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Seski to Show Love of both Beavers and Ducks at Oregon Civil War |
The ever shy Seski the Sasquatch is coming out of hiding to appear at the Oregon State University/University of Oregon Civil War game this Saturday on behalf of Oregon 150.
Seski will spend 2009 looking for new habitat, thanks to the help of the Oregon Association of Realtors, the Oregon National Guard, NW Natural, PGE, Edelman and other sponsors of Oregon 150. He is said to be considering the hills east of
Corvallis for his new home. Seski usually avoids crowds; however, he loves Oregon and helped make a totem pole and Paul Bunyan statue during the state's centennial celebration in 1959. He won a prize at the 2008 Rose Parade and was most
recently spotted at the Pendleton Round-Up.
This will be Seski's first football game. He has no athletic endorsements and is not predicting a winner in Saturday's game, noting he loves ducks and beavers and, in Seski's own words, "me like wild things."
Join Seski on Saturday, November 29, 2008, at the Battle of the Bands, 3:00 p.m., at the Prothro Field (Northwest of Reser Stadium), Oregon State University, Corvallis.
You can keep track of Seski's activities by:
Being Seski's friend on Facebook, keyword: Seski
Following Seski in Twitter at
http://twitter.com/seski
Reading Seski's
Oregon Story
Reading Seski's blog:
http://seski150.blogspot.com
Emailing Seski:
seski150@gmail.coml
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Fundraising Update |
Oregon150 would like to thank the following new Sponsors:
Oregon Association of Realtors
Verizon
Rentrak
Esco
With the support of these businesses and all of our other sponsors we are planning a Sesquicentennial that Oregon can be proud of.
Photo caption: Renee Willer from Verizon presenting a check to Melisa McDonald, and First Lady Mary Oberst
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Featured Oregon Story: Green Beards and Other Such Novelties |
submitted by Warren Hartung
Happy Valley, OR
I walked the streets of Damascus Oregon, watching with wide eyes the Centennial Candle, the Wild West Sherriff's shoot-outs in the streets, and my Grandfather's green beard. Yup, he dyed it bright green in celebration of Oregon's "coming
of age", as he called it.
Remember this is 1959, men didn't wear brightly colored hair or beards or anything for that mater. Yet here we were, hand in hand, walking the streets of Damascus in what was then a very rural town, south east of Portland, in search of
grand adventures.
Damascus was transformed into an old western town, complete with wooden sidewalks, livery stables, a General Store and of course, the Sherriff's office. In the center of town, stood the tall Centennial Candle, burning through out this
special year. Although it was more Paper-Mache and wiring than actual candle, it symbolized more. And it was still pretty neat!
We were arrested by the Wild West Sherriff's Deputies, who held us for a firm fifteen minutes, only allowing our escape after our "contributing" to the centennial celebration fund with a small tithing of pocket change. We minted
Centennial Pennies in the "Centennial Coin Machine" and watched in wonder as the Penny was flattened and elongated and an image of Oregon's state symbols, covered wagons and beaver, were magically transfixed to the back of the coin, Honest
Abe still smiling on the front.
We ate hamburgers cooked on open grills right on the street and laughed while we played throughout this dressed up wonderfully playful town on a warm spring afternoon. The celebration was a mood of family and fun, and that is how I still
think of Oregon.
As this sesquicentennial approaches, I am reminded of those good times, the friends and neighbors who were all a part of my family. And as we have grown, and changed, we have also held firm to this heritage. This uniquely Oregon ability
to smile through the rain, say "Hi" to strangers, and find peace with ourselves because we are such an integral part of this landscape, this Gods Country, this Oregon.
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80 Days and Counting to Oregon's Sesquicentennial- Start Your Event Sign-Up Now! |
On Wednesday, November 19th, Oregon's mayors, city administrators, county commissioners, and state agencies received an early birthday party favor. An email, authored by Mayor Jim Fairchild (Dallas) and Commissioner Bill Hansell (Umatilla
County), was sent inviting Oregon's finest to "paint" their town sesquicentennial with free promotional material for Oregon's 150th birthday bash next year. Joining the party, say Mayor Fairchild and Commissioner Hansell, is as easy as
pronouncing "sesquicentennial" is, well, hard.
