Keizer Heritage Foundation Where the history of Keizer celebrates the spirit of Community, Culture and Art. 980 Chemawa Rd. N.E.   ·   P.O. Box 20845, Keizer, OR 97307 Phone: (503) 393-9660   Fax: (503) 393-0209

Tenants

Restoring the Old Keizer School is a means to an end. Keizer Heritage Foundation is not simply saving the only public historic building in Keizer. Far more important is that the Old Keizer School becomes a long-sought Keizer Heritage Community Center, serving the diverse needs of Keizer's 36,220+ (2009) residents. In fact, the Center will provide daily visits from people seeking a variety of services. This building provides links for positive opportunities for youth and adults through education, art, culture and community support. The following is a short summary on each tenant and what they bring to the building.

The Foundation has been collecting historical artifacts from the community for years. One large room in the school has been devoted to the Keizer Heritage Museum -- the first ever for Keizer. Now Keizer residents have a place to connect with the past and to learn about the agricultural heritage that formed Keizer. The Museum is a critical link to keep alive the heritage that has made Keizer such a special place for so many people. The Museum also will have special exhibits throughout the year for special events or dates. For additional information on the Museum, click on the photograph to the left.

Keizer Heritage Foundation retained one large room to operate as a community meeting area. The room is rented out for community meetings and for private social events, such as weddings and receptions. Also, neighborhood associations, City committees and other organizations have a place to meet with little or no cost. Young Life, a positive Christian non-denominational teen group, meets at the Center every Monday night throughout the school year. The room has an estimated seating occupancy, with tables, of 100 people or up to 180 at a reception type event. In addition to the meeting room, there is also a large patio area and beautiful gazebo that are available for various functions. For more information, click on the photograph to the left.

Keizer has been without direct library services with one exception - the devoted efforts of a retired couple that manages a private, modest collection of books known as the Keizer Community Library (formerly Reading Connection). It operated from a small area at Keizer City Hall where books were available Saturday mornings only. Also, over 6,600 books were in storage due to a lack of space. Now, with a new home in Keizer Heritage Community Center, the Keizer Community Library has dramatically expanded its operations for the entire area. Now, Keizer residents have the seed of a library so vital to community health. To visit the Keizer Community Library's website, click on the photograph to the left.

Artists in Keizer had only one place to publicly display their works - in a converted room at Keizer City Hall. That room was the cramped quarters of the Keizer Art Association - not readily visible or accessible to the public. Now, with substantially more room in Keizer Heritage Community Center, the Art Association finally has a proper showcase for the great diversity of artists who call Keizer home. Residents, who were unaware Keizer has an art community, are discovering a new side to Keizer. And with the separate gallery and classroom, the Art Association is hosting many more art classes, some in conjunction with Chemeketa Community College. KAA also hosts art classes for children at various times throughout the year. To visit the Keizer Art Association's page, click on the photograph to the left.

With a new home in the Keizer Heritage Community Center, Keizer’s Chamber of Commerce has a higher profile and better accessibility to the community. This office includes a local Visitor’s Center, too. In addition, the Chamber has room to host more of its own meetings, important for continuing to build the strength of the local business economy. To visit the Chamber’s website, click on the photograph to the left.

For more than 55 years, Young Life has been a non-profit, non-denominational Christian organization reaching out to teens with programs in some 450 communities in the United States and Canada and 36 countries overseas. Over 83,000 kids are involved weekly and more than 490,000 in the course of a year. Young Life holds informal weekly meetings at the Keizer Heritage Community Center where kids sing, play games, laugh at hilarious skits and hear the Good News in a way they can understand and appreciate. For kids who want more, small groups of peers called Campaigners meet weekly to study the Bible, pray and talk about the application of their faith.

Teens are encouraged to be a part of a local church community and Young Life partners with churches and parishes who share our vision to reach every kid. Young people have the opportunity to spend the greatest week of their life at a Young Life camp property. In 2000, their camps broke all records operating at 112 percent capacity and the waiting list contained 4,000 kids. Over the past few years, Young Life has bought four new camps so more kids can have a once-in-a-lifetime experience at a Young Life camp. Overseeing the work with teens is a group of local parents and professional people who volunteer their time and resources to give valuable assistance in planning, accountability and fundraising. Each Young Life area is self-supporting, relying on tax-deductible gifts from concerned adults and businesses that share the goal to reach every teenager. To visit Young Life's website, click on either photograph to the left.