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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (March 4, 2015)
2A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • March 4, 2015 Polk County News Polk County Folklife Festival ready for debut on Saturday M-I Chamber set to honor leaders By Jolene Guzman By Emily Mentzer The Itemizer-Observer The Itemizer-Observer POLK COUNTY — Kurt Dugan, program director for the Polk County Folklife Fes- tival, wants to turn the Polk County Fairgrounds & Event Center into a place everyone feels welcome when the event debuts Saturday. Folklife will explore and cel- ebrate the Willamette Valley’s diversity through music, food, performing arts and crafts. “That’s what I want, peo- ple of different ethnic groups and cultures to feel like they are in their own living room,” Dugan said. And other people’s living room’s, too, offering what he describes as “a sense of com- munity.” Dugan wants those cultures to interact, allowing people to explore something they haven’t before. That is why musi- cal acts es- pecially w e r e Dugan scheduled with so much variety. Bands include headliners Lisa Orn- stein and Dan Compton’s fid- dle and guitar duo act, Native American flute player Jan Michael Looking Wolf, Latin band Romance, reggae-ska group Big Outside, and blue- grass band Roundhouse. Dugan’s hope is that peo- ple who come to the festival to listen to one act will stay to hear the next. “That’s what this festival is about, people taking the op- portunity to experience other music and other cul- tures,” he said. Dugan had been envision- ing the festival for several years and started putting to- gether a team about two years ago. He presented his idea to the Dallas Area Visi- tors Center, which agreed to MONMOUTH/INDE- PENDENCE — It’s almost that time of year again, when the communities of Monmouth and Independ- ence recognize the people and businesses who make a difference. The 50th annual Mon- mouth Independence Com- munity Awards Banquet will be Friday, March 13, at 5:30 p.m., but tickets must be pur- chased by noon on Monday. Nominations this year in- cluded a tough crowd, filled with worthy names of busi- nesses and individuals who made a positive impact on the community. The category for Junior Citizen Award — in its sec- ond year — was so tough, the selection committee refused to narrow it to just one, said Jean Love, chamber execu- tive director. “Upon scoring the (nom- ination) narratives, these two were tied,” Love said. “They said, ‘we don’t want to choose a specific winner. We want to award both of Festival will celebrate diversity PHOTO COURTESY OF ROMANCE Local band Romance will be part of the main stage lineup at the first Polk County Folk- life Festival taking place Saturday at the Polk County Fairgrounds & Event Center. Check It Out What: Polk County Folklife Festival. When: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Where: Polk County Fairgrounds & Event Cen- ter, 520 S. Pacific High- way (99W), Rickreall. Admission: $10, or five cans of food and $5; children 12 and under admitted free. Food do- nations will be donated to the Dallas Food Bank. For more informa- tion: info@polkcounty- folklife.com or www.polk- countyfolklife.com. help, and it soon began to grow. Now, the Polk County Folklife Festival Committee consists of 12 people. Sally Clark, the owner of Guthrie Park Community Center and longtime friend of Dugan’s, is a part of that Furniture Upholstery Stephen All types: for homes, offices, equip- ment. Also, repairs, RV cushions, slipcovers, High Quality since 1966 Winters Sewing 503-838-4999 or 503-375-9266 Emmy 440 E. St • Independence, OR 97351 www.winterssewing.com Serving Polk County 16yrs team, helping manage enter- tainment at the festival. “To have a folk festival so close to home is exciting,” Clark said. Organizers were especially keen on bringing in Lisa Ornstein, a fiddle player who has helped revive old-time Appalachian music. “She’s nationally known,” Clark said. “For her to want to come to Polk County and perform is great.” Folklife will also honor an- other legend of the genre, Jane Keefer, the festival’s main stage namesake. Dugan said she taught and inspired a number of local musicians to take up old-time music. But music isn’t the only reason to come to Folklife. Festivalgoers can experi- ence culture through cui- sine, as a variety of ethnic foods will be featured. Youngsters will have an area designated for them, called “Little Folkies,” with craft ac- Sudoku Solution tivities provided by Dallas nonprofit Monkey with Tools, as well as face painting and a juggler and a ventrilo- quist-magi- cian put- ting on shows. Arts and crafts vendors and dem- onstrators Clark will have booths set up through the fes- tival area, covering three buildings at the fairgrounds. For the adults 21 and older, there will be a beer and wine garden featuring Rogue Ales brews and vin- tages from Airlie Winery. Truman Price, the regular dance caller at Guthrie Park’s monthly country dances, will host a traditional barn dance in the evening. “I hope to see lots of peo- ple out there,” Clark said. “I hope this is a success so we can continue next year. We want this to be the start of something.” them for all they’ve done for the community.’” The two Junior Citizen Award winners are Megan Stutzman and Michael Willis. Other winners will be an- nounced at the banquet on March 13 at Eola Hills Win- ery. Mu c h o f w h a t w a s changed at the banquet last year will remain the same this year, but one thing will be added. “We gave the explanation of the winner, but the acco- lades were very generic,” Love said. “We didn’t do a good job of shining the light about what they have done. This year we’ll read high- lights about each of the nominees and announce the winner. We want to highlight the greatness of all our nominees.” Many businesses that won awards last year are in the top three finalists this year. “There are definitely some repeats,” Love said. “It really shows the impact that these businesses or individ- uals have made, when you’re repeatedly ranked or nominated.” Attend the Gala What: The 50th annual Monmouth-Independence Community Awards Banquet. When: Friday, March 13. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m. Program begins at 6:30. Where: Eola Hills Wine Cellars, Rickreall. Admission: $40 per person. Tickets must be purchased by Monday at noon. AWARD FINALISTS Junior Citizen Award winners: Megan Stutzman, Michael Willis. Business and Organization Awards: Retail Service — Independence Cinema, Les Schwab Tire Center, Roth’s Fresh Markets; Nonprofit or Organization — Monmouth Inde- pendence YMCA, Monmouth Public Library, Partnerships in Community Living Inc. Food and Beverage Service — Burg- erville, Crush Wine Bar and Tasting Room, San Antonio. Per- sonal Service Provider — Ash Creek Animal Clinic, Curves, Monmouth Fitness Club. Professional Service Provider — Maps Credit Union, MINET, Oregon State Credit Union. Education Support Staff of the Year: Tracy Barnes, Jo- dene Presler and Janie Vela. Educator of the Year: Adri- enne Gault, Scott McCannell, Linda Tonagel. Distin- guished Service: Mark Fancey, Rod Killen, David Ritchey. First Citizen: Dori Showell, Kimber Townsend, Donn Wahl. For more information: www.micc-or.org.