Online giving platform features local organizations

Friends and supporters of Waitsburg and Dayton area nonprofit organizations now have a new way to donate to their favorite causes. Walla Walla's Blue Mountain Community Foundation is introducing their first Giving Catalog. This online fundraising portal provides donors with an easy-to-navigate online site, and will be open from December 1-31.

Visit this crowdraising platform at http://www.bluemountainfoundation.org/giving/giving-catalog and make a gift to the nonprofit of your choice through the Community Foundation's website. These gifts will be passed directly through to each nonprofit, along with the name and contact information of every donor.

The Foundation is also offering $1,000 prizes for the nonprofit that: raises the most money, that has the most unique donors, that receives the largest single gift, and a $200 prize for the nonprofit that receives the first online gift.

The Giving Catalog platform opens at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 1st, so get your computers revved up Touchet Valley folks!

Additionally, Walla Walla's Sustainable Living Center will host the annual Alternative Gift Fair on Saturday August 7th at the Reid Center on Whitman College campus, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature a coffee and cocoa bar, a bake sale, crafts, live music, and representatives of 30 charities enthusiastically sharing their mission and work with visitors. Each of these charities are also part of the online Giving Catalog. Be sure to check out listings below for more information about our area's nonprofits who are participating in this effort.

The Dayton Development Task Force

The Dayton Development Task Force has a storied history as the primary revitalizer of the downtown Dayton corridor. When the Dayton Chamber of Commerce called a town meeting in the early 1980s, it drew 300 people, who became galvanized around three goals: improving the infrastructure on Main Street, restoring the historic courthouse and developing festivals and events to promote tourism. Any visitor to Dayton has surely appreciated the results. Responsible for driving the creation of Caboose Park, located next to the Dayton Depot, the DDT is also directing this week's Dayton Christmas Kickoff. If you have ever enjoyed the Liberty Theater, the restored courthouse, the many public works of art, or the Main Street corridor, know that this fine organization was at the heart of these efforts.

$10 - Sponsors one child's picture with Santa during Dayton Christmas Kick-Off.

$50 - Provides one flower basket for the Dayton Main Street.

$100 - Supports ongoing landscaping needs in Caboose Park.

Blue Mountain Heritage Society

The Blue Mountain Heritage Society has an outstanding record of preserving, highlighting and celebrating the history of Columbia County and the neighboring areas. Notable accomplishments include the restoration of the 1900 Smith Hollow Country School house located on Front Street in Dayton, the Dodge Quarantine Cabin and the Palus Museum. Recent Dayton Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, Liz Carson, was honored for over 20 years' work compiling the Columbia County Family History Collection, much of which has been digitized and is available on the BMHS website.

Columbia County 4-H Youth Development

The 4-H Youth Development program is for kids in grades K-12 and provides educational, mentoring, and social development opportunities. The programs are led by skilled and background tested leaders who have a passion for kids. The project's areas are a broad spectrum of interest and can meet the interest needs of most or all kids. Animal programs remain popular, with kids raising swine, cattle, goats, rabbits, and even guinea pigs. The funds will help keep programs operational, supply membership costs, and help to supply the more expensive technical materials necessary for learning objective. The Robotics Club is also popular, and the team competed at the national level. Over 100 kids are enrolled for this year's program.

$15 - would buy a box of .22 shells for shooting practice

$25 - Provides one registration fee for one child

$50 - Provides fabric towards the construction of a quilt at Quilt Camp

Dayton Historical Depot Society

Dayton Historical Depot Society's mission is to preserve Columbia County's history and to use their artifacts for the interpretation of that history. They strive to educate our community members about the heritage of Dayton and the surrounding area. The exhibits are their primary method of accomplishing these goals and many resources must be expended to prepare the artifacts, particularly the photographs, for viewing. Presently, their Photographic Archive consists of over 4,000 photographs of Dayton and Columbia County.

Unfortunately, only about 10% of these photos have high resolution negatives which are necessary for the creation of exhibit quality prints. Without these negatives, the photos cannot be easily used in the exhibits, so their value cannot be fully appreciated by their visitors. Providing Archival Support will help expand the collection of high-resolution negatives, and it will also assist in the preservation of Columbia County's stories through newsletters and video histories. An exhibit must also provide historical and cultural context for the artifacts the visitor is viewing. This context is provided by well-researched and concisely written storyboards that are used throughout the exhibits. Archival Support will help continue their mission and to develop professional quality exhibits that are enjoyed by approximately 2,500 visitors each year.

