By Kirsten Allen
Dr. Dale Holiday has been named the first full-time paid employee of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition (CSC), assuming the position of development coordinator.
Prior to her relocation to Corvallis about a year ago, Holiday served as a volunteer fundraising chair of the North Olympic Land Trust, and in 2010 traveled to Thimphu, Bhutan as an environmental planning consultant to assist in the development of a feasibility study for the city’s 25-year master plan. With a graduate degree in community planning and environmental planning, as well as a considerable amount of experience in both project coordination and collaboration, Holiday is highly qualified to undertake the tasks of creating and implementing long-term development plans, including grant writing and fundraising. “Dr. Holiday will begin with the focus of working with action team leaders to see what projects they would like to be working on if they had the finances,” said CSC head Annette Mills.
“I admire and share the values, mission, and heart of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition,” Holiday said. “I’m looking forward to working with Annette Mills and the many talented, dedicated volunteers. My first steps will involve getting to know the people who serve on the coalition’s Action Teams as well as the representatives from the coalition’s 300-plus partner organizations.”
Comprising several hundred community volunteers, the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition was formed in 2007 with a “mission to promote an ecologically, socially, and economically healthy city and county.” The coalition has 12 action teams, and each team has specific plans and goals for what they would like to accomplish amongst the community. Holiday will join the team leaders on “brainstorming forward-looking programs.” The coalition has formed many projects such as the Three Waters Project, and continues to plan many others. Holiday’s position was made possible through fundraising during last year’s “Campaign for Future Generations,” as well as a $40,000 Grassroots Grant from Meyer Memorial Trust.
Community members are encouraged to come to the CSC’s next quarterly meeting on Thursday, July 24 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Corvallis-Benton County Library, 645 NW Monroe Avenue. A special meet and greet, prior to the gathering, will be held at 11:30 a.m. to welcome Dr. Holiday as the new development coordinator. For more details, visit www.sustainablecorvallis.org or call 541-230-1237.
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