By Nancy Jennings
To fulfill its Lions Club International “Centennial Community Legacy Projects” in 2017, and commemorate the service organization’s 100th year of its founding, Silverton’s chapter has completed two community projects – Silverton’s Reservoir fishing area has been renovated, and two new iron benches will be installed at the dog park near the Senior Center.
Lions Club Joint Secretary Tomi Wolff, Silverton’s first woman member, has been involved in the club for 30 years. She said her father helped create the Salem chapter in the 1940s, and she’s proud being a second-generation Lion.
An excerpt of the reservoir renovation project proposal follows: “Taking a look at the area under the bank, which extends along the path toward the spillway, the ground is irregular and the picnic tables are not comfortably accessed. People often bring folding chairs and a picnic basket while fishing for a few hours. Finding level ground is a challenge… and a great deal of space is unused. The proposed project would be to level out the area from the dock to the spillway making comfortable seating spaces. Gravel could then be spread to provide a firm, clean surface. The area could be outlined with pressure treated lumber on three sides, leaving one side open toward the water. Additionally, steps could be cut into the bank to provide access to the picnic table at the far end.”
“Our biggest project was the renovation of the Silverton Reservoir fishing area,” Wolff said. “This was done with the help of the Senior Class of 2017. The dock was cleaned and painted, debris was removed from the picnic areas – and safe steps were built with railroad ties and rebar. The paths were given a new layer of gravel, which was donated by Davis Creek Rock Quarry.”
After receiving approval by the City of Silverton and the Dept. of Public Works – and a lot of physical labor – the road to completion came in September 2018.
According to Lions Club Treasurer Ward Frederick, both projects totaled approximately $4,500. All monies were fundraiser based.
“We were doing much more physical labor with the reservoir project, like renovating the dock and picnic tables, and painting and digging. We even replaced all of the screws,” Frederick said. “We had eight or nine high school senior volunteers come out to help us one day.”
Lions Club Secretary Heidi Ostrom was impressed with the students’ dedication to the project when they arrived ready to work in early April.
“It was a cold, drizzly day and they were working hard hauling gravel and digging the steps in – and they did so cheerfully. They did a great job,” Ostrom said. At a later date, a special plaque commemorating the “Legacy 100 Project” will be placed near the reservoir’s dock area.
As for the two park benches, they will be installed in coordination with Public Works and the 2019 graduating class.
When asked about future Lions Club community projects, Wolff simply grinned and said they’re being kept “hush, hush” at this time.
To learn more about Silverton’s Lions Club, contact Tomi Wolff at 503-873-2033 or [email protected].
