Community News May 2019

Montavilla Farmer’s Market opens

Montavilla Farmers Market invites you to join us as we kick off our 13th season on May 5th! We’ll have fresh local produce, baked goods, sustainably raised meats and eggs, flowers, plant starts, and specialty foods. Montavilla Farmers Market will be open every Sunday from 10-2 from May 5 to October 27, and once a month from November to February. It is located on the gravel lot on the 7700 block of SE Stark Street.

This year marks the start of our Nutrition at the Market program, with monthly lectures from local nutritionists that highlight the healing properties of market foods, healthy eating styles, and delicious recipes. We’ll also have music, face painting, and produce tastings.

Thanks to Mr. Plywood, Montavilla East Tabor Business Association, and caring individual donors, this season we will be able to match EBT/SNAP cards dollar for dollar (up to $10) through our Everybody Eats program! Montavilla Farmers Market has matched over $60,000 during the last few years, helping food insecure neighbors to have access to high quality, local food.

Many of our farmers accept WIC & Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers as well.

Montavilla Farmers Market began in 2007 when a group of visionary residents and business owners banded together to bring fresh, local food to our vibrant Montavilla community. What started with an 11 week season and 17 vendors has grown into a 10 month season with up to 45 vendors! Join us! Bring your kids, friends, and well-behaved dogs (on leashes).

Recycling tip May 2019

By Bonita Davis, Master

Recycler and SE Resident

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting a group of residents from an apartment complex for a recycling refresher session.  They wanted to learn how to improve their recycling.    Enjoying pizza at the same time made it even more fun.

We began with a display of what materials are accepted curbside: paper, cardboard, plastics by size and shape, clean foil and metal cans, cartons that hold milk, soy milk, etc., coffee cups, cardboard food containers that go in the refrigerator or freezer, pizza boxes and glass on the side.

Immediately there was curiosity about what stays out:  plastic bags, clamshells, to-go coffee cups,  cardboard food containers that go in the refrigerator or freezer, plastic lids and caps, etc.  There were also questions about where to take  items that aren’t part of the Curbsider program such as batteries, light bulbs, Styrofoam, etc.

The session uncovered that it is easy to have incorrect information about recycling.  Many didn’t remember the brochure they got from the hauler or property manager at the time of move in. The question became:  How do you know?

Together, we teased out some ways information becomes incorrect:  guessing or assuming what can be recycled, looking for the chasing arrow triangle on a container rather than the shape and size, seeing a manufacturer’s claim that packaging is recyclable even when it isn’t,  following recycling  guidelines of a city that is not Portland, confusing usable with recyclable, or just putting things in recycling and hoping it is recyclable.  Some took the cue from looking into the roll cart or bin and following what others do.

None of us like to hear that something we thought was recyclable, isn’t, but it is best to throw it out, rather than contaminate the collection of materials

After about an hour, and lots of laughs and sighs, we had curbside recycling down.

Fact checking is the bottom line.  Start with good information.  In Portland we have a great fact finder, the Curbsider Hotline or on-line Curbsider printed version.  In just minutes you can be on the path to recycling right.

Curbsider Hotline, 503.823.7202. Find the Curbsider on-line print edition at Portland Oregon.gov.

 

TOMORROW RECORDS – Neighborhood shop buying and selling records of every genre.  Great selection of used and new LPs and 45s from Rock to Rachmaninoff. Also offering fully tested and guaranteed turntables, receivers, speakers and other audio gear. Open seven days a week from 11-6 on the corner of 7th & Hawthorne (look for all the windows!)  700 SE Hawthorne Blvd. 503.206.4866

Southeast Portland Sunday Parkways May 19

Are you ready for the first event of the year?! The first Sunday Parkways will be in southeast on May 19 from 11 am – 4 pm with a seven mile loop. Come out and enjoy the ride as you cruise around inner Southeast Portland and enjoy a delicious dose of summer time magic. This route will explore the neighborhood greenways of Ankeny, Clinton, Lincoln, Salmon, Taylor streets and more. There will also be stops along the way to dance, grab a bite to eat and learn something new.

Parks on the Route include: Laurelhurst Park; Ivon Park; Colonel Summers Park and Sewallcrest Park.

Activities Available: Live Music (Carroll Rauum Swing Orchestra, Jordan,  DJ Prashant): Four Park Marketplaces: Circus Cascadia: Original Practice Shakespeare Festival (Ops Fest): Sparkle Movement & DJ Doc Rock and Zumba.

Sunday Parkways is a series of free community events opening the city’s largest public space—its streets—for people to walk, bike, roll and discover active transportation. Residents and visitors say they come to enjoy the traffic-free streets connecting parks and schools filled with activities, music and vendors. It’s safe, family-friendly and a chance  to meet neighbors. For more information, including route maps, visit PortlandSundayParkways.org or call 503.823.7599.

