CSC Joins the City of Albany Veterans Day Celebration - November 11, 2017

Mid-Valley Stand Down for Veterans held September 21, 2017

The 3rd annual Mid-Valley Stand Down for Veterans was held on September 21, 2017 at Linn-Benton Community College in Albany.  The event had been held in Lebanon for the first two years, and this year featured a new venue and an earlier date.  Over 50 providers were on hand to assist veterans in attendance with connecting to needed services.  There were also donations of clothing, gear, and hygiene items available to veterans who needed them.  Of the veterans in attendance, nearly half identified themselves as homeless, which is the group that the Stand Down targets.  Veterans were able to receive a warm meal (or two), assistance with finding resources, a free haircut, and a warm welcome from those in attendance.  Response from those who attended was overwhelmingly positive.

This year we saw an increased turnout of volunteers for the event.  Of note were the volunteers from Hewlett Packard, most of whom were veterans themselves.  They served as greeters and guides for veterans attending the event, often sharing a meal and conversation with the vets who attended.  They did a great job and are eager to volunteer again at the 2018 Stand Down. Even the crew from the CSC Finance Dept. helped out at this year’s event!

We received many donations from the community for the event.  The LBCC Veterans Club sponsored the event and enabled us to get the facility free of charge.  We received financial donations from Disabled American Veterans, St. Bernard Church of Scio, as well as individuals who gave through the CSC website.  Burgerville of Corvallis held a fundraiser for the Stand Down prior to the event and have plans to do so again.  The Corvallis Chipotle recently held a funder for the next Stand Down and are hoping to so again before the 2018 event.

Plans are already in the works for the 2018 Stand Down.  For more information on how you can become involved, contact Connie Barkdull (541-704-7648) or Mikalyn Martinez (541-758-2761) at CSC.

December 2017 Christmas Meals and Baskets List

November 2017 Thanksgiving Meals & Food Baskets List

Albany Community Summit on Homelessness, November 1, 2017.

Fundraising for Homeless Veterans Stand Down for Linn and Benton Counties

Energy Assistance Appointments In Your City

New LiHeap Season Opens October 1, 2017

Mid-Valley Stand Down for Homeless Veterans

Mid-Valley Stand Down for Homeless Veterans. Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017 @ 9am - 2pm. LBCC, 2nd Floor, Calapooia Center

Second Chance Renters Classes with CSC

Community Services Consortium will be holding the Second Chance Renter Rehabilitation classes from 1:30-3:30 at our Corvallis Office, 545 SW 2^nd St. Suite A,  on the following dates:  

July 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, and 26^th.            

          

Topics covered will be:  

How to be a Good Tenant, Landlord/Tenant Issues

Energy Education, Conflict Resolution

Goal Setting, and Basic Budgeting

One must attend all six classes to get a certificate  

Pre-registration is required – space is limited

Please contact Cindy Pratt-DeMarzo if you have any questions.   

The deadline for registering is Friday, June 30th.   

Please forward this on to others you think would be interested.    Thank you.

Cindy Pratt-DeMarzo

Housing Case Management

Community Services Consortium

545 SW 2^nd St., Suite A

Corvallis OR 97333

(541)758-2632

Career Tech Students Take on Whale of a Project for Rose Parade

By Kendall S. Cable

Contributing writer

NEWPORT, OR. It all began with a used golf cart. Then came a metal frame welded by City of Lincoln City Maintenance staff. Next, seven students from Career Tech High School’s Woods and Metals Program created a plywood foundation for strategically-placed PVC and chicken wire to rise. Finally, from burlap, rice and thistle breached a whale of local distinction that migrated to Portland’s Rose Parade Saturday.

The float, a promotion for Lincoln City’s Pixiefest to take place June 24-25 at Chinook Winds Casino and Resort, was helmed by Pixie Captain and Lincoln City Councilor Kip Ward, who intentionally grew a beard for the event, according to Ed Dreistadt, Lincoln City Convention and Visitor Bureau director. The whale, accompanying pixies, and Pixiefest are a nod to Pixie Kitchen and Pixieland - former local establishments which catered to children.

“The Career Tech students saved the day,” stated Dreistadt. “We located a used golf cart and the city maintenance staff constructed the brackets for a wood platform to be attached to, but all the rest was courtesy of the Career Tech crew. They designed the platform, the whale, and the waves and then built it all.”

For the seven students (Corrie Martin, Jason Miranda, Tyler Rini, Kendra Arns, Cameron Ogle, Levi Huppert, and Jordan Serden), the project was an act of teamwork and patience – 40 hours of patience, according to John Kiser, Career Tech Woods and Metals Program crew leader.

“There wasn’t a lot of arguing or head butting with the design process,” Kiser said. “Everyone agreed on what we would do and got right to it.”

The 14-foot-by-8-foot float was built during Wednesday class time in Schooner Creek Designs’ woodshop. Students learned a variety of skills and worked with tools such as sanders and jig saws.

“I think it was a good project for the kids to learn how to use the power tools. It was good for them,” Kiser said. “Some of them have not used a sander or jig saw before. It was good hands-on training with those power tools.”

Just as important as tools and technique is teamwork, according to one student. From city hall to the students to the community, all made the project possible.

“The best part was working together as a group, teamwork,” Miranda stated. “It takes a lot of work to do the littlest things.  But if you do, you learn a lot.”

For more information regarding Pixiefest, go to pixiefest.com. Pixiefest is a collaborative effort led by Kiwanis Club of Lincoln City in partnership with Theatre West, Chinook Winds Casino Resort, Lincoln City Outlets and Farmers Insurance.

Career Tech High School is chartered through Community Services Consortium, the community action agency helping people in Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties. For more information go to www.careertech.us or www.communityservices.us.

Photo by John Kiser

Career Tech High School students who worked on Lincoln City’s float for Portland’s Rose Parade (Left to right): Cameron Ogle, Corrie Martin, Levi Huppert, Jordan Serden, Kendra Arns, Tyler Rini, and Jason Miranda.

Photo by Ed Dreistadt

Lincoln City Councilor Kip Ward steers the Pixiefest float during Saturday’s Rose Parade in Portland.

CSC's Head Start Expansion Project Is Really Taking Shape!

Our Newport Head Start school is expanding to include a new classroom and some much needed storage.