Building Community Wealth in Grant County
Oregon Rural Action is sponsoring a community-based process for homegrown prosperity on Saturday, April 17th in John Day. All are welcome at the Building Community Wealth assembly, an event to bring together local people for local solutions. Participating community members will develop a plan for attaining short- and long-term sources of revenue and employment by identifying local resources, engaging local initiative and talent, and designing a locally-endorsed and sponsored vision of community quality of life.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 30, 2010
Contact:
Shaun Daniel, Communications Director
541-975-2411 or shaun@oregonrural.org
Building Community Wealth in Grant County
All are welcome at event to bring together local people for local solutions
Oregon Rural Action is sponsoring a community-based process for homegrown prosperity on Saturday, April 17th in the conference room of the Outpost Restaurant in John Day. In the Building Community Wealth assembly, participating community members will develop a plan for attaining short- and long-term sources of revenue and employment by identifying local resources, engaging local initiative and talent, and designing a locally-endorsed and sponsored vision of community quality of life.
Already this process has been the catalyst of tremendous change in Baker County. In 1999, following an Enterprise Facilitation session, the Baker Enterprise Growth Initiative (BEGIN) was founded with the mission to promote sustainable economic growth throughout the county by providing free and confidential business coaching to local entrepreneurs in all business sectors and all phases of development. So far BEGIN has helped usher in 76 new businesses with a 93% new business success rate, nine businesses have expanded, and 43 new jobs have been created. The Building Community Wealth assembly will be an opportunity to broaden this approach beyond local enterprise to include all facets of the community.
Jeff Goebel, a veteran facilitator in consensus building, will facilitate the John Day session and guide the group's work in a process that emphasizes the triple bottom line: people, profit and planet. The April 17th event is the first in a series of steps that Oregon Rural Action and the community will embark on to empower local people to create thriving, sustainable communities.
The event is open to the entire community. The input of small business owners, farmers, ranchers, city and county government, teachers, youth, retirees, and others is needed and requested. Organizers are aiming for the participation of a diverse cross-section of residents from throughout Grant County and the general region.
What: Building Community Wealth: A Program for Change
Where: Outpost Restaurant, John Day, Oregon
When: Saturday, April 17th, 10am to 5pm
Other Details: Any and all are welcome! The event is free and open to the public. Coffee and snacks will be provided, lunch will be available for purchase from the Outpost Restaurant.
Oregon Rural Action is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership-based community organization working to promote social justice, agricultural and economic sustainability, and stewardship of the region's land, air and water. The organization works to bring people together to build strong communities by providing information and tools for local people to use in addressing the issues affecting their communities.
For more information on the Building Community Wealth assembly or Oregon Rural Action, contact Communications Director Shaun Daniel at 541-975-2411 or email shaun@oregonrural.org.
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