Over the past decade, the Crook County Foundation has hosted over 270 presentations at our What’s Brewing? forums. These have been vital topics that spark community interest and conversation, as well as often impacts all citizens indirectly or directly. Our 2019-2020 schedule will be following the same format during our monthly evening forums.
Launching last week with Dr. Sara Johnson, Superintendent of the Crook County School District, we learned of the amazing work being done to improve our schools, expand Career Technical Education, and get students engaged in their education. This is a great example of a topic that effects all of us. Our youth are important for the future of our community, and if we can give them a head start into a career path, the whole community wins. The programs being implemented and expanded, particularly in the high school, are combining local experts, businesses, and volunteers with students to teach them skills needed for the job site.
In November, we will be hosting the Crook County Health Department with advice and information on how you can be better prepared for a natural disaster – whether fire, flood, snowstorm, or earthquake. They will also be providing information on what the community leaders have planned in one of these events so you will know what is expected. December will be an inspiring presentation from H.O.R.S.E.S. On The Ranch, a Prineville based Equine Assisted Therapy program. They will tell us more about the programs that they offer and what the need was in Crook County which encouraged them to launch their non-profit and how you can get involved with it.
The new year will launch in January with an update from Crook County Parks and Recreation around Parks, Pools, and Playgrounds. With the successful launch of the splash pad, Duane Gardner and his team have their sights set on expanding that area into a new playground which will be fun and educational for all to enjoy. With support from The Shelk Foundation, we were recently able to hear from community pools operations from across the state and learn from their successes and challenges. That information was complied and made available to citizens and the Parks & Rec board. Duane will share with our audience the next steps in the pool discussion.
We are planning February through May to feature presentations from the City of Prineville, Crook County, and the Prineville-Crook County Chamber of Commerce with news and updates on projects that affect all of us living in our beautiful county. There are still a couple months that do not have locked in speakers yet, so if you have an idea, we would love to hear from you! Contact Brandi Ebner, Crook County Foundation Executive Director, at info@crookcountyfoundation.org or 541-362-1210.
What’s Brewing? presentations are on the 2nd Thursday of each month at Meadow Lakes Golf Course Banquet Room. Doors open at 5 pm with complimentary beverages and appetizers. The presentations are from 5:30-6:30 pm, with time afterwards for networking and one-on-one questions with the speakers. We look forward to seeing you there!