When abused and neglected children are removed from their homes, they are placed in overburdened court and child welfare systems, often slipping through the cracks and risk continued abuse or neglect. This is where Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) – or CASA volunteers – come into the picture, having the power to prevent this tragic reality.

CASA provides a powerful voice for abused and neglected children in Lane County. CASA volunteers work to prevent children from being re-abused by facilitating their move through the court and child protective services systems as quickly as possible into safe, permanent homes.

Lane County has one of the highest rates of children in foster care in Oregon: last year, over 1,100 children spent at least one night in foster care.  All of these children have suffered from neglect or abuse at the hands of their parents. Resources currently allow CASA to serve 465 children a year, about 40% of the need in our county.

Chambers Construction is proud to be a supporter of CASA, and we recognize the value their work has for our community. This month, CASA of Lane County is hosting its 17th annual Casino Night event (virtually) where they are raising funds for abused and neglected children in foster care.  The event features several auction packages, raffles, a Zoom Casino Gaming room and more. If you register by February 24th, you’ll be entered into a special prize drawing by CASA. You can register here for the event.

Learn more about CASA here:  https://www.casa-lane.org

Chambers Construction is pleased to announce updates to its leadership team — changes that will help poise the company for success as it looks to future growth.

Chris Boyum has been named Vice President. In this role, Boyum provides oversight for the company’s marketing and business development endeavors, as well as hiring, training and assigning project engineers to their respective jobs. Boyum has been with Chambers Construction for 17 years and has worked on some of Chambers Construction’s largest projects, including a $35 million residential/medical facility in Southern Oregon.

Frank Travis has been named Vice President of Field Operations. In this role, Travis oversees the company’s safety initiative and compliance activities, hires and supervises superintendents, insures there is adequate and properly trained employees for each project, and is responsible for quality control. Travis has been with Chambers Construction for 18 years and recently completed work on Homes for Good’s Market District Commons project in downtown Eugene.

Brian Erickson has been named Vice President of Preconstruction Services. In this role, Erickson uses his extensive expertise to oversee the company’s preconstruction activities on all projects, insuring estimating, scheduling, value engineering, and constructability reviews are in order for successful project completion. Erickson has been with Chambers Construction for 23 years and has worked on several complex projects, including seismic updates and renovations on historically significant buildings.

​Boyum, Travis and Erickson will all continue as project managers for Chambers Construction along with these new roles.

“Chambers is a hero amongst our community. They go the extra mile to make lives – and everything they build – better.” – Jenny Bennett

This year, the Oregon Bankers Association awarded Chambers Construction its annual Community Applause Award. We are honored to receive such a prestigious award and it’s a great way to end 2020.

Founded in 1996, the Community Applause Award is given to an Oregon business to acknowledge its significant service and contributions to its community. Oregon banks nominate a business customer that they feel is worthy of the award, then an independent panel of judges carefully reviews the nominations and votes for a winner. Since the inception of the award, 43 Oregon businesses have been recognized, including Chambers Construction this year.

Jenny Bennett, senior vice president of marketing and business development at Summit Bank nominated us. When describing Chambers, Jenny said, “Chambers Construction is one of the most philanthropic, generous businesses in town.” We are humbled by that high praise.

Richard A. Chambers founded Chambers Construction in 1955. His philosophy was to maintain the same integrity, responsiveness and devotion to building and maintaining relationships with clients, the community and partners alike. Doing business with that in mind, we have continued quality construction and giving to our community.

Chambers Construction offers support to numerous nonprofits and foundations within the Eugene/Springfield area, including Oregon Cancer Foundation, Bags of Love, Womenspace, CASA of Lane County, Cascade Health, countless education foundations and many more.

We are also proud of our employees who volunteer, participate in fundraisers, attend events, and personally give of their time and money. Some even serve as board members for these vital community organizations.
Our philosophy of “community first” is the driving force behind our philanthropic endeavors, construction and business. This will never change.

Along with the Community Applause Award, the Bankers Association gave Chambers Construction a $1000 check as a donation in our name to Bags of Love, a nonprofit that supports youth in crisis. In addition, Summit Bank was awarded $500 for the nomination, which it promptly donated to Womenspace, also on behalf of Chambers Construction. Thank you, Summit Bank and Jenny Bennett, for the vote of confidence and thank you to Oregon Bankers Association and Oregon Business magazine for the award. We are truly grateful.

