After Sundays, riot which caused extensive damage to the Oregon Historical Society building, OHS Executive Director, Kerry Tymchuk took to social media to share a moving story.
Act of kindness
Tymchuk said someone dropped off a napkin at the front desk of OHS with a handwritten note and a one-dollar bill: “Hello, I’m homeless, so I don’t have much to give you. Just some of my bottle collecting money. But, I saw your windows got broken and I wanted to help. You once gave me a free tour before the pandemic. So, this is a thank you.”
Tymchuk said that the OHS has been getting a lot of donations in the aftermath of the damage, but Oscar’s gesture was priceless. “We’ve been fortunate to receive many generous donations to OHS over the years–some upwards of a million or more dollars,” he said. “No donation means more to me and to the society than this dollar donation from Oscar.”
Riot caused extensive damage
The organizers of Sunday’s riot had promoted the event on social media as an “Indigenous Peoples Day of Rage” — a demonstration against centuries of violence against indigenous populations. Several statues were toppled and destroyed, several protesters smashed the windows of OHS and tossed in lit flares.
Tymchuk said though a majority of the collection of artifacts and other historical heirloom items were not damaged, an African-American heritage, bicentennial quilt was taken and later found several blocks away. Tymchuk said the quilt was “very wet” but was hopeful it could be displayed again, calling it a “priceless piece of history.”
Apart from Oregon Historical Society, the Heroes American Cafe on Park Avenue was also damaged Sunday night. “I think downtown is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” said cafe owner John Jackson. “There’s no reason to damage property to get your point across. Matter of fact, I think it’s counter to get your point across.” Three people were arrested following Sunday night’s riot.
The homeless man’s donation may not look like a lot but it might have been his last means of self-support which speaks volumes about his sacrificial heart of giving.