August 12: The Memorial Healing Garden at the Oregon State Penitentiary
Since becoming OSP’s Superintendent in 2016, Brandon Kelly and his team have pursued progressive ways to prepare adults in custody (AIC) for life after incarceration.
An example of this new approach is the Memorial Healing Garden envisioned and executed by members of OSP’s Asian Pacific Family Club (APFC). The AICs worked for 3 years to gain administrative approval for a healing garden design and 2 more years to raise nearly $500,000 in cash and in-kind contributions.
The 1/4 acre garden located inside OSP’s walls contains native plants, a koi pond, and a Zen sand garden. To date, over 180 AICs equaling 10% of OSP’s general population have volunteered and worked in the garden.
Program Chair: Pam Wasson
Message from President Sue
Greetings!
We had a great turnout for last week’s program featuring DJ Vincent for his talk on “bridging difference and creating belonging in Salem”. As we were wrapping up DJ’s Q & A, Ron Kelemen asked, ‘what can we do as Rotarians’?
As a starting point to what we as leaders in our community can do-is to learn more broadly about social justice, equity and inclusion. Your program team met end of last week and is building out an informative series of programs through the next several months for us to deepen our collective understanding of the issues. We’ll begin at the local level, then broaden the discussion. Of course, there will be a variety of other informative and entertaining topics sprinkled throughout our meetings.
Remember, although it may seem odd to have a guest virtual; please consider offering your friends and coworkers to join us! Please give me a heads up (via chat is fine) when you have a guest.
Meeting ID: 920 9241 8718
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Meeting ID: 920 9241 8718
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Yours in service. Sue
