Events

The video of the public forum held on Thursday, November 6th at the Roseburg Public Library is now online here: https://youtu.be/8CvFo8Vpb2U.

Miguel Ramirez of Ram Technologies Oregon presented a very interesting and important program on Cybersecurity. Be sure to check out this one-hour discussion on how to keep safe online.

On Thursday, Oct. 9 The News-Review‘s Managing Editor Drew Winkelmaier spoke about the News-Review’s relation to the First Amendment and how the paper works. This was a public meeting sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Umpqua Valley. Link to video: https://youtu.be/Co7hJXaqnX4

On Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025 at 6PM, Jim McCarthy of WaterWatch addressed issues around the Winchester Dam at the Roseburg Public Library, 1409 NE Diamond Lake Blvd, in the Ford Room. This was a public event, very informative, well attended. Link to video recording of the meeting: https://youtu.be/XZBxV1ICb9A

Subsequently, we offered to host a meeting for the Winchester Water Control District to be able to share their views on the dam and their side of the story with the community, but they chose not to come forward at this time.

**See our main page to read the partial statement by the Winchester Water Control District board of directors (WWCD). They cancelled presenting to the community at a public forum. The League encourages the WWCD to schedule a public forum so everyone can have a chance to here their side of the issues.

Spring Garden Tour 2025 • Saturday, June 7th! It was a grand and sweltering day! Thank you for being there!

Gardening inevitably steps us into the fascinating, alien realm of insects. Many beneficial insects begin in less well known, sometimes less appealing larval stages. Indiscriminate elimination of all grubs, caterpillars, and insects can inadvertently contribute to the loss of beneficials. Our choices in how we frame our relationship with insects we encounter – as foe or friend, as conqueror or cohabitant, with vengeance or curiosity – in our own gardens, multiplied by all gardens that exist in our world, have a real impact. Shifting from vengeance to a stance of curiosity leads to knowledge. Knowledge can lead us to tolerance. Tolerance can lead us to new delight in the diversity around us.

This is an excerpt borrowed with permission by author Julie Burchstead, Master Gardener, printed in The News-Review on 4/18/25.

See photos of the 2025 tour here.

Thank you for attending!
Nature’s Brain Boost: Get Your Wild Fix!
Thursday, April 24th at 6PM
at the Oran Mor Artisan Meadery

This is a Link to the Video recording on YouTube. Check out a few photos below.

Diana Pace and Wayne Chevalier, evening’s speakers

See Rally Photos on this page.

The League’s first Tea Social on March 25, 2025 was held at Umpqua Valley Arts. Thank you to all volunteers who made this happen.

It was a beautiful day with lots of friends!

Please stay tuned to our Calendar of Events!

See below:
Tea Social Photos from Mar. 25, 2025 at the Umpqua Valley Arts.

• Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025: “Safe Families for Children” and “Hearts with a Mission” presented at the Roseburg Public Library on Wed., Feb. 26 at 2PM. We learned what valuable work this group does for Oregon communities by providing overnight hosting, respite care, and mentorship programs for parents and teenagers.

Marisa Hayner, Regional Director
Jaco Coetzee, Outreach Specialist

  • Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025: The Ford Family Foundation with Kara Carlisle, CEO and president of TFFF. League members and AAUW Roseburg members met with Kara at TFFF in Roseburg. We shared information about what we’re all doing. Childcare was a big part of our discussion and the work of all three organizations.

  • Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024: Roseburg City Candidates Forum at the Roseburg Public Library in the Ford Room, 7PM – 8:30PM. Link to the video recording.

  • Thursday, Oct 10, 2024: Robert Heilman presented “Living in Scary Times” at the Roseburg Public Library in the Ford Room, 7PM – 8:30PM.

This was also an in-person and hybrid event. In Case You Missed It, here’s a link to Robert’s presentation.

Saturday, 6/8/2024: Spring Garden Tour 10AM – 5PM. Tickets are on sale at these locations:

Thursday, 5/16/24: LWV Umpqua Valley’s Annual Meeting & Dinner. By reservation only. Open to members and friends. Features speaker Bob Welch, author and lecturer, and a delicious dinner at the CH Bailey House Bed & Breakfast. The annual meeting will wind up the evening.

Thursday, 4/25/24: Ranked Choice Voting Ballot Measure Forum 6PM on 4/25/24 at the Roseburg Public Library. Two representatives of Oregon Ranked Choice Voting will tell us all about the measure that will be on the Oregon November ballot. There will be a Q&A session, so bring your questions and your friends. The public is invited. Refreshments will be served.

