Happy "Voluntine's" Day, where love for each other and our beautiful state intertwines!
Today isn't just Valentine's Day; it's also Oregon's 165th Birthday.
Earlier this month, we asked YOU, our incredible community, to share their love stories, and the response has been truly heartwarming.
Keep reading SOLVE volunteers' tales of friendship, romance that sparked at SOLVE volunteer events, and our community's deep love for Oregon:
Lori & Liz: Partners in Crime
We met at a SOLVE event in Slabtown, screaming at rats scurrying out from under a box. We kept seeing each other at events and started teaming up, realizing we could get way more done with the two of us working together. We are comrades in our values of hard work (we’re both from the Midwest), and in believing we can be part of the solution to Portland’s litter problem. Onward we go!
Patricia & Phil - a long story
It has been said that our story could make a movie, having met each other as Mount St Helens erupted in 1980.
Patricia made a quick impression on Phil - soon, we learned we had much in common as East Coast transplants in our new PNW home. We built a solid friendship with hikes, breakfasts & rafting trips - but building on that friendship in pursuit of a true relationship would have to wait... until 2018.
We both went on to other life pursuits, and our paths even twice again crossed. It was worth the wait. We both took the initiative to make our marriage happen with Phil’s heartfelt letter to Patricia and Patricia’s thoughtful reply and invitation to meet for breakfast. We have since been active SOLVE volunteers working together, collecting litter and pulling ivy.
We were thankful that the stars were finally aligned.
Amie and her love for Rogue River
I grew up in a home not even a mile away from the Rogue River. Ever since I could ride a bike around the neighborhood by myself, my first stop would be the fishing platform on the Rogue River in Schroeder Park. I would stand at the platform and watch the water rush by, swirling out into eddies just downstream. I found peace and solitude there and returned whenever the weather allowed a bike ride.
As a young adult, I always wanted to participate in the annual Rogue River Cleanup, focusing on picking up trash in the recreational section of the Rogue River. However, I regularly had to work on Saturdays and could never attend as a volunteer. I saw pictures of my then-boyfriend and his family participating and wished to be part of that effort.
Fast-forward to 2021, when the Rogue Valley Council of Governments (my employer) became the lead organizer for the Rogue River Cleanup. What an honor it is to be leading the planning for this longstanding event, an event that is truly loved by the Grants Pass community.
The event is rewarding and brings people together. Cleaning up this jewel of a river, highly regarded for its whitewater opportunities, is a worthwhile effort that many look forward to participating in.
Will you be my Valentine, Rogue River? I’ll be your “Voluntine.”
Want to get involved, too? Check out our Volunteer Site for year-round opportunities.