February 2026 Sunriver Scene - Flipbook - Page 6
Black History Month at COCC welcomes all to community forums, celebrations
With a theme of “Her Power,
Our Resilience,” Black History Month at Central Oregon
Community College includes
a student-led empowerment
retreat (Feb. 7), a documentary film on Toni Morrison
(Feb. 10), community forums
(Feb. 18), a cultural dinner
event (Feb. 20), a talk by New
York Times-bestselling author
Ijeoma Oluo (Feb. 24), and
a Black History Celebration
Dinner (Feb. 28). Organized as
part of the college’s Season for
Nonviolence, all events are free
and open to the public, with
event registration required; visit
the event calendar at cocc.edu.
Led by community leaders,
a Black History Empower-
ment Retreat, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
on Saturday, Feb. 7, at the
Redmond campus’s Technology Education Center – with
breakfast and lunch provided
– will explore creativity, resilience, wellness and business
acumen. Includes a conversation on empowering Black
women with Oregon State
University-Cascades’ human
development professor Shandell Landon. Space is limited.
A film screening and discussion of “Toni Morrison:
The Pieces I Am” from 6 to
8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb.
10, at COCC’s Wille Hall on
the Bend campus will offer
an intimate portrait of Toni
Morrison, Nobel- and Pulitzer
Prize-winning author, from her
upbringing to the front lines
of activism. Followed by a dialogue led by COCC humanities chair Stephanie André.
Two community forums, at
noon and 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at COCC’s Madras campus, will explore the
importance of Black History
Month and highlight the relationships among communities
in Madras, Warm Springs and
surrounding areas. Facilitated
by Afrocentric program coordinator Marcus LeGrand, they
include a display of African
and Black historical artifacts
and an engaging drum-making
workshop. Both forums feature
the same content.
COCC’s Ubuntu Dinner
Ceremony, with a theme of
“I Am Because We Are,” will
be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on
Friday, Feb. 20, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of
Central Oregon. The dinner
event, prepared by local Black
chefs, offers a journey of reconnection to cultural roots.
New York Times-bestselling
author and activist Ijeoma
Oluo will speak at COCC’s
Bend campus at 6:30 p.m. on
Tuesday, Feb. 24, in Wille Hall.
Six community book conversations are convening in January
and February to discuss her
work “Be a Revolution: How
Everyday People are Fighting
Oppression and Changing the
World.”
An inspiring Black History
Dinner Celebration, curated
and emceed by COCC Afro-
centric students, will be held
from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday,
Feb. 28, in COCC’s Wille Hall
on the Bend campus. The event
honors the strength, brilliance
and legacy of Black women.
For more information
on Black History Month at
COCC, please contact Marcus
LeGrand at mlegrand2@cocc.
edu or 541-330-4376.
In advance of college events,
persons needing accommodation or transportation because
of a physical or mobility disability should contact campus
services at 541-383-7775. For
accommodation because of
other disability such as hearing
impairment, contact student
accessibility services by email
at sas@cocc.edu or by phobe
at 541-383-7583.
Highlights
turnout over winter break for
pool usage and other amenities.
Member Services has been busy
with renewing/issuing 2026
memberships. Owner Holiday
Party was a success with more
than 250 attendees. Operating
at winter staff levels but was
fully staffed for holiday weeks.
Other business
• Director Jacknow stated
that the board needs to make a
decision on creating a wildfire
task force/committee and what
would be the best approach.
• Director Jacknow would
like to see future discussions
on GIS capital funding and a
report on return on investment
results for staff (success stories).
• Following a lengthy discussion, it was decided that SROA
would look into an audit of
what SROA does in regard
to wildfire mitigation. This
could result in the hiring of
a consultant who would take
those findings and turn it into
action items.
• Director Burke brought up
the topic of owners with persistent, often uncivil behavior
and monopolizing staff time.
Although occurrence is rare,
Burke feels there needs to be
a policy in place dealing with
those asking the same questions or requesting the same
information again and again.
GM Lewis said he will work
on a “threshold” policy where
SROA will still listen but will
not going to respond.
The meeting adjourned at
10:46 a.m.
The next SROA board work
session will take place at 9 a.m.
Feb. 20 followed by the regular
board meeting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21.
To watch the recorded
meeting via YouTube, visit the
meeting date on SROA website
calendar for the YouTube
link. Meeting minutes, once
approved, are available on
the SROA website at www.
sunriverowners.org
for Natural Resources. Pumped
water from several tunnels and
roadside areas. Concrete repair
near the hot tub has been
completed. All pool pumps
at SHARC are being replaced
per reserves. Contractor selected for repainting indoors
at SHARC. Cardinal Landing
Bridge has been inspected and
awaiting report. Reviewing
options to control cost of the
River Road tunnel.
• Recreation/SHARC: All
pickleball/tennis courts are now
closed for the winter. Great
Does SROA have
your email?
Let us make your dream home a reality
BEND, OREGON
Page 6
FEBRUARY 2026 SUNRIVER SCENE
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SROA sends a variety
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If you feel SROA may
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email, please go to www.
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