The U. S.
Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, and non-farm businesses of all sizes who suffered physical and economic losses caused by the severe winter storm system that occurred January 17 through 21, 2012. The Marion County SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center will be open Tuesday, April 3 through Thursday, April 19. For more information see the Press Release, Fact Sheet, Agency Flyer, and SBA Disaster Web Site.
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Healthy Gardens, Healthy People: A Workshop Series Presented by Marion-Polk Food Share, Pringle Creek Community, Willamette University and Marion County Master Gardeners
A series of 13 workshops for the beginner and intermediate gardener. Hosted by experts and enthusiasts from the local community. $5 suggested donation per workshop.
RSVP to any and all workshops to: 503-581-3855 ext. 329, or imcdonald@marionpolkfoodshare.org. Address and directions provided upon RSVP. 1. Sunday, March 18: 1-3pm. Taking advantage of sun and shade in your yard: Herb gardens, Shade gardens, and Mushroom Basics (for both unwanted and edible mushrooms). Presenters: Briana Lindh and Susie Dunham, each is a Professor of Biology at Willamette University Venue: Willamette University’s Zena Farm
2. Thursday, March 29: 5-7pm. Gardening 101: An introduction to growing your own food. Presenter: Nicole McDavid, Urban Farmer at Pringle Creek Community Venue: Pringle Creek Community Garden
3. Saturday, April 7: 10am-12pm. Soil health in the home garden. Presenter: James Cassidy, Crop & Soil Scientist, Oregon State University Venue: Redeemer Community Garden
4. Saturday, April 21: 10am-12pm. Attracting birds, bees, and butterflies to your garden. Presenters: Bev Loos, mason bee enthusiast, and Dean Wentworth, Botanical Garden and Greenhouse Curator at Willamette University Venue: Willamette University’s Zena Farm
5. Saturday, May 19: 1-3pm. Vegetable gardening in the northwest. Presenters: Peter Henry, Zena Farm Manager, and Jennifer Johns, Associate Director for Sustainable Agriculture Education at Willamette University Venue: Willamette University’s Zena Farm
6. Thursday, June 7: 5-7pm. Vermicomosting: Creating compost with worms. Presenter: Gretchen Doering, AmeriCorps Service Member, Marion-Polk Food Share. Venue: Hammond Community Garden
7. Saturday, June 16: 10am-12pm. Garden friends and foes: Managing pests and encouraging beneficials in your garden. Presenter: Gail Gredler, Instructor of Horticulture, Chemeketa Community College. Venue: Southeast Salem Neighborhood Garden
8. Saturday, July 14: 10am-12pm. An introduction to permaculture design. Presenter: Andrew Millison, permaculturalist and instructor at Oregon State University. Venue: Sunnyside Organics, River St. House.
9. Sunday, August 12: 12-2pm. Heirloom varieties and saving your own seed. Presenters: Diana Cason, seed saver enthusiast & Ian Dixon-McDonald, Marion-Polk Food Share Community Gardens Program Director. Venue: Redeemer Community Garden
10. August, TBD. Cover crops and winter gardening Presenter: Pete Nagy, Northgate Forgiveness and Peace Garden Coordinator and winter gardening enthusiast. Venue: The Oregon School for the Deaf Urban Farm
11. September, TBD. Hoop house construction Presenter: Pamela Lyons-Nelson, Fuente de Vide Community Garden Coordinator Venue: Fuente de Vida Community Garden
12. September, TBD. Season extension with cold frames Presenter: Michael Taylor, the Greenhouse Catalog. Venue: Northgate Forgiveness and Peace Garden
13. Sunday, October 14: 1-3 pm. Crop rotation and companion planting for your garden. Presenters: Peter Henry, Zena Farm Manager, and Jennifer Johns, Associate Director for Sustainable Agriculture Education at Willamette University. Venue: Willamette University’s Zena Farm  The Sesna Garden has a lovely new picnic table, funded by the Salem Area
Garden Club & built by neighbor John Stalnaker & Tom Martin. Seven
wonderful Americorps volunteers ate their lunch at the new table after
working hard at a 2/12/11 Garden work party. More photos.
