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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 4, 2017)
Polk County News DEADLINES NEWS DEADLINES For inclusion in the Wednesday edition of the Itemizer-Observer: Social news (weddings, engagements, anniver- saries, births, milestones) — 5 p.m. on Thursday. Community events — noon on Friday for both the Community notebook and Community Calendar. Letters to the editor — 10 a.m. on monday. Obituaries — 4 p.m. on monday. ADVERTISING DEADLINES Retail display ads — 3 p.m. Friday. Classified display ads — 11 a.m. on monday. Classified line ads — noon on monday. Classified ads are updated daily on www.polkio.com. Public notices — noon on Friday. CORRECTIONS matt Garrett is the director of the Oregon Department of Transportation. The Polk County Itemizer- Observer is committed to pub- lishing accurate news, feature and sports reports. If you see anything that requires a cor- rection or clarification, call the newsroom at 503-623-2373 or send an email to ementzer@polkio.com. WEBSITE The Polk County Itemizer- Observer website, www.polkio.com, is updat- ed each week by Wednes- day afternoon. There, you will find nearly every story that appears in the print version of the newspaper, as well as some items, in- cluding additional photos, that do not appear in print due to space limitations. The Itemizer-Observer is also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Watch for breaking news, links to sto- ries, sports scores updates and more. WEATHER RECORDED HIGH LOW Dec. 27.............. 49 Dec. 28.............. 41 Dec. 29.............. 47 Dec. 30.............. 46 Dec. 31.............. 37 Jan. 1.................. 42 Jan. 2.................. 35 39 30 37 30 30 33 29 RAIN .22 .00 .00 .07 .02 .34 .06 rainfall during Dec. — 5.15 in. rain through Dec. 31 — 47.01 in. Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 4, 2017 3A Chamber director ready to jump in By Emily Mentzer The Itemizer-Observer MONMOUTH/INDE- PENDENCE — Ryan Kingsella has a passion for helping his community in positive ways. “There’s no cooler feeling than knowing that I’ve really helped a business succeed,” he said. Kingsella, 28, started his job as director of the Mon- mouth Independence Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center on Sunday, though the work didn’t really start until Tuesday. “I can’t wait to meet all the business owners in town,” he said. “I already have relationships with a lot of them just working with Genesis Marketing.” Genesis is a company Kingsella started while at- tending Western Oregon University. A mix-up with his finan- EmIly mEnTzEr/ Itemizer-Observer Ryan Kingsella is the new MI chamber director. cial aid meant he had to find other ways to make ends meet. Marketing has always come easy to Kingsella. “I used to be the manager of marketing and leasing for a triple A apartment com- munity in the South,” he said. “My dad has always been in advertising, so I kind of grew up in the in- dustry. I think I knew the word ‘demographic’ before I was 12.” Now, he hopes to take his passion for helping small business and expand his focus to the communities through the chamber. “I think that’s why I fell in love with this town, because I know Rick at Rick’s Coffee, and I know Ray, my barber, and I love the personal con- nection that all these small businesses offer, so helping them succeed and grow — it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Kingsella said. He said he loves the focus of the chamber and its board of directors: member- ship engagement and bene- fits. “It’s the first time I’ve taken a project or worked for a company whose mission is truly to help,” Kingsella said. “Every company says that, but it’s a tag line on, ‘we need to make profit.’” Many of the chamber pro- grams that former director Jean Love put into place will remain, Kingsella said, but that’s not to say he doesn’t have some ideas. Increasing membership and engagement, as well as tourism are top on his list. “For me, the best way (to increase membership) is to go out and meet business owners and talk to them, hear their stories face-to- face and figure out what their needs are,” Kingsella said. Kingsella has a degree from Western Oregon in early childhood education and sociology. He comes from a military background, having served in the Air Force, and found- ed WOU’s Veteran’s Center, as well as started the Stu- dent Veterans of America chapter at WOU. With his new job, he will pass management of his marketing company to his wife, Allison. Food: Bank set up like regular grocery store Continued from Page 1A Every two months, neigh- borhood coordinators with the food project collect green bags with donations for the food bank, said Linda McBurney, who started the project in Monmouth and Independence. “We’ve been doing it since 2013,” she said. “Our first food pickup was 750 pounds. Now we’re averag- ing over 2,000 pounds every other month for the food bank.” McBurney asks Nevue what the greatest need is and gets the word out to all who participate in the proj- ect, which is one reason the bank has a greater stock of canned fruit right now. In addition to the green bags, food drives and the Marion-Polk Food Share, local grocery stores, restau- rants and farmers donate regularly to Ella Curran. That means those in need have access to eggs and milk; fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables; as well as fresh- baked rolls and sliced bread. “Sliced bread is always a gem, because people like sliced