Latest C.O. closures include museums, theaters, Bend Boys & Girls Clubs

Published March 17, 2020 12:33 am

Also: Church plans adjusted, events delayed, Salmon Run 'goes digital'

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Central Oregon's list of facility or business closures due to the COVID-19 virus kept growing Monday, including the High Desert Museum, the Deschutes Historical Museum, Regal Cinemas and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend.

We have those, as well as more announcements regarding event cancellations:

High Desert Museum to Temporarily Close in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic

BEND, OR — Out of deep commitment to our community, the High Desert Museum will close starting on Tuesday, March 17 to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. The Museum will remain closed through Sunday, March 29 and will evaluate the situation as the potential reopening date draws near.

The Museum is also now postponing or canceling all programs through April 11. The Museum had already postponed or canceled programs through March 31. Check the Museum calendar at highdesertmuseum.org/calendar to view the relevant programs. The Museum is reaching out individually to those who had already registered for these events.

Kids’ Camp Spring Break is also canceled for the week of March 23-27. Registered individuals are being contacted.

“The health and well-being of our community is top of mind in this decision,” said Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. “We hope everyone stays home and stays safe.”

“We look forward to reopening for the community. This is a decision that we made with heavy hearts,” Whitelaw added. “We’re doing all we can to ensure the well-being of our staff and volunteers, and we presently have ample supplies for the animals in our care.”

“We firmly believe closing the Museum temporarily is the right thing to do for our community,” Museum Board Chair Ryan J. Hagemann said. “Right now, we remain hopeful that we can resume operations in a matter of weeks.”

To continue offering educational content to the public, the Museum will post a Museum Moment on Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:00 pm, starting on Tuesday, March 17.

Deschutes Historical Museum
Closes to Public for COVID Prevention
March 17-31

(Bend) – In order to do our part for the containment of the COVID-19 virus, the Deschutes Historical Museum will be closed to the public for two weeks, March 17-31st. In addition, programs for March and April have been postponed, including History Pub at McMenamins Old St. Francis.

The Museum is following cleaning and sanitation procedures as guided by Deschutes County. The Board of Directors will continue to monitor the situation carefully and update closures as necessary.

Museum staff will be available during this time to accept research requests, photograph orders, and book orders via email (info@deschuteshistory.org) or by phone (541.389.1813).

Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend’s Temporary Closure for COVID-19

BEND, ORE (March 16, 2020) – Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend (BGCB) appreciates member families and our community for patience while the Club navigates the challenges facing our community amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend made the decision to remain closed through March 31st, following school closure timelines and public health recommendations. This closure includes planned programming over Spring Break.

“As we explored options to continually serve the community facing COVID-19 and the resulting school closures, we came to the conclusion that our ability to safely staff our club was untenable,” said Executive Director, Juliana Williams. “We knew our members and families would be facing an increased need for our support and services, and vetted all options to continue to provide these services safely.”

The BGCB board and members of its senior staff ultimately decided to close the Clubs to protect the health and safety of our members, staff, and community.

“The closure of our Club puts our organization, and nearly every nonprofit, in a vulnerable position,” indicated Williams. “We know many of our families are struggling financially during this time, so we are committed to providing refunds and credits during this closure period. We will also be posting resources in the days to come on our website for where families can access food and other services.”

Any funds paid in advance for Spring Break programs will be refunded. The BGCB business office will contact families to confirm when refunds will be processed. BGCB will also issue a 50% credit toward April membership fees for families who have paid for March programs. These will be automatic and there is no need to contact the business office.

As the situation develops and more information is available, BGCB will continue to communicate updates through email, social media, and its website https://www.bgcbend.org/ Facebook and Instagram at @bgcbend.

News release from the Sunriver Owners asociation:

SUNRIVER – In a special meeting on March 16, the SROA Board of Directors unanimously approved the continued closure of the Sunriver Homeowners Aquatic & Recreation Center (SHARC) through Sunday, April 12. The closure includes ALL access to SHARC and the cancellation of all programs ane events.

The board also approved the cancellation or postponement of any non-essential committee/task force meetings as well as SROA/SHARC events occurring within the next few weeks.

In order to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, health experts recommend creating “social distancing” from others for the next four to eight weeks.

“We can’t totally control all that goes on in Sunriver, but the goal is to lessen the exposure impacts within our own facilities,” said Keith Mobley, SROA Board President.

The following SROA/SHARC events have been cancelled and/or postponed:
• March lifeguard classes are cancelled
• March 25 Sunriver Job Fair is postponed
• March 25 Teen Night is cancelled
• April 4, Home Expo is postponed

Follow closure updates on the SROA website at www.sunriverowners.org, SHARC website at www.sunriversharc.com and Facebook pages.

