91ÊÓƵ

Writing a haiku poem could help preserve a historic structure in Oregon.

Restore Oregon, a nonprofit organization that supports historic preservation efforts in the state, is sponsoring a haiku contest to raise money for structures designated as Oregon’s Most Endangered Places, Executive Director Peggy Moretti said. The public is invited to submit haikus about their favorite historic places of the 10 that the organization selected this year as the most endangered, either by threat of demolition or neglect, she said.

“It’s just for fun, just to get people thinking about what these places mean to them and their communities,” she said. “So much about adaptive reuse and preservation is about what these places mean to people.”

The winning haiku will be selected by Restore Oregon’s staff and earn 20 votes for its corresponding endangered place, Moretti said. Restore Oregon also is collecting individual online votes (with a $5 donation for each one) for favorite endangered places, she added. Each structure is eligible for a $2,500 grant from Restore Oregon, but the one that receives the most votes by Dec. 31 will receive an additional $1,000, she said.

Oregon’s Most Endangered Places include the U.S. Naval Air Station Dirigible Hangar B in Tillamook, the Isham Saling House in Weston and pioneer farmsteads in the Willamette Valley. Also on the list are the Astoria Marine Construction Co. site in Astoria, The Dalles Chinatown site in The Dalles, the Dome Building in Salem, the Knotts-Owens Barn in Corvallis, the Pioneer Mothers Memorial Cabin Museum in Champoeg and the Multnomah County Courthouse in Portland.

Although small, Restore Oregon’s grants often encourage extensive preservation projects, Moretti said.

“It has a big impact – a small seed starts the snowball rolling down the hill,” she said. “It’s really a positive thing because the folks that are advocating for that place can now say a state organization is supporting it. It helps them be competitive when they go for other grants.”

Haiku contest submissions can be sent by email to [email protected], with the subject line “haiku contest.”

Entries must be submitted by midnight on Dec. 15. Restore Oregon will announce the winning haiku on Dec. 16.