Oregon Chapter of the
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
Report on the 31st Annual Meeting
August 1 - 4, 1999 in Bismarck, ND
31st Annual Meeting , Bismarck, ND -
By all counts the annual meeting hosted by the North Dakota Lewis & Clark
Bicentennial Foundation was a grand success, complete with beautiful weather,
bountiful historic sites and excellent speakers.
The business meeting began with a discussion of the $2 million "trip and fall"
liability insurance coverage for all foundation members. No watercraft coverage,
however, is included. Executive Director Sammye Meadows stressed the need to
obtain our E-mail addresses, up-dated rosters and the posting of newsletters on
web-sites. The Foundation has a new "800" number - 888-701-3434. Use of the
Foundation's IRS number must be cleared by the Foundation. Volunteer time sheets
for cost share grants are available. A new GIS (landownership biodiversity,
history, etc.) web-site for the Lewis & Clark Trail is being created with
help of the US Geological Survey as well as 30 second PSA spots about Lewis
& Clark bicentennial events. She suggested each chapter develop a "resource
list" of chapter members knowledgeable in various areas of Lewis & Clark
history and involve youth activities in chapter programs. Lewis amp;& Clark,
she stressed, is about the next 200 years.
David Borlaug, outgoing president of the Foundation discussed implementation
of the Lewis & Clark Trail Stewardship Project - "step lightly in the
footsteps of Lewis & Clark." Official kickoff for the bicentennial will be
January 18, 2003. Foundation membership is now 2600 members. Current assets
are $600,000 with $500,000 in an asset management account. Current annual
revenue is $200,000 with a projected Y2K budget of $440,000. An official
bicentennial logo has been designed and will be released soon.
OR Chapter members present (about 20) held a meeting Sunday evening (August 1).
Topic's included:
Preparing a booklet on "Beyond the Continental Divide with Lewis &
Clark," an historical perspective of the Expedition's impact on the future of
the Pacific Northwest and the nation.
The development of a chapter program to get student's involved with Lewis
& Clark history, 4th Grade and up. Teachers meeting in October. Larry
McClure of NW Regional Educational Laboratory to spearhead effort.
Bouquet for Superintendent Cindy Orlando of Ft. Clatsop and her departure
for new NPS position in Washington D.C.
Keith Hay presents a bouquet of flowers to Cindy Orlando, Oregon Chapter
member and Superintendent of Fort Clatsop National Memorial on behalf of the
Oregon Chapter for her contributions toward improving L&C cultural sites
in Oregon.
Other News from the Foundation included:
1200 page booklet of the best articles in WPO.
Special issues of WPO to fill gaps and address historical personalities.
The William Clark letters will be published next year.
Eight new chapters so far this year - 24 total with 8 in Montana alone.
Each new chapter (including OR) received its official Foundation charter.
Next meeting of the Foundation is scheduled at Dillion, MT, August 13-16,
2000.
Interesting field trips included visits to the Knife River Indian Villages,
Fort Mandan, On-A-Slant Villages, Fort Abraham Lincoln and General Custer's
house, and the N.D. Historical Museum. Fascinating lectures were presented on
Elliott Coues and his editing of the journals; the lost letters of William
Clark; the archeology of the Lewis & Clark Expedition; President Thomas
Jefferson; and the life and travels of Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau. It was a
very busy, fun-filled conference in the beautiful and historic Missouri River
Valley.
Submitted by Keith Hay
For information on joining the National Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage
Foundation click here.
For information on joining the Oregon State Chapter
click here.