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Fund drive to bring journalism interns to Malheur County – you can help

 

By Les Zaitz

The Enterprise

We need your help raising $10,000 in tax deductible donations by March 30 to fund at least two summer internships at the Malheur Enterprise.

At the Enterprise, we believe our country needs well-trained journalists more than ever. That means reporters skilled at gathering information, at finding truth. That means reporters who are ethical at every turn.

In their 10 weeks at the Enterprise, young journalists will strengthen their skills under close coaching and stretch their abilities to meet the high expectations we have. These young journalists will see a news operation functioning to serve the public good while avoiding exhibitions of favoritism or bias.

You can support this important project with a tax deductible contribution to the Oregon Newspapers Foundation, designated for the Malheur Enterprise. The money will be used to cover salary and costs for these students.

This effort is off to a significant start with its first contribution. Stephen Engelberg, editor in chief of ProPublica and former managing editor of The Oregonian, is funding the Edward Engelberg Internship for Investigative Reporting in honor of his father, who has a remarkable story. Edward Engelberg escaped Nazi Germany as a child, arriving in the U.S. speaking no English. He dreamed of becoming a foreign correspondent but instead turned to academia, finishing a distinguished career as professor of comparative literature at Brandeis University. He lived out his last years in Oregon (he had obtained a master of arts from the University of Oregon in 1952) in a retirement community. There, he finally realized his desire to be a journalist, writing profiles of the other residents for the in-house newspaper.

Stephen Engelberg, who has led ProPublica to four Pulitzers, believes strongly in the need for local journalism. He particularly wants to encourage college students from the refugee or immigrant communities to pursue journalism careers.

Our summer interns will help the Enterprise delve deeper into critical local issues – farm labor, affordable housing, child poverty and more. They will report on stories to explain what local government is doing, explore the work of nonprofits, and examine who wins and who loses from economic projects.

What do you get from helping?

You help college students get real world experience under the guidance of veteran journalists.

You help society gain well-trained journalists who are ethical and dedicated.

You help provide one of the most impoverished counties in Oregon access to more news that matters.

You will get occasional updates about what the interns are doing.

And, of course, you get that tax deduction.

You will be acknowledged in our newspaper, on our website, and in a wall hanging on the office unless you prefer to remain anonymous. Donation amounts won’t be disclosed.

To help: Mail your check made out to the Oregon Newspapers Foundation with “Malheur Enterprise intern” on the notation line or in a cover note. Mail the check to: Oregon Newspapers Foundation, 4000 Kruse Way Place, Bldg 2, #160, Lake Oswego, OR 97035.

You can also drop a check at the Malheur Enterprise office in Vale and we will forward it to the foundation. And if you’re not concerned about the tax deduction, you can go to malheurenterprise.com/support to donate online.

Les Zaitz: [email protected]; 541-473-3377; twitter: @leszaitz