Notice sent to Regal Cinemas customers:

Starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020, all Regal theatres will remain closed until further notice as a precaution amid the current circumstances.

It’s our goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for our employees and guests. We value your patronage and have no doubt we will be serving you again as soon as possible with a full slate of Hollywood blockbusters.

We will continue to update the status of all theatres on our mobile app and online at REGmovies.com. We will contact you with reopening details once available.

We sincerely wish good health for you and your families during these uncertain times.

PRESS RELEASE

March 16, 2020

In accordance with Governor Brown’s order of March 16, 2020, Bishop Liam Cary of the Diocese of Baker has announced the following directives to Catholics of the Diocese, beginning immediately.

All Sunday and weekday Masses are suspended.
All religious education and sacramental preparation programs are suspended
All public devotions, such as “The Stations of the Cross” and communal Penance services are suspended.
Funeral Masses will be celebrated with only the immediate family present and with no reception following.
All breakfasts, coffee hours, fish fry dinners are suspended.
Accommodations will be made for people to come to church for private devotions.
Pastoral visits to hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and the homebound are suspended. The only exception to this is when a priest must enter to administer the sacraments to the dying.

The Diocese of Baker encompasses all of Eastern Oregon from the Cascade Mountains to the Idaho Border.

Very Rev. Richard O. Fischer

Vicar General

St. Alban’s, Episcopal Church, Redmond, is canceling all services during the month of March.
The Rev. Celine Burke

The Oregon Feats of Strength Strongman Competition scheduled for Saturday, March 21st in Prineville at the Crook County Fairgrounds has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic situation. This will NOT be rescheduled for this year, but will be held next year on Saturday, March 20, 2021.

The 2020 Salmon Run is Going Virtual!

The health and well-being of all athletes is definitely our top priority here at Lay It Out Events. We recognize that runners have put in the hard work and mileage for this iconic Bend race, and due to unforeseen government mandates regarding COVID-19, we are switching gears to a virtual race.
How It Works
If able, we strongly encourage runners to race on the original Salmon Run courses. Participants can run the course individually or with a small group on their own schedule (any time before the end of the day April 5).

Runners can download the course maps (5k, 10k and half marathon distances), run their best race and clock their times using Strava or any other GPS app. All Salmon Run courses start and finish at the Athletic Club of Bend, and wind along the Deschutes River and finish back at the Club.

If you’d prefer to run your own course then that is okay, too! You can run the Salmon Run from anywhere in 2020. Distances and times are based on the honor system.

Runners can still have an epic race, post photos to our Facebook page, and after the race, post their results (optional).

All runners will receive their race bib, a long-sleeved tri-blend race t-shirt (at no extra cost) and a beautiful finisher’s medal which will all be mailed directly to your door. Registration is available online.

To be included in the final race results, race times must be submitted (on the honor system) to race@layitoutevents.com by 11pm Sunday, April 5. Results will be posted online by Friday, April 10.

In these unsettling times, we are committed to offering all runners an opportunity to race and want to continue to support the Environmental Center as we have in years past. With this Bend tradition in its 32nd year, the show must go on!

Spring Oregon Beach Cleanup, presented by AAA, is rescheduled

Portland, Ore., March 13, 2020 – The health and safety of Oregon’s communities has always been a priority for SOLVE. Due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19, SOLVE is rescheduling its Spring Oregon Beach Cleanup, presented by AAA, until Sunday, July 5, 2020.

Beach cleanups on July 5 are crucial in removing litter and debris left from 4th of July celebrations. We view this date change as an opportunity to focus on a different challenge facing the health and wellness of the Oregon coast. In addition, SOLVE is excited to expand its partnerships with community leaders who have hosted the annual 5^th of July cleanups in the past.

SOLVE recognizes the important role volunteers play in keeping the Oregon coast clean and healthy during the spring season. Removing marine debris and plastics is work that still needs to be done. In lieu of this statewide beach cleanup event in March, we invite all Oregonians to pick up as they go, whether they find themselves on the Oregon Coast or elsewhere. More information will be sent out soon about how volunteers can help our beaches between now and July. Changes to SOLVE’s ongoing projects are ongoing. Please contact you SOLVE Project Leader for the most up-to-date information.

About SOLVE

SOLVE is a statewide nonprofit organization that brings people together to improve our environment and build a legacy of stewardship. Since 1969, the organization has grown from a small, grassroots group to a national model for volunteer action. Today, SOLVE mobilizes and trains tens of thousands of volunteers of all ages across Oregon to clean and restore our neighborhoods and natural areas, and to build a legacy of stewardship for our state. Visit solveoregon.org for more information.

Article Topic Follows: Coronavirus

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