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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 along with opportunities to participate in the community. Memo Pad submissions for the April issue are due Friday, March 15. For best results, e-mail Darlene Vinson at editor@midcountymemo.com. Or mail 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.
Tran promoted to Lieutenant colonel in National Guard Medical Group
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| Lieutenant colonel Thuy Tran accepts her commander's congratulations at her promotion ceremony last month. Mid-county Memo photo/Tim Curran |
A doctor of optometry with a practice in the Hollywood neighborhood, the 46-year-old mother of three is also a board of education member in the Parkrose School District, where her children attend school.
Colonel Heidi Kjos, 142nd Medical Group Commander, said that being the only person in optometry in the group, Tran has a challenge. Kjos said Tran's Officer Performance Reports list her characteristics as meticulous, tireless, focused, trustworthy, selfless, community oriented and ultimately driven. “I think that's a good description of Major Tran,” Kjos said.
After the promotion order was read, Tran's children and parents pinned the new insignias of rank on her epaulettes; Kjos administered the oath, followed by Tran's remarks to the overflow crowd.
She thanked her parents “[it is because of] their courage and commitment to their family that I am here with you,” then recounted their harrowing escape from Vietnam with only the clothes on their backs, one small suitcase and four children in tow, her mother pregnant at the time. “I have other families that I love,” she said. “And I will mention just a few, but you are all my family.”
She thanked members of her Lions Club family for teaching her how to serve. Tran said she has been a Lions member for 17 years. “Through the work with the Lions Club I have helped through humanitarian missions emphasizing mainly the vision. [I] have helped locally and internationally with eye care missions. I truly strive to live by the Lions Club motto 'We Serve'.”
Tran thanked her newest family of four years -the 142nd Medical Group - for the teaching and training about Air Force's core values. “Every month when I come and do my drill with my 142nd Medical Group family, I see it in action,” she said. “I see the dedication that our medical group gives as we prepare our mission to take care of our fighter wings here. And I am truly honored to be part of you.”
She went on to describe a speech she heard last year at the Democratic National Convention given by Vice-President Joe Biden about members of the military, and the sacrifices they and their families make. Tran ended her remarks by saying, “So, today I vow I am reaffirming to you my friends and family that I will continue to serve all of you, our state and our beautiful country.”
Last spring, Tran campaigned to represent District 47 in the Oregon House of Representatives, the seat Jefferson Smith resigned to run for mayor. Shortly after losing in the Democratic primary, she accepted the Parkrose appointment to fill a resigning board member's term and recently filed to run in May for a full, four-year term on the school board.
Along with the Oregon Army National Guard, the Oregon Air National Guard is an element of the Oregon National Guard. Units in the OR ANG, a state militia unit, are not part of the Air Force, but operate under the jurisdiction of Oregon's governor.
Spread their wealth around
If you like to give money to deserving projects, you would make a great addition to the Parkrose Educational Foundation board. Qualified applicants include anyone who lives in the district, owns or works for a business in the district and alumni…both students and staff.
An all-volunteer effort, the foundation raises funds throughout the year to enhance the educational experience of students enrolled in Parkrose School District schools and awards grants based on applications submitted by teachers, students, parents and staff.
There are currently two positions open. Please submit your application on line. Go to parkroseedfdn.org and click on the Board Vacancies tab.
Beloved parks maintenance worker retires
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| Pamma LaCroix, who worked for Portland Parks & Recreation for more than 25 years as a park technician - the last 10 in east Portland - poses with the cake at her retirement party held at Mt. Scott Community Center last month. COURTESY PORTLAND PARKS & RECREATION |
PP&R Services Manager Eileen Argentina said over the years, LaCroix worked in a variety of positions and locations in the city and developed a deep connection to the parks system and the communities that use them.
“We will miss Pamma's caring nature along with her dedication, knowledge and skills,” Argentina said in an email. “When I visited Pamma in the field, I saw the connections she's made with neighbors, and I know her example helps Portlanders know their parks are well cared for.”
Argentina added, “All of us at Portland Parks & Recreation wish Pamma the very best for her well-deserved retirement, and we thank her for her unwavering dedication to making Portland an even better place to live.”
After high school in Lincoln City, and upon graduation from technical school where she learned how to weld, LaCroix moved to Portland and got a job in the shipyards.
Hired by parks in 1978 as a temporary maintenance worker, LaCroix said she applied for the job because she was tired of the constant burns she got welding. She said her first job was head cement mixer for building the flood diversion retaining walls at Cathedral Park.
For eight years, LaCroix worked summers on the pool crew and maintaining Portland's decorative fountains, returning to her welding job every winter.
Argentina said LaCroix served as a role model for others because maintenance was a non-traditional job for women at the time.
In 1986, the city's Bureau of Maintenance hired her full-time, and for a year, she cleaned streets at night before parks recruited her to work there full-time.
One of six park technicians in the Northeast zone, she was responsible for maintaining 12 parks, three with summer activities. LaCroix worked in the zone from 2004 until her retirement last month.
“Some of the people that you see every day in the parks, they don't ever see anybody else, you're the one thing they look forward to seeing … to talk to you know,” she said. “Especially single people or disabled people; a lot of parks have care homes next to them, so that the hot-rod wheelchair people, that got the scooter chairs, they come to the parks to meet.”
LaCroix was also a member of PP&R's Budget Advisory Committee. Her husband Paul is a horticulturist for PP&R in North Portland and her granddaughter worked at events during the 2012 Summer Free For All.