bread,” Nevue said. Really, everyone needs to eat, and the food bank can help, Nevue said. “We’re very welcoming,” she said. “We realize that coming here sometimes for people can be humbling, and we want to make sure they feel welcomed, and that they At a glance: What: Ella Curran Food Bank, 870 n. main St., Independ- ence. Mission: To end hunger by providing emergency food to community members in the monmouth and Independence area. The food bank is a private 501 C 3 nonprofit operated and managed completely by volunteers, and is a partner with the marion-Polk Food Share. Hours: monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 9 to 11:30 a.m., and a new time: Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m. Where does it come from? Food comes from donations from marion-Polk Food Share, businesses, churches, schools, special food drives, libraries, farmers, the mon Indy Food Project green bag drives, and individuals. How does it work? recipients get to select food for their family. Fresh, canned and frozen vegetables and fruits; dairy, meat, bread, cereal, peanut butter, baking supplies, soup, prepared meals, toilet paper, coffee, sugar, salt, and laundry and hand soap. Of note: The OSU Extension Food Hero often will pick up food from the food bank and create recipes. recipes of all sorts — from how to use frozen kale to how to easily cook a squash — are available at the food bank to help people pre- pare the food available. For more information: Patty nevue, 503-917-1681. www.ellacurranfoodbank.org. feel uplifted by coming.” Patrons begin by answer- ing two questions: Are you from the area? Do you make less than this? Eligibility is determined using the federal guidelines for food stamps, Nevue said. Many patrons make signifi- cantly less than the qualifier for food assistance, she added. Once they’ve answered those two questions, people are guided through the food bank — which is set up like a meals, and coffee, tea, sugar, and salt — if it’s in stock. Each family gets a birth- day cake mix and frosting, as well as a small toy for birth- day months. “It’s designed to be a good week’s worth of food,” Nevue said. “It’s not a box. It’s really a lot.” The entire thing is made possible through volunteers, she noted. “The volunteers, some of them have been here for decades, they’re so dedicat- ed,” Nevue said. “And the donors are so generous. And the people who come get food are so appreciative.” “People are struggling to make ends meet; they need food,” McBurney added. “You never know when you might be in the same place yourself.” Some things are always in need, Nevue said, such as adult diapers, toilet paper, peanut butter, canned fruit and canned corn. Follow the Mon Indy Food Project and the Ella Curran Food Bank on Facebook to keep up with the most cur- rent needs at the food bank. regular grocery store — by volunteers. Each person receives a card detailing how much of each item he or she may se- lect based on the size of his or her family. Then they shop for milk, eggs, veggies and fruits, breads, baking supplies, cereal, condi- ments — and more. Each family has access to adult and children’s diapers, dog food, a bar of hand soap, toilet paper, laundry soap, grains, prepared FINAL DAYS to reserve your space in the 2017 WHO’S WHO IN POLK COUNTY A FULL COLOR GUIDE to businesses serving Polk County! Publishes January 18, 2017 Visit our website to see last year’s issue of Who’s Who: www.polkio.com Name of Business _______________________ ______________________________________ Phone _________________________________ ContactName ___________________________ Phone _________________________________ ❑ I would like to run the same ad for 2017 ❑ I would like a new photo. Call __________________________ to schedule. Your Name/Number ❑ or Save $10 and use photo from last year. ❑ I would like to change my written information. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Website________________________________ WE WISH TO THANK OUR PARTNERS WHO HELPED MAKE CHRISTMAS CHEER 2016 PROJECT A HUGE SUCCESS! Dallas Volunteer Fire Fighter’s Association Polk County Search and Rescue Polk County Sheriff’s Office/Jail City of Dallas Dallas Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center Dallas Glass Dallas School District Dallas High School LaCreole Middle School Whitworth, Oakdale and Lyle Elementary Schools Faith Free Christian School Falls City School District Falls City Fire Department Faith Evangelical Free Church United Methodist Church LDS Dallas Cub/Boy Scouts Los Caballeros 4-H Dallas Emergency Food Bank Godsey Secure Storage Perrydale FFA & Feed America Email Address __________________________ Bring this form in to our office: 147 SE Court St., Dallas Fax it to 503-623-2395, or mail it to: PO Box 108, Dallas, OR 97338 Itemizer-Observer Rickreall Dairy Safeway Carl and Patty VanWell Elliott Farms Umpqua Dairy Dave’s Killer Bread Reser’s Foods CHM2Hill Eric Lamb – www.creativelamb.com Dallas Starbucks Squirrel Taxi Service Domino’s Pizza Dallas Branch—Bank of America Hank Kliever Floor Covering—Abbey Carpet Mid-Valley Ford Anytime Fitness Wall Insurance Washington Federal Itemizer Observer VanWell Timber, LLC And to all the private cash donations both small and large along with families and individuals who sponsored food items – huge thank you! SPECIAL THANKS TO THE 400+ VOLUNTEERS WHO CAME EARLY AND STAYED UNTIL ALL WAS DELIVERED AND CLEANED UP — YOU ARE THE “HANDS AND FEET” THAT MAKE CHRISTMAS CHEER A SUCCESS W W W. D A L L A S C C . O R G
