Wildfire Relief: Art Supplies for Santiam Students
Donation protected
Because of our elections, the end date has been changed to Friday, November 13th.
Thank you for taking the time to read about this important campaign for the students served through Santiam Canyon School District due to the recent devastating Beachie Creek fire.
Campaign goal: to provide a sketchbook and art tools for use in the sketchbook for each of the 573 students in the small district. There are 305 K-6 students and 268 secondary students.
Words from Superintendent Todd Miller: “right now, any positive outlet for these kids would be beneficial and appreciated.”
Fire Devastation: For weeks in August and early September, the Beachie Creek Fire was a small, mostly unremarkable wildfire smoldering in a remote part of the Opal Creek Wilderness. Then the east wind roared down the canyon; the fire blew up on Labor Day night on historically high east winds that reached at least 75 mph. It eventually joined wildfires started by downed power lines in the Santiam Canyon to form a 193,282-acre blaze.
statesmanjournal.com 2020/09/12 20201/10/04
Santiam Canyon: Todd Miller, the Superintendent of Santiam Canyon School District, shared that Santiam Canyon is filled with resilient people that help make it a special place. A small district in terms of the student population of 573, K-12, and geographically huge, reaching from Mill City to Marion Forks, the students face geographic distances from home to school. Many have limited internet access, and coupled with the COVID distance learning piece, a whole set of new issues were presented. Then the wildfires! All the school buildings survived but have extensive smoke damage not covered by the district insurance. So school opening plans were totally changed, again by the wildfires. COVID + the distance learning piece + wildfires = trauma.
Why sketchbooks:
As a retired high school art teacher and practicing artist, I started thinking about the value of a place to express ideas and feelings related to traumatic events.
This provided the seed for the fundraiser: a sketchbook and art tools for each student; a sketchbook/journal can provide a place for not only creative ideas to flourish and develop but also can be a place to record and work through traumatic events. This fundraiser can provide each student with a safe, personal place to explore these all-important times. I can envision 573 sketchbooks filled to the brim with their expressive personal ideas!
Let’s come together, donate by November 13th, and make this fundraiser a positive reality for the Santiam Canyon students!
Here is a video that provides more information about the current status of the Santiam Canyon School District.
Thank you for taking the time to read about this important campaign for the students served through Santiam Canyon School District due to the recent devastating Beachie Creek fire.
Campaign goal: to provide a sketchbook and art tools for use in the sketchbook for each of the 573 students in the small district. There are 305 K-6 students and 268 secondary students.
Words from Superintendent Todd Miller: “right now, any positive outlet for these kids would be beneficial and appreciated.”
Fire Devastation: For weeks in August and early September, the Beachie Creek Fire was a small, mostly unremarkable wildfire smoldering in a remote part of the Opal Creek Wilderness. Then the east wind roared down the canyon; the fire blew up on Labor Day night on historically high east winds that reached at least 75 mph. It eventually joined wildfires started by downed power lines in the Santiam Canyon to form a 193,282-acre blaze.
statesmanjournal.com 2020/09/12 20201/10/04
Santiam Canyon: Todd Miller, the Superintendent of Santiam Canyon School District, shared that Santiam Canyon is filled with resilient people that help make it a special place. A small district in terms of the student population of 573, K-12, and geographically huge, reaching from Mill City to Marion Forks, the students face geographic distances from home to school. Many have limited internet access, and coupled with the COVID distance learning piece, a whole set of new issues were presented. Then the wildfires! All the school buildings survived but have extensive smoke damage not covered by the district insurance. So school opening plans were totally changed, again by the wildfires. COVID + the distance learning piece + wildfires = trauma.
Why sketchbooks:
As a retired high school art teacher and practicing artist, I started thinking about the value of a place to express ideas and feelings related to traumatic events.
This provided the seed for the fundraiser: a sketchbook and art tools for each student; a sketchbook/journal can provide a place for not only creative ideas to flourish and develop but also can be a place to record and work through traumatic events. This fundraiser can provide each student with a safe, personal place to explore these all-important times. I can envision 573 sketchbooks filled to the brim with their expressive personal ideas!
Let’s come together, donate by November 13th, and make this fundraiser a positive reality for the Santiam Canyon students!
Here is a video that provides more information about the current status of the Santiam Canyon School District.
Organizer
Marilyn Joyce
Organizer
Portland, OR