Community News August 2016

Fuschia Society Show and Display

Oregon Fuchsia Society Annual Judged Show and Display

Portland Nursery, 5050 SE Stark Street

fuschia    Friday, August 12 • 1 pm – 6 pm

Saturday, August 13 • 9 am – 6 pm

Sunday, August 14 • 9 am – 2 pm

Love fuchsias?  Feast your eyes on hardy fuchsias in containers and tender fuchsias in baskets, all grown by members of The Oregon Fuchsia Society.  Also browse a huge display of blossoms members bring from the hardy varieties members grow in the ground in their gardens.   Limited sales of plants grown by members, until they are gone.   Come visit our members on site, and bring your fuchsia questions.

This event is free. For more information go to:   www.oregonfuchsiasociety.com or  503.246.7920

 

 

Southeast Sunday Parkways

 

parkways-2

 

Southeast Portland Sunday Parkways is August 21, from 11 am – 4 pm.  Spend a warm summer day walking, strolling, and rolling all or part of this seven mile loop around the Southeast Sunday Parkways. This route will take you on a tour of Laurelhurst, Sewallcrest, Colonel Summers and Ivon Parks to grab a bite to eat, listen to tunes, and join some activities. Colonel Summers Park – all day zumba; disc golf;
bike skills track; slack lines. Ivon Park –  Mudtown Stompers music; Swing by the Clif Kid booth for some organic snacks and fun games; free basic bike repair; food; exhibitors and more. Sewallcrest Park – DJ Doc Rock; Sparkle Movement Entertainment; hoops and dancing; bouncy inflatable castle and more.  Laurelhurst Park – Circus Cascadia; OpsFest Shakespeare;  live music stage; activity area;  restrooms.

 

Recycle tip

 

By Bonita Davis, Master Recycler and Sunnyside resident

 

Summer Produce

Taking the time to admire the beautiful colors and shapes of fresh fruits and veggies as they are ripening in our local groceries and markets.   Mentally planning out recipes or not waiting to get home before taking a big bite out that apple or a handful of blueberries is part of living well in Portland.    Showcasing my produce in a great bowl on the kitchen table has always been pleasurable, but it was leading to faster ripening and spoilage.   I discovered a new handy information flyer, call Climate Action Now (CAN) Your Food by the City of Portland Bureau of Sustainability that helped demystify how to best store my produce and avoid waste.

First, bananas, apples and tomatoes don’t make good companions for other fruits and veggies in a bowl or refrigerator bin.   They give off gases that ripen other food and need to be stored separately.  Likewise, a moldy piece of fruit will cause other pieces of fruit to go bad more quickly.

Secondly, those bright colorful apples, oranges and lemons belong in the fridge, along with fresh herbs, broccoli, berries, etc. while the tomatoes, avocados, melons, pears and plums can be out on the counter until they ripen, then go in the fridge.

Setting freezer (0-2° F) fridge (37°-40°F) temperature settings, how to use the sliding controls on a bin humidifier and what goes best in each bin, plus how to store meat, poultry, fish, cheese and grains plus many more storage tips are all part of this fantastic brochure.  Download your copy by going to www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/578128 or look for a CAN table at your local Farmer’s Market or neighborhood fair.

Have an abundance of food from your CSA, garden, U-Pick or grocer?  Consider donating it to: www.ampleharvest.org.  (I found 5 sites within one mile of my S.E. home by simply typing in my zip code.)

 

“COFFEE WITH A COP” is an opportunity for local residents to develop relationships with neighborhood police officers and fellow community members. In light of recent national events, many people have questions and concerns about policing. This friendly and informal atmosphere is a great way to ask questions, voice concerns, discuss problems and craft solutions together. In the end, police officers and the community have the same goal: healthy, thriving neighborhoods that are free of crime, dangerous conditions, violence and the fear of such things. You are invited to join the conversation on August 2, 9 – 10:30 am at Coquine restaurant, 6839 SE Belmont St.

 

Flexing creativity at derby

 

soap-box-racer

 

The first PDX Adult SoapBox Derby was started by Paul Zenk and Eric Foren in the summer of 1997. The inspiration came a  few years earlier when Zenk witnessed his first adult soapbox spectacle on Bernal Heights in the heart of the Mission District of San Francisco. The excitement of men in monster machines completely powered by gravity tearing past the screaming hordes was thrilling and he and his friend Eric Foren thought why not here.

So on that fateful day six men climbed to the top of Mt Tabor pulling their creations of death and destruction behind them. It was early in the day when they lined up their impossible vehicles up and strapped on their glasses helmets and the PDX Adult SoapBox Derby was born.

This exciting event will take place on Saturday August 20 beginning at 10 am – 4 pm.
For more see soapboxracer.com
or email info@soapboxracer.com.

 

 

Rescue Mission offers emergency shelter

 

The nonprofit Portland Rescue Mission is rolling out the welcome mat to hundreds of people displaced through the closing of Peace Shelter or are being asked to leave campsites along Springwater Corridor.

