Provide a mobile spay/neuter vetrinary facility that can travel to different cities and counties in Oregon and support local rescues, shelters and human societies to end pet overpopulation. Pet overpopulation is a problem affecting areas all over oregon and costing taxpayer $ and tremendous amounts of volunteer hours and dollars. It is, however, a problem that can be solved so that resources can be redirected to other areas where we have more need. This is a long term investment that will pay off for Oregon over and over.

The concept:
Shelters/Rescue organizations can apply for van to be in their city/county to perform free spay/neuter for a designated amount of time. The local shelters and rescues can do outreach to make sure the mobile clinic is always busy.

The program partners with pet industry businesses (local or national) to provide free pet products as an incentive to bring animals in for spay/neuter.

This would be no/cost spay neuter (which of course would accept additional donations).

There are many reasons to not spay/neuter, but one of the biggest is just money. If spay/neutering was free, we could solve the problem of pet overpopulation.

The fundamental infrastructure already exists and this resource would support their mission.

During these economic times it is difficult enough to provide childcare, food and shelter for our children. Add to that - they are growing like weeds and it is costly even when shopping at Goodwill/Salvation Army or clearance sales at various department stores. How about creating a place much like "Gifts in Kind" where Oregonian businesses donate their surplus of household items to local non-profits to dispurse to those in need at little to no cost. Encourage and show them that a collaboration between family, neighbors and friends can provide good quality clothing for their growing children. Find a way to provide children with a new pair of appropriate shoes throughout the school year - check out a collaboration with Nike in helping Oregonians meet this need:)

Help reduce the tens of thousands of unwanted pets euthanized in Oregon every year. Educate people and their children on compassion. Compassion is not selective. You cannot only care for people or only care for animals. You have to care about both to truly have compassion. Cruelty and uncaring in a society are part of why we don't help our neighbors in times of need. It's built in to our flawed fabric. If we tackle some of the "accepted" cruelties allowed by our society and try to correct them, we will in turn improve ourselves as human beings, as well as increase our compassion. Since MMT disappointingly doesn't fund animal rights, I'm guessing ideas like this will be ignored, but you did say you would consider all ideas and I'm taking you at your word.

By creating spaces that are free of any political, religious, or social affiliations, Oregon can help to address the following concerns:

1. There is a severe lack of free public space in the United States, even in “weird” places like Portland.

2. Most people are living insularly, whether they intend to or not. People are seldom challenged by the differing beliefs and ideas of others. It is an unfortunate “convenience” of our society that we are all able to surround ourselves with people just like us, and to ingest the newssources that best represent our own worldviews.

3. Even like-minded communities (such as we have here in Portland) can hardly be said to be thriving. Moreover, most people who dwell outside of the university system are unable to find a stimulating intellectual community.

By developing these freely creative spaces--places where people can form and share new ideas--we can uproot the binding political, religious and social structures and begin to sow seeds for a new community and a new world.

Although I hope the one or two really visionary yet practical and financially feasible ideas for effectively leveraging $1M are in here somewhere, the noise is somewhat overwhelming to a casual observer like myself. In my opinion, the best ideas come from people with a vested interest in seeing them through. That interest may not be purely wealth but for recognition and for responsibility in bringing the idea to fruition. So there may be some reluctance on the part of people with really good ideas to post them in such a public forum. This is a noble experiment, but the description does not make clear what participation a winning idea's creator may expect in carrying it out. So with all due respect to the intentions of the staff of the Meyer Trust, if you find that $1M can not be used to further every political and social agenda embodied by the ideas posted here; if you want new ideas with a long term potential to change Oregon; if you want ideas with background consideration of financial feasibility and statewide financial impact, then my idea is that you re-start this project. Make it a true competition with grants to the winners allowing them to try to implement their idea. (Perhaps even quit their job for a year to see it thru.) Require only brief 2-3 page (750 word) submissions and promise to keep the submissions private. I dont think that reserving the right to limit the number and value of awards based on the quality of the submissions would be very discouraging and would leave you a way out if no submissions fit your mission.

Give me a million dollars, I'll spend it on my school tuition, a Dodge Challenger, a home renovation, and the tuition for my 4 daughters to go to college. This will improve Oregon by 1) putting an educated psychologist to work who is dedicated to providing counseling to war veterans, police offic... more

Give me a million dollars, I'll spend it on my school tuition, a Dodge Challenger, a home renovation, and the tuition for my 4 daughters to go to college. This will improve Oregon by 1) putting an educated psychologist to work who is dedicated to providing counseling to war veterans, police officers, and firefighters for PTSD and other disorders, thereby reducing the amount of stress and "pessimism" in thousands of Oregonians; 2) people will see my sweet burnt orange Challenger with racing stripes and be inspired to do more with their lives. This will work. Everyone will see it. I will drive it all over the state. Believe me. It will also help local, state, and federal gross profits of Chrysler dealerships, parts manufacturers, and Chrysler Corp., bringing them a net of 10,000 bucks closer to being able to pay off their bail-out money, making them privatized once again. The entire UAW will thank me...and you. 3) By affording to send my daughters to school, there will be yet four more go-getter females out there to inspire the female movement to success, and to drive the economy of Oregon by filtering their financial success down to others, as well as the legal, medical, and entrepreneurial achievements that will have a great positive impact on thousands of Oregonians. 4) My house is 104 years old. It's falling apart faster than I can buy stuff to fix the leaks, holes, broken windows and doors, and the sagging wood floor. With my home being remodeled, Reagan's trickle-down economic theory will immediately go into effect by raising property values in my neighborhood, and inspiring my other neighbors who have not yet done so to also renovate, thereby improving our community one street at a time. With our community improving, so our town of Mcminnville will follow, then the county, surrounding counties, and ultimately, the whole state of Oregon. Plus, people would see how interested the state of Oregon REALLY is in the individual person; how much they care. Much of the million dollars that is given to me will go to medical research for important things such as cystic fibrosis research, cancer research, and the research of other numerous neurological disorders (i.e, Lou Gehrig's disease), thereby providing a way for those who are plagued with illness to be healed, renewing their appreciation of life and driving them for improved economic and mental status. With this million dollars, my wife will be much less stressed out, and when she's happy, I'm happy, and we both know a lot of people; happiness and depression both have a tendency to rub off on people, you know. When those people spend time with me, they, too, will try to rid themselves of their pessimism and be happy...like me! Yes, this is serious. I would really love the opportunity to be given this million dollars, and look forward to your consideration, review, and jurisprudence in the matter.