My Vision for This Good Land Called Oregon
By: Jack McGowan, Former Executive Director of SOLV
I am not a native born Oregonian. My wife Jan is a fifth generation and I’m proud to say that we added one more to the list with the birth of our son, Travis, some 21+ years ago.
As I write this, I just shake my head as to my good fortune, having been born and raised in a tough, working class neighborhood in New York City. For it was New York and a certain Paul Simon that first gave me inkling of what was to be my beloved home, Oregon.
In 1970, I was still a young man, entering my fourth year working on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and living in a small, 7 story walk up apartment in Greenwich Village on Manhattan’s lower west side.
After yet another stressful day of work, I’d climb those 7 flights of stairs and seek refuge by entering into another chapter of Ken Kesey’s “Sometimes A Great Notion.” Since I had never been west of New Jersey, this totally different land, laid forth in pages, intrigued me to no end.
My deep sense of lack of fulfillment as to who I was and where my life was headed increased, until finally I made the decision to leave The Exchange, New York and go somewhere west. This is where one chance encounter changed the course of my life for the much better.
Just prior to leaving New York for the last time, a friend (who now also calls Oregon his home) and I met the singer Paul Simon while we were all waiting for the light to change on a busy Manhattan city street corner. After discussing the war in Vietnam, the killings of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King and where our country was headed, the topic turned to our lives. I explained about my disillusion with Wall Street and New York and of my plans to head west the next week. It was Paul who said, “If you want a big city, try Seattle. If you want a town that thinks it’s a city, try Portland.” Needless to say, I chose the latter.
I arrived in my Oregon, without a family and not knowing a soul. This land has been good and gentle with me, for it gave me opportunities that I would not have found anywhere else. For in Oregon, it is still the individual that can make things happen for the good or ill.
Over these 39 years, by myself, then with friends and then with family, I have traveled time and again, the Oregon road less traveled and witnessed her beauty until my eyes fill.
From watching sunrise from the summit of Steen’s Mountain, to swimming in a little known pool in the Malheur river, to watching the sun set from the most western point of the continental US, namely Cape Blanco, this good land called Oregon gives us so much and asks so little in return.
With these gifts that were given to me, the most precious, next to my wife and our son, has been the honor of leading Gov.Tom McCall’s organization, SOLV for 18 years. This, like no other experience has given me some understanding of the fabric of Oregon.
Over those 18 years, I traveled well over 200,000 miles throughout the state and met literally thousands of Oregonians as they helped each other in restoring degraded watersheds, cleaning beaches and illegal dump sites, removing invasive plant species and planting native ones in their place, and thousands of other projects.
The question, “why do they do it” has been replaced by, “because they simply care.” What a simple, yet profound statement.
My dream for my/our Oregon is that we, the people, do form a more perfect place by continuing to come together. That we do spend more time finding our commonalities and less time searching for our differences. That we pay less time listening to the nay sayers and more time listening to one another, for the opposite of vision is division. That we become the volunteer capitol of the United States and hold on to that title as a statement of our values. And most importantly, that our legacy is held up as a tradition on Oregon’s Bicentennial.
About: Jack’s career has encompassed a broad range of professional development positions including working on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, KINK-FM Promotion and Public Affairs Director, The Oregon Zoo Marketing Director and serving as an assistant to Mayor J.E. Bud Clark of Portland. Prior to joining SOLV, he hosted various international and local programs as a correspondent for the Portland, Oregon NBC affiliate, KGW-TV.
From 1990 until May of 2008, Jack was Executive Director of SOLV. 2009 marks the 40th anniversary of SOLV, which was founded by Governor Tom McCall and other prominent Oregonians. SOLV statewide services now encompass 12 major volunteer engagement programs and is now considered the largest volunteer non-profit organization in the Pacific Northwest.
Jack’s present and past affiliations partially include serving on the organizing committee of the Flight for Freedom, (Oregon’s response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, where over 1,000 Oregonians flew to New York City less than three weeks after the attacks as a statement of solidarity and courage), the Board of Directors of the Providence Medical Foundation, the Governor’s Willamette Basin Taskforce, Willamette Restoration Initiative, Willamette Partnership, the New Carissa Review Committee, and currently as a Commission Member of the 2009 Oregon Sesquicentennial.
Among noteworthy recognitions, Jack has been presented with the Oregon Business Association’s “2003 Oregon Statesman of the Year” Award. In 2006, Jack was awarded Oregon’s oldest recognition, “The Portland First Citizen” award, given by the Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors and “The Distinguished Service Award” given by the University of Oregon, where he was also asked to give the Commencement Address to the graduating class of 2006. Most recently, Jack was accorded an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters by Pacific University for his work in helping to preserve Oregon’s livability.
Photo Caption: Jack in the Ochocos
March 24th, 2009 at 11:35 am
What a wonderful story Jack. Thank you for sharing your visions of Oregon. All of the members of my family feel that we are lucky to have been born and raised here. When I read your blog it just reinforced that sentiment. Happy Birthday Oregon!