Jim Crockford, who lives next to Wilkes Park in outer east Portland said his wife Norma, since deceased, became friends with Pamma when PP&R was building Wilkes. “Norma just loved her,” Crockford said. “She's a good talker and a nice lady. She made sure that things were always clean around here (Wilkes Park). And graffiti was painted over immediately. She did the same thing at Luby. She was a hard worker. I bet she painted the picnic tables at Luby 50 times to get rid of the graffiti. She really got stuff done. She will be very very missed and will be very hard to replace.”
LaCroix misses her park user friends too. “Now that I'm retired, I try and make it over to Luby on Thursdays to walk with him. I'm a dog walker now too.”
She said she misses her former colleagues, but does not miss the work.
“I miss the people that I worked with, the camaraderie,” she said. “Far as getting used to retirement, no problem. Been waiting a long time; Perry Mason is looking real good.”
Students win art awards
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| Scholastic Art & Writing Gold Key award winners Ethan Osborn, with his work called “Distraction” and Katie Mullen with painting titled “Forced Light.” Both are students at Portland Christian Schools. COURTESY AUBREY PARK |
David Douglas students earning Gold Key honors are Cheno Barton, painting; Danil Blashchishen, mixed media, drawing and painting; Pablo Iniques, drawing and art portfolio; Nick Koza, drawing; Ina Leonchick, drawing and art portfolio; Dana Leung, sculpture; Asha Nelson-Nehl, ceramics and glass; Yuliua Prozapas, drawing; Aileen Thai, drawing; Nadezhda Zakhariya, drawing and mixed media.
Daniel Elliott and Jessica McGrath, both students at Madison High received Gold Key honors for painting. Elizabeth Stanwood earned her Gold Key in ceramics and glass.
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| Sister Kathleen Cordes, principal at St. Therese School, prepares to draw the winning raffle ticket at last month's Casino Night Fundraiser. COURTESY RON RIVERA |
Gamble pays off for St. Therese
Last month parents and supporters of St. Therese School held a Casino Night Fundraiser that netted about $50,000 for the St. Therese Parents Club. More than 300 attended the event that featured casino gaming tables, a poker tournament, silent auction and raffle. Funds can be used to subsidize tuition and to make upgrades to the school.
Student adds another honor
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| Rose Schaefer, a Portland Christian High senior, is a National Merit Scholar finalist. COURTESY SCOTT ROBERTSON |
Fundraising record supports expansion
SnowCap Community Charities raised a record $94,000 at its 11th annual Valentine's dinner auction on Saturday Feb. 9, which drew a capacity audience of more than 300 supporters and volunteers to the Holiday Inn-Portland Airport.
SnowCap Executive Director Judy Alley called the event the most profitable ever for SnowCap. She attributed the substantial boost over the 2012 total of $63,000 to an increase in ticket price from $50 to $60, but also credited a generous donation from Old Chicago Restaurants' CraftWorks Foundation of $15,500.
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| Robert Barzler, member of Parkrose Community United Church of Christ, and new SnowCap board member Blair Loudat enjoy the successful SnowCap auction held last month. $94,000 was raised to assist hungry families and individuals in the Parkrose area and other communities in east Portland. COURTESY LEEANN GAUTHIER |
Helping-one penny at a time
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| Portland Christian Middle School student council members have been raising funds in support of a vocational training center for impoverished women in Ghana. Back row from left are Simoné Gordon, Abby Collopy, Rachel Pepelaskov and Jared Fontenette. In the front row from left are Luke Kellogg, Justin Keegan, Gavin Gega and Jordan Keegan. COURTESY KRISTEN CALDWELL |
“Hi everyone, this is Jared and Jordan from the Portland Christian Middle School student council. We just want to talk about all the fundraisers we've been doing to help Premec Creations. At the beginning of the school year we sold cookie mix that we made, soap handmade from Premec Creations, baked goods, and other crafts at a craft fair our school puts on. We also held a penny war this year that the whole middle school participated in, and we were able to raise about $400. We are going to start a bake sale with the proceeds going to Premec Creations. Last spring we sold popsicles and plan to do the same this year. We are glad we can contribute to this great organization and it's great to see how it's affecting the women in Ghana. Keep up the great work. God bless, from all of us at Portland Christian.”
Mid-county Rose Festival Courts selected
Dressed in business attire and with parents in tow 103 young ladies completed the first round of judging for the 2013 Rose Festival Court presented by Pacific Power, last month at the Lloyd Center. Each applicant gave a one-minute introduction, a one-minute speech and answered two impromptu questions posed by a panel of community volunteer judges.
Junior and senior girls from class 4A to 6A schools in the tri-county area who have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and 20 hours of verifiable community service were eligible.
Here is the list of finalists from Mid-county schools and dates final selection announcement:
David Douglas (March 6 at 9:25 a.m.)
• Kelsey Milks
• Rebecca Schuchart
• Gabriella Kupfer
• Linda Huynh
Parkrose (March 12 at 2:30 p.m.)
• Kyeanna Henry
• Destinee Love
• Madeline Partridge
• Brenda Perez-Gonzalez
Metro East (March 13 at 2 p.m. at Hollywood Theater)
• Joslynn Bigelow representing La Salle
• Mackenzie Olson representing Centennial
• Jenna Moffat representing La Salle
• Megan Ten Berge representing Lake Oswego
Madison (March 19 at 2:55 p.m.)
• Adrianna Nickerson
• Courtney Poeschel
• Hannah Rice
• Cayly Batchelor
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