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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 8, 2012)
community news may8 2012 Climate Change Presentation at VCLC Mr. Paul Rippey will visit Vernonia on Friday May 25, 2012 and lead a discussion based on An Inconvenient Truth, the book about global climate change written by former US Vice President Al Gore. The evening will include a narrated slide presentation with lots of time for discussion, sharing and questions. The event will be held at the Vernonia Community Learning Center on at 7:00 PM. The audience is invited to bring their questions. Over the last decade, former US Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore has developed a powerful presentation showing the science behind global climate change, the threat that climate change presents to us, our children and their children, and pointing to what people can do as individuals and as societies to reduce the impact of climate change. A version of his presentation formed the basis of his film, An Inconvenient Truth. Mr. Gore has trained five thousand volunteers around the world to lead climate presentations based on his slides. Paul Rippey participated in that training, in Nashville Tennessee in January 2007. Paul Rippey moved to Oregon with his family in 2007 after spending 20 years in Africa. Paul’s presentation includes the latest scientific findings and events, and reflects a can-do, optimistic approach for dealing with climate change. There is a lot of work to be done, to international organizations, donors, schools, members of the Parliament of Uganda, churches, Rotary Clubs, as well as the general public. Rippey will talk about how the climate crisis is perceived in the developing world. He’ll also share his experiences upon moving to prosperous, green, Portland Oregon, and his family’s two year experiment trying to live without a car. We’re fortunate to have Paul Rippey speak here in Vernonia through the efforts of local residents and The Climate Reality Project: h t t p : / / p r e s e n t e r s . climaterealityproject.org/ Paul Rippey on location in Uganda but we can do it. If you have seen the movie An Inconvenient Truth, much of the presentation will be familiar to you, but augmented with new information. Paul’s presentations include many ideas that have inspired him from such diverse sources as the latest science, civic leaders, economists, and other climate change activists. One finds few climate change deniers in Sub-Saharan Africa. There, people have to deal with its affects every day, especially at meal time, and are constantly having to find ways to adapt to it. Rippey has given more than 40 presentations in the United States, Uganda, Kenya, India, Senegal, Morocco, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Switzerland. He has spoken The new K-12 school and community center in Vernonia is one giant step closer to completion today. Catalyst: the campaign for Vernonia’s schools has announced the successful completion of a $1 million challenge grant to raise support for this innovative project. Dozens of generous businesses, foundations and people from across Oregon have stepped up with contributions of $10,000 or more, unlocking a $1 million one-to- one matching contribution from The Ford Family Foundation to help this rural timber town recover from two devastating floods. “We thank The Ford Family Foundation for their longstanding and generous commitment to our community,” stated Vernonia School District Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Cox. “The Foundation understood from the start that recovering from two 500-year floods in 11 years is more than a single community can bear on its own. They were willing to make an extraordinary grant to leverage even more support for our town.” With the support from The Ford Family Foundation, the campaign has secured $37 million in funding and long-term financing toward the $40 million dollars needed to replace all of Vernonia’s schools at once. The total includes a $13 million bond that district residents overwhelmingly passed in 2009, a 2010 FEMA waiver allowing the district and city to access $11.2 million, and numerous grants and Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-7 Lady’s Night Wed 5-12 “STILL BIKER FRIENDLY” EVENTS May 12 Texas Hold ‘Em • Specialty hamburgers • Draft beer & mixed drinks • Pool tables & satelite TV • Special live music events • Free Wi-fi Sun - Thurs 11 AM - Midnight • 733 Bridge St, Vernonia May 19 Renegade Monks May 26 Random Access Fri - Sat 11 AM - 2:30 AM • 503-429-9999 Contributors Lynn Berry Mark Brown Bill Haack Dr. Carol McIntyre DeAnna Pearl Gayle Rich-Boxman Wolfgang Rotbart Michal Smith Melissa Zavales Photography Gayle Rich-Boxman Want to advertise? Have an article? Contact: scott@vernoniasvoice.com Paul has adapted the “Inconvenient Truth” presentation to make it more appropriate for audiences in Africa and other Third World areas, with more information on adaptation and with many encouraging success stories. One year subscriptions (24 issues) $35 Vernonia’s Voice is published on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. Paul has given his presentation about 40 times in both English and French, and in nine countries: Uganda, Kenya, US, India, Morocco, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Switzerland. contributions from public sector and philanthropic organizations, businesses and individuals from all across Oregon who have stepped up to fill the gap and get the town back on its feet. “This Vernonia project tells the story of who we are as Oregonians,” said Norm Smith, president of the Roseburg- based foundation. “When we stand together, we can bridge what many see as urban and rural divides, and create a new model for rural sustainability, multi-use design and partnerships with higher education institutions to create economic and community opportunities. It’s an exceptional story, we are proud to be a partner and we hope others will join us as supporters to take it over the finish line.” Ninety percent of construction is Vernonia’s Voice, LLC PO Box 55 Vernonia, OR 97064 503-367-0098 www.VernoniasVoice.com complete, and the school and community center is on track to open in September. The Catalyst campaign committee is pursuing the balance of funds needed through public sector and private philanthropic sources, and is working diligently to continue the momentum and reach the finish line. About The Ford Family Foundation: Started in 1957, The Ford Family Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation located in Roseburg, Oregon that manages large, internal initiatives and makes grants to public charities predominantly benefiting communities in rural Oregon and Siskiyou County, California. The Foundation’s mission is: “Successful Citizens and Vital Rural Communities.” A Presentation about Global Climate Change May 25, 2012 7:00 PM Vernonia Community Learning Center 939 Bridge Street Based on An Inconvenient Truth (by former US Vice President Al Gore) Presented by Paul Rippey Gift certificates available Publisher and Managing Editor Scott Laird 503-367-0098 scott@vernoniasvoice.com Paul Rippey is a freelance consultant working in the promotion of economic development savings groups and solar lamps in Africa and Asia. Website: savings-revolution.org Vernonia Completes $1 Million Challenge Grant From The Ford Family Foundation 3 The eoening mill include a narrated slide presentation mith lots of time for discussion, sharing and questions.
