Sharing Our Stories

There is a moment when a town is no longer just a place of employment, a set of addresses, a pin on a map. There comes a time when people are called forth to act like neighbors, to use their gifts for the betterment of the whole, to help those in need. Sometimes there’s a moment when we feel the tie that binds, a moment when strangers become family.

The Umpqua Story Project seeks to record and share how we felt, what we did, and how we came together in response to the shooting on October 1, 2015 at Umpqua Community College. Read the experiences of your neighbors. Listen to the stories of local people who worked to bring healing. View the images that carry the prayers and goodwill that people held for one another. And then share your own experience–post a photo, write down a memory, or record a story. This is a community space. This is a healing space. This is a place for connection and inspiration. We hope you will feel welcome and be touched by the good hearts that rose up in the Umpqua Valley when we needed each other most.