Summer 2026
REV Newsletter
Vol. 3, No. 4
Union County Child Care Study Released
Last year, REV - working with Union County - asked the county’s families and child care providers to share their experiences with child care. A year later, we’re sharing what we heard.
One of the clearest findings: 70% of surveyed parents said child care had caused them to miss an educational or professional opportunity. Among households earning $50,000 to $100,000, more than half said they had left or declined a job because of child care issues.
The study combines those experiences with community-level data to provide a better understanding of child care in Union County, including the challenges families and providers are facing.
GRACE NOTE
In June, on the drive to Cottonwood to watch student presentations, I saw a plume of smoke darkening ahead of us. I crossed my fingers that the fire wasn’t on the plateau since last year’s fires had forced us to cancel Cottonwood. Thankfully, it was the Blalock Fire, which never grew past an acre. I zipped past it just before the freeway closed, watching flames lick the guardrail.
Once safely at the Experience Center, students shared stories from their week along the river, joined by Oregon Parks Forever, Ford Family Foundation, and their families. One student began with a meditation, inviting everyone to pause, center themselves, and notice their surroundings. Another shared they felt “connected and one with the water.” I couldn’t have asked for a better reflection of what we hope students take away from Cottonwood: a deeper connection to the landscape, a sense of kinship with the natural world, and an understanding of how these systems connect with us.
From there, I hustled over to Portland to meet a friend from New Jersey and welcome her to Oregon for the very first time. As we made our way from the west to the east, I introduced her to scenic detours to marvel at waterfalls and stratovolcanoes, the concept of “city errands” for hard-to-find goods requested by friends and family, the lesser known histories and lore of Hot Lake Hotel, the arresting cold and beauty of Wallowa Lake, the rugged Eagle Caps, foraging for summer berries, and how to wrangle escaped chickens. Fortunately, her visit came before the thick blanket of wildfire smoke settled over Eastern Oregon.
When it was time to say goodbye at the Pendleton airport and the sting of parting ways faded, I was left with a tremendous pride in Eastern Oregon. Eastern Oregon asks a little more of you to get here, but what you find when you arrive is worth the journey. Rural life comes with realities my friend was able to experience firsthand, from wildfire risk to the distances we travel for everyday services. Rural communities have a remarkable way of adapting. We make do, help one another, plan ahead, improvise, and find a way forward.
That resilience is one of the things I value most about Eastern Oregon, and it is at the heart of what we try to nurture through REV. We want those who call Eastern Oregon home to see not only the beauty of this place, but also its possibility - to recognize that rural communities are worth investing in, that challenges can become opportunities, and that there is a future here worth building together.
Grace Donovan
REV Executive Director
RECENT EVENTS / PROJECTS
Cottonwood Crossing: A Summer of Curiosity and Discovery
This summer, high school students from across Oregon - from Portland to Elgin - spent a week at Cottonwood Canyon State Park turning curiosity into hands-on discovery at the 2026 Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute (CCSI).
Guided by Eastern Oregon University faculty, students explored the John Day River, investigated ecosystems, studied the night sky and earned college credit along the way.
They also got plenty of time in the water.
“I love learning more about the river and how everything interacts with itself,” one student said.
For another, discovery meant overcoming a fear: “I was nervous about picking up crawdads, but I got better. I picked up bigger ones.”
And perhaps the week’s most memorable lesson? “Bull snakes eat rattlesnakes.”
For CCSI coordinator Eric Carlson, those moments are the payoff. “It’s definitely seeing the kids learn something new that they didn’t think they could do,” he said.
For one week, the canyon became a classroom, and curiosity was the curriculum.
Watch the video 2026 Cottonwood Crossing - through the eyes of the participants >
Learning in the Landscape
For four days this summer, teachers traded their classrooms for the wide-open landscape of Cottonwood Canyon State Park.
Middle and high school educators from communities stretching from Seaside to La Grande came together for the Cottonwood Canyon Teacher Institute (CCTI), an immersive professional development experience built around learning by doing — and finding new ways to bring that experience back to their students.
Working alongside Eastern Oregon University faculty and regional professionals, teachers explored engineering design, water quality and storytelling through hands-on projects rooted in the landscape around them. They learned skills and developed projects they could adapt for their own classrooms.
But CCTI wasn’t all fieldwork. Time around the table with fellow educators gave participants a chance to swap ideas, talk honestly about classroom challenges and work together on solutions.
With stipends and professional development units provided, CCTI offered teachers a chance to recharge, reconnect and return to school with something new to share.
