpson, Paula Simpson, and Shelley Wilson for their compassionate work reviewing applications and ensuring help reaches those who need it most.

Fire Safety: Protecting What Matters Most

Our Pine Valley Firewise team had an incredible month in June! On June 7th, dozens of volunteers joined our Community Cleanup Day, working from early morning until evening to reduce fire risks around our properties. The following week, our youth crew spent three full weeks doing fuels reduction work, while our professional sawyer helped with tree trimming.

The community Firewise event at Kenneth Wheeler’s place on June 13th was both educational and hands-on – exactly the kind of learning that helps us all protect our homes and families. This October will mark the completion of our three-year Oregon State Fire Marshall grant, and we’re grateful for everyone who’s participated in making our valley safer.

Looking Ahead: Dark Sky Dreams

Our Dark Sky Halfway project is gaining momentum! This month, we’re conducting our first official light survey with handheld meters, and we’re excited to welcome Dark Sky Oregon expert Michael McKeag on July 16-18 for our comprehensive city light assessment.

Why does this matter? Achieving Dark Sky Community status means clearer night skies for stargazing, better sleep for our families, and recognition as a special place worth protecting. Plus, it could draw visitors who appreciate natural beauty – supporting our local businesses.

Community Track Vision Becomes Reality

Here’s something exciting: remember the successful Halfway Half Marathon in May? That success sparked a new dream – a permanent community track for Pine Valley! After visiting Imbler, Oregon to see what a community our size can accomplish, we’re building a fantastic team led by Mike Ludin, with Annie Johnson as Treasurer and Gail Kimberling as Secretary.

This isn’t just about having a place to run – it’s about creating a gathering space for fitness, community events, and showing our young people that big dreams can happen right here at home.

Join Us for Family Fun Day!

Mark your calendars: Saturday, July 26th, 1-4 PM at Lions Park for our FREE Family Fun Day! Enjoy ice cream, hot dogs, games, and learn about exciting projects like our community track and clinic improvements. Most importantly, come connect with your neighbors and show your support for the initiatives that matter to you.

Annual Meeting August 8th Via Zoom 5pm. Get in touch with Pam if you want to attend.

Your Partnership Makes It Possible

Everything we accomplish happens because neighbors like you care about Pine Valley. Whether you volunteer, donate, attend events, or simply spread the word about our work, you’re part of making this valley an even better place to call home.

Got a Community Project Idea? We’re Here to Help!

Looking at everything we accomplished together this year, we’re reminded that every successful project started with someone who had an idea and wasn’t sure where to begin. If you’ve been thinking about a project that could benefit Pine Valley – whether it’s big or small – UCP is here to help you figure out the next steps.

We Can Help With:

**Fiscal agency or sponsorship** for community projects that align with our mission – this means we can handle the money management and paperwork while you focus on making your project happen.

**Small grants** to get projects started – we’ve funded everything from the $500 Chautauqua Music Festival to the $5,000 MainStreet Stage project. Every idea deserves a chance!

**Project development support** – help turning your idea into a plan that works, finding the right people to work with, and figuring out what resources you’ll need.

**Training and workshop access** – connecting you with the skills and knowledge that make projects successful.

**Networking within our community** – we know who’s doing what in Pine Valley and can help connect you with people who share your interests or have complementary skills.

How to Get Started:

The easiest way is to come to one of our monthly UCP meetings and share your idea during our Open Discussion time. This is when community members bring projects, ideas, needs, or plans to the group. Don’t worry about having everything figured out – we’re here to help you work through the details!

You can also join the conversation on our Facebook page to get your idea out there and maybe find people willing to roll up their sleeves and help make it happen.

**Remember:** This list isn’t exhaustive. If you don’t see exactly what your project needs, please get in touch anyway. We may be able to point you in the right direction or help you find the resources you need.

From Ideas to Reality:

Some of our most successful projects – like the Village Fund, Pine Valley Firewise, and Pine Valley 2050 – started as conversations at UCP meetings. Someone said “What if we could…” and the community said “Let’s figure out how!”

Whether your project needs $250 or $2,000, so long as it fits within our mission we want to hear about it. Pine Valley grows stronger when community members step up with ideas that make this place even better.

OUR MISSION

United Community Partners facilitates access to organizational assistance for citizen-led initiatives which stimulate economic activity, foster goodwill and fellowship, and enhance Pine Valley and Panhandle communities as rural places to live and work.

**Questions?** Contact any board member. We’re excited to hear what you’re thinking about!

Until next time, keep making Pine Valley proud!

Your friends at United Community Partners

United Community Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting community initiatives that improve life in Pine Valley. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of your contribution goes directly to community projects.