The 67-year-old Mission will open its “winter hours” emergency shelter 100 days early beginning today, making 94 additional emergency mats available each night. In addition, anyone in need can receive nutritious meals, supervised restrooms, showers, referral services and fellowship.

Portland Rescue Mission also will promote the availability of its 3-6 month Connect transitional shelter for men and women at its Burnside Shelter in Old Town, and its two longer-term addiction and crisis recovery programs for men and women in northeast Portland – The Harbor and Shepherd’s Door.

“We are so appreciative of the volunteers, staff and donors of Portland Rescue Mission for stepping up to provide these special emergency services as we work on additional shelter solutions,” said Marc Jolin, Director of the Portland-Multnomah County Joint Office of Homeless Services. “The magnitude of our homelessness challenge requires everyone coordinating and working as partners.”

Portland Rescue Mission will coordinate with Transition Projects, the operator of the Peace Shelter, to support the transition of men, while assisting with janitorial expenses. Meanwhile, the Mission itself will provide the facility, staff and volunteer coverage, plus meals and guest services, as it does year-round through the support of private donors.

Anyone wishing to support the emergency shelter effort can provide a gift online at www.portlandrescuemission.org

 

Mt Tabor Park events

 

Friends of Mt. Tabor Park Picnic – Tuesday, August 9, 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Join your friends and neighbors and learn about how the Friends of Mt. Tabor Park help keep this local gem a safe, beautiful park for all. The picnic will be held rain or shine at picnic shelter A, across from the main parking lot in Mt. Tabor Park. Everyone is invited. Bring a dish to share and join the fun. Drinks, plates, cups, and eating utensils will be provided. There will be raffles and ice cream.

FREE Mt. Tabor Park Tree Identification Walk – Sunday, August 21 at 2 pm.  Meet at the Visitor Center in the main parking lot, rain or shine. Bob Rogers leads guests on a walk to identify many species of trees found in the park.

Mt. Tabor Park Weed Warriors Work Party – Saturday, August 27 from 9 am – noon. Join the Friends of Mt. Tabor Park Weed Warriors as we remove invasive plant species and restore native vegetation to the park. Bring work gloves if you have them; leather gloves or rubber palmed work gloves are recommended. It’s also highly recommended that you wear sturdy boots, pants with thick fabric (such as jeans or canvas Carhartts), and long sleeves to protect yourself as you work alongside trees and bushes, including thorny blackberry. Bring your own water bottle to stay hydrated. If you have your own hand clippers and a true temper hand trowel, please bring these as well. Otherwise, we provide hand clippers and gloves, as well as other needed tools.

Volunteers of all ages are welcome to participate. However, any volunteer under 16 must attend with a parent or adult chaperone; and children under 8 must be in the company of an adult for the duration of the service project.

For further information on Weed Warrior service projects and to sign up, contact Stasia Honnold at fmtpweedwarriors@gmail.com.

 

Blood Donations In Critical Need

By Kara Hansen

 

Community members turned out in force at a blood drive at the Division/Clinton Street Fair July 23 to help offset a forecasted shortage in the blood supply for people who need blood transfusions at hospitals and medical facilities.

There’s still a major need, according to Bloodworks Northwest.

“The summer months are a critical time for us,” said Andrea Chiller, Bloodworks regional director of donor services in Oregon and SW Washington. “Collections go down by as much as 20 percent in the summer, and we need to collect from 900 donors each day to maintain a sufficient supply for the hospitals we serve.”

The drop in collections typically occurs from late May through early September, when schools are on breaks and many regular donors are busy with vacations and other seasonal activities.

At the same time, the need for donated blood typically rises in the summer months, particularly during high-travel weekends around holidays, when traumatic injuries are more common.

“We really need the public’s help,” Chiller said. “Please donate blood at least once this summer. If you donate soon, you’ll be able to donate twice over the summer season, providing two times the help. This is a great way for Portlanders to help Portlanders.”

While the Red Cross is historically the name that comes to mind when Oregonians think about blood donation, it’s actually Bloodworks that supplies blood to a majority of Portland-area hospitals. That includes 36,000 pints of blood used at Providence and Legacy facilities in Oregon each year.

While the organization’s blood donations stay mainly in the Pacific Northwest, blood donated to the Red Cross might go other places in a national network.

As a community-based nonprofit, Bloodworks only collects blood in the areas where it already supports patients and hospitals.

Formerly Puget Sound Blood Center, Bloodworks is backed by more than 70 years of Northwest history and 250,000 donors and has been chosen to serve more than 90 hospitals in Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

Patients with traumatic injuries, undergoing surgeries or organ transplantation, or receiving treatment for cancer and blood disorders all depend on Bloodworks’ services, expertise, laboratories and research. For more information, visit.bloodworksnw.org.

 

CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT – Aug. 18. 6 – 7 pm. Learn the basics about concussions and how to manage them. Receive information about baseline testing, rehabilitation and resources for support. This class is free. Register by emailing events@newheightstherapy.com or call 971.339.3405. New Heights Physical Therapy, 5736 NE Glisan St.