Photos from the January 15th litter pick are on the SESNA Flickr site. Thank you for your hard work. Currently there is no funding available for the railroad quiet zone in South Salem except for the Mill St. crossing near Willamette University. The citizens of Salem voted to pay for the safety improvements to address increased train speeds allowed and the horn blasts mandated by the Federal Railroad Administration. The city staff has done a great job of planning the improvements, however there are not enough funds for all of the railroad crossings in Salem. The crossing at Hines St. is the most expensive proposed crossing improvement (approx. $1,500,000) in Salem because of the need to move railroad track switches. This improvement stands in the way of less expensive crossing improvements being included in the Railroad Quiet Zone. The improvements at McGilchrist St and Madrona Ave. are estimated to be $55,000 and $75,000 respectively. If funds for the Hines St. are found, then funding for the other two crossings would likely be found as well. These three improvements would allow all of South Salem to be in the Railroad Quiet Zone. See map below: The only funding being considered for the Hines St. crossing is the ODOT Transportation Enhancement funds that city has applied for. According to the ODOT New Release, eligible projects for Transportation Enhancement Program include “Provision of facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists”. If Salem is not awarded these funds then, the only Quiet Zone crossing in South Salem will be just at Mill St. The design and construction of funded sections of the quiet zone is in progress, but for the Hines St. and South Salem no other funding source other than the TE grant is currently being considered. At first glance, the Hines St crossing project looks like a pedestrian improvements project to a quiet industrial and residential street. The rest of the story is that this site is the key to restoring an important environmental factor to the livability of a wide swath of the second largest city in Oregon. This will be the only opportunity to extend the Quiet Zone into all of South Salem for quiet some time. Please do not be quiet about this issue. Let ODOT know that this project is important to Salem. The public comment period is open until January 28th. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TE_Public_Comments_Survey_2010 For more information: ODOT Transportation Enhancement Program announcement, flyer and web page. The City of Salem application is here. Eric Lungren has posted comments and photos on his blog about the possible funding for the Hines St. crossing. Sincerely, Jeff Leach http://www.sesna.us December 3 – 6 to 8:00 p.m.
Volunteers are needed too for set up and clean up and as cahiers, gift
*November 25- Outward Church is planning a Thanksgiving Day outreach at Richmond School. Last year 50 families received a hot meal, Christmas tree and other items. This year the need is greater than ever and it would be wonderful to get some SESNA neighbors involved in serving SESNA neighbors. Volunteer time, donations and/or financial contributions are needed. For more information, go to http://salem.craigslist.org/vol/2055386403.html . *November 29-SESNA has been chosen as the continuing Partnership for 2011. There has also been discussion about combining efforts with the South Salem Connectors Community Progress Team. Your input is needed as we map out a plan for the coming year. Please join neighbors and partners at the Ike Box on the corner of Chemeketa and Cottage Streets at noon on Monday, the 29th. Contact Jessica at jlpreis@cityofsalem.net. *December 3-Richmond will be holding a Winter Bazaar from 5:30 to 7:30 pm so that families will have the opportunity to do some holiday shopping. Volunteers and donations of new and gently used gift items and clothing are needed. Contact Rachel at Cancino_Rachel@salkeiz.k12.or.us . *December 11-Mission Mill’s Free Family Fun Saturday features the theme, “Christmas Past and Presents” from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Call 503-585-7012 for more information. *December 17-There will be an awards assembly at Richmond School at 8:45 am. Contact Rachel at: Cancino_Rachel@salkeiz.k12.or.us. January 15-Willamette University students are looking for service opportunities happening that Saturday from 9:15 to 11:15 am. Groups will be of approximately 25 volunteers. Projects from SESNA are appealing since it is within walking distance of campus. Contact Laura at lclerc@willamette.edu.
I just spoke to my SESNA neighbor Ellen Egan. She told me that she is opening up her green houses for poinsettia sales from Dec. 9 through Dec. 20. The profits from the sales will go to Marian Polk Food Share. Her poinsettias are outstanding. These are not you typical discount store plants! The proceeds will go to a worthy cause so I’d like to encourage folks to make the drive up to Egan Gardens and support a SESNA neighbor and an important fund raising event. Egan Garden is at 9805 River Rd. NE. It’s around 11 or 12 miles and takes approximately 20 minutes. It it’s nice day it will be a beautiful drive in the country and even if it’s rainy, once you get there it will be dry inside and you will be standing in a sea of flowers. I recommend it. Jan Munsey Join South East Salem neighbors and community partners to rake leaves for those who could use some help. Volunteers are invited to meet at 9:00 a.m. at Richmond School, located at 466 Richmond, Ave SE. Rakes, bags and snacks will be provided. A pizza lunch for volunteers will be served at noon. For more information, contact Austin Rowlader at 503-364-1005 or arowlader@unitedwaymwv.org. Come and help us continue the great work in the naturescaped area. Have fun weeding, planting and mulching. Date: Saturday, October 23. Time: 9.00 AM-1.00 PM Refreshments will be provided. Wear comfortable old clothes. Bring gardening tools if you have them. For more information contact Aislinn Adams Tel: 503 378-0780 email: aislinn@aislinnadams.com Bush Elementary Naturescaping Project is possible thanks to the generous support of Marion Soil and Water Conservation District Special Projects Grant. |
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