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How do you normally react when you hear or read something that you strongly disagree with? Most of us have a similar response—our blood pressure goes up, we get tense, and our body responds about the same way it responds to any other threat.

But is it possible to have discussions—whether in person or online—with people who disagree with us and not feel threatened? Is it possible to value and respect a person while strongly disagreeing with them? This is what a community project called United as Neighbors is trying to accomplish.

In this episode, Brian Groves, a community member involved with United as Neighbors, shares how he has seen positive changes in his own life by getting involved with this project and using some of the ideas and tools shared in this episode.

As mentioned in the episode, you can check out The Joyful Roberts Group YouTube channel here.

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From a young age, Will Worthey wanted nothing else but to be a librarian. After having many roles in multiple libraries throughout Scotland and the United States, Will finally landed his dream job in 2019 as Library Director of Newberg, Oregon's public library.

The dream, however, was short-lived. In 2020, Covid-19 hit and the library was forced to have multiple closures for extended periods of time. Then, in 2021, there was a vacancy in the City Manager position. Will was asked to step in as interim City Manager and Will agreed with the condition that he would be able to resume his position as Library Director. However, instead of returning to the library, Will found himself as the permanent City Manager. This episode is the story of how Will's career led to this moment.

As mentioned in the episode, you can check out The Joyful Roberts Group YouTube channel here.

The Joyful Roberts Group
The Joyful Roberts Group is a real estate team led by Daniel Roberts, host of The Giving Town.

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In this episode, founder and CEO of Helping Hands Reentry Outreach Centers, Alan Evans, shares his story of how he went from a traumatizing upbringing to founding a revolutionary model that brings healing and stability to people facing homelessness.

The Mission of Helping Hands is to provide a helping hand to a sustainable life through Resources, Recovery, and Reentry. They use a trauma-informed, data-driven approach to individually treat each individual and put them on a path towards sustainability.

You can learn more at  https://helpinghandsreentry.org/

As mentioned in the episode, you can check out The Joyful Roberts Group YouTube channel here.

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Newberg FISH Emergency Service is an organization dedicated to serving the community of Newberg and is best known as the local source for providing emergency food service.

FISH stands for Friends In Service to Humanity.

In addition to serving as a food pantry, Newberg FISH also cooperates with other local agencies to help people meet other critical needs such as housing, utility bills, medical and dental care, and job placement.

In this episode, Michelle Tietz, a volunteer serving as finance manager for Newberg Fish, shares the many ways Newberg FISH serves Newberg. We also discuss the origins of the organization, what makes it necessary, and several of the misconceptions people have. 

You can learn more at https://www.newbergfish.org/

As mentioned in the episode, you can check out The Joyful Roberts Group YouTube channel here.

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Since 1975, the Home Builders Association of Metro Portland has worked to produce the NW Natural Street of Dreams event. Every year, Street of Dreams partners with local builders, landscape architects, interior designers, and other tradespeople to feature the latest and greatest in home design and technology. Whether they come looking for their dream home or to get inspiration for their next project, tens of thousands of people come each year to what is perhaps the most sought-after housing event in Oregon!

This year, Street of Dreams is coming to Newberg, Oregon for the 2022 Wine Country Tour Edition! In this episode, Rachel Trice, Chief Marketing Officer for Home Builders Association of Metro Portland, shares more details about this event and what to expect if you attend. We also cover the "why" behind Street of Dreams and its mission to not just build nice homes, but to also support the entire community. You'll also learn about the partnership with the Home Builders Foundation and how they are working with a local Newberg nonprofit to renovate a shelter for people without stable housing.

This year is looking to have some of the most beautiful homes ever built with views that are the best out there. Whether or not you've ever attended a Street of Dreams event, this is definitely one you won't want to miss! The event runs from July 23 to August 14, 2022, with the main block party event on July 20th, 2022.

You can get your tickets at:
https://www.streetofdreamspdx.com/p/online-tickets

To learn more about the partnership with the Home Builders Foundation, go to
https://www.streetofdreamspdx.com/p/about/home-builders-foundation

You can check out The Joyful Roberts Group YouTube channel here.

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While most people have heard of Rotary, few actually know what Rotary is or how it works. In this episode, Mike Caruso shares about his own personal Rotary journey as past president of the Newberg Noon Rotary club and past district governor of District 5100. Mike also shares his passion and involvement with the Rotary Peacebuilder clubs, which are a Rotarian movement creating energy and momentum for peaceful conflict resolution around the world.

We also share information about the annual Rotary pancake breakfast, which runs alongside the Newberg Old Fashion Festival on the last weekend of July.

You can find more information about Newberg Noon Rotary on their website at https://www.newbergrotary.org/

As mentioned in the episode, you can visit The Joyful Roberts Group YouTube channel here.

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If you are a resident of Newberg, you have likely heard of Chehalem Cultural Center. In fact, for many people, it is hard to imagine our community without this wonderful resource. While that may be the case, many people are still unfamiliar with many aspects of the cultural center or what its actual role is in building community. 

In this episode, Executive Director Sean Andries explains what a cultural center is and shares how Chehalem Cultural Center came to be. We also discuss how the cultural center operates, the many benefits it brings to our town, along with some of the exciting new projects in the works. This is a fun and informative episode you won't want to miss!

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Is it possible that disagreements could really be a gift rather than a threat? How do we steward disagreements and learn to value them instead of working to avoid or eliminate them?

In today’s episode, Ron Mock with The Civility Project shares how civility is more than just the typical notion of being courteous and polite. Rather than avoiding conflict, true civility encourages us to seek it out in healthy and productive ways.

Ron also shares the mission and vision of the Civility Project as well as how he hopes it will bring our community together. If you are interested in learning more about the Civility Project, you can find more information below:

Civility Project website: https://sites.google.com/georgefox.edu/gfcivilityproject/home
Contact Ron: civility@georgefox.edu
Watch Ron Speak on The Gift of Disagreement (23:01 mark): https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=504575124603500

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Abuse is not as black and white as many of us would like to think. Individuals in abusive situations face major challenges that are not obvious to the general public, which is why the work of Henderson House is so important. Henderson House is the only local shelter and advocacy center for victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Yamhill County. Their mission is to provide culturally aware outreach, education, and services for victims of domestic and sexual violence through leadership, hope and respect for thriving families.

While Henderson House is a crucial resource, the work of stopping abuse starts with us as a community. It is important to learn the signs of abuse and educate our own families, friends, and neighbors about the resources available.

In this episode, we cover many of the myths surrounding domestic and sexual abuse, the cycle of abuse, the power and control wheel, services provided by Henderson House, and many other informative topics.

Trigger warning: This episode contains content that may be triggering to individuals who have experienced abuse.

You can find more information about Henderson House at https://www.hendersonhouse.org/

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"If Newberg became the most wonderful community in America, what would we be seeing, doing, hearing, and feeling more of?" This is the question that Nurture Newberg invites you to answer in the Newberg Vision Survey.

In today's episode, Denise Bacon and I discuss what Nurture Newberg is and how rewarding the things we want to see is ultimately the best way to promote positive change in our community.

We also discuss Denise's background with the Ford Family Foundation, PAX The Good Behavior Game, The Nurture Effect by Dr. Anthony Biglan, the Newberg Community Vision, and so much more!

You can find more information here: https://www.valuestoaction.org/nurture-newberg
If you want to get involved, you can reach Denise at [email protected]

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