$15 - Covers the cost of a high resolution 4"x5" copy negative with single membership.

$50  - Covers the cost of an Exhibit Storyboard

$500 - Covers the cost of a grave marker restoration.

Rural Youth Enrichment Services

What organization encompasses music instruction and performance, urban forestry, the Waitsburg pool and Youth and Government? Why that would be Waitsburg's own R.Y.E.S. This amazing organization provides enriching programs to youth, including the weekly Mythical/Moveable Bluegrass jams that take place in Waitsburg, Dayton and Walla Walla, as well as the Urban Forestry Project which provides environmental education to local elementary students. R.Y.E.S. is also supporting the Youth and Government program which allows high school students to serve in model governments at the local, state, national, and international levels. R.Y.E.S. support of the Waitsburg pool includes funding life-guard training for local kids, a vital need with such a small employment field.

$10 - Provides five trees to Waitsburg children on Arbor Day! 

$25 - Provides two sets of strings or two tuners for youth, bluegrass musicians.

$95 - Provides assistance with the cost of lifeguard-training classes. Help keep the Waitsburg Pool open!

Skyline Adventures

Skyline Adventures transforms lives by bringing skiing and snowboarding to disadvantaged, high-risk youth, people with special needs, and healing veterans. We rely on the generous support of people like you to make our overall program a success and as a result, our "Cops and Kids" and "Ski/Snowboard Experience" programs are at full capacity! Scholarships cover lift tickets, equipment rentals, winter gear, lessons and lunch. Our goal is to help physically disabled people by adding an "Adaptive Skiing" program and we need the communities help to make it happen!

$20 - Provides a one-day scholarship for a Special Olympics Athlete.

$50 -  Provides a one-day scholarship for a local youth or healing veteran

$100 - Helps purchase equipment for the new "Adaptive Skiing" program for disabled citizens.

Blue Mountain Resource Conservation & Development Council

Another vital organization with a broad mission and a very long name, BMRDC organizes Camp Wooten, the Swim the Snake event, and assists with Waitsburg's Celebration Days. Executive Director Lisa Naylor coordinates the many volunteers at Camp Wooten the environmental education program offered for sixth grade students from elementary schools around the region. Volunteers from the Forest Service, State biologists from Fish and Wildlife, and the military, teach at the fall and spring sessions. The children study macro-invertebrate animals, learn canoeing skills and archery, go swimming and learn to cook outside using a Dutch oven. BMRDC also coordinates Karen's Ride, the 35-mile ATV Poker Mountain Ride during Waitsburg's Celebration Days. Naylor also teaches Fire Wise courses fuel reduction classes to help land-owners create defensible space around their properties, to help reduce the chance of wildfires.

$10 - Supplies safety swim caps for Swim the Snake.

$25 - Purchases food for the Dutch oven cooking demos at Camp Wooten.

$50 - Supports permits for Karen's Ride.

Touchet Valley Arts Council

Audience members at the Liberty Theater's current production of Mary Poppins know how vital Columbia County's center for culture and the performing arts is. The production quality, costuming, direction, singing and dancing are all top-notch and truly entertaining. The cast of fifty-nine included folks young and old from throughout the community and were assisted by volunteer costumers, prompters, choristers, and dance instructors. A truly local effort beginning in 2001, the Liberty Theater was brought back from years of neglect and decay thanks to incredible volunteer effort. TVAC also presents guest artist concerts, film festivals, first-run cinema and they even host weddings. For the last 18 years, TVAC has helped connect people, strengthen families, develop youth leadership and enhance positive self-image across all ages. With this fundraising initiative, TVAC is hoping to remodel the balcony area, to improve safety, comfort and sight-line issues. Your donation helps support TVAC's programming and the Liberty's balcony remodeling effort.

Waitsburg Historical Society

The Waitsburg Historical Society is a 100% volunteer organization dedicated to the preservation of the history & associated memorabilia of the Touchet River valley. The Bruce Mansion, Wilson-Phillips House, School House and Preston-Shaffer Mill replica make up the museum complex and house artifacts from life in the late 1800's into the 20th century, drawing locals and tourists from across the country. Membership in the WHS supports the operation and maintenance of the museum complex and the curation and preservation of the exhibits.

Memberships available: $25 for an individual, $50 for a family, or $300 for a lifetime.