>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Research tour: Union County Leadership, which will highlight area medical facilities in its upcoming video, recently toured Grande Ronde Hospital’s operating room. Program participants pictured front row left to right are Tina Baxter, Debera White, Annette Shelton-Tiderman, John Cavin, Kelly O’Neil, Randy Lindsey and Sandra Patterson; back row left to right are Charles Sarrett, Kyle Evans, Jon Larkin, Brian Hanley, Kurt Lenhoff and Jay Pounder. - Submitted photo

The main character is Union County itself, with all its scenic splendor, recreational opportunities and cultural and economic diversity.

“We kicked a lot of ideas around, but the one that stuck was creating a fast-paced video that shows the amenities of Union County, reasons to visit here and reasons to live here,” said John Cavin, owner of Oregon Wireless and one of 18 people producing the video for the current edition of Union County Leadership.

Sponsored by the Union County Chamber of Commerce, Union County Leadership is a biennial program designed to foster community involvement and achievement.

Beginning in October and wrapping up in May, each group going through the program selects and completes a community service project, one that yields benefits for the entire community.

“It’s got to be a project that has a positive impact,” said chamber Executive Director Judy Loudermilk.

The process usually starts with brainstorming sessions, and this year was no different.

After a couple of meetings, the idea for a video showing Union County in its best light, one that any local business could use as a marketing tool, began to emerge.

“We were asking ourselves, How can we attract people and keep them here, either as tourist or resident?’ said member Debera White, who works as the pharmacy operations manager at Red Cross United Drug.

The group quickly realized that producing a quality video and finding an audience is a complex task requiring a cooperative effort.

Four teams were formed, with their respective tasks to make creative decisions, deal with media, raise funds and track statistics.

Jay Pounder, a commercial lender at US Bank, was picked as overall project leader because he had previous experience as a contract videographer.

“I guess primarily my role is to guide the teams along and make sure everybody’s sticking to the project,” he said.

The project is still in its pre-production phase, though some important decisions have been made. For one thing, the video will be short and fast-paced.

“We want something that highlights the community but doesn’t bore people. We think three to five minutes is the ideal length,” Cavin said.

As for content, not everything is settled yet. The group, however, knows for sure it wants to highlight the county’s outdoor recreation opportunities, the presence of Eastern Oregon University and services offered by medical facilities.

Here the public is being asked to participate. The video makers are hoping people will donate  some of their favorite photos and video clips for the project.

“We’re open to other people’s perspectives of what Union County has to offer,” said Jon Larkin, who works as EOU Director of Alumni programs and heads up the creative team on the video project.

As for distribution, the group at first thought to burn the video to compact disc and give out individual copies, but later a decision was made to post the production on the Internet via YouTube.

A link on the chamber website will point the way. In addition, individuals, businesses and community organizations will be free to download and post the video on their own websites.

Actual shooting and post-production will be contracted out to a local video making service, said White. “We have two bids on the project already, so that seems to be the least of our worries,” she said. “We also have a lot of talent to work with, so there are some things we won’t have to hire out.”

Union County Leadership estimates the total cost for the video at $1,500. Group members have taken up some of the slack, donating a minimum $25 a piece. Additionally, an application to Union County Tourism for a $500 mini-grant is in the works.

For the remainder, White as the fundraising captain is turning to the community.

“We hope to get some of the money we need from people in the community who would benefit from increased tourism,” she said.

Loudermilk, the chamber director, said she has faith in the current crop of leaders and looks forward to a first-class production. “They’re working and pulling together. It’s one of the most exciting projects we’ve had in a long time,” she said.

People interested in contributing photos, video clips or  financial support for the video should contact the chamber at 963-8588.