"The League of Oregon Cities and I are pleased to be working closely with Oregon 150 [the Governor's planning commission], and here is a great opportunity to have your city be a part of the year long Birthday Party'," said Mayor
Fairchild. Oregon 150 has heard from almost 80 cities to date- from Aumsville and Echo to North Powder and Wood Village. "As your representative on the Oregon 150 Board," Mayor Fairchild said, "I want to thank those Oregon cities that have
taken the time to identify their local sesquicentennial coordinators'," and for sharing with Oregon 150 all the wonderful activities they have planned for next year's celebration. Melisa McDonald, Executive Director of Oregon 150, noted
that these cities efforts "are a true testament to Oregon's can-do' attitude." The next steps, she says, will "help make this birthday truly memorable for Oregon."
Any town, city, or county that traditionally hosts a fair, festival, concert, or tour in 2009 can theme their event "sesquicentennial." Oregon 150 is offering promotional support in the form of partnerships and co-branding opportunities. A
1-page application partner form is available at
www.oregon150.org.
Oregon 150 partners can then:
Place the Oregon 150 logo on their website and with other co-branding efforts
Have a link to their project or organization's website on the Oregon 150 Partner Page
Use Oregon 150's free promotional material to help market their project/event (posters, flyers, brochures, and more!)
Be featured as an official sesquicentennial event on the Oregon 150 Event page
All promotional material is available at all times on a special-access website just for partners.
Mayor Fairchild encourages cities "to sign-up your annual celebrations or special sesquicentennial events" on the Oregon 150 Event page,
http://www.oregon150.org/events/.
This will be where Oregonians will find all of Oregon 150's signature and partner events, and every other kind of sesquicentennial event, taking place in Oregon throughout 2009.
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State Agency Workshop Held |
On November 18th, dozens of state agency personnel joined First Lady Mary Oberst, Oregon 150 staff and contractors, and "150" agency representatives to hear the latest on our signature projects, and to learn how agencies are planning
unique projects, events, and activities to celebrate the sesquicentennial.
A sample of the stand-out agency projects presented include:
Department of Forestry
The Great Oregon Tree Plant: one-hundred and fifty tree planting events, beginning on February 14th and ending during Arbor Week
Forest History Roundtable: a public gathering on May 15th to share knowledge and resources relating to the study and interpretation of Oregon's forest history
Forests for Oregon: a special sesquicentennial keepsake edition will be printed by mid-summer, 2009
Travel Oregon
"I Am Oregonian" Campaign: will build awareness of Oregon Scenic Byways, and encouraging Oregonians to travel more than 150 miles from home in 2009.
At their website, if you type in a zip code you will find out what there is to see and do within a 150 mile radius.
You can also enter a photo contest and get an official "I am Oregonian" certificate.
Oregon University System
The Chancellor's Office created a system website that also provides links to individual university webpages. Go to
http://www.ous.edu/about/150/
Campus-wide activities include special exhibits, events, lectures, symposia and classes. Museums will hold free open houses on February 14th. Bookstores will feature Oregon writers. Native American stories, dance and art will be
highlighted.
Oregon State Library
Lecture Series: Eight brown-bag public lectures will focus on topics and speakers with a clear connection to the sesquicentennial.
The Oregon Experience Booklist: the Library has compiled a list of 150 books that reflect the Oregon experience. The books are by Oregon authors or about Oregon history, culture, or events.
Oregon 150 will encourage agencies with publically available activities to become Oregon 150 Partners
http://www.oregon150.org/projects/become-a-partner/
thus allowing Oregon 150 to promote these fine projects to all Oregonians.
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Wish List |
Oregon 150 Wish List
If you're looking for a way to give back to Oregon, consider a cash donation or providing something on our wish list. We are a non-profit organization so your donations are tax-deductible!
The wish list:
Software: Adobe Creative Suite 3 if anyone has an extra license they could donate to us we would love to recognize you an Oregon 150 sponsor on our sponsor's page
Office Equipment: File cabinets
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