Nominations for the 2019 Oregon Heritage Excellence Awards Program are now being accepted. Applications can be found online through the Oregon Heritage website www.oregonheritage.org or by contacting Oregon Heritage Coordinator Beth Dehn at Beth.Dehn@oregon.gov or (503) 986-0696. The postmark deadline for submitting nominations is January 25, 2019. The Oregon Heritage Excellence Awards recognize individuals, businesses, and organizations for outstanding efforts on behalf of Oregon heritage, drawing public attention to these efforts, and raising the quality of heritage-oriented activities. Nominations are encouraged for organizations and projects of all sizes and heritage purposes and for volunteers and professionals from all heritage sectors. “The award recipients represent the extraordinary efforts to preserve Oregon’s heritage,” said Beth Dehn, coordinator for the Oregon Heritage Commission. “They also serve as models for others on how to develop new ideas, approaches, and innovations.” Last year’s recipients included: — The Agate, Jefferson County Historical Society’s local history journal distributed through the Madras Pioneer Paper to keep “history alive” while the museum is closed. –John Goodenberger, for extraordinary dedication to preserving the physical and cultural heritage of Astoria through consultation, work with non-profits, and the creation of the Historic Preservation program at Clatsop Community College. –Museum at Warm Springs, for 25 years of extraordinary work preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and serving as a model for cultural institutions seeking to preserve and honor indigenous cultures. –Oregon Women’s Veterans Sculpture, ‘the Lionesses’, a heritage memorial project in Springfield that honors women veterans and educates the community on the role of Oregon women in military combat, while providing a place for veterans to gather and reflect. –“Parting Shots: Minor White’s Images of Portland, 1938-1942,” a public exhibition at the Architectural Heritage Center that paired Minor White’s photographs of Portland buildings later lost to demolition with architectural artifacts to encourage public understanding of architectural preservation. –Sharon Nesbit, for chronicling the history and events of greater East Multnomah County for over half a century, including advocating for the preservation of the Multnomah County Poor Farm, Edgefield. –Stories of Southern Oregon, Southern Oregon University’s project hosted at http://soda.sou.edu to document heritage agriculture in Jackson and Josephine counties and serves as a prototype for further documentation work. –Taylor’s Drug & Fountain Building, an example of excellence in restoring a building to its historical roots with original materials and extreme care in downtown Independence. –Lionel Youst, for enriching the Coos Bay community as an active and vital historian, author, researcher and heritage advocate whose work spans heritage preservation efforts. –Valerie Vines Magee*, for being instrumental in safety measures and the beautification of the Nehalem American Legion Cemetery. *Sally Donovan Award for Historic Cemetery Preservation. Awards will be presented on April 25, 2019 at the Oregon Heritage Summit in Medford by Oregon Heritage, part of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The announcement for 2019 awardees will be made in mid-March 2019. Tickets for the awards presentation will be made available this coming spring.
