Gallery features local painter’s art
Works by Albany painter Mary Ridler will be featured at Gallery Calapooia for the month of January. Ridler takes inspiration from Aesop’s Fables for her show.
Her acrylic paintings illustrate The Two Frogs, The Lion and the Mouse, The Fox and the Mask, The Mischievous Dog, and The Peacock and Juno.
The show runs Jan. 2 through Jan. 23. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Gallery Calapooia is located at 222 W. 1st Ave. in downtown Albany.
Republicans plan meeting on Jan. 18
Linn County Republicans will meet in person at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, at 36839 Rock Hill Drive.
On the agenda is organization and preparation for the May 2021 elections, announcement of new fundraising activities, and the need for recruiters to find candidates for the May elections.
A fundraising raffle will be held. Those who wish to attend by Zoom can link at us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItcu6pqTMjGdwMwEPw5vmeCpsercVQYxM6.
LBCC offers help for small business
Linn-Benton Community College’s Small Business Development Center offers a variety of business classes as the new year begins.
“Going Into Business,” a free, informational, lively one-hour Zoom class led by Melinda Short, is offered at 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 26.
“Foundations of Business” is a free Zoom series addressing topics in business relevant to surviving in today’s world. George Medellin will lead “Identifying Your Ideal Customer” from 3 to 4 p.m. on Jan. 26.
“Small Business Management – Growth” is a free Zoom class that meets for nine months on the first and third Wednesday of each month, from January to June and continuing from September to November. Focus on the priorities to grow your business. There will be discussion, networking, and one-on-one advising to customize the topics to your business.
SBDC also offers classes in Quickbooks, real estate license preparation and other topics.
For more information, visit oregonsbdc.org and click on “Classes” or call (541) 917-4840.
Area church hosts grief support group
A Women’s Grief Support Group meets every other Friday night at Calvary Baptist Church, 1042 Pleasant Valley Road, in Sweet Home. The next meeting will be at 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29.
The group aims to provide a safe space to acknowledge grief, find others who have suffered in similar ways, be heard, and share in mutual support and healing for life’s hardest losses. Participants are there to help begin the healing process.
While many participants are of Christian faith, all faiths are welcome. There will be no preaching and absolutely no judgment.
The group was created by and for women. Counseling can be coordinated with a chaplain and a men’s group could be created, as interest is expressed.
For information, contact Nelia Taraski at (936) 522-6797 or Adina Blackwell at (503) 729-9896.
Woodlands group plans seedling sale
The Linn County Small Woodlands Association will host its 26th annual seedling sale at the Linn County Fair and Expo Center in Albany on Saturday, Feb. 6.
Volunteers from membership and 4-H families assemble pre-orders on Friday before the sale.
The annual seedling sale supports the chapter’s university and 4-H forestry scholarships.
The sale offers a wide selection of conifer and deciduous seedlings and native plant seedlings. Early pre-orders are encouraged, as supplies of seedlings are limited and occasionally sell out prior to the sale day.
Pre-order information is available at linncountyswa.org under the “LCSWA Activities” tab.
To be added to the association’s email (or snail mail) list or to sign up to help, contact Bonnie Marshall at [email protected] or (503) 769-6510.
Photo courtesy of Jami Cate
Local groups get Samaritan grants
The five hospitals of Samaritan Health Services have awarded a total of $339,807 in Social Accountability grants to local service organizations, to be distributed during 2021.
Recipients in Lebanon were Family Tree Relief Nursery, Fish of Lebanon, Lebanon Basic Services, Orbria Medical Clinics/Pregnancy Alternative Center, St. Vincent de Paul – Lebanon, along with agencies that serve Lebanon residents, such as ABC House, Meals on Wheels and the Senior Corps of Linn County.
Social Accountability grants are awarded within Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties. Funding decisions are made by committees consisting of employees and board members at each Samaritan-affiliated hospital. Funded programs address unmet needs of underserved populations and improve overall community health.
Social Accountability grants are part of the larger Samaritan Community Benefit program, which encompasses the organization’s efforts to build healthier communities by providing direct and in-kind support for services such as health screenings, health professions education, health research and community health activities.
Community Benefit also encompasses the charity care that Samaritan provides to low-income patients.
To be eligible for funding, programs must:
♦ Focus on unmet needs in underserved populations.
♦ Be collaborative, involving partnerships with Samaritan or other local community organizations.
♦ Be located in and provide services within Benton, Lincoln and/or Linn counties.
♦ Focus on prevention, with an emphasis on improving the health status in the community that includes equity, diversity and inclusion.
♦ Focus on a specific program or project within the agency or organization.
♦ Use quality indicators to measure progress, report results and share them widely to attract more resources.
♦ Plan for self-sufficiency.
♦ Be fiscally responsible.