By Patrick Holzman, Community Development Coordinator, Pendleton Development Commission
When I look back and think about my service year until now, no particular moment that defines the experience jumps out to me. I can’t seem to find one story, one day, or one conversation that perfectly captures my experience thus far. That is not to say that I lack particular and meaningful moments while living here in Oregon. I’m chock full of said moments, but I think what defines my experience here in Pendleton is a slow and thoughtful buildup of experiences. This slow growth could be attributed to the natural flow of working in small city government, but I think it more pertains to the thoughtful and deliberate choices we make as RARE members. Throughout my experience with RARE I’ve noticed that change doesn’t come from a flashy and penultimate moment. My work has yet to materialize into a spectacular crescendo where once it reaches the top my work is officially over. I did it. Change happened. No more work. In actuality, meaningful change happens from showing up to work every day. It is attending monthly committee meetings and getting to know the community members by name. It is months of deliberation regarding a grant for the restoration of a historical building and then once a decision is made, it is doing it all over again for a different building. Sometimes it may be difficult to notice the effect of your work when it progresses slowly, but over time you definitely do notice it. You notice that change within yourself alongside within the community you are living in.
I am currently working on updating the city’s inventory of historical buildings. This work has involved photographing all historical buildings in Pendleton and updating the historical information of these buildings. This slow process of research and photographing has given me a great sense of place. Through looking at and researching these structures I am going back in time and am able to see the transformation of my community. This perspective has given me a great adoration of where I am living and a new appreciation of how the past can interact with the present. I have never done any type of work relating to historical preservation before and I am so glad I am doing it now. It has completely changed the way I look at the built environment of cities. There are so many stories in the walls of our communities and it’s been fantastic to be given the time and work to explore these stories. This change in my own thinking is great, but when a community member thanks me for the work I’ve been doing, it feels much more consequential. The completion of the updated inventory will not only allow community members to have an updated history of their homes, but the city will also receive a grant for doing the work. Our work has a clear effect. It may take some time to notice, but in that time you will truly grow.
About the author, Patrick Holzman: Patrick was born and raised on the northside of Chicago a few blocks away from Lake Michigan. He went to school in Minnesota where he studied Environmental Studies and Management. Patrick loves the city of Chicago and the Midwest as a whole but he is more than excited to explore the nature of the Pacific Northwest. He loves photography and hiking, and he hopes to combine those two passions while here in Oregon and take photos of the diverse range of wildlife. He is interested in city and regional planning where he hopes to develop his professional skills and apply them in a meaningful way.
Interested in gaining community and economic development experience of your own? Are you looking for a life changing experience in rural Oregon? Learn more about serving with the RARE AmeriCorps Program. Applications for Year 29 (2022-23) due April 25, 2022 by 5pm PDT.