Sisters to celebrate Oregon's birthday

Sisters will kick up its heels throughout 2009 in a celebration of the state's sesquicentennial.

Oregon 150 is a statewide celebration incorporating events, activities, artistic expression and promotion of the state's history and natural beauty. Sisters will have its own celebrations, coordinated by Erin Borla, current director of the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the City of Sisters.

Borla is organizing a Clean Up Sisters Day on May 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. She is seeking involvement of civic groups and churches as well as interested individuals. Sisters will be divided into sections and different groups will go forth and beautify.

"We'd encourage groups - Rotary, Kiwanis, groups like that - to get involved," Borla said.

Borla is also coordinating the event with local schools and the Deschutes Land Trust.

Borla is working with The Nugget to offer the opportunity for folks to tell their "Sisters Stories" through prose and photographs.

Stories or photographs may be submitted to [email protected] with the subject line "Sisters Stories." Stories must be 500 words or less and submitted as an attached Word document. Photographs should be submitted in low-resolution jpeg format.

Selected stories and photographs will be published on a space-available basis in The Nugget.

Stories about individuals, organizations and businesses are welcome.

Borla will provide inform-ation to participants on how to submit their story to the wider "Oregon Stories" program of Oregon 150. Stories submitted there will be published on the Oregon 150 Web site.

In November, Borla is planning an event titled "From Timber to Turned Wood" - a celebration of Oregon's timber heritage and the manner in which the state's wood products have continued to be a driving economic force - now as finished art.

The event will feature demonstrations of logging skills, displays of wood sculpture and other arts and live music.

Sisters will mark Oregon 150 throughout November with galleries offering "150 art" displays and restaurants providing Oregon specialty "150" menu items such as salmon and marionberry dishes.

Local non-profits can partner with Oregon 150 to share joint advertising opportunities with Oregon 150 and Travel Oregon. Each non-profit must offer a sesquicentennial to their events. The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show and Sisters Folk Festival have already agreed to participate.

For information contact Borla at 549-0251. For more information on Oregon 150 visit http://www.oregon150.org.