Fundraiser to Save Mt. Tabor and
Washington Park Reservoirs
Come out and hear the fabulous original music of
Ron Rogers and the Wailing Wind
Friday May 8 from 6 – 8 pm it’s Happy Hour
at the Hawthorne Theatre pub
1507 SE 39th Ave (Cesar E. Chavez St. & Hawthorne Blvd.)
Bring your checkbooks and help support the effort to stop this unnecessary destruction of these beautiful historic parks.
Celebrating Clinton Street Neighborhood Greenway
May is Bike Month and marks the beginning of a month-long celebration of the 30th year of Clinton Street Neighborhood Greenway. Clinton St. is Portland’s original neighborhood greenway, established in 1985 as a safe, comfortable space for neighbors, local business, families and kids to move about in SE Portland’s Hosford-Abernethy and Richmond Neighborhoods.
Despite this long history of being a quiet neighborhood street, in 2015 too many people attempt to use Clinton St. as a high-speed shortcut, and the daily traffic volume is two to three times higher than the goal the City of Portland has set.
SaferClinton is a volunteer coalition representing neighbors, businesses, kids and families who desire to maintain and improve the safety of the Clinton Neighborhood Greenway as a welcoming, comfortable street.
The anniversary celebration in May commemorates the history of the street with fun rides, educational signage, neighborhood-based events, and will call on the City for more investment in education, traffic calming and enforcement on the street.
Join the kick-off for the birthday party and ride with your kids during National Bike to School Day on May 6. Celebrate Mother’s Day with a family stroll or slow ride down Clinton and support local business during Bike to Shop Clinton St., May 17 – 21.
Participating Bike to Shop businesses are providing offers to people who arrive at their shop by bicycle — Clinton Street Theater, Clinton Street Video, Cloud 9 Comics, Lucky Horseshoe Lounge, North St. Bags, Orn Hansen, Pedal PT, Piccolina, Sleeping Bee Studio, and more.
For more details or to help support SaferClinton’s work to ensure the neighborhood greenway contact us: saferclinton.wordpress.com or saferclinton@gmail.com.
Business Beat
WAGGIN’ WAGON is a mobile playgroup providing convenient social playtime for dogs, picking them up in the morning, taking them out to romp and roam, and then returning them home tired and happy – all before their owners have rolled in from a busy day at work. It is a service from Stay Pet Hotel, 3606 NE Columbia Blvd. Stay employees pick up a gaggle of dogs from their individual homes each morning give them a blissful day of running, playing and socializing and return them home in the evening. For information 503.288.7829 or stay@staypethotel.com.
REBELLE’S has moved one block west and is now located at 3557 SE Division St. (next to The Foundary). ReBelle’s focus is southern hospitality mixed with classic vintage, creative design work and custom perfumery. The shop continues to bring unique gifts and vintage items to SE. So come relax and “laissez les bons temps rouler” (let the good times roll)! For information, visit their website, rebellespdx.com
THE HALLOWED HALLS is Portland’s newest professional recording studio located at 4420 SE 64th. Owners Febian Perez and Greg Allen are both a part of the local music scene, playing and writing full time in their band Bike Thief. The Hallowed Halls was originally built in 1919 as a public library. They now offer the largest live room in Portland with state of the art recording equipment, two fully-equipped live rooms and studios, an echo chamber and a classic layout room. For information call 512.785.3351, www.thehallowedhalls.com or fevian perez@thehallowedhalls.com.
May recycling
By Bonita Davis
Certified Master Recycler
Remember when recycling was just newspapers tied in twine, glass jars and crushed cans without the labels? Now, we have the convenient curbside program that accepts papers, glass, cans and small amounts of metal, motor oil, food scraps, and a variety of plastic containers.
Beyond curbside, many local groceries, hardware stores and big box retailers have added programs that accept items that cannot be recycled curbside, such as electronics, plastic film, batteries, bulbs, etc. Local depots and Metro provide even more options for recycling. The growing popularity of reuse makes it easier to sell or donate almost anything.
As sorting replaces tossing, garbage cans have shrunk, and recycling systems have expanded. How to manage it depends on storage space and recycling style. Saving it up until it’s worth the trip, or continuously donating and recycling smaller amounts is a preference and can be influenced by our transportation options and shopping habits.
Save space by shelving, stacking bins or pegboard systems to hold bags and containers for items to be recycled. Reusable grocery totes, re-purposed large clean detergent and kitty litter tubs, or laundry hampers and baskets are great sorting containers and easy to carry. Whether you sort items in your home or commingle and sort at roller carts, the best system is one that is convenient and in the right place for members of your household.
A box (or weatherproof bin with a lid for outside) can hold slower-to-accumulate non-curbside items like block Styrofoam, packing peanuts, and clean plastics #1-#7, until the trip to the nearest depot or retailer for recycling.
Glass peanut butter or pickle jars are perfect for collecting household batteries. CFL bulbs can be placed in a rigid plastic container or bin until recycled.
For tips on safely managing potentially hazardous materials or to find a ReUse or Recycler near you, see www.oregonmetro.gov.