4/16/24: Spring Garden Tour 2024 New Poster is unveiled! The Garden Tour will be on June 8.

4/16/24: Initiative Petition 14’s work is being discontinued which would have established an Independent Redistricting Commission to enable voters to draw fairer district boundaries in Oregon. We’ve run out of time to collect all the signatures needed.

But parts of Initiative Petition 9 that would put limits on campaign contributions on candidates continues on as the Legislature passed House Bill 4024 and heads to Governor’s Desk introduces Campaign Finance Reform to Oregon. This is the first legislation of its type in Oregon in years.

  • Tuesday, November 14, 2023 – Thomas McGregor, Executive Director of Phoenix Charter School, inspired and informed us about Disconnected Youth and Douglas County. Thank you Roseburg Public Library for the venue!

View the source document PDF here.

Thomas explained how “Opportunity Youth” is a phrase used to describe young people between the ages of 16 to 24 years old who are deemed “disconnected,” from school and work, meaning they are either not attending school and they are not employed. Sadly, Douglas County has one of the highest rates of “opportunity youth” in the State of Oregon. 

Thomas at work:

Below are a few facts from 2019. (Data since then is inconclusive or not taken due to Covid outbreak.)

Opportunity youth are young people who are between the ages of 16to 24 years old and are disconnected from school and work. (youth.gov)

  • Reengagement Program:
  • In Oregon defined via the Student Success Act as a program which serves youth to provide:
  • Academic instruction allowing youth to receive credit towards graduation or obtain a GED
  • Mentoring including career counseling and workforce readiness
  • Assisting with wrap-around services to support at-risk youth

Poverty level in Douglas County in 2019 was 17%.
The State of Oregon’s level was 13.2%
National level was 13.4%

Douglas County Youth not in school and not working (ages 16-24): 20.2%
Oregon: 11.6%
National: 11.5%

Youth not in school and not working (ages 16-24): 2075
Oregon: 54,478
National: 4,501,815

Disconnected Youth in 2016-2020:

Douglas County came in at the top in the whole state of disconnected youth at 18.6%
Count of disconnected youth in Douglas County: 1850
Oregon: 12% 

View the source document PDF here thanks to Thomas McGregor!

  • Tuesday, October 17, 2023 – Sarah McGregor, the Feeding Umpqua Program Manager at UCAN, taught us about efforts to alleviate hunger in our communities and how we can help.

Food insecurity is an issue in Douglas County. Sarah McGregor, UCAN program manager for the Feeding Umpqua Program, will offer information on what that means in Douglas County. The program took place Tuesday, October 17, 2023, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. at the Roseburg Public Library.

For more information, visit www.ucancap.org.


Thank you, Sarah and thanks to your staff!

  • Tuesday, September 19, 2023 – Jared Cordon, Superintendent of Roseburg Public Schools, spoke to the state of our schools, a vision for the future, and how our community can support the best for our students.

Last Year 2022-2023

  • Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at noon in-person First Tuesday Talk Time at the Mariachi Loco Restaurant in Roseburg in their meeting room
  • Tuesday, May 16 – Special Districts Election Day
  • Friday May 19 to Sunday May 21 – LWVOR Convention in Eugene at the Graduate Hotel. If you would like to be an Observer, contact info@lwvuv.org.
  • Tuesday, May 23 – League Annual Meeting and Dinner at the CH Bailey House Bed & Breakfast 5:30 to 8PM
  • Saturday, June 10, 2023 – Spring Garden Tour in the Roseburg area within 7 1/2 miles. More information soon. If you know of or have a garden you’d love to share with community friends in June 2024, email Nancy, Garden Tour Committee Chair, or call her at 541-643-8113.
  • Frontier Family Feud: Abigail Scott Duniway and Harvey Scott – More plans are being made to hold more performances this year in Douglas County. The first in-person performance was held on Friday, April 1 & 3, 2022 at the Umpqua Community College Whipple Fine Arts Theatre. Prior to the musical, a panel discussed women’s voting rights past and present.

    This is a historical musical produced locally by the Umpqua Community College Visual Arts Department and the League. We are now offering performances on stage or in classrooms. Please help get the word out to schools and other organizations who might be interested in seeing this creative endeavor spread widely. If so, contact us! The 42-minute video is online now, but there’s nothing like a live presentation!
  • Century Celebration – This year we’re celebrating the League’s 103 birthday, and Women’s History Month. The theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories”. Join us for an in-person celebration at the Roseburg Public Library on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
  • Also see our Calendar where we post events, webinars, and meeting dates.