News Releases
News from
Lane Community College, Eugene, Oregon
Public information officer: Joan Aschim, (541) 463-5591, aschimj@lanecc.edu
or
Barbara Delansky, director, Student Life and Leadership Development, 463-5337
for release September 3, 2002
Long house blessing set for September 11 at LCC
EUGENE — The Lane Community College Foundation and the Native American Student Association at Lane invite tribal elders, students, staff and community members to a blessing ceremony for the Lane Native American Long House on Wednesday, September 11, at 11 a.m., at the site where the long house will be built, just north of the tennis courts and overlooking the track in the northwest corner of main campus. Ceremonies will include drumming and singing followed by a meal of elk, salmon and other traditional Native American foods.
NASA coordinator Frank Merrill first proposed building a long house in 1993. Since then, supporters have developed a design concept, identified the site, and are fundraising. The vision for the long house is to provide educational and cultural enrichment activities for students and the community in a safe place of gathering. The long house also is expected to contribute a welcoming atmosphere for diversity on campus, and to attract more Native American students.
Current drawings portray a 5,000 square foot building about 90 feet long and 62 feet wide, plus a covered entry and covered outdoor activity area. Inside are four classrooms which open into a great room, plus a kitchen.
The project could cost anywhere from $500,000 to $850,000 depending on donations of labor and materials. Fundraising to date includes a $50,000 grant from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde plus another $50,000 matching funds pledge, and a $250,000 from the college’s capital repair and improvement fund pledged by Lane’s Board of Education contingent upon additional successful fundraising by December 2003.
If fundraising efforts are successful, design work will move forward in early 2004.
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