By Jeffery Nicholas
Visitors coming into downtown frequently stop and ask directions. Some are lucky enough to find the visitor center in the Silverton Chamber of Commerce office where executive director Stacy Palmer can give them some ideas about where to go and what to do. But not all of them find their way there, so now, thanks in part to a Ford Family Foundation grant, Palmer’s about to get some help in assisting visitors.
Part of the Silverton/Mount Angel Leadership Cohort, sponsored by the Ford Family Foundation, Palmer and 26 “cohorts” are working to create an informational kiosk in Town Square Park in the center of town.
The community service project caps a five-month series of foundation-sponsored classes on leadership. Participants met one weekend per month to learn skills and share their knowledge. The participants included leaders from local businesses, nonprofits, artists and city councilors.
Palmer said the people in the program comprise a diverse group who might not traditionally work together, ranging in age from 30 to 77. The objective of the training is to create a network for cooperation and build a strong community network in rural towns. The Ford Family Foundation grant includes a commitment to five years of supporting and training “cohort” members. The second and fourth years of training focus on creating effective organizations.
Years three and five will return to leadership training.
The participant list will grow throughout the five years. The foundation grant is geared toward training the participants in one class to become facilitators and trainers in the next.
The intended result is a community that can see the benefits of the grant carry through for years to come as new leaders emerge and are trained on a yearly basis.
The informational kiosk represents a first step toward the Leadership Cohort giving back to the community. It will require the participants to raise funds and coordinate activities to get the project built.
The Ford Family Foundation has promised $5,000 to $6,000 in matching grants to help build the kiosk which is budgeted to cost about $12,000.
For the purposes of the grant the group needs to complete the project by September.
Palmer said the first fundraiser planned is a 50-50 drawing at the Silverton Chamber of Commerce First Citizen’s Banquet on Feb. 19. Organizers hope to sell 200 $10 tickets.
Cynthia Kytola, who heads the group’s design committee and is an administrative assistant at The Oregon Garden, said the kiosk will be a “central hub for event listings and public information. Local merchants, attractions, and visitors will benefit from the Silverton map and list of businesses. We will also celebrate Silverton’s heritage by highlighting historical facts and photos.”
Her husband, Stephen Kytola, volunteered to use his drafting and model building skills to develop the initial mockup. Architect Victor Madge participated in generating design options.
The group is seeking in-kind as well as cash contributions, and items on the list include concrete, tools, and volunteer time to complete the kiosk. They hope to contact a local manufacturer to donate structural materials.
The Ford Family Foundation training seems to have met its goal, at least for Kytola.
“Along with many other skills, we learned to focus on the assets which already exist within our community and ways to bring together diverse interests for a common goal. This is a dynamic group of folks which is already making an impact on our community… and we’re just getting started!” she said.