AirBnB Hosts Partner with Local Businesses

From l. to r. Lee Lancaster, Joe Nazir, Ann Kopel

By Ann Kopel

The Story of the TĹŤv Coffee Bus

Tōv is a Hebrew word that describes perfection and serves as an umbrella for everything that is good. The word also describes the coffee that Joe Nazir serves in the double decker British bus (painted red) that sits on the corner of SE 32nd Ave and SE Hawthorne Boulevard behind a small food cart pod.

Although Joe graduated with a degree in engineering, he has been steeped in the love of coffee since 2005 when he landed his first barista job. Thinking it would be temporary until he found work as an engineer, he found that he loved the art of making a delicious cup of coffee.

Joe eventually landed at Starbucks where he learned a lot about customer service, but he became disappointed when that company began to prize profit over product. “I realized that my days with Starbucks were numbered,” Joe remembers. He wanted to do more than push buttons and make a profit.

He dreamed of owning his own business. That led him to business classes offered by Mercy Corps Northwest. “I thought about doing a coffee cart, but I saw someone who had a coffee cart that wasn’t very successful during the winter. I envisioned a place that would be warm, dry, and cozy all year. By luck, I found this bus in San Diego and I applied for a loan from Mercy Corp to buy it and bring it to Portland.”

The application process was arduous and the competition fierce, but Joe’s enthusiasm and work ethic had apparently impressed people because he was granted their maximum loan amount. Joe transformed the bus into the cozy space he had dreamed of with a rich purple interior and Egyptian carpets, tables, and coffee services. He takes pride in using only top ingredients, making all his own syrups and flavorings, and offering sweets baked by his mother and crafts made by his brother. His business is now such a success that he has 5 part-time employees and has repaid the loan in full.

Joe says that 90 per cent of his business comes from tourists and many AirBnB businesses in the neighborhood not only recommend him, but also buy gift certificates for their guests. My husband and I opened our home to AirBnB at about the same time that Joe opened his bus, and we send every guest we have to Tōv with the promise of “probably the best coffee you will ever have.” Our guests are grateful for the tip, and some say they will stay with us again just to be near Tōv. In fact, that word also perfectly describes the way neighborhood AirBnB’s and local businesses work together for the good of the neighborhood.

Out door cat enclosures

Submissions to showcase your catio on the 7th annual Portland Catio Tour is open. Ten to twelve outdoor cat enclosures or catios in the Portland metro area will be featured on the Portland Catio Tour on Sept. 7, 2019. Catios from frugal to fabulous, or DIY to designer are encouraged to apply for this sellout event.

The tour seeks to inspire cat owners to build or buy an outdoor cat enclosure so their felines can enjoy safe outdoor time. Backyard enclosures keep cats safe from outdoor dangers while also protecting wildlife from cat predation.

Submissions to be a host are due by June 1, 2019. To be considered, applications can be completed at CatsSafefeAtHome.org/catio-host.

The Portland Catio Tour is part of Portland Audubon’s and the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon’s Cats Safe at Home™ campaign, which seeks to reduce the number of cats living outdoors in the Portland metropolitan area in a humane and environmentally responsible manner. Both organizations believe every cat deserves a safe home where they are loved, cared for and kept free from hazards. For more information about the campaign, visit CatsSafeAtHome.org

Walk and Roll Challenge Month

Walk + Roll Challenge Month  is just around the corner! During the month of May, Portland students will be walking and rolling to and from school. You may even spot the Bike Fairy making a visit to a school in your neighborhood during the week of May 6-10! To learn more about Bike Fairy Week go to: portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/536554. You can help make walking and rolling a safer, more pleasant choice for students by driving safely and keeping a careful eye out for those who are walking and rolling. You can do your part by driving slower – children can sometimes be unpredictable and difficult to see. And remember – every intersection in Oregon is a crosswalk, even if it’s unmarked. If you’d like to register your student’s school for Walk + Roll Challenge Month, please visit The Street Trust at: thestreettrust.org/initiatives/walkroll.

Spirit of L’Arche Award Celebration

Diane Frank on left

Every year, L’Arche Portland honors a person or group of people who embodies the Spirit of L’Arche. This year, we will be presenting Diane Frank with the 2019 Spirit of L’Arche Award. Serving as the volunteer cochair of our annual Christmas tree lot for decades, Diane has invited people with and without intellectual disabilities to participate and share their gifts. Her hard work and dedication to

L’Arche has allowed us to grow and bring many new friends into our community. We are so grateful for all of the hard work and care Diane has dedicated to L’Arche, and we hope you will join us in celebrating her at the Spirit of L’Arche Spring Social.

Thursday, May 9, 6 – 8 pm

Leaven Community

5431 NE 20th Ave.

L’Arche Portland transforms the lives of people with and without intellectual disabilities by working together to create home, share life, and build community. The L’Arche Portland community is part of L’Arche International, with 149 communities and 20 projects in 35 countries.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS will be holding their annual elections this May and June and are taking self-nominations now. Elections information is available on our website here: website at: seuplift.org/elections. Being part of Neighborhood Association is a great way to gain leadership skills, connect with neighbors, and have a say in the future of the neighborhood. Even if you are not ready to be a board member, attend your local Neighborhood Association Election, meet the candidates, and vote for the most qualified. To learn more about Neighborhood Associations, the role of a Neighborhood Board member, discover what neighborhood association you live in, and more about the District Coalition (SE Uplift) that supports Neighborhoods? Visit seuplift.org for more information about SE Uplift.