“Chambers is a hero amongst our community. They go the extra mile to make lives – and everything they build – better.” – Jenny Bennett
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A video about Chambers Construction and their community involvement was produced by the OBA and is available for viewing at https://youtu.be/hEPzWCmjK6A.

Homes for Good is a Lane County housing agency working primarily to help low-income residents with the logistics of affordable housing. At a higher level, it unites neighbors to get every Lane County resident who needs help into a home.

Recently, Chambers Construction helped renovate the old Eugene Public Library building into new office space for Homes for Good, which had outgrown its facility on Day Island Road. The new offices allow the organization to continue and expand its important work of raising awareness about the lack of affordable housing in Lane County, as well as finding housing for those in need.

​Local residents who need affordable housing should consider Homes for Good their first stop on the path to finding housing that’s within reach. The organization also offers financial counseling resources, weatherization services that can reduce utility bills, maintenance support and other services for its residents.

Over time Homes for Good has developed more than 1600 units of affordable housing. Chambers Construction was the primary contractor on the recently completed Market District Commons project, a mixed-use project located in the vibrant Market District that will serve Lane County’s Veterans and Workforce with 50 units.

​You may have read a story in the Register Guard about Jose Gutierrez, a veteran who recently moved into one of the Market District units. It’s stories like these that makes us thankful for our partnership with worthy organizations like Homes for Good, a community minded organization that strives to make a better life for those in our community.

"Chambers Construction recently finished a complete remodel of the four story, 30,000 square foot Music School Wing of the Shedd."

The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts is an education and performance center where people find and nurture community through discovery, creation, and celebration.

Chambers Construction recently finished a complete remodel of the four story, 30,000 square foot Music School Wing of the Shedd. Almost all interior spaces were demolished and rebuilt for classroom and concert use with extreme emphasis placed on acoustic separation between classrooms and adjacent spaces.
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Our Small Projects Division has also performed ongoing work at the Shedd. Some of its recent projects include installing a large screen at the Jaqua Hall Stage, building stage “wagons” that are then painted by artists and used as props, and reinforcing the ceiling structure and installing new lighting at the historic Jaqua Hall which was originally built in 1926 as the First Baptist Church.

The ninth-annual Bras for Cause event starts today, October 1, 2020.

Shirley Lyons, owner of Dandelions Flowers & Gifts, along with her daughter, Toviana, started the Bras for Cause event in 2012. They were compelled to create an event that would bring awareness to breast cancer and raise money to support patients going through treatment. Borrowing a concept they had seen around the country, Bras for Cause was born.

All Bras for Cause proceeds help support the work of Oregon Cancer Foundation. The Foundation provides stopgap financial assistance to Lane County residents and individuals receiving cancer-related services in our area. That help takes the form of what is needed most, like gas money, rent, utility bills and groceries.

The fundraiser is meant to be a pick-me-up in the face of a serious disease affecting many people. This year, Chambers Construction is honored to be the presenting sponsor along with its entry – “Rack ‘em Up!”

To vote/donate visit brasforcause.org. Bonus: every dollar you donate will enter you into a special drawing at Chambers Construction to win one of six great prizes! $1 = 1 entry. You choose how many tickets you want entered for each item’s drawing. Email us for how to split your tickets: hshaffer@chambers-gc.com OR pburian@chambers-gc.com.

Community philanthropy is foundational to our business. Chambers Construction supports our community through partnerships with organizations that provide services for those in need. We give, volunteer and fundraise for more than 60 companies that aid community members in areas of education, art, medical, housing and more.

One such nonprofit is the Relief Nursery. The Relief Nursery prevents the cycle of child abuse and neglect through early intervention that focuses on building successful and resilient children, strengthening parents, and preserving families. The work they do is vital to the most vulnerable members of our society.

Around for more than 40 years, the Relief Nursery was born out of a need to protect children in abusive situations. Back then, the primary response to abuse and neglect was removing children from their families and putting them in foster care.

