Fwd: No decrease in funding for Outdoor Education

[Kristina Lefever]

In case this helps anyone put their letter together.

Thanks, all for the heads up.

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Kristina Lefever <kris...@pollinatorprojectroguevalley.org>
Date: Mon, Jun 2, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Subject: No decrease in funding for Outdoor Education
To: <Sen.Jane...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Rep.Ri...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Sen.Kat...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Rep.Tawn...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Sen.Fr...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Rep.Davi...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <rep.gr...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Sen.Dick...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Sen.Dani...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Sen.Antho...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Sen.Wlns...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Sen.LewF...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <sen.jame...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <sen.mik...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Sen.David...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <rep.be...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Rep.Ja...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <rep.vikkibr...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Rep.Chris...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <rep.pa...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Rep.Eme...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <Rep.Ma...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <rep.Andrea...@oregonlegislature.gov>, <rep.pa...@oregonlegislature.gov>
Cc: Dan Prince <d...@friendsofoutdoorschool.org>, Brent Barry <brent...@phoenix.k12.or.us>

Dear Committee Members and Rep. Pam Marsh -

I am writing this quick email to urge this legislative body to restore full funding for Oregon's Outdoor School program! 

Please honor the intent of the voters who overwhelmingly passed Ballot Measure 99 in 2016.

Did you know that this year, Outdoor School saw record participation across Oregon, exceeding pre-pandemic levels?

As you know, Outdoor School is lottery funded. While lottery revenue is down a small amount (0.4%), the forecast does not warrant the proposed (unreasonable) cut of $12 million, or 20%, to Outdoor School funding.

Our organization sees a great need for outdoor education for young people everywhere. Our unique Pollinator Pals program partners with many of the major environmental educational program providers here in Southern Oregon, such as The Crest at Willow Witt, Rogue Valley Farm 2 School, Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, and more. The futures of our community and our young people will be devastated with this major funding decrease. 

Thank you for listening to your constituents.

Kristina Lefever

Ashland, Oregon

Kristina Lefever (she/hers)

President, Volunteer Director

678-209-7642

Pollinator Project Rogue Valley

~~ If I am slow in responding, feel free to reach out again!

[Paul Sheldon]

Yay, Kristina! 

I sent a similar note to all these folks, too.

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Paul Sheldon (he/el/they)

Executive Director

The CREST

www.thecrestatwillowwitt.org

(541) 613-4119 (direct/text)

501(c)(3) EIN 82-2665900

CREST: 

C reate Community in Conservation

R eciprocity, Respect, and Resilience

E quity through Education

S tewardship, Restoration, and Regeneration

T rust.

Willow-Witt Ranch is located within the ancestral homelands of the Shasta, Takelma, Athabaskan, and Latgawa peoples who lived here since time immemorial. These Tribes were displaced during rapid Euro-American colonization, the Gold Rush, and armed conflict between 1851 and 1856. In the 1850s, the discovery of gold and settlement brought thousands of Euro-Americans to their lands, leading to warfare, epidemics, starvation, and villages being burned. In 1853 the first of several treaties were signed, confederating these Tribes and others together - who would then be referred to as the Rogue River Tribe. These treaties ceded most of their homelands to the United States, and in return they were guaranteed a permanent homeland reserved for them. At the end of the Rogue River Wars in 1856, these Tribes and many other Tribes from western Oregon were removed to the Siletz Reservation and the Grand Ronde Reservation. Today, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon (https://www.grandronde.org) and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (http://www.ctsi.nsn.us/) are living descendants of the Takelma, Shasta, and Latgawa peoples of this area. We encourage YOU to learn about the land you reside on, and to join us in advocating for the inherent sovereignty of Indigenous people. We also acknowledge that Euro-American colonists excluded, marginalized, enslaved, tortured, and murdered many other descendants of slaves, darker-skinned people, Chinese and other Asian and Pacific Island immigrants, Mexican workers, and others.  We cannot change these tragic events of the past, but we acknowledge them and invite you to join us in doing what we can to bring justice and equity to all, as we move together into a more resilient, inclusive, and just future.