1March 24th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
You’re passion and vision inspire us all, Jack (and Jan).
2March 24th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Jack, that was absolutely beautiful. It reminds me why I love being an Oregonian so much. There are other beautiful places in the world, but nowhere like Oregon.
3March 24th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Oregon is my birthplace and after many years away, I am happy to say the “mystique” of Oregon brought me back! There is no other state like it!
4March 24th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Jack, You have been an inspiration to a lot of us who were lucky enough to be born in Oregon. I respect our beautiful state and am so happy to see it still being taken care of by all who love it.
Thank you for helping make that happen and for your love of Oregon as well.
5March 24th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Thank you both, Jack & Jan, for your visions for the state of Oregon.
6March 24th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Jack, when are you going to run for Governor? As an Oregonian, I’m glad you are with us!
7March 24th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Great vision Jack. If any state can work together it’s Oregon!
8March 24th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
I like SOLV because it shows us what we can do with a little civic engagement. I like Oregon 150 because it sends that message, “A little civic engagement can change your world,” all over Oregon as a birthday present to our state.
9March 24th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
As usual, am more than proud to call you an Oregonian and a friend. Oregon is blessed to have you,
10March 24th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Amen, Jack! Thanks for inspiring all of us “transplants” to love Oregon with all our hearts!
11March 24th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
What a beautiful story - - my eyes watered as I read about the power of Oregon’s lush scenery and the people who sustain it - and Jack’s vision for the future of this fine state I also am honored to call home.
12March 24th, 2009 at 11:10 pm
Greetings! There are no real natives to Oregon. I was born in Portland and have lived, fortunately, throughout Oregon all but 3+ years. I’ve resided in Seattle…Paul Simon’s comparative urban(e) analysis was and remains accurate! Our Jimmy Buffett fan club participated in many SOLV coastal and Portland beach clean-ups…loads (so to speak) of Fun! Bon au’ venture!
13March 25th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Often I say to myself, I could have been born in
14New York City. However, I was born in North Dakota.
I moved, with my parents, to Oregon in 1946, and I have lived here ever since. In my life time I have lived in Western Oregon, Central Oregon and Northeast Oregon where I live now. My favorite place in Oregon is Mayville where I lived as a teen ager. My parents owned a logging company, so we moved alot when I was growing up.
You surely must be a good man. You could still be connected to the New York Stock Exchange and living in Greewich Villiage on Manhattan’s lower westside: a place I have never seen. Nevertheless, it all sounds romantic to me.
We are happy to have you with us in Oregon.
Take care, Alice Stroud Williamson La Grande.
March 26th, 2009 at 7:58 am
Jack and Jan,
We miss seeing you two around here. Hope you’re enjoying Central Oregon. Come by and see us downtown at our new studio on the square the next time you’re in town. I’d love to give you both a tour.
Russ Lewis
15KGW-TV
March 26th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Dear Fellow Bloggers,
What a nice response to my posting. Thanks so much for your thoughtful submissions.
Folks, the Oregon dream is still alive and somewhat well. I realize that we’re going through some challenging times, but this is not the time to let the thread that binds us, namely our shared love for Oregon, become frayed. This is our Oregon, so are we just going to be bystanders and arm chair quarterbacks??? Heck no!
There are so many ways to help our Oregon. For one, take a look at the projects being planned in your community, by signing up as a volunteer for the upcoming “Take Care Of Oregon Days” at the Oregon150 website. Tell you family and friends about this blog and invite them to join the discussion and to volunteer.
After living for the past 23 years in the little hamlet of Helvetia, just north of Hillsboro, my wife, Jan and I recently moved to Sisters. We were married here, those 23 years ago in Camp Sherman along the Metolius River and finally, we’re home!
To wake up in the morning and smell the sweet fragrance of Pondorosa Pine and Juniper is better than the finest French perfume (which I haven’t smelled!) Same goes for you Oregon coasties! Talk about smells with a view! What a place we all call home.
When Governor Tom McCall founded Oregon’s own organization, SOLV back in 1969, one of his greatest quotes stated, “Heros are not giant statues, framed against a red sky, they are people who say, “This is my community, and it is my responsibility to make it better.”"
Let’s all be that Oregon hero.
Onward!
Jack McGowan
16March 28th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Hi Jack-
17It has been years since we have met, but I feel right at home with your story…
as an ex-New Yorker, leaving there in 1972, and arriving in Portland in 1975. Looking for that smaller city, and wanting to love and protect the land and it’s inhabitants. I have been blessed with being able to live, work, and enjoy the Mount Hood area since 1981. It is a special place. And, Oregon has been the most fantastic state to live and travel around in!! I hope we cross paths again not too far down the road.
Sue Allen
http://www.sueallenstudio.com