Local marketing firm owner aggregates resources online for community members, businesses, and healthcare organizations
THE DALLES — In an effort to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and flatten the curve, Gorge Crisis Innovation has been designed to act as a resource, sharing solutions and support from Cascade Locks to Goldendale in order to keep the communities of the Gorge safe.
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, small companies and concerned citizen volunteers have been working around the clock to address critical shortages and needs of their fellow Oregonians. Initiatives have sprung up around the state to develop new low-cost and open-source designs for everything from ventilators to face shields and many local businesses are sharing their open-source projects to take on the challenge of tackling COVID-19.
Cassie Courtney and Amie Brittle are engaged residents of the Gorge and owners of Corner Office Creative, a marketing company based out of The Dalles. “I’m not a healthcare worked and I cannot sew, but I do run a marketing firm,” Courtney said. “So when I was strategizing how I could contribute to the fight against this outbreak, I knew we could help gather important resources and share the stories coming out of the Gorge.”
Courtney created and now manages the Gorge Crisis Innovation website, where she and her team have gathered resources from organizations and task forces located in the Columbia River Gorge. The site offers information on how to donate, volunteer and request items needed during the COVID-19 outbreak. Website visitors learn how they can support the distribution of PPE to Columbia River Gorge healthcare professionals, or volunteer to help make items needed during the COVID-19 emergency.
They will also find more about how to source cloth masks through local resources, including cloth mask-making patterns, FAQs for cloth mask use, and how-to videos mask care videos produced by StoryGorge and Gorge Makers Collective.
“We hope these stories of makers in the Columbia River Gorge inspire innovation in all communities,” Courtney said.
This website is supported by Klickitat County Valley Health, Gorge Makers Collective, HMB50 and many other amazing organizations. The website is created and maintained by the design and marketing agency Corner Office Creative, located in the heart of The Dalles, Oregon. Corner Officer Creative works with local Gorge businesses and nonprofits on marketing, branding and storytelling to create solutions and celebrate community.
