Deadwood Organizations Launch Two-Year Community Resilience Initiative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Deadwood Organizations Launch Two-Year Community Resilience Initiative

DEADWOOD, Ore. — Deadwood Creek Services, Deadwood Community Action, and Siuslaw Vision have launched the Deadwood Resilience Collaborative, a new initiative to strengthen emergency preparedness, communication, and resilience throughout the Deadwood community.

The project is supported by a Community Transformation Grant from United Way of Lane County, one of only two collaborative grants awarded across Lane County this funding cycle. The initiative builds on years of volunteer leadership and local collaboration to prepare Deadwood residents for wildfire, winter storms, extended power outages, and other emergencies.
Over the next two years, the collaborative will develop a community emergency communication network, expand the Deadwood Community Center as a resilience hub, recruit and train a volunteer Emergency Response Team, strengthen food resilience, and provide preparedness resources to local households.

The project will officially launch during the first Third Saturday gathering of the season on Saturday, September 19, at the Deadwood Community Center. The Deadwood Resilience Kickoff & Cookout begins with a free community dinner from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by a presentation from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Representatives from Lane County Emergency Management and partner agencies have been invited to participate, with live music by Steel Wool following the presentation.

Residents will learn about upcoming projects, volunteer opportunities, and the launch of the Deadwood Emergency Response Team, including training opportunities and volunteer stipends designed to help offset travel and participation expenses.

“The residents of Deadwood have long been a strong community of self-organizing volunteers, from the construction of the Community Center itself, to running and maintaining it, to organizing many public service groups that have improved the quality of life for community members at large. Many Deadwood residents had already been taking steps toward greater emergency preparedness. The boon of this grant funding is both encouraging and a wonderful opportunity to expand our resources and carry out plans that will greatly strengthen our community resilience.”
— Mary McNutt, Convener, Deadwood Creek Services

The Deadwood Resilience Collaborative brings together three organizations committed to strengthening rural resilience. Deadwood Creek Services stewards the historic Deadwood Community Center, Deadwood Community Action leads grassroots neighbor-to-neighbor initiatives, and Siuslaw Vision serves as the project’s fiscal sponsor and regional collaboration partner.

For additional information:
Courtney Stone
Deadwood Creek Services
720-427-3330
deadwoodcreekservices@gmail.com