 

LEAD POISONING PREVENTION WORKSHOP – Free workshop where participants learn how to prevent lead exposure in their home. Great for households with children or pregnant women in housing older than 1978, or those concerned about lead exposure. Qualified participants receive a free kit of safety and testing supplies! Register for the workshop at www.communityenergyproject.org or call 503.284.6827×109. Tues, Aug 16, 6-7:30pm – Community Energy Project – 2900 SE Stark St Suite A,

 

FREE TO BREATHE RUN/WALK Hundreds of local residents are joining forces to fight lung cancer, united in the belief that surviving lung cancer should be the expectation, not the exception. These everyday superheroes will be meeting at the Portland Free to Breathe 5K Run/Walk and 1-mile Walk on Sunday, August 21 at the Eastbank Esplanade – Main Street Plaza. All proceeds from the event support Free to Breathe, a lung cancer research and advocacy organization dedicated to doubling lung cancer survival by 2022. Last year, community members, teams, and companies across the region supported the Portland Free to Breathe 5K Run/Walk and 1-mile Walk by raising $34,900. Event chairs hope to surpass that total in 2016, which will go a long way in supporting programs specifically designed to ensure that more patients become survivors. Every dollar counts to the more than 224,000 people diagnosed in the U.S with lung cancer each year. In Oregon alone, an estimated 2,970 residents will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2016. To register and begin fundraising, visit www.freetobreathe.org/portland.

 

WINDERMERE STELLAR donated more than $127,000 in the first half of this year to 13 local nonprofit organizations to benefit programs serving low-income children and families. The donation recipients in southeast included: Color Outside the Lines a program that empowers and inspires foster children and at-risk youth by providing opportunities for self-expression and creativity; Rose City Rowing encourages and empowers young adults to become capable and confident through a nationally competitive team-oriented rowing program. Together with New Avenues for Youth, Rose City Rowing will use the donation, presented at Windermere’s Northwest Portland office, to support the Homeless Youth Rowing Program.

 

FREE DANCE LESSON AND COUPLES DANCE – Friends and neighbors, bring your dance partner to the beautiful historic Laurelhurst Club to welcome in the Fall and the start of our new Dance Season. The first dance is scheduled for Saturday, September 10 with a Social and Dance Lesson beginning at 7 pm,Taska & The Party Band 7:30 to 10:30 pm .Dress is business casual,   refreshments and  snacks will be served. The hosts for the evening will be The Hubbards, Tremblays, VanWinkles, and Lachenmeiers. RSVP   to Gerry Hubbard:  Gerry.Hubbard@gmail.com/440.667.7796. The Laurelhurst Club, 3721 SE Ankeny Street, 503.206.4076. Where Friends Become Dancers And Dancers Become Friends!

 

COATS FOR KIDS – Impact NW is partnering with Operation Warm and Sun Systems to bring NEW coats to the neediest children in our community. Can they count on your support by pledging funds for one or more coats? Make a donation by going to their website at: Impactnw.org/donate/ or contact Sharron Bryan at 503.652.5068.

 

Community watershed projects receive grant funding

 

The Portland City Council has approved Community Watershed Stewardship Program (CWSP) grants totaling $100,000 to 13 community groups for projects to improve watershed health. CWSP provides groups with grants of up to $10,000 to engage volunteers in stormwater management and watershed restoration projects.

The program is a partnership between Environmental Services and Portland State University. Since 1995, CWSP has granted more than $1 million for watershed projects and helped organize more than 40,000 volunteers to work on community projects.

The program also helps the Bureau of Environmental Services comply with federal regulations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues permits that require cities to develop programs to reduce stormwater pollution. The EPA recognizes that those programs are more effective when community members and groups join in. Public information, public involvement and public participation are all stormwater permit requirements.

CWSP projects support Portland’s green infrastructure by providing rainwater infiltration, water quality improvement, stream restoration, pavement removal, watershed data collection and flood mitigation. CWSP grants on the inner eastside include:

  • Depave- Greening Bridgeport United Church of Christ ($10,000) Depave 800 square feet of parking lot, add a rain garden and lawn area, install native plants and trees
  • Bridger Parent Teacher Association – Bridger Rain Garden and Outdoor Classroom ($6,870) Improve existing rain garden and outdoor classroom with educational signage in English and Spanish, raised garden beds, and native plant habitat
  • ROSECommunity Development – Lents Youth Initiative Pollinator Habitat Enhancement ($7,100) Enhance and expand pollinator habitat and connectivity
  • Johnson Creek Watershed Council – Johnson Creek Cleanup 2016 ($5,500) Instreamtrash clean up event removing trash from the stream between SE 92nd and SE 17th
  • National Indian Parent Information Center/Johnson Creek Watershed Council- Native American Youth for the Environment ($7,040) Three volunteer watershed restoration events for Native American youth with special needs
  • City Repair – Pollinator Pathways ($7,000) Create pollinator native plant habitats at five locations along Sunday parkway routes

Community News August 2016

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