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Horizons Helps Prepare Community Newsletter

Look for Lyle's largest newsletter coming to your mailboxes soon! This edition contains many informative and engaging articles contributed by a diverse group of local residents. Thank you all for caring and sharing!

Plenty of Leaders!

Lyle's Leadership Plenty has just finished it's nine module training program designed to give citizens skills to take civic action. 

Leadership Plenty promotes the philosophy that, "Everyone is a member of a community and every community is continually changing. Everybody wants to live in places where they have a chance to thrive," and "For communities to thrive it takes people from all parts of the community working together to solve problems and create new ideas and a new collective vision for their ideal community." 

Over 20 new community leaders who participated in the leadership training are now looking forward to incorporating their new skills as they move towards the possibilities of creating a more thriving community. As the program states, "In order to successfully create thriving communities, it takes the power of many with the skills and relationships to take action to change things that need to be changed, keep what is needed, and start imagining a different future for us all."

The Old Primary School Building and Park

What To Do With The Old Primary School Building?

Barbara Sexton, Vern Harpole

A small committee from Horizons met with School Superintendent Martin Huffman on Thursday March 19. The subject: “What can the Community do to help the school district resolve the problems with the old “Primary School Building”? They were very impressed with Mr. Huffman’s work in maintaining the building since it was decommissioned in 1996, and learned it is a big drain on the school budget. But, Mr. Huffman was very receptive to ideas from the community to make the space and building usable again if someone or some group could relieve the school district of the financial burden.
The committee then advanced to the School Board meeting that evening, where there was a larger audience of about 15-20 interested Horizon and Community members in attendance. The group led by Vern Harpole and Barbara Sexton asked for the following from the school board:

1. A delay in the demolition plans, to give the community a chance to look for alternatives.
2. Reports and updates concerning the old school will be put on the School Board’s agenda each month.
3. A committee will be formed to collect information on cost alternatives, community interest and propose solutions to help the school board.

Common goals for this project would be:

• Finding a way to defray the costs to the district
• Thriving community = thriving school
• Useable community space
• Shared responsibility and Community involvement.

Initial work has been done by the Horizon Project and was briefly explained. It was noted the Horizon’s Study Circles came to the conclusion the community needs an activity center and suggest the school building would be the ideal place.
All who are interested in developing a solution that will benefit the town and school district are encouraged to attend a meeting Monday April 13, 7 PM in the basement of The Lyle United Methodist Church. This project really concerns the welfare of our town, and will require lots of help, expertise, energy, and money. If you have questions or are ready to help, please contact Vern at vharpole@aol.com or at (509)480-2607.

LAMBS CUP* Raffle

In keeping with Lyle’s proud heritage of being the sheep shipping capitol of the West Coast, a raffle will be held as part of the annual Clean-Up called the “LAMBS CUP” Raffle.

The following individuals and businesses have offered raffle items as a token of their appreciation Lyle’s efforts:

· Country Café

· Country Store

· Domaine Pouillon Winery

· Full Throttle Espresso

· Lyle Merc

· Milestone Nursery

· Northwest Realty Group – Colleen Connolly

· Northwest Realty Group – Sara Abell

· Oren Johnson

· Syncline Winery

· The Tap Room

· Watching Woman Productions

Everyone who brings items to the clean-up drop site on April 10^th and 11th will be given a raffle ticket for each full clean-up bag (up to 5) dropped-off or for each pick-up load of larger items. Simply fill out your name and contact information and drop the tickets in the raffle box at the Lyle Twin Bridges Museum located in the old elementary school. The Museum will be open during the clean up. It’s a neat place and we are using this opportunity to encourage residents to check it out.

Raffle winners will be contacted the week after the clean-up. Winners will receive their official LAMBS CUP certificate to be presented to the local business establishment to redeem their raffle prize.

Prizes will be simple but given with lots of love and support for this great town.

*(Lyle Area Merchants and Businesses Support of the Clean Up Program)

Get Ready for the Annual Lyle Clean-Up!

Once again, the Lyle Community Council is organizing the annual Lyle Spring Clean-Up to be held Friday and Saturday, April 10^th and 11^th from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Dumpsters will be located in Lyle’s school bus yard on Hwy 14.

«New for this year’s Clean-Up:

1) All loose garbage, like grass clippings, leaves or small bits of paper must be in bags. This is to prevent the organizers from having to chase down loose garbage that blows around.

2) Recycling will be accepted. It must be in the clear blue recycling bags which will be available at the drop-off site.

3) A raffle will be held in conjunction with the clean-up. See the article on the “LAMBS CUP Raffle” elsewhere in this newsletter.

This event is intended to help our community clean-up and reduce fire hazards. We are targeting waste accumulating in the back of garages, old appliances lying around, litter that collected under snow last winter, brush and tree limbs and even burn barrels that are not used. It is not intended for daily household waste which will not be accepted.

Other Clean-Up information that you need to know:

• No charge for trash drop-off although donations to the Lyle Community Council are greatly appreciated and will be used for other community projects.


• Each household may bring 2 light truck/passenger vehicle tires per pick-up load.


• No car parts or cement chunks over 6 inches can be accepted.


• A local truck will be available to haul household appliances. A small fee will be charged for refrigerators, air conditioners and freezers.


• A local truck is also available to haul scrap metal.


• No hazardous material, including liquid paint, cleaning supplies, motor oil, aerosol cans with contents, batteries, etc. These items cannot be accepted!
  

Prior to the event, volunteers will be distributing fliers and garbage bags to residences within the Lyle city limits. Additional bags are available at the Lyle Merc. Our thanks and appreciation goes to Allied Waste Services for their generous support for this annual community project!

Cultural Event Comes to Lyle

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What's "springing" in Lyle?

Spring seems stubburn this year. I swear that I remember Lyle's daffodils blooming every year for my birthday on March 2nd. But, alas they are up and ready to go, but don't seem to have any intention of opening in this wet, chilly weather. But I do have lovely crocuses blooming, and the robins are here and the helibore is looking spring like. What is springing in your yard?

Pictured here is Lyle in early spring (aka late winter) viewed from Tom McCall bluff on Oregon side of the river. Looks pretty chilly! Picture taken 2/16/09.

Next Leadership Plenty Meeting

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