How to Build a Better Block Party! (and Community)
In four short years, Springfield’s The Block Party has grown from a big picnic to Lane County’s largest free festival, hosting up to 15,000 neighbors one magical night in our Historic Downtown. Continuing Springfield’s rich history of gatherings, Community Activation Network produces this annual Community Revitalization Celebration. The Block Party is a regional, powerhouse event for the next generation, featuring music, food, social service outreach, civic engagement and festivities that embody the Springfield spirit. All entirely for free.
Benjamin Wilkinson, Executive Director, Community Activation Network, will discuss the history of The Block Party and the Network’s plans for future growth of a series of community events at the Springfield City Club program at Noon on June 4. He says that the Shopper’s Paradise, Filbert Festival and the Eugene Celebration weren’t built overnight. The Network has identified economic, cultural and placemaking opportunities that will build a year-round calendar of free, public-space activations for large scale neighbor to neighbor connection. As a small public charity, he says they can work in ways that are difficult for our local government partners, and, outside the charter of economic development or networking agencies.
Mr. Wilkinson first ran for public office (school) at age 12. He raised his hand to get things done. Now he is the Executive Director of Community Activation Network and the organizer behind Springfield’s The Block Party, Lane County’s largest free community party. His background is in small business management, specialty coffee, and mindfulness-based fitness — not event production — which is maybe why, when he raised his hand to take over a scrappy little party in 2022, he saw not what it was, but what it could be. Five years later, Springfield seems to agree.
The program will be held at Roaring Rapids Pizza, 4006 Franklin Boulevard in Glenwood and will begin at noon on June 4.
Ms. Fireside says she is fighting for human rights, an umbrella of protections for everyone here. That means universal healthcare, so we don’t have to worry if we’re covered. It means tax fairness, making giant corporations pay their share. And it means protection from fascism, because the people who already have power aren’t using that power to help us. The system is broken, and we need someone who can dive in, ask hard questions, and solve these problems.
KC Huffman is a husband, father of four, community volunteer, baseball coach, attorney, and 23-year resident of Springfield. He says he is running for the Oregon House seat John Lively has admirably held for the last 14 years because I have a lot of respect for what John has done – and how he’s done it – and I would like to continue John’s hard work.
Kori Rodley is a life-long Oregonian, raised in a logging family, and having spent the majority of her adult life living and working in Lane County. Kori attended the University of Oregon, Portland Community College, and Lane Community College; and has spent more than twenty-five years working in nonprofit management and local government. She currently lives in Springfield, Oregon and is part of the management team at Lane County Development Disabilities–working in equity, strategic planning, and human resources.
Commissioner Loveall writes that he is 64, married 46 years to Nita, a six-year Navy veteran, life-long entrepreneur, developer and former pastor, world-wide missionary and teacher of men. His journey toward a political endeavor is typical of his approach to life. Putting “skin in the game” is the key. Rolling up his sleeves, immersing fully in the process, working hard and applying vision to the issues facing Springfield and Lane County are just what you’d expect from someone that acts on their dreams, beliefs and faith…
Mr. Monsoor writes that his work with children and families at many school districts in Lane County through the Lane Education Service District will be a valuable asset to the citizens of Lane County. He is also a retired Crisis Clinician, Military Veteran, Forestry Aide (Recreation, Timber, Range, Wildland firefighter, natural resources management) with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). As stewards of National Forest Lands, the Forest Service is committed to strengthening relationships with Indian Tribes that have lived in the Pacific Northwest since time immemorial.
Mayor VanGordon writes that he leads with the clear purpose of putting people first. As Mayor of Springfield, he has focused on the simple idea that the government should make life easier for the families who live and work here. For the people he serves, that has meant more places to work, more places to gather, and a local government that shows up and gets things done.
After a career in software development, Rob Dickinson has dedicated his time and energy to community volunteering and civic work focused on protecting the environment, building strong and healthy communities, and supporting vulnerable populations. He has served nonprofit organizations in a variety of volunteer and leadership roles, including efforts to improve electoral models and voting systems, and has helped lead legislative work to advance ranked-choice voting in California. He has also served on the board of a community mental health organization and as a local leader in a sustainability education organization in his rural hometown. During the pandemic, he organized a mutual aid project that continued for several years and primarily served homeless individuals. For the past 12 years, a central focus of his volunteer work has been advancing policy changes to protect communities from hazardous industrial activities, including as part of the team that brought forward the Lane County Watersheds Bill of Rights.
and communications. She chairs the Eugene Planning Commission and the Envision Eugene Technical Advisory Committee, and currently serves on several boards, including the State Chamber’s PAC, Cascadia Mobility, Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation, Eugene’s Historic Review Board, Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene and Better Housing Together. Tiffany is also Vice-Chair of Lane Transit District’s Strategic Planning Committee and a member of the Lane Area Committee on Transportation (ACT). A Washington State University graduate (Go Cougs) and Bend-native, she moved to Eugene in 2012 and is a former small business owner. Passionate about community service, Tiffany enjoys travel, yoga, wine, and outdoor activities with family and friends.
Michael Wargo, Willamalane Executive Director, will share an informational overview of the district’s financial outlook, the proposed levy, which, if approved, would cost the median Springfield property owner about $49.20 per year, and potential outcomes.
Reza Rejaie is a Professor and Head of the Computer Science Department at the University of Oregon and a founding Associate Director of the Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (OCCoE). With over three decades of experience in networking and cybersecurity, Professor Rejaie has contributed to both academic research and real-world practice and has worked closely with public and private partners. He led the creation and implementation of a vision to turn the University of Oregon into a regional hub for cybersecurity research and education.
Senator Prozanski currently serves on six committees: as chair of the Senate Judiciary and Conduct committees, and as a member of the Joint Committee on Addiction & Community Safety Response, the Senate Natural Resources Committee, the Human Resources Committee, the Joint Conduct Committee, and the Legislative Counsel Committee. In addition, I co-chair both the Task Force on Public Safety and the Justice Reinvestment Grant Review Committee. Finally, I continue to serve on the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission (CJC), the Oregon Law Commission, the Asset Forfeiture Oversight Advisory Committee, the Task Force on Legal Representation in Childhood Dependency, and the Oregon State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision.
Representative Lively currently is Chair of the House Climate, Energy and Environment Committee, a member of the Joint Ways and Means Natural Resources Sub Committee and a member of the House Economic Development, Small Business and Trade Committee.
Samara Phelps is the President and CEO of Travel Lane County, bringing over 15 years of leadership in destination marketing and tourism development. A Eugene native, Samara began her career in visitor services with Travel Lane County and most recently served as Executive Director of Clackamas County Tourism, where she championed regional efforts for Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge. She holds a BA in General Science and a minor in Business Administration from the University of Oregon and is a graduate of the Oregon Tourism Leadership Academy and the Chinook Institute for Civic Leadership. Samara is deeply committed to sustainability, inclusion, and community impact – she holds a VisitAble Disability Inclusion Certificate, serves as President of Nearby Nature, and currently chairs the Oregon Destination Association. She is passionate about the power of place and leads with a strong belief in tourism and Travel Lane County’s role in building vibrant, resilient communities.