Wondering where to recycle or donate items? Try the Metro Recycling Hotline, 503.234.3000.
Girls on the Run
By Megan Bruce, chair of Girls on the Run Portland Metro board
Girls on the Run of Portland Metro is looking for 200 additional volunteer running buddies for its 2015 season, currently serving more than 550 third to fifth-grade girls, including 74 girls at Llewelyn, Duniway, Marysville, Whitman and Harrison Park schools in SE Portland.
Girls on the Run is a national organization, founded in 1996 and today serves more than 200 cities in North America.
The Portland chapter was formed in 2007 and has grown from serving 12 girls to more than 550.
The organization encourages pre-teen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through dynamic, interactive lessons and running games.
Over the 12-week program, girls meet after school twice a week in a curriculum designed to unleash confidence by accomplishment, establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness.
“Our goal at Girls on the Run Portland is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun curriculum that integrates running,” said McKenzie Miller, program director for Girls on the Run Portland Metro.
Each girl is paired with a volunteer running buddy who helps her get across the finish line of a Girls on the Run 5K at the end of the season; crossing the finish line is a defining moment.
Running buddies must be available for a practice 5K on May 7 and the Girls on the Run 5K on May 30.
“You don’t have to be fast to be a Running Buddy,” said Hana Wilder, a coach with the program. “We are looking for power walkers, runners and everything in-between. What’s important is that you have a big heart and the desire to help a girl meet her goal of finishing a 5K.”
The organization is committed to making the program accessible to all girls in the Metro area. More than half of the participants last year received scholarship funding and the group is preparing for the annual fundraiser May 2.
The fundraiser, themed “Celebrate Being 10 Again”, includes a live and a silent auction at the Mercy Corps headquarters at 45 SW Ankeny St. downtown.
A $50 ticket includes wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres, and proceeds allow the program to grow and provide more scholarship opportunities for girls who would not otherwise be able to experience Girls on the Run.
Find out more about coaching opportunities and register for the fundraiser, at www.girlsontherunpdx.org.
Art and Literature Honors Rivers
Honoring Our Rivers: A Student Anthology (HOR) is celebrating its fifteenth year of publication with the largest anthology to date, featuring original poems, essays, photography and art contributions from Oregon students! We also welcomed guest contributions this year from such authors and artists as Ana Maria Spagna, Sarahlee Lawrence, Kathleen Dean Moore Leah Wilson, Jonquil LeMaster, and Aya Morton.
A project of The Willamette Partnership, the anthology is intended to foster awareness of our watersheds – the water, land, plants, animals and habitats that make up these beautiful and fragile river systems.
Students kindergarten through college are encouraged to submit an entry to next year’s publication of Honoring Our Rivers. Submissions should focus on the relationship between people and their watersheds. A volunteer panel of educators, artists, writers, and river enthusiasts select the works to be featured.
Entry guidelines are as follows: One entry per student • Check spelling and punctuation carefully • Written work must be typed or printed clearly; 3 pages maximum • Artwork & Photography, digital submissions preferred.
Keep a copy of your work. Submissions are not returned and become the property of Honoring Our Rivers. Digital entries are encouraged too. See, www.honoringourrivers.org for detailed instructions.
For information or to order an application, call Anna Wilde at 503.440.7359 or email info@honoringourrivers.org.
HOR is grateful for the sponsorship of the Port of Portland, Eugene Water & Electric Board, Select Impressions, Wildwoood/Mahonia, and Clean Water Services. Our partners include Straub Environmental Center, SOLVE, Caldera Arts, and the Human Access Project.
“Woman of Influence”
Warner Pacific College President Dr. Andrea Cook was recently named a 2015 Orchid Award Winner by Portland Business Journal, honoring her during their “Women of Influence” awards ceremony in April.
The Orchid Award honors and recognizes the region’s women professionals who are the most influential with strong records of innovation, outstanding performance in their respective fields, and meaningful contributions to their communities. Nominations for the award are judged on three criteria: professional accomplishments, community leadership, and awards and milestones.
Tom Mears, Chairman of The Holland, Inc., and member of the Social Entrepreneurship Advisory Board at Warner Pacific, adds: “Under Dr. Cook’s leadership, the College has embraced its identity as an urban campus dedicated to serving the City of Portland. Dr. Cook is actively involved developing partnerships and collaborative relationships in the Portland area.”
Warner Pacific College is a private, Christ-centered college of over 1,400 undergraduates and graduate students located at 2219 SE 68th Ave. Learn more at www.warnerpacific.edu.
What Is A Neighborhood Association?
By Sara Ray
High fees? Strict rules? What do you mean I can’t paint my house that color?! This describes a homeowners association, not a neighborhood association.
So what is a neighborhood association? Imagine a group of people who want to know their neighbors, who are involved in what happens to their neighborhood, and who work together to make where they live a better place.
Neighborhood associations (NAs) organize cleanups, plant sales, plan block parties, and other events. It’s a group you can advocate for and work with your neighbors for improvements in neighborhood safety, beautification and community outreach.
