Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 19, 2021)
PAGE A14, KEIZERTIMES, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 Dominguez chosen as parade Grand Marshal LIFE La Luz de Valle pastor Jose Dominguez will be the Grand Marshal for the Keizer Holiday of Lights Parade next month. BY MATT RAWLINGS Of the Keizertimes Jose Dominguez has been a stalwart in Keizer for many years. The pastor of La Luz del Valle Church, off River Rd. and Dearborn, has lived in Keizer for 28 years and was one of the founding members of the Latino Action Committee — whose vision is to manifest Latino participation and representation with the goal of informing, encourag- ing and supporting Latinos at all levels and educational aff airs, particularly in increasing graduation. Dominguez's service to the com- munity has been on display in many diff erent ways, which is why the Keizer Chamber of Commerce named him the Grand Marshal for the Keizer Holiday of Lights parade, which takes place on Saturday, Dec. 11 and starts at 7 p.m. “I really didn't expect it when they called me. It's really a great feeling,” Dominguez said. In 2018, Dominguez and the Latino Action Committee started the Latino Scholarship Fund for graduating seniors at McNary High School — the committee awarded $400 scholarships to 18 students in the spring. When Dominguez graduated Woodburn High School in 1978, he received a $75 scholarship. Even though it wasn’t much, the gesture had a profound impact on him and was one of his main motivations for starting the scholarship fund. “It wasn't about the amount. It really was about what was behind it. For me, it was a motivational factor that said to me 'You can do it. You have the capabil- ity and the qualifi cations to go out and make a diff erence in the community,'” Dominguez said. Dominguez's devotion to helping kids was one of the key reasons behind start- ing the Latino Acton Committee. “The beauty of it is when you invest in young people, you're investing in a future and you're investing in a generation,” Dominguez said. “They were designed by God to go out and be fruitful in the com- munity. Our goal of the Latino Action Committee is basically fi nding those stu- dents that want to go to the next level of higher education, but letting them know that we would like for them to come back into the community and we would like for them to invest in the community that they came from.” But the Latino Action Committee goes beyond providing assistance to students. On multiple occasions, the committee has invited Keizer Police Chief John Photo by MATT RAWLINGS of Keizertimes Teague to speak at La Luz de Valle in an eff ort to bridge the seeming divides that permeate relations between Latino com- munities and public safety organizations. “It was very healthy for our commu- nity,” Dominguez said. “Our role is to be bridge builders.” Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Dominguez's goal was to have his church be a light during dark times. People at the church would safely gather to make food boxes with those in need and con- nect people who had lost their jobs due to the pandemic with congregants who worked at employment agencies. “We asked ourselves as a church what we could do to help the community during tough times,'' Dominguez said. Additionally, La Luz De Valle has been a site that provides COVID vaccinations and testing. “We always want to play a part to help others in that area,” Dominguez said. Dominguez believes running a church is so much more than gathering on Sundays, which is why he is passionate about serving people in a multitude of diff erent capacities. “We believe the church isn't a min- istry in four walls, it's really in the com- munity. We are salt and we are light,” he said. “People have to see that your faith is practical. Faith is not something you hide in the four walls of a church, it's literally loving God and loving your neighbor.” “If you really want to make a diff er- ence, make a diff erence in your neighbor's life, make a diff erence in your workplace, make a diff erence wherever you go.” Feel -Good STORY Saluting the people that make us proud of our community presented by