Established
in 1937
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Roof-raising on tap at Selma Center with Meyer grant awardAn $8,212 grant has been awarded the Selma Community and Education Center by The Meyer Memorial Trust Small Grants Program.
The money will be used to buy roofing materials for the center’s new pole building.
“When the building is finished, we will have a solar energy demonstration project and a farmers market building,” said Marcy Sowa, chairman of the center’s board of directors. “The Energy Trust of Oregon has promised $35,000 to install a photovoltaic system on the roof of the building,” she added.
“We are all very excited about saving money on our utility bill each month and moving our farmers market under the new structure this coming spring,” she said. “This is a very exciting project that the entire valley can be proud of.”
Last summer a small farmers market was begun on the center parking lot. Coordinated completely by volunteers, the market allowed Illinois Valley growers to sell their fresh fruits and vegetables without traveling to Grants Pass or other Southern Oregon markets.
A Josephine County commissioners economic development grant of $10,000 helped buy materials for the complex, which includes a Rastra (insulated concrete forms) building to house instrumentation for the solar panels. The Illinois Valley Community Development Organization also donated money toward the innovative project.
“The Meyer Memorial Trust grant ensures we will complete the building (including installation of the solar energy array) by June of 2006,” said Sowa. “The board of directors of the center is looking to local community and business leaders to help raise the final $3,700 needed for materials to finish the work required so that the roofing materials can be put in place.”
Thus far, 1,000 volunteer labor hours have been donated to get the building to its present state. More volunteers are needed to “raise the barn.”
Citizens can help by contributing hours or money. Phone 415-1000 for more information. A grand opening celebration will be held in early spring.
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