COTTAGE GROVE – South Lane School District is getting a financial boost after being selected as one of Weyerhaeuser’s Giving Fund recipients. Grant money totaling $47,500 was awarded to 10 local organizations, including $6,425 to South Lane School District.
Statewide, 61 grants totaling $297,000 were awarded to Oregon nonprofits, community organizations, and local fire and wildfire suppression districts.
According to Weyerhaeuser’s website, the Giving Fund prioritizes affordable housing, education and youth development, environmental stewardship, human services, civic and cultural growth, workforce development, and inclusion.
“Thriving Oregon communities are essential to the shared success of our company, employees, and Oregon residents,” said Katie Hooker, corporate giving manager at Weyerhaeuser. “These grants support organizations working to make a difference in the lives of Oregonians.”
Organizations that received grants include:
• Reach Out and Read Inc. – $5,000 for Reach Out and Read for Cottage Grove Families
• Harrison Elementary – $2,250 for Harrison Hotline
• Springfield Kiwanis Foundation – $3,000 for Safety Town
• Ophelia’s Place – $7,500 for Youth Empowerment Program
• Friends of the Child Advocacy Center Inc. – $7,500 for Kids FIRST Mental Health Program
• South Lane School District-Cottage Grove High School – $1,675 for Forklift training
• South Lane School District/Al Kennedy High School – $2,500 for Agricultural Foods and Natural Resources Career & Technical Education Program
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Emerald Valley – $8,075 for STEAM for All
Joan Narsavich, Youth Transition Specialist at Cottage Grove High, said this is the second year receiving this grant, allowing 10 graduating seniors interested in training and becoming certified for forklift.
“Students will have increased skills to be prepared for employment while also building a better resume and self-confidence,” Narsavich said. As a youth transition specialist, Narsavich helps students prepare for life after graduation. She facilitates field trips to potential employers, most recently to Swanson Group Mill in Springfield. She also helps with mock interviews, job shadows, and searches and connects students to community resources.
“Ideally, I try to provide ‘real-life’ opportunities so students can experience potential future options and have a chance to ask questions,” Narsavich said.
CGHS is partnering with Overton Safety to provide training and certification. Toyota Lift Northwest in Creswell provided a free forklift to support the students and their future plans.
The forklift safety program covers laws and standards related to forklift operation, daily forklift and area inspection, stability, key components, load engagement, stacking, and tiering, refueling/recharging, traveling, understanding load rating charts, signaling, and dealing with jobsite and electrical hazards.
Ophelia’s Place
Ophelia’s Place, based in Eugene, received $7,500 to support a Youth Empowerment Program at Cottage Grove’s Lincoln Middle School. Teri Conklin, communications director for Ophelia’s Place, said the funds will be used to provide a suite of prevention-based behavioral health resources for LMS students.
According to Conklin, “Ophelia’s Place is dedicated to empowering girls ages 10-18 to thrive in a complex world…Girls and youth today are dealing with so much,” she said. “OP is here to support, encourage, and guide them, and help them tap into their innate resilience so they can manage life’s challenges and thrive. By meeting girls where they are during most of their school day, in this case, right at Lincoln Middle School, we can help provide services and the tools they need to impact their social and emotional health positively.”
Conklin said that the funding supports three activities – adult mentorship while facilitating on-site Girls Empowerment Groups; classroom presentations to all youth that address topics such as internet safety, healthy friendships, healthy dating relationships, sexual harassment, media and body image, and peers as allies (anti-bullying); and girls will also benefit from a variety of after and out-of-school social-emotional learning activities and workshops to make supportive connections with each other and supportive staff.
