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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 2019)
SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2019 | 9A DENTURE SERVICES INC. LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED Here to serve your denture needs: Dentures Partial Dentures Immediate Dentures Implant Dentures Relines & Repairs Same Day Monday-Thursday 10am - 2 pm William Foster LD Sherry, Offi ce Manager “As a denture wearer myself, I can answer your questions and address your denture concerns.” ~ William Foster, LD Financing: Citi Health Card 12 Month no Interest 524 Laurel St. 541-997-6054 Let me Showcase your property. Amy Johnson Broker, CSA 541 999-7875 Limpit Lane #228 – Excellent building site in this quiet neighborhood with paved streets, elec- trical, water hook-ups at the lot line, and septic approved. Wooded lot priced at $54,500. #1541- 14427123 1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200 See Jim for your auto needs! 2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence (541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475 e renc Flo Oreg o n Charm Trail OR EGO N ’S C RO OASTAL PLAYG UN D from page 8A CITY Open 4 days a week! product that could utilize her fused glass art pieces, then pivoted to creating a studio space in Historic Old Town Florence. Plus, she has launched special curat- ed gift and art boxes cater- ing to a variety of needs and seasons. “RAIN provides in- credible opportunities for knowledge, growth and support,” Smoley said. “If you’re an entrepreneur or thinking about starting a business, I would definitely recommend that you be- come involved with RAIN. ... We couldn’t be where we are today without them.” The event’s signature sponsor was Oregon Pacific Bank, with CEO Ron Green leading a panel of “ecosys- tem players,” as Cummings described. Green first spoke about the bank and its history. “People don’t think about banks as small business- es,” he said. “Oregon Pa- cific Bank is the product of five entrepreneurs in this community who got together 40 years ago this month. Whether you’re a tire shop, an art studio or a bank, you’ve got to start somewhere and you want to do something that cre- ates value for everyone you interact with. So they came together and said, ‘How can we do something materially different for this communi- ty?’ Forty years later we are a considerably larger bank, but we’re still a small bank headquartered here.” He added the opportu- nity to partner with RAIN for events like this one “is absolutely what OPB is all about. It’s not just a finan- cial sponsorship; it’s an honor for a company like Florence Charm Trail The T h e F Florence l o r e n c e Charm C h a rm m Trail Trai l i is s e excited x c i t ed to announc announce ourselves to say we are part of this.” Green then moderat- ed the eight-person panel consisting of the partners who help with Florence’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The speakers were Lane County Community and Economic Development Manager Austin Ramirez, Lane Community College Florence Center Dean Russ Pierson, Lane SBDC Direc- tor Robert Killen, Florence Chamber Executive Direc- tor Bettina Hannigan, Siu- slaw News Features Editor Chantelle Meyer, Reynolds and Smoley. “These are folks that help drive what we’re doing in this ecosystem in this com- munity,” Green said. Each participant an- swered two questions from Green: each organization’s role in small business devel- opment and how Florence’s ecosystem has changed in the past four years. For Reynolds, she said the City of Florence’s role is leadership. Thanks to the city council, she and city staff have been empowered to lead the community path on the path to innovation. As to the second half, she said awareness is the biggest change while people learn of and connect to economic development resources. Hannigan reiterated the chamber’s role as “conve- ners, catalysts and cham- pions:” bringing people together with resources, helping people take their dreams to the next level and championing business. For the second part, she said that she loves that “Busi- nesses are seen as answers to a lot of questions and needs in this community. … They are heroes here.” Smoley said her role is offer a creative space to bring entrepreneurs, artists and creative people togeth- er, and that has shifted to include mentoring others. In the past four years, “an incredible support system” has developed. As to the Siuslaw News, Meyer said in 2020 it will be celebrating 130 years of supporting residents, orga- nizations, businesses and nonprofits through stories, advertisements, press re- leases, events and publica- tions. In the past four years, she has seen the hand-off from RAIN and the city to the entrepreneurs, who took ownership of