Wauna Credit Union Supports St. Helens with Funding for New Outdoor Stage and Tourism Events

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2020

ST. HELENS, OR – Wauna Credit Union recently renewed its ongoing support of St. Helens tourism efforts through a citywide sponsorship program that will benefit community tourism events. This sponsorship is in addition to funding that Wauna Credit Union has dedicated to building a new outdoor stage at Columbia View Park.

“Columbia County is special to us not only because this is where we got our start, but also because of the people and the history,” said Robert Blumberg, CEO and President of Wauna Credit Union. “Our support of the City of St. Helens is a privilege and we look forward to many years of great partnership.”

Four years ago, Wauna Credit Union entered into an agreement with the City of St. Helens to help fund a new outdoor stage at Columbia View Park to provide a larger venue with better accommodations for concerts and other performances on the St. Helens riverfront. The new stage was incorporated into the City’s larger Waterfront Redevelopment Project which includes a large stretch of waterfront property that will allow the community greater access to the Columbia River. City staff is working on developing plans for the stage in order to start construction in 2021. The stage will be dedicated as the Wauna Credit Union Stage in honor of the sponsorship funding.

“You dream of partners like Wauna Credit Union that make a multi-year commitment and continue to do so even in difficult times. It shows an amazing commitment to the community,” said St. Helens City Administrator John Walsh. “It’s exciting to see this plan come together to build a renewed sense of community. Wauna Credit Union was created by the mill workers that once worked on the waterfront. To have their name on the new stage is fitting. The Wauna Credit Union Stage will be a great reminder of our history and future tied together by name and place.”

In addition to providing funding for a new stage, Wauna Credit Union has also committed to tourism funding as a city-wide event sponsor. Community livability is more important than ever, and the City of St. Helens has closely been following state guidelines and COVID-19 developments in order to offer community events close to home in a safe environment. A key component to being able to host events that comply with safety guidelines is to find event sponsors.  Sponsors are the core of St. Helens tourism events.

“Sponsors create revenue and local excitement that generates necessary components for festivals,” stated St. Helens Tourism Director Tina Curry. “We’ve found that it is solid sponsors like Wauna Credit Union that give us the space to create and use time effectively.”

Wauna Credit Union joins other community sponsors, including the Jane Garcia Team, Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, and Cascadia Home Loans. Through their support, tourism events make St. Helens a more livable and vibrant community for everyone.

For information on Wauna Credit Union’s efforts to address COVID-19 business release, visit https://waunafcu.org/business/index.shtml.

Additional information on St. Helens Riverfront Development can be found at https://www.sthelensoregon.gov/waterfront.