On Sept. 12, 2024, Blanchet House staff, board, and supporters celebrated the expansion of its men’s addiction recovery farm with a ribbon-sawing ceremony. The newly opened facility at Blanchet Farm can accommodate up to 24 men at a time, offering support as they work to overcome addiction and homelessness.
The event was MC’d by Executive Director Scott Kerman. Long-time board member Rich Ulring gave a blessing and led the crowd in a call-and-response sing-along. A new resident of the farm, William, shared a land acknowledgment and his appreciation for the opportunity to stay at the farm. Blanchet House Board President Mary Ann Walker thanked donors and staff who persevered to complete the project.
Lead donor Dr. Jeff Heatherington with The Heatherington Foundations for Innovation and Education in Healthcare spoke to attendees about the importance of supporting children through health care and school to set them up for healthier lives as adults.
Ross Sears, who’s managed the farm for more than a decade after going through the program to gain sobriety told the crowd, “When we get here, we don’t have a lot to feel good about. The farm gives you something to feel good about.”
The decorative saw used to cut the ribbon was hand-painted by Rob Moody while he was a participant in the program at Blanchet Farm. The saw will be hung in the new dormitory.
Pictured: Newberg, Oregon-based artist Angelina Octavia stands next to her oil painting of the landscape surrounding Blanchet Farm. The painting will hang in the new facility and prints will be given to donors.
Pictured: Guests at Blanchet Farm’s Grand Opening were asked to write messages of encouragement to hang on a plum tree that will be planted near the new facility.
Pictured: William, a resident of Blanchet Farm, stands next to the welcome sign made by previous resident Lucas Pattison. William spoke at the grand opening of Blanchet Farm’s new facility and delivered a land acknowledgment.
Members of Blanchet House & Farm’s Board and donors saw a ribbon at the Grand Opening of Blanchet Farm’s new facility. Also pictured are Director Scott Kerman, Farm Manager Ross Sears, and Dr. Jeff Heatherington who gave $1.25 million for the construction of the new building. The decorative saw used to cut the ribbon was hand-painted by Rob Moody while he was a participant in the program at Blanchet Farm.
Demand for inclusion into the farm’s unique rural program led the organization to embark on this ambitious project to construct a 14,000-square-foot mixed-use building. In addition to dormitories, there are now offices for social ventures like the farm’s honey and woodshop that will support the nonprofit mission of the farm. A state-of-the-art kitchen and dining area, space for job skills education, as well as communal areas for the community, will provide an elevated living space. The communal areas will provide room for Yamhill County residents to attend on-site Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings.
The new farm facility will operate using clean solar energy.
Blanchet House was selected by Portland General Electric’s 2022 Renewable Development Fund to receive a grant for a solar energy program at the farm. The Renewable Development Fund, which awards grants for clean energy projects in the community, is fully funded by PGE’s Green FutureSM customers.
Schommer & Sons are the general contractors and SERA Architects are the project architects. Major funders for this project include the Heatherington Foundation for Innovation and Education in Health Care, PGE Foundation, ECHO Fund, the Joseph E Weston Foundation, and HEDCO Foundation, along with other generous supporters.
–by Julie Showers
It’s not too late to support the important program at Blanchet Farm. Donate today and you will be invited to tour and celebrate the new facility at our community event on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 10-1. DONATE >>
