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To fully serve the community, the Mid-county Memo offers this section to showcase upcoming special events, celebrations of milestones in our readers' lives, those seemingly small accomplishments that often do not receive the recognition they deserve, and everyday events that should be shared with friends and neighbors.
Memo Pad submissions for July issue are due Wednesday, June 15. For best results, e-mail Darlene Vinson at editor@midcountymemo.com. Or, mail editorial submissions to 3510 N.E. 134th Ave, Portland, OR 97230. To leave a phone message, call 503-287-8904. The fax number is 503-249-7672.
King of Brass scores euphonium trifecta
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| Parkrose resident and Portland Christian High senior John Church has done it again. He won the euphonium title at the Oregon School Activities Association Music Solo competition for the third time and added the trombone title to his accomplishments as well. COURTESY TIM CHURCH |
Church will take his talents to the University of Oregon in the fall where he will enroll as a music performance major. He is the son of Parkrose residents, Tim and Shelly Church.
PHS College and Career Center director tops in state
Cheryl Buhl, director of the Oregon Career Information System, and Jackie Sandquist, OCIS board chair, presented the Les Adkins Award for Career Guidance Excellence for 2011 award to Meg Kilmer, college and career center director at Parkrose High School, during the monthly school board meeting on April 25.
The Les Adkins Award was established in 1987 to recognize excellence in career development practices. Les Adkins was a founding board member of OCIS, a self-supporting public consortium at the University of Oregon, operating since 1972.
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| Meg Kilmer, college and career center director at Parkrose High School, received the Les Adkins Award for Career Guidance Excellence for 2011. COURTESY CHERYL BUHL |
Kilmer's leadership and professional development exemplify her belief in lifelong learning and growth. She earned her master's degree in education administration from Portland State University and was in the first cohort of Oregonians to earn the career development facilitator certification. She was the co-founder of the East County School-to-Work Cadre, is the current co-chair of the Tri-County School-to-Work Consortium, and is a member of the Oregon College Access Network, the Oregon Career Development Association, and Regional Metals Industry team. She was a member of the Oregon OCIS Board from 2004 to 2010 and was board chair from 2007 to 2009. She is also a frequent presenter at state conferences.
In making the award, Buhl shared that Kilmer exhibits innovation and commitment to quality in all of her work. She is creative in engaging students and involving teachers in new activities. She enjoys experimenting with new technologies such as blogs, online workshops, and social networking as a way to attract student participation and create efficiencies. Sandquist noted, “We are fortunate in our professional lives when we encounter inspirational people, and Meg has served as an inspiration to me personally and to members of the OCIS Board who have had the opportunity to work with her.”
Tea & Treasures on May Day: A perfect day in the garden
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| Human Solutions Executive Director, (from left) Jean DeMaster and Sheila Holden, regional community manager for Pacific Power, present Chiquita Rollins with an award in recognition of three decades of service to victims of domestic violence. She retired from her position with Multnomah County this spring. COURTESY HUMAN SOLUTIONS |
Seventy-five guests enjoyed tea with savory and sweet bites donated by Artemis Foods. Human Solutions was the beneficiary of a silent auction and special appeal, which together with sponsorships raised $7000 to help homeless families build pathways out of poverty. Human Solutions provides emergency shelter to over 150 homeless families each night. This means over 500 people who are or would otherwise be homeless, many of them children, are assisted with a temporary roof over their heads or a safe place to live through the organization's affordable housing program.
One of the purposes of this event was to raise the funds needed to keep the programs for the homeless families operational all year long. Contributions may still be made at humansolutions.org.
At the tea, Human Solutions presented its second annual Jane Addams Social Activist Award to Chiquita Rollins, domestic violence coordinator for Multnomah County. The award was given in recognition of “30 years of inspirational community leadership in understanding, preventing and eliminating domestic violence with unwavering support for women and children who are the victims and survivors.” Rollins retired in March.
PHS theatre ranks nationally
The Educational Theater Association with an Outstanding School Award has acknowledged the Parkrose High School theatre program. One of only four schools nationwide, this award recognizes high school theater programs that exemplify and promote high standards in educational theater. Representatives have been invited to the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Neb. this month to accept the award.
Unitus steps up in support of needy
SnowCap Community Charities has received a $2000 grant from Unitus Community Credit Union to support its food pantry. The grant follows a request for donations from SnowCap, which is reporting significant new requests for food boxes and other services.
“Last month we served more than 9,900 people, a 30 percent increase from last year,” said Judy Alley, SnowCap executive director. Having already exceeded its annual food budget, SnowCap is hoping for help from the community for the rest of the agency's fiscal year ending June 30. “An infusion of cash donations is needed to maintain the usually well-stocked food pantry shelves,” she added.
SnowCap has not yet turned anyone away, but it cannot fill requests from teachers to get food to their students and is unable to enroll new seniors in its Food 2 You program.
A typical family of four needs grains, proteins, vegetables, fruits, soups and dairy products. A simple food box like this can help a family keep it together in these lean times.
Aimee Berg, community marketing coordinator for Unitus Community Credit Union, said the $2000 grant was awarded to get some food on those pantry shelves as soon as possible. Berg said the credit union also is organizing a food drive at several branches over the next month.
There is a Unitus branch in the Mall 205 area at 10555 S.E. Washington St.
MHCC is just the beginning
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| Mt. Hood Community College students Drew Raine, left, and Onjalai Flake are 2011 All-Oregon Academic Team Scholars. COURTESY MHCC |
The award recognizes outstanding students for their academic achievement and commitment to service. Speaking from the floor of the Oregon House, Governor John Kitzhaber presented all 40 Oregon Academic Team Scholars with medallions.
Enrolling at MHCC “turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life,” said Flake. She chartered the college's first Black Student Union, serves as an officer of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges, and has a resume filled with scholarships and accolades.
After graduating this month, she plans to attend George Fox University and major in communication arts and minor in journalism broadcasting.
Many people believed that a college education was a long shot for Raine - a 31-year-old single parent with a learning disability, who was also computer illiterate. “As a single mother struggling for self-sufficiency, I did not have the skills to provide a sustainable future for my family. I needed to become computer literate just to fill out a job application. The process of enrolling in college intimidated me,” she said. “The Transitions program at MHCC taught me how to identify my skills, exposed me to the resources that have made me a successful student and allowed me to transform from simply surviving to thriving.” She plans to transfer to Washington State University Vancouver and pursue a bachelor's degree in business with a focus on management information systems.
Both Flake and Raine credit MHCC with playing a large role in their selection as All-Oregon Academic Team Scholars: Instructors empower them, fellow students inspire them and their own personal challenges provide a strong sense of purpose in their lives.
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