Our Priorities for 2026 and Beyond
Rebuilding community. Restoring history. Creating a new economic future for Idanha.
Priority #1: Rebuilding Community Traditions
The Idanha Mountain Festival
Each year on the third week of July, we will gather to celebrate the height of the summer mountain season and everything that makes Idanha special. The festival opens with a parade through the Idanha neighborhood, featuring floats and displays that showcase the best of what our community has to offer. The celebration continues at Idanha City Park with games, competitions, local vendors, and the simple joy of spending time with neighbors. This is our summer tradition — come ready to have fun.
The Holiday Festival
As the year draws to a close, we come together again to celebrate the Christmas season as a community. We are working to bring this beloved event indoors at the new Idanha-Detroit Fire station, giving families a warm and welcoming gathering place away from the cold and rain. Expect holiday activities, games, an appearance by Santa, and the kind of community warmth that the season deserves.
Priority #2: Restoring the Idanha Community Church
We are thrilled to share that Detroit Community Church has generously agreed to donate the Idanha Community Church facility to the Idanha Development Foundation. This gift opens the door to one of our most meaningful and ambitious projects: the restoration of this historic little church on Church Street — and everything it represents.
How You Can Help
Our annual events will cost approximately $5,000 per year and we need volunteers. We are seeking:
Financial donations of $50-1,000.
Raffle prizes with outdoor themes—camping, fishing, hunting, gardeningVolunteers for the day of the festival
We believe that showing up together — year after year — is how a community becomes a community. We hope you will join us.
We are thrilled to share that Detroit Community Church has generously agreed to donate the Idanha Community Church facility to the Idanha Development Foundation. This gift opens the door to one of our most meaningful and ambitious projects: the restoration of this historic little church on Church Street — and everything it represents.
A Gathering Place for Today
Idanha currently has no dedicated indoor community gathering space. City Hall serves many purposes, but its limited capacity means our community lacks a true home for group meetings, fellowship gatherings, recovery meetings, and events of all kinds. The restored church will fill that gap, giving Idanha residents a place that belongs to all of us.
A Monument to Our History
The story of this church is the story of Idanha itself. In the earliest days of the community, Christian families met in homes and grew a remarkable congregation for such a small town. Over time those gatherings moved from homes to a movie theater, then to a small building, and finally to the church building that still stands on Church Street today. Through the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the church was the nucleus of community life in Idanha — the place where families worshipped, children attended Sunday school, neighbors shared potlucks, and youth groups formed lasting friendships. Annual vacation Bible school drew families from throughout the area. The church was, in the fullest sense, where Idanha came together.
Restoring it honors that legacy and ensures the next generation of Idanha residents understands where their community came from.
Project Scope
Estimated Cost: $150,000–$200,000
How you can help:
• Financial donations and pledges toward renovation costs
• Construction equipment and building materials
• Volunteer labor for cleanup, repairs, and renovation work
• Organizational partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, and grant-making institutions
Supporting Food Security
Starting this Spring, the IDF will assume operation of the food pantry and is working to register with Marion-Polk Food Share.
If you’d like to volunteer at the Food Pantry, please contact Zola Sana by email: zosaner9@gmail.com
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If you would like to contribute to the church restoration or the food pantry, please reach out to us. Every dollar, every hour, and every skill matters.
Priority #3: Economic Development and a New Vision for Idanha
Idanha has a proud history. At its peak, the community supported as many as five mills and the businesses that served the families who worked in them — grocery stores, hardware stores, gas stations, beauty salons, mechanic shops, a movie theater, and more. When the mills closed, that era came to an end, and Idanha has carried the identity of what remains rather than the identity of what it could become.
The Idanha Development Foundation believes it is time to build something new.
Forming an Economic Development Coalition
We are bringing together a coalition of Idanha stakeholders — property owners, business owners, and leaders of community organizations — to work alongside the City Council and the Idanha Development Foundation in shaping the community’s future. The City of Idanha has received a long-term planning grant through Marion County, and we want community members to have a seat at the table as that plan takes shape.
This coalition will advise the city on how to direct grant funding, guide IDF in identifying impactful projects, connect with grant-making organizations, and help develop a long-term vision for what Idanha wants to be.
A New Identity for Idanha
Idanha has extraordinary assets. We are a mountain community with a beautiful river, close proximity to Detroit Lake, access to Hoodoo Ski Bowl and the region’s winter recreation, and a short drive from Sisters, Oregon. Our goal is to develop a new identity statement and long-term vision that builds on these strengths — attracting the development, investment, and community energy that will bring new life to Idanha.
This work is a longer-term endeavor, but we are excited to begin and we want your voice in it.
Get Involved
There are many ways to make an impact in Idanha, and the Idanha Development Foundation welcomes all of them. Whether you want to help organize community events, serve at the food pantry, join the Economic Development Coalition, contribute to the church restoration, or simply show up and be part of something meaningful — we would love to hear from you.
Contact us to learn more or to get involved.
