The executive director of the Pregnancy Alternatives Center vowed that the agency would reopen as soon as possible after an arson fire severely damaged the building in the early morning hours of Sept. 10.

"It's still being estimated, but they're pretty much totaling the building and the contents," said Debbie Tracy, the center's founder and executive director. The building loss is estimated at about $300,000, she said. An ultrasound machine, worth $50,000, was removed from the building by firefighters, but had smoke and water damage.

"We've lost everything," Tracy said. "We're just trying to figure out how to get reorganized to get back in business."

The center has about 50 workers, five of them paid staff members and the rest volunteers.

"Some of them are temporarily laid off until we can get back and going," Tracy said.

Currently, the center, including its health clinic and re-sale store, are closed while employees search for a suitable temporary location.

"We're in the process of trying to find a place that will work for us," Tracy said.

The center's parenting classes, held from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the First Baptist Church, are still being held.

Investigators do not know the motive for the fire. According to a press release from the FBI, investigators "are looking at all possibilities, including whether the arsonist(s) set the fire because they falsely believed the clinic provides abortion services; or because they knew the clinic counsels against abortions; or some other as yet undetermined reason."

"It just makes us very sad," Tracy said. "Basically the clients that use our services, and the donors that built us to be who we are today and the staff are just sad that someone would hurt us."

She added that the center would like to extend forgiveness to whoever is responsible.

The center is accepting donations online at pregnancyalternatives.org or through Linn-Co Federal Credit Union.

"We just really appreciate the support of the community," Tracy said. "We will be needing their support in the future to be able to open up again."

The FBI's Portland Division is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for the arson fire that damaged Lebanon's Pregnancy Alternatives Center, the agency announced Sept. 18.

The FBI has concurrent jurisdiction to investigate the case with local authorities under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

Tracy hopes the center will be set up to start seeing clients again soon.

"The community needs what we do," she said. "We'll regroup and we'll rebuild."

Anyone with information about the fire, including observations of anything or anyone suspicious in the area between late evening Sept. 9 and early morning Sept. 10, is asked to contact Sgt. Kevin Martinez at 258-4305 or Detective Dustin Wyatt at 258-4319; the FBI in Eugene at 541-343-5222 during normal business hours; or the Portland FBI office at 503-224-4181, 24 hours a day.