UPCOMING EVENTS / OPPORTUNITIES
Rural Businesses + Student Talent = A Win-Win
Finding the right talent can be tough for rural businesses—especially when there’s a big project on the to-do list but not quite the budget to tackle it. The Oregon Frontier Innovation Hub (OFIH), a program of REV, is launching the Access to Talent Program to help.
The program connects rural, traded-sector entrepreneurs with Eastern Oregon University students for paid, project-based internships. Entrepreneurs get help moving meaningful projects forward, while students gain hands-on experience working alongside founders and building skills that can take them into the workforce.
Students earn $20/hour, and may also be eligible for a 20% tuition discount. OFIH expects to support three student placements through June 2027, with projects ranging from market research and data analysis to process improvements and go-to-market strategies.
It is a simple idea: give rural businesses access to emerging talent, and give students a chance to put their skills to work. Learn more >
What If Business Resources Pitched to You?
Usually, entrepreneurs are the ones doing the pitching. On October 22 in Baker City, the tables are turning.
The Oregon Frontier Innovation Hub (OFIH), a program of REV, is bringing together local and statewide business resource organizations for the Eastern Oregon Reverse Pitch. Instead of entrepreneurs going from organization to organization trying to figure out who can help, the organizations will take the stage and make their case…in two minutes or less.
You’ll hear from groups offering funding, technical assistance, workforce connections, downtown support, business advising, and more. Then, stick around to connect one-on-one with the people behind the programs and figure out what might be useful for your business.
No need to know where to start. Just bring your questions, your ideas, or the project you’ve been trying to get off the ground.
📅 October 22 | 4:30–6:30 p.m.
📍 Oregon Trail Electric Co-Op, Baker City
Free and open to entrepreneurs, business owners, and anyone with a bright idea. D&J Tacos will be there, too.
Contact Carter Gudell with OFIH at cgudell@revcenter.org with questions. There is no fee.
Bring a Challenge. Leave With Next Steps.
You don’t always need a formal meeting, a business plan, or a room full of experts to make progress. Sometimes you just need to talk through an idea with the right people.
The Grind: Entrepreneur Idea Night is coming to Arlington on October 23, bringing entrepreneurs, makers, side-hustlers, creatives, and community supporters together for an informal evening of conversation, problem-solving, and connection.
The Oregon Frontier Innovation Hub (OFIH), a program of REV, is hosting the event with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, Oregon Frontier Chamber of Commerce, and Mid Columbia Economic Development District.
Bring a business challenge, a new idea, or simply a question you’ve been kicking around. You might leave with fresh perspective, a helpful introduction, a new collaborator, or—best of all—a clearer idea of what to do next.
October 23 | 4:30–6:30 p.m.
1665 Railroad Ave., Arlington
Free and open to anyone interested in entrepreneurship. Drop in for a little while or stay for the whole evening.
Questions? Contact Carter Gudell at cgudell@revcenter.org. Save your spot.
Do you want more info about the Oregon Frontier Innovation Hub? Visit its website and/or subscribe to its newsletter.
OPPORTUNITIES
Whether it’s helping with our social media platforms or working with youth and helping them explore the benefits of living in the eastern Oregon landscape, we have paid internships available for EOU students.
for EOU students
If you are or know of any EOU students looking for experiential learning opportunities, have them check our Student Internships.
for EOU faculty
EOU faculty members looking for opportunities to collaborate and give students a real-world experience in their chosen field, see the model REV uses and projects we’ve done.
for area community leaders
If you are a community leader seeking support for an initiative or challenge in your community, see how REV works with partners and connect with us to determine if REV is the right partner for you.
for Eastern Oregon residents
If you care about the future of rural Eastern Oregon and want to help shape what comes next, consider joining the REV board. We’re looking for community members ready to bring their ideas, experience and perspective to the table. Contact Grace Donovan to learn more about this opportunity.
Follow REV on social media to stay informed on its events and projects.
HOW TO SUPPORT REV
The Rural Engagement & Vitality Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which creates partnerships between Eastern Oregon University and entities in eastern Oregon to enhance the vitality of the region and develop tomorrow’s rural workforce and leaders. Please consider making a donation. Your financial support enables all the programming we offer to continue and grow.
About the REV Newsletter
Summer 2026
Volume 3, Number 4
The newsletter of the Rural Engagement & Vitality (REV) Center is a quarterly publication designed to inform its audience about activities of the center. For more information about this newsletter, contact Terri Kaiser, Editor, PO Box 31, La Grande, OR 97850.
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