NAs are all-volunteer organizations with elected officers and regular meetings and are open to the public. Meetings follow an agenda and deal with issues relevant to the neighborhood.
Agenda points range from social events, to land use policies, to pet issues. Members have their voices heard and become informed about things that affect them and their neighborhood.
South Tabor Neightborhood Association has been in operation for over 40 years. Part of what makes South Tabor a great place to live is the guidance of the association.
STNA hosts an annual neighborhood cleanup for several years, allowing neighbors to dispose of household items and materials without the hassle of a trip to the dump.
STNA Harvest Festival is in its 6th year and is a fun, family-friendly way to kick off the Fall season.
They recently appealed to Portland School Board to implement changes to the Franklin High School Modernization Project that would be beneficial to the neighborhood.
Neighbors and business owners are welcome to join STNA. If you live in South Tabor and are over 18 years old, your vote counts. STNA does not discriminate in membership or in any of its policies on the basis of race, religion, age, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, income or political affiliation. Read all the bylaws at www.southtabor.org.
Join STNA every third Thursday at Trinity Fellowship, 2700 SE 67th Ave. from 7 – 8:30 pm.
To find your neighborhood association, check the map on page 5 or go to seuplift.org and scroll down to the map.
DULL BLADES? Have your knives and tools professionally sharpened while you browse the tools available at the SE Portland Tool Library, Saturday May 9, 10 am – 4 pm, 2800 SE Harrison St (St. David’s Episcopal Church parking lot). Prices start at $6.25 for garden tools and $7.50 for kitchen knives. This event benefits the Tool Library. Professional sharpening services provided by 1Sharptool Edge Service. Full info at www.septl.org
TED TALKS, WE TALK: DAVE ISSAY – Everyone Around You Has a Story the World Needs to Hear Thursday May 14, 6:30 pm. StoryCorps has evolved into the single largest collection of human voices ever recorded. Hear Dave’s vision to take StoryCorps global and how you can be a part of it by interviewing someone with the StoryCorps app. Watch the video with us and stay for a conversation. For programs and information, visit Belmont Regional Library, 1038 SE Cesar Chavez Blvd, call 503.988.5382, or online www.multcolib.org. Multnomah County Library programs are always free of charge.
AUTHOR WENDY WELCH AND CEILIDH at Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church–Wednesday, May 13, 5:30 pm at Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church, 2828 SE Stephens. Welch, a storyteller, bookseller, community builder, is a featured guest at the Ceilidh. Ceilidh is a Scottish Gaelic social evening of entertainment with music and storytelling. Wendy is a nationally-acclaimed author who studied ethnology and holds a Doctorate in Folklore from Memorial University of Newfoundland. She operates a bookstore with her husband, Jack, teaches Cultural Anthropology and related subjects involving Performance Studies and Appalachian/British Isles Folklore at UVA Wise in SW Virginia. Wendy’s bookstore blog is wendywelchbigstonegap.wordpress.com.
FREE GUIDED SONGBIRD WALKS on Mt. Tabor every Wednesday, 7 am. Meet at the main parking lot. The Audubon Society of Portland is proud to sponsor the 2015 season of weekday-morning Bird Song Walks. From beginners to advanced birders, anyone who is fascinated by the sounds of birds can take advantage of these volunteer-guided walks.
KELLY BUTTE 1969 AND 2015 – in March 2015, the two cells composing the new 25-million gallon underground reservoir at Kelly Butte in SE Portland were successfully placed online. The reservoir now serves Bull Run water to customers across the City of Portland and beyond.
RUN MAMA RUN – Adoption Mosaic‘s 7th annual 10k, 5k and Kids’ Race, Sunday, May 7 – Mother’s Day. Run Mama Run is a Mother’s Day event for the whole family. Join us for a day of fitness, fun and entertainment. Parents cheer on kids as they participate in the Fun Run and kids cheer on mamas (and papas) as they pass through the finish line after a 10K run or 5K run/walk through beautiful forested Mt. Tabor park. Register at runmamarunpdx.org. Event day schedule: 8:30 – 9:30am – Check-in/Registration & breakfast; 9:30 am – Kid’s Fun Run; 10 am – 10K run & 5K run/walk (kid’s crafts); 11:30 am – Raffle.
10TH ANNUAL MT. TABOR ART WALK – Saturday/Sunday May 16, 17, from 10 am –5 pm. The Mt. Tabor Art Walk showcases the many artists who live in this neighborhood. It is designed to promote high-quality visual art in a variety of media within the unique setting of the Mt. Tabor neighborhood. Visit mttaborartwalk.com for map and more information.
THE CROSS ON TABOR HEIGHTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH is starting to rot. A new aluminum cross has been designed along with aluminum sheathing to cover the present vertical wood. The cross will be left natural aluminum like the flag pole. They are raising the funds to complete the project. The hope is to raise an additional $7,000 and install the new cross. If you would like to help with the raising of funds you may do so by sending a donation to Tabor Heights Cross Fund at 6161 SE Stark St. Portland, Oregon 97215