their own path and helped create such a thriving ecosystem. For Pierson, he empha- sized that LCC is “this com- munity’s college” as it offers education and resources, as well as connections to additional partners like the SBDC. He said Florence’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is giving people a way into something new as they fol- low their dreams and ac- tually make money. With so many Oregon residents underemployed, resourc- es available now can help them achieve a living-wage job. Ramirez said that for Lane County Community and Economic Develop- ment, “Our goal is to cre- ate economic opportunity from the coast to the Cas- cades. That’s for everyone.” In his 18 months of living in Oregon, he has seen Or- egon entrepreneurs dive in, have grit and get things done with a lot of momen- tum. Killen has been with Lane SBDC for five months. He said the center will be more present on coast in 2020 as it works with residents. He said that economic devel- opment results from vision and courage across the board, especially through community buy-in. “All of you who are en- trepreneurs, or who want to be and have a vision — man, do it,” Green said. “Because you will not be sorry. Yes, you will work more, you will sweat more, you will grind your teeth and lose all your hair, but the rewards to the bene- fit of the community and yourself are going to come back to you tenfold. … I think the idea of local rein- vestment, whether its non- profit, volunteering, having a small business with one employee or having a small business like we do with 65 employees in Florence, you give back and reinvest. It’s what’s going to sustain this community for generations to come. I just applaud all of you for what you are doing.” Afterwards, Ruben invit- ed community members to stand and give one-minute business pitches. People’s ideas ranged from new business and studio space to high schoolers’ ideas for a customizable clothing store and rural food deliv- ery. As Florence’s venture catalyst, she is in the area two days each week to meet with entrepreneurs and business owners. She can be contacted through ariel@oregonrain.org. In addition, RAIN is accept- ing applications through Dec. 6 for its 12-week 2020 Florence Pre-Accelerator Program. Earlier in the night, Cummings said, “I can’t believe it’s been four years since we were in this same exact room launching this work. To see so many faces, and so many new people, is really what this event is about. Not only celebrating the companies we’ve helped in the last several years and the ecosystem, but all the new faces. … I always say it takes a community to raise an entrepreneur, and it does.” For more information about RAIN, visit oregon- rain.org or www.meetup. com/Startup-Florence-Or- egon-Coast. The organiza- tion’s next event is Thurs- day, Dec. 5, for “Angel Investing 101” at 5:30 p.m. at The Bodega, 180 Laurel St. Holiday Charms For a li F limited it d ti time and d while hil supplies li l last t only. l F LORENCE E VENTS C ENTER 715 Quince St. • 541-997 -1994 Monday-Friday 9am-4:30pm S PRUCE P OINT A SSISTED L IVING & 375 9th St, Florence • (541) 997-6111 Daily 8am - 5pm from page 1A tion until blue green algae levels drop below 100,000 upcoming weather fronts and residents should not will give us some relief.” let pets drink lake water. Bottled water use is rec- Particular care should be ommended for consump- given to ensure the elderly, ALGAE young children and preg- nant women do not con- sume the water. For more information, call Mills at 541-997-3338. M EMORY C ARE Screening Presented by: The Siuslaw News S TITCH & S OLE 1377 Bay Street •541-997 -7463 Daily 10 am – 6 pm THE CARTELS, THE BLACK MARKET AND THE FIGHT TO SAVE A SPECIES F LORENCE A REA C HAMBER OF C OMMERCE 290 Hwy 101 • 541-997 -3128 Mon-Fri 9am-1pm, Sat 10am- 2pm T HE J OLLY E GRET 1312 Bay Street • 541-991-3842 Mon - Sat 10:30am - 5:30pm • Sun - 12-5pm B EAUX A RTS F INE A RT M ATERIALS 2285 Hwy. 101 •541-991-8213 Tues-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm • Or by appointment S IUSLAW N EWS 148 Maple Street • 541-997-3441 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm J AWSOME K IDS R ESALE WEDNESDAY 1901 Hwy. 101 • 541-997-5183 Tues-Dat. 10am-5pm D ECEMBER 11 S EA L ION C A VES 1901 Hwy. 101 • 541-547-3111 Daily 9am-4pm Two Showings @ City Lights Cinema 12:30 pm and 6:30 pm B AY S TREET B LING 1499 Bay Street in Old town • 541-305-5795 11 am – 5 pm weekdays • 10 am – 5 pm weekends Make a personalized keepsake for friends and family. Available November 23rd $2 Each Tickets are FREE* Admission tickets are required and available starting November 16th at: City Lights Cinema 1920 Highway 101 Sponsored by County Transfer & Recycling, Lane County Waste, City of Florence and Central Coast Disposal