ORLC representatives Betty Lou Yenne (who is also the new secretary of the FISH board of directors!) and Larry Denis met with the FISH board of directors to resume partnership discussions after the holiday hiatus.

Fish board members expressed an enthusiastic interest in moving forward and we invited them to join us on a ‘field trip’ this March to St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Beaverton.

St. Matthews has operated a food bank for over twenty years and is currently expanding their physical capabilities. They have graciously offered to take us on a tour of their new facilities and then have their staff, including their grant writers and construction contractor, sit down with us to share their experiences and answer our questions as we contemplate the possibilities of traveling a similar road.

The next steps will include an attempt to define more accurately the physical needs of both ORLC and FISH. We will then begin to assemble an architectural team to produce an actual feasibility study as there are many questions which need answers before we can even consider moving forward as a team.

These would include, but are not limited to, road access issues, septic system regulations and restrictions, building and planning code requirements and cost estimate information.

Once we have this information, then we will be in a position to decide if this is something ORLC and FISH really can undertake.