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The INDEPENDENT, September 21, 2006
Oregon Zoo set to celebrate 9th annual World Animal Festival
Many people may not realize
how animals inspire reverence
or fear in cultures throughout
the world. During the Oregon
Zoo’s ninth annual World Ani-
mal Festival, presented by
Weyerhaeuser Company Foun-
dation, visitors discover how
animals influence different cul-
tures, beliefs, and customs.
World Animal Festival is slated
September 30-October 1 and
October 7-8, from 11:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m., daily.
The multi-cultural festival
features local cultural groups
presenting their versions of an-
imal folklore, arts and crafts,
African and Native American
storytelling, performance art,
and live music on the zoo’s
concert stage and in the entry
plaza.
Activity areas found through-
out the zoo feature games, ed-
ucational activities and take-
home crafts such as Ukrainian
egg decorating (first weekend
only), Middle Eastern mosaics,
Native American bracelet bead-
ing, and animal mask making.
Visitors watch as sea otters,
Human Rights Council starting up
Vision Action Network (VAN)
has announced organization of
a new Human Rights Council of
Washington County. The first
meeting of the all-volunteer
Council will be in mid-October.
Carlos Perez, deputy super-
intendent for Hillsboro School
District and a member of VAN’s
Board of Directors, will serve
as the Council’s first chair.
Twenty community members
have been invited to serve on
the initial Council, which will be
housed temporarily at the Vi-
sion Action Network. Members
will determine the scope of
work, nominate new members,
and search for funding and a
permanent home.
Over the past decade,
Banks
Dance
Academy
cougars, warty pigs, ocelots,
and African birds receive en-
richment treats, and learn
about what is threatening the
animals’ survival.
“World Animal Festival
showcases animals and the
cultures they influence,” says
Krista Swan, Oregon Zoo event
coordinator.
For several Pacific North-
west Native American tribes,
the sea otter represents loyal
friendship, while the salmon is
seen as a provider, according
to Swan. For the San Bushmen
of southern Africa, they revere
giraffes and hippos as “rain an-
imals.” In India, the Asian ele-
phant appears in the Hindu in-
carnation of the four-armed god
Ganesh, lord of wisdom, intelli-
gence, and education.
Weyerhaeuser
Company
Foundation has supported
World Animal Festival since its
inception in 1998.
“We’re longtime supporters
of the festival because it fits
well with our vision and our
commitment to conservation,
sustainability and diversity,”
said Nancy Arend, vice presi-
dent for Weyerhaeuser’s hard-
woods and industrial products
business and member of the
Washington County has seen
unprecedented growth and
change, both in population and
diversity. The Human Rights
Council is the result of two
years’ work by the Vision Action
Network and its community
partners to respond to the
needs of the growing communi-
ty.
The non-profit Vision Action
Network is an innovative or-
ganization dedicated to com-
munity-based problem solving
in Washington County. It was
created in 2002 based on the
premise that there are un-
tapped opportunities for collab-
orative problem-solving in the
community by coming together,
rather than working in isolation.
• Preschool classes
• Beginners thru advanced
• Top quality training
• After school drop off
• On-site store
• 3 beautiful studios
The professional school in the country
Pre-enroll
for the year by Sept.30th
receive a free dance outfit
& a 15% discount
on all classes.
Public comment
sought on HUD
A five-foot-tall African Saddle-Billed stork flaps its wings at
the Oregon Zoo. Photo by Michael Durham,courtesy of Oregon Zoo.
S TRASSEL ’ S A UTO R EPAIR
& H YDRAULIC H OSES
2-4-6 S PIRAL W IRE
F LANGE H EAD • S UCTION H OSES
A DAPTORS - 3/16” TO 2”
B ULK O IL P RODUCTS
276 S UNSET , B ANKS
503-324-9808
Ye Olde
Dingheiser
Pub & Restaurant
VISA - MC - ATM Access
COCKTAILS • BEER • WINE
FOOD, KEGS & ICE TO GO
Lunch & Dinner
Served Daily
SUNSET
LAUNDRY
11:00 am – Closing
CASH PRIZES!!
503-324-0112
Wash…$1.00
Dry…25¢
Ballet • Tap • Jazz/Hip-Hop • Highland
New! Community ballroom on Friday night!
180 S. Main St.
Banks, Oregon
14175 NW Sellers Rd., Banks, OR 97106
Oregon Zoo Foundation board
of trustees. “World Animal Fes-
tival celebrates wildlife and dif-
ferent cultures, which is some-
thing we strive for.”
World Animal Festival is free
with general zoo admission.
In conjunction with World
Animal Festival the zoo is cele-
brating Sea Otter Awareness
Week, which highlights the
plight of sea otters and the
zoo's hope to bring sea otters
back to Oregon. Sea Otter
Awareness Week features ma-
rine life displays as well as ani-
mal and keeper talks.
The zoo opens at 9 a.m. dai-
ly and is located just off High-
way 26. The zoo is also acces-
sible by MAX light rail line. Ad-
ditional information is available
at www. oregonzoo.org or by
calling 503-226-1561.
BINGO
SUNDAYS 5-8 PM
All Lottery Games
CLOSED MONDAYS
47100 NW Sunset Hwy.
Manning • 324-4848
Oregon Housing and Com-
munity Services (OHCS) seeks
public comment on the draft
2007 Action Plan relating to the
use of funding from the U.S.
Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD).
Public comment will be taken
through October 13.
OHSC and Oregon Eco-
nomic Community and Eco-
nomic Development Depart-
ment (OECDD) will jointly sub-
mit an action plan to HUD for a
variety of housing and commu-
nity development activities. De-
scriptions of those activities
are on the draft 2007 Action
Plan. A public hearing will be
held at noon on October 12, at
OECDD, 775 Summer ST., NE,
Salem, in room 201. The draft
2007 Action Plan can be
viewed on the web at www.ore
gon.gov/OHCS/HD/HRS/CON
SPLAN/AnnualActionPlan/Draf
tAnnualActionPlan07.doc.
OHCS is the State’s housing
finance agency and community
services program administra-
tor. The Department provides
financial and program support
to create and preserve oppor-
tunities for quality, affordable
housing for Oregonians of low-
er and moderate income and
administers federal and state
antipoverty, homeless, energy
assistance and community
service programs. For more in-
formation, go to www.ohcs.ore
gon.gov.