SIP AND SING BYOB VOICE CLASSES at Avanti Music Studios, 2240 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Upcoming Sip and Sing Themes Include: Saturday May 4 – 90s Night; Friday May 10 – 80s Night; Saturday May 11 – Beatles Night; Friday May 17 – Jazz Standard Night and Saturday May 18 – Broadway Showtune Night. Classes begin at 6 pm. To register and for tickets to upcoming Sip and Sing: confidentvoicestudio.com/sipandsing or contact Deanna Maio, 503.201.9128, deanna@confidentvoicestudio.com. Ages 21+ welcome. Limited to just 8 singers, registration is required. Sip and Sing BYOB Happy Hour Voice Class is like no other voice class you’ve ever taken.

FUCHSIA SALE – Saturday, May 18, 9 am until all plants are sold. Due to sale of Fabric Depot the new location is at Tran’s Auto Service at 4810 SE Belmont Avenue. Many varieties of hardy Fuchsias in gallon containers, and a limited number of hanging basket Fuchsias will be for sale.  Come browse and talk fuchsia with us. Cash, checks, and VISA/Mastercard accepted.

FUN WITH NATURE – Children’s Nature Fair, Saturday, May 18, 10 am – 2 pm at Leach Botanical Garden 6704 SE 122nd Avenue. Come shimmy like a salmon or chirp like a Chickadee. Make a mask of your favorite animal and then take the stage to play your part as predator or prey, pollinator or ? Enjoy lots of fun activities and nature-based crafts. Meet some surprise guests, dance to the music, and have a traditional ice cream cone. Free, donations appreciated. For information call 503.823.1671 or  leachgarden.org.

NATIVE BEE WORKSHOP – Saturday, May 11, 1 – 4 pm. Native bees pollinate 85% of the world’s flowering plants, so their conservation is vital to environmental and human health. They’re also fascinating and beautiful – well worth an up-close look. Join us for an overview of Oregon’s native bees, followed by a bee survey in the Garden. We’ll record our finds on iNaturalist, and will teach you how to do that so you can contribute your own observations in the future. Instructor Jess Tyler holds an MS degree in environmental Science from PSU and currently works on insect conservation with the Center for Biological Conservation. He surveys for Oregon Bee Project, with an emphasis on Leach Garden.  $20 general/$15 Leach Garden Friend.Limit 12. Leach Botanical Garden 6704 SE 122nd Avenue, 503.823.1671,  leachgarden.org

MOTHER’S DAY VIKING PANCAKE BREAKFAST MAY 12 – Treat your mom to our Pancake Breakfast and start your day with delicious all-you-can-eat Viking pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, fresh fruit, strawberry compote, lingonberries, orange juice and coffee or tea—served in our charming Bergen Dining Room at Norse Hall, 111 NE 11th Ave., 8:30 am to 12:30 pm.  Adults $8, Children ages 5-12 $4, Children under age 5 are free.   Parking is free.  We guarantee you’ll make her day special.

 

GRIEG LODGE AWARDS 10 SCHOLARSHIPS – Sons of Norway’s Grieg Lodge recently celebrated its 109th birthday with a special Viking Pancake Brunch and Scholarship Awards Ceremony.  Ten scholarships of $2,000 each were awarded.  Grieg Lodge annually awards academic and vocational scholarships to residents of any age who live within a 6-county radius of Portland.  Recipients need not be a Grieg Lodge member to apply and funds may be used for any level of study. 2019 Scholarship Winners:  (l-r) Bridget Price, Brita Hill, Noah Radcliffe, Jesper Braun, Andrea Reichle, Lindy Treece, Dylan Rohde, Xuxa Matsummura, and Laila Simon.  (Not pictured:  Daniel Malloy and Emily Drexler.) In addition, a $500  Bernhard and Johanna Fedde Grant was awarded to Laila Simon, who is currently translating the works of Norwegian poet, Astrid Hjærtenes Anderersen, with plans to publish a bilingual edition.

RICHMOND RESIDENT HONORED – Diana Denham, a Ph.D. student in Urban Studies at Portland State University, is one of 150 doctoral students in the U.S. and Canada selected to receive a $15,000 Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) Sisterhood. She was sponsored by Chapter AW of Portland, Oregon. Diana’s dissertation research investigates how indigenous markets – better known by their Nahuatl name tianguis – have survived as central sites of urban food provisioning in Mexico at a time when corporate supermarket chains are rapidly expanding, a trend rapidly reshaping agriculture and dietary patterns across the global southern hemisphere. The indigenous market system, predating the arrival of the first Spanish conquistadors and common across Mesoamerica, continues to be crucial to the survival strategies of many groups underrepresented in policy making, particularly women, small farmers, informal vendors, and poor urban consumers.

Community News May 2019

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top