News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 16 of 16
Since 2019, the Sisters Country Vision Implementation Team (VIT) has been offering small grants to community organizations and businesses who are actively working to support one or more projects included in the Vision Action Plan. Starting in January, the small-grant program reopened in partnership with local nonprofit Citizens4Community (C4C), who will oversee the grants going forward. The application is simple, and the grants can support a wide range of community projects! This hyper-local grant program is designed to catal... Full story
The Sisters Country Vision Implementation Team (VIT) reconvened in September, adding several new members and beginning the process of building a new work plan for the upcoming year. This month, we are celebrating vision-aligned projects that focus on local childcare options and food security. As always, there are opportunities for any interested community members to get involved! Sisters Country parents (and grandparents!) know that finding childcare has been a challenge for years, and it has only gotten more difficult to... Full story
The Sisters Country Vision Implementation Team (VIT) continues to grow and is looking ahead to a year of new projects, new partners, and new team members. Each year in September, the VIT begins a new “vision year,” with some team members cycling off and new members joining. Beyond the VIT, there are also new ways to get involved with the Vision, helping all in Sisters Country to thrive even in these difficult times. The VIT will be welcoming our newest members at a virtual meeting on September 29. New members this year inc... Full story
Are you new to Sisters Country? Looking for information about your community, or ways to get involved with a local project? Allow me to introduce you to the Sisters Country Vision! As the Vision turns three this year, we’d like to take a moment to get back to basics, answering these common questions: What is the Vision? How is the Vision funded? Who’s working on the Vision? And, what’s next for the Vision in 2021? The Sisters Country Vision is a long-term planning tool, helpful for identifying shared community values and s... Full story
The Sisters Country Vision is a community-led vision project, first created with extensive community engagement in 2018, which continues to incorporate new community-led projects. At the heart of implementing this community vision is supporting and celebrating inter-community collaboration. As Sisters turns 75 this year, though we can’t have a big celebration due to COVID-19 regulations, local organizations continue to find creative ways to highlight Sisters’ unique history and enduring small-town atmosphere. In par... Full story
The Sisters Country Vision is a community-led vision project, created with extensive community engagement in 2018. In the Vision, “Integrated Transportation Options” is prioritized as one of five strategies to create a more livable Sisters Country. In 2021, the Vision Implementation Team (VIT) — representing local government, agencies, nonprofits, and community members — is collaborating with several key players to address the evolving transportation needs of the community. Andrea Breault, the Transportation Dir... Full story
5 brings renewed hope for many residents of Sisters Country, even as some of our friends and neighbors continue to feel the compounding effects of the coronavirus on livelihoods and local business, food security, housing, and, of course, health. It may all feel overwhelming at times, but each of us can do something to continue to make Sisters Country a community where all can thrive. The Sisters Country Vision was originally undertaken in 2018 and facilitated a community conversation that helped identify clear, positive... Full story
Since July 2019, the Vision Implementation Team (VIT) has been meeting regularly to guide progress on the Sisters Country Vision. The VIT is thrilled to welcome three new community members to the team: Hattie Tehan, Dennis Schimidling, and Bob Bryant. Each brings a different background, skill set, and passion to the Vision project. The VIT is also excited to announce the funding of their first Community Partner Grant, awarded to AFSC (Age Friendly Sisters Country) to support volunteer capacity for their Tollgate Village and... Full story
The Sisters Country Vision Implementation Team (VIT) is a collaborative group of community members, representing a variety of local organizations, who are working together to bring the 2018 Sisters Country Vision to life. Over the past year, the team members have begun work on all 20 Vision Strategies. Now starting their second year together, the team members are excited to launch a new progress dashboard at www.sistersvision.org and welcome a new staff person, Emme Shoup from the RARE Americorps program. The VIT is also... Full story
In 2018, hundreds of Sisters Country residents weighed in on a shared vision for our future. Through surveys, community meetings, and town hall forums, community members suggested dozens of strategies to support a more Prosperous, Livable, Resilient, and Connected Sisters Country. With the help of a committee comprised of 31 community members, the Vision Action Team, and led by local consultants those strategies were turned into a plan, called Sisters Country Vision Action Plan. Since completion of this plan, a group of... Full story
A large portion of the “Resiliency” focus area of the Sisters Country Vision is focused on fire danger, preparedness, and mitigation strategies. As Sisters Country gears up for an unusual fire season in the midst of COVID-19, vision partners are also celebrating the progress made over the past year on several of these strategies. Preparing for fire season looks notably different this year. In Sisters Country, five separate agencies respond to wildfire incidents: USFS, ODF, and the local fire districts of Sisters-Camp She... Full story
Sisters Country has come together to address those affected by the economic impact of the coronavirus. Tom Hespe, along with a team of dedicated volunteers, coordinates the Kiwanis Food Bank in Sisters. One of two local Food Banks, Kiwanis and Westside Church are both open and experiencing a major increase in demand. Fortunately, Hespe says they have also seen a boost in donations and new volunteers. “When I was working out in front of the food bank on April 2, people were driving up in their cars and waving a check out t... Full story
As one of four focus areas of the Sisters Country Vision, “resiliency” has been top-of-mind for the Vision Implementation team this month, as Sisters Country grapples with changes to our daily lives, including the ways we connect with one another, plan for the future, care for the most vulnerable among us, and support our local economy. In these unprecedented times of global pandemic, the Vision Team has been inspired and encouraged by many examples of positive, community-led action. I had the honor of speaking with a few... Full story
Before becoming a non-profit organization, the founding members of Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC) listened to local seniors, heard their concerns, and compiled data about their needs. What they learned in those early days was that the same issues facing aging adults affected people of all ages. Thus, AFSC was born with the guiding principle: “good for everyone, 8-80!” When the 2018 Sisters Country Vision surfaced many of the same issues and needs, AFSC realized there was real synergy between their mission and the vision... Full story
In 2018, Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) was experiencing a time of major transition, just as the Sisters Country Vision Action Plan was being finalized. A year later, SPRD has entered a new era and is stepping into leadership with a strong balance of expertise and passion. Under new Executive Director Jennifer Holland and her skilled board and staff, SPRD has revamped their approach to funding, created a new staffing structure, and completed a new strategic plan. They are also working collaboratively with other... Full story
As the Sisters Country Vision celebrates its first anniversary, those working hard to bring the Vision Action Plan to life celebrate some notable progress and look forward to another year of collaborative, community-led action. The Vision Implementation Team, led by Mayor Chuck Ryan and County Commissioner Patti Adair, has been meeting regularly to share progress updates on different strategies, identify priorities, and work together to find solutions to challenges. The team’s mission is to “implement the vision action pla... Full story
