Along the Street: Business recovery grant applications due Dec. 20

The latest round of Yamhill County COVID-19 business recovery grants opened Friday morning with the 8 a.m. launch of an online application portal, at www.co.yamhill.or.us/covid-19-grant.

Awards will be up to $10,000 each. The county has $1.4 million in funding to distribute, part of the state’s $55 million fund for business relief.
Application must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 20.

Grant recipients will be chosen through a lottery system. Priority will be given to entertainment, fitness, tourism, hospitality and event sectors, along with businesses forced to close due to the governor’s “freeze” orders.

Eligible businesses are those with 100 or fewer full-time equivalent employees as of Nov. 31, and fit within one of the following criteria:

- Businesses prohibited from operating as directed by Executive Order 20-65 (gyms/fitness, indoor rec, museums, indoor/outdoor entertainment, indoor/outdoor pools, sports courts, event venues, zoos, gardens, aquariums).

- Businesses in the tourism, hospitality, and event sectors impacted by Executive Order 20-65 (defined as restaurants, bars, wineries, breweries, lodging, caterers, and event rental companies).

- Rural businesses impacted by closure and change of service orders related to the COVID 19 pandemic and the Executive orders 20-12 or 20-65.

Wilco helps 4-H, FFA

Since county fairs were canceled due to coronavirus, Wilco helped ensure 4-H and FFA members could sell their animals through virtual auctions.
Yamhill County was among the 11 fairs that did so.

Wilco also provided discounts for 4-H and FFA purchases and joined in the bidding at the Yamhill County Livestock Auction and other county events.

“Many of our team members were in FFA and 4H as kids, so we immediately recognized how disheartening the situation was with fairs canceled,” said Sam Bugarsky, president and CEO of the regional, farmer-owned cooperative. “We were happy to add the additional donations and be active in virtual auctions to add good things in tough times.

Drive-through event

Parkland Village Retirement Community will host a drive-through “Candy Cane Lane” event on Friday, Dec. 18. Lights will be shining from 4 to 7 p.m.

Families can drive through to view the lights and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies. They are asked to register by Wednesday, Dec. 16, at 503-435-1499.

Parkland Village is located at 3121 N.E. Cumulus Ave., McMinnville. It is accessible by turning off Highway 18 at the traffic light near the Evergreen Aviation Museum.

Register today

Families need to register by today, Dec. 11, for “Phone Calls from Friends of the North Pole,” a free program sponsored by the McMinnville Parks and Recreation Department.

Santa, Mrs. Claus, elves and other Christmas characters will be calling local youngsters on Dec. 15, 16 and 17. Families can register for a time slot between 3:30 and 6:30 p.m.

To register, call 503-474-4965, or go online to bit.ly/northpolecalls.”

Chamber Greeters

Recology Western Oregon will be featured in the Friday, Dec. 18, Chamber Greeters program.

Greeters will last from 8 to 9 a.m. online. Check the Chamber website, mcminnville.org, for a link to the Zoom session.

Newberg Chamber of Commerce’s Dec. 18 Greeters’ program will feature the Newberg Area Historical Society. It will start at 8 a.m. via Zoom. NAHS President Rachel Thomas will speak.

To register and obtain the Zoom link, go to the Newberg Chamber website, at business.chehalemvalley.org.

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