OPRD release – The Oregon Heritage Commission has awarded $77,582 in grants to 12 museums throughout the state as part of the Oregon Museum Grant program. The grants will help fund a variety of projects including collection preservation, interpretation, and heritage tourism. Award amounts ranged from $3,315 – $8,000. Funded projects: Canby Historical Society, in Clackamas County, to convert and transcribe oral histories. Tamastslikt Cultural Institute, of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, to enhance collections management. Deschutes County Historical Society, in Bend, to convert tape audio files to digital. Elkton Community Education Center, in Douglas County, provide training to interpreters. High Desert Museum, in Deschutes County, to provide reunions between cultural items in the collections and living descendants. Japanese American Museum of Oregon, in Portland, to catalog and digitize the Hood River Incident collection. Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, in Joseph, to update and create traveling exhibits. Milwaukie Historic Society, in Clackamas County, to install an interpretive panel about Ah Bing, developer of the Bing Cherry. Springfield Museum, in Lane County, to ultraviolet protective film on the museum windows. Sumpter Valley Railroad Restoration, Inc., in Baker County, to complete work on the new archives building. The Museum at Warm Springs, in Jefferson County, to complete an exhibit of its 30-year history. Woodville Museum, Inc., in Rogue River, to install a new HVAC system. The museum grant program is offered annually by the Oregon Heritage Commission, part of the Oregon Heritage program at Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD). The grant program began in 1965 when only 24 organizations were eligible for the program. The grant is funded OPRD lottery dollars. The Oregon Heritage Commission works to secure, sustain and enhance Oregon’s heritage. The Commission sponsors heritage initiatives that educate the public about the value of heritage and celebrate the state’s diversity. The Oregon Heritage Commission consists of nine members appointed by the governor and nine agency advisors. Members are chosen from state agencies and statewide organizations, and represent a diverse geographical and heritage background. To learn more about the Oregon Museum Grant or the Oregon Heritage Commission, visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at Kuri.gill@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.
