Northeast Oregon Steering Committee

With its panoramic views, rich cultural history and formidable agricultural roots, Northeast Oregon is an area SOLV has always treasured, and where we can always do more. As the first of its kind, the NE Regional Steering Committee is focused on just that.

Community members, educators and civic workers throughout the region have participated in statewide programs such as Down By The Riverside, Oregon Adopt-A-River and Project Oregon, all programs that help honor and support this historical and geographic gem of an area. In this spirit, SOLV’s Board of Directors met in May, 2006 and passed a motion to create the NE Regional Steering Committee, the first group of its kind in SOLV history. The volunteers who serve on this committee are all community leaders, who both value their unique corner of Oregon, and the tools SOLV can provide.

Currently serving as active members are: Brenda Turner, Chair, Hermiston; John Edmundson, Heppner; Hon. Phillip Houk, Pendleton; Mary Hoverson, La Grande; Lowell Saylor, Hermiston; and Ray Williams, Milton-Freewater. SOLV is thrilled to be working with this dynamic group of leaders, and we thank them for their tireless energy for the communities, and for Oregon.

"SOLV has been a good partner to the City of Pendleton and Umatilla County, and I heartily recommend them to anyone who could use some help preserving their local treasures.” - Mayor Phillip Houk, City of Pendleton.

Although SOLV was organized in 1969 by Governor Tom McCall, limited early data is available regarding SOLV projects. However, from 2004 to 2007, 247 community enhancements projects were organized by SOLV volunteers in Northeast Oregon (Baker, Union, Wallowa, Umatilla and Morrow counties) plus, thirteen education programs and four one-day Volunteer Action Training workshops.

Those 247 projects involved over 11,000 residents, and removed nearly half a million pounds of trash and weeds.

All of these successful projects were supported by staff working form SOLV headquarters in Hillsboro. SOLV and the Northeast Oregon Steering Committee see the need and opportunity for more projects and services in Eastern Oregon, and believe this is only possible by expanding staff capacity in the region.

In 2008, thanks to support form the Meyer Memorial Trust and the Wildhorse Foundation, SOLV hired it's first regional staff person who lives and works out of La Grande. The position is part-time to start, but with financial support from Eastern Oregon, SOLV hopes to expand and grow the position to eventually host a full-time office in Northeast Oregon. Please become a member today to help SOLV work to protect and preserve the beauty of Northeast Oregon. Click here for membership info: www.solv.org/support/membership.asp