Instead, the Relief Nursery focused on preventative services and supporting children and families, so abuse didn’t happen in the first place. A group of leaders took a stand and fought to do better for the children of our community. At the helm was Peggy Hoyt and the women of the Junior League of Eugene. They joined with Lynn Frohnmayer and Mary Ellen Eiler of Child Protective Services and created Relief Nursery, a private, nonprofit agency dedicated to supporting families and keeping children safe.

Today the Relief Nursery serves more than 1,000 children and their families each year. They have seen great success — more than 93 percent of the children served have no reports of abuse or neglect. It is an honor to work with such a fantastic organization and it’s an extra honor when they send you a testimonial like the one below. Well done Relief Nursery, we love supporting you.

“Chambers Construction sets a high bar for corporate investment in our community. When you see a Chambers Construction sign at a work site, you can be sure that this company is building foundations across our community, sponsoring and supporting countless organizations, including Relief Nursery. Their commitment doesn’t stop at writing a check; they attend our events and stay connected to our mission. We are grateful for their encouragement and investment in our children and families.”
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-Kelly Sutherland, Executive Director

Our company President, Dave Bakke recently did a pretty incredible thing! In addition to helping run our great company, Dave is also President of the Board for Oregon Cancer Foundation (OCF). So, this year for the Neighbors helping Neighbors campaign, Dave promised to shave his head if the Chambers Construction team met their fundraising goal.

As the president of the OCF board, Dave helps lead the foundation by setting and meeting goals. He has a strong connection with the community and a deep passion for the cause.

The Neighbors helping Neighbors campaign usually ends with a breakfast celebration. However, this year it became a virtual event due to COVID-19. That didn’t stop the excitement or the festivities. On May 6, supporters grabbed their coffee and logged in online to find out how much the enthusiasts had raised for OCF.

Chambers Construction’s team goal was set at $30,000. They didn’t just meet their goal, they surpassed it by $6,000. And Dave lived up to his end of the deal – he shaved his curly locks right off and was happy to do so. We think it looks great!

The money raised for OCF goes to help the needs of those impacted by cancer in our community. The funds go directly to community members and provide things such as help with rent, utilities, transportation, food, and many other needs.

If you would like more information about OCF or to donate, volunteer or fundraise for this worthy cause, visit oregoncancerfoundation.org.

Just a couple of short weeks ago, March 1-7, we celebrated National Women in Construction week. This holiday is dedicated to changing the stereotypes that women face when it comes to a career in construction.

Our very own Cassandra Dare is a member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) – local chapter #77. She extended an invitation to the group to tour the Eugene Civic Alliance Civic Park project this spring. Several women took her up on her offer and gathered together at the new Civic Park on March 11. The ladies were excited to see the fullness of the project and what it means for our community.

“The ladies were happy and nostalgic while visiting the site of the old Civic Stadium,” said Cassandra. “They can’t wait for the new park to be filled with community members, especially the kids.”

The NAWIC was founded in 1953 by 16 women in the construction industry. At the time, there were very few women working in the field. The founders wanted to create a support network for themselves, hoping to encourage other women to join their forces. In 1955 NAWIC gained national charter and now there are 120 chapters with more than 4,000 member all around the country.

According to the NAWIC, there is a shortage of people (men and women) in the construction industry making it ripe with opportunity for women who wish to advance in labor and skill. If you or woman you know is interested a career in construction visit the NAWIC website.
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Cassandra Dare, project engineer, has worked with Chambers Construction for nearly six years. You won’t meet a more civic minded person. When Cassandra is not at work, she is volunteering, fundraising for charitable causes, or working in her yard. She heads up much of Chambers Construction’s community fundraising involvement, such as Bras for a Cause and the holiday giving program at Women’s Space. She also sits on the board of directors for Bags of Love. Cassandra inspires all of us, especially woman in construction.

To our Chambers Construction family,

Like you, we are feeling the effects of the mandates to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our goal is to protect what is most important to us – the people who work for us, their families and our community.

In addition to government mandates, we have implemented additional steps to help flatten the curve:

• No more than four employees will meet together at one time.
• Breaks and lunches will be taken individually.
• Employees will maintain social distancing

We will update our policies as needed and are continuing to successfully complete our projects.

We will continue to support our employees, families and community however we can during this uncertain time. Stay calm, support one another and of course, wash your hands.
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Stay well,
Dave Bakke, President