The first group to form for active community involvement of volunteers was PRIDE in October of 1989.  PRIDE is an acronym that stands for Positive Results from Innovation, Determination and Energy, which is also the mission of the group.  PRIDE is ad hoc, made up of the group of people who is in attendance.  There are no officers, no dues and no by-laws. 

As a result of discussions at PRIDE's April 7 and April 14, 2008, meetings, the community group has changed its weekly meeting day from Monday to Tuesday to make it more convenient for people to attend.  The meeting time remains at 8-9 a.m., in the Harney County Courthouse basement meeting room.

Take a tour of the bronze statues in Burns and Hines with the Bronze Statue Tour Brochure.

At the April 7 meeting, PRIDE members present expressed concern about the consistent drop in PRIDE meeting attendance.  Monday mornings are not the best for everyone yet it is often hard to leave for noon meetings and even harder to attend evening meetings.

The purpose of PRIDE is community beautification.  PRIDE has consistently developed, participated in, and often helped underwrite, projects that make Harney County a more pleasant place to be.  These have included the decorative wooden trash receptacle covers, painting the exteriors of business buildings, and landscaping sites on public property.  Another PRIDE tradition has been the annual clean up days-roadside trash pick up and a Saturday "dump day" when community members can bring major appliances and burnable yard waste to the dump for free disposal.  This second project is also the major PRIDE fundraiser.  Although the event is free, cash donations to PRIDE are very much appreciated.

PRIDE did not have the volunteers for the roadside clean up effort and a concern was raised as to whether there would be enough volunteers for the "dump day."  At least four are needed-two volunteers at each of two shifts.

The emailed PRIDE meeting notes asked for suggestions from readers.  The suggestions were reviewed at the April 14 meeting.

PRIDE extends an open invitation to anyone who wishes to attend.  If you would like to volunteer for the Clean Up Day scheduled for May 17, call Patty McNeil at 573-2121 or email Karen Hendrickson at karenh@oregonvos.net .

PRIDE is a group of people, self selected to lend their ideas, efforts and resources to better the community in whatever ways are deemed appropriate. PRIDE is also considered a place, somewhere to test out ideas and get feedback from others. PRIDE is an idea, that a group of concerned citizens can be as involved as they wish in the development of their community.  A highly engaged citizenry is an asset to Harney County.

Here’s what we do at PRIDE!

• We exchange ideas.

• We find ways of getting things done.

• We share information.

• We host people who visit from other communities.

• We look for new ways of creating partnerships.

• We learn about issues facing the community, the county, the agencies.

• We reach consensus on what should be done.

• We congratulate those who excel in the community.

• We celebrate the great things we find in our community.

• We welcome everyone who wishes to join us. 

Here’s who we are!

Volunteers:

• County Judge

• County Commissioner

• City Manager

• City Clerk

• City Councilmen

• Executive Director, Chamber of Commerce

• Office Staff, Chamber of Commerce

• Interested Citizens

• Forest Rangers, Burns & Snow Mountain District

• Burns BLM District, Manager & Staff

• USFWS Manager & Staff, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

• Business Owners

• School Administrators

• State Office Administrator

• PRIDE Coordinator

Can we help you?

We are happy to share our experience with other rural communities who are interested.

We can send a team to tell you about where we were, what we did about it, where we are now and where we intend to go.

We believe that one of the things that has helped us the most was our training – “Investment in Excellence for the 90’s” provided by the Lou Tice' Pacific Institute in Seattle, Washington.

For more information contact:

Harney County Economic Development
450 N. Buena Vista
Burns, OR 97720
(541) 573-6356
FAX: (541) 573-8387
 

The PRIDE Brochure provides a snapshot of what PRIDE has been doing to enhance Harney County.

Pride Meeting Minutes

• May 6, 2008

• April 29, 2008

• April 22, 2008

• April 14, 2008

• April 6, 2008

• March 24, 2008

• March 17, 2008

• March 10, 2008

• March 3, 2008

• February 4, 2008

• January 28, 2008

• January 14, 2008

• January 7, 2008

• Pride Meeting Minutes Archive

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