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Looking for lost friends
Almost 20 years ago, a committee called the Mid-County Future Alternatives Committee made a valiant effort to get an issue on the ballot which would have given community members the opportunity to vote on whether or not they wanted to form a new city, Columbia Ridge, in what was then unincorporated mid-county.
The committee’s efforts were stopped before the community could vote. A few former committee members have remained involved in common issues over the years and kept in touch with each other. Now they want to find all of the others who worked on the “new city” of Columbia Ridge but with whom contact has been lost.
As the members all get older and watch what has happened during the past years, they are more and more proud of what they did and why they did it. They want to make sure that they leave a record of what citizens can do. Former committee members are compiling names and phone numbers so they can talk with people, write down what they worked on and what they think now, and put together a history of the effort.
If you worked on this project please contact either Dorothy Smith, 13230 N.E. Sacramento Dr., Portland, OR 97230, phone 503-254-7560, dorothy1@pacifier.com or Bonny McKnight, 1617 N.E. 140th Ave., Portland, OR 97230, phone 503-253-6848, bonnymck@teleport.com. Please take a few minutes to send a note, an email, or to make a quick phone call.
A few community schools reopen
Portland Parks & Recreation, (PP&R) recently named the six community schools that will reopen for fall 2002. The sites are:
• Alice Ott, 12500 S.E. Ramona St.
• Gregory Heights, 7334 N.E. Siskiyou St.
• Harold Oliver, 15840 S.E. Taylor St.
• Hosford, 2303 S.E. 28th Pl.
• Lane, 7200 S.E. 60th Ave.
• Mt. Tabor, 5800 S.E. Ash St.
Due to the defeat of the Parks Levy in May 2002, all the community schools were closed this summer, and seven of the thirteen community schools will remain closed permanently. Other affected services included garbage pickup, restroom maintenance, and overall park and recreation maintenance to grounds and buildings. PP&R was forced to implement the $2.2 million budget cuts as of July 1.
“It’s a tragedy. Portlanders supported keeping the community schools open. An overwhelming majority of voters, 70%, cast their ballots for the May Parks Levy, which would have restored Parks budget cuts. Unfortunately, a required 50% voter turn out was not met and so the measure could not pass,” said Parks Commissioner Jim Francesconi. “This November, voters will have another opportunity to vote on the measure, so that these programs can come back beginning with the summer of 2003. In the meantime, funding for these services is now gone and Portland Parks & Recreation has to keep within budget by implementing these service cuts.”
The six community schools will open in the fall providing after-school homework help and recreation programs. “Closing seven of the thirteen community schools means 2,100 students will no longer receive help with academic achievement and other after-school activities,” said Parks Director Charles Jordan.
If the Parks Levy passes in November, funding for all the remaining seven community schools will be reinstated and they will open in the summer of 2003.
For more information or to find out more about service reductions, citizens may call Portland Parks & Recreation’s central office at 503-823-PLAY or e-mail PP&R through the website at www.PortlandParks.org.
Help someone discover a whole new world
Are you interested in helping someone else learn about the joy that can be found in books? Or maybe you just like kids and want to help your child’s school. Whatever you have in mind, the Mid-county Memo has the tutoring program for you. Some local programs are listed below:
• The non-profit organization Start Making a Reader Today (SMART) is looking for daytime volunteers to work with children on their reading skills at Prescott, Sacramento, and Shaver Elementary Schools. You can help a local child by donating just one hour of your time per week. Read with two different elementary school children for a half-hour each, once a week, and make a difference in the lives of children in the Parkrose Community. SMART not only assists children with learning to read, but also sends each child home with two free books per month, so students can build an at-home library. For many students, this would not be possible without SMART. See if you can donate a little time or money to help keep this wonderful program going. For more information or to sign up, call Micaela Boyington 503-402-1954 or Ryan at 503-525-1136.
• The Volunteers In Partnership (VIP) Mentor Program matches students in David Douglas and Parkrose elementary schools with caring adults who then meet together once a week on school grounds for the duration of the school year. During their weekly time together the student/mentor pairs are given the freedom to decide what kind of activities they want to do. Many mentor pairs do art projects, read books, or play games. One hundred percent of the students involved in the VIP program reported that they would definitely like to continue with the program in the future. The VIP program needs volunteers interested in spending one hour a week with a child for the remainder of the school year. Tutor Training sessions will be held throughout the fall. Anyone interested in participating in this fun and rewarding experience should contact Beth Ragel at 503-261-8275 for additional information.
• The OASIS Tutoring Program, sponsored by the Mid County Caring Community is seeking volunteer tutors in the David Douglas and Parkrose school districts to help elementary school children learn to read and write. OASIS volunteers work one-on-one with a child, during the school day, as a tutor, mentor and friend. OASIS volunteers are trained in the “language experience” approach of teaching reading to children in first through third grade. This simple process means that the tutor spends time talking with their student and they work together to write a story that is in the child’s own words. In this way, the student learns to connect the words on the page with their own experiences. Journal writing is also supplemented with reading books, playing word games, and other activities. OASIS provides volunteers with training, supplies, books, and ongoing support from local OASIS coordinators. No previous teaching experience is necessary. For more information, please contact OASIS Mid-county Coordinator Beth Ragel at 503-261-8275.
• The Mt. Hood Literacy Coalition is recruiting volunteers who are willing to help adults in Mid-Multnomah County improve their reading, writing and/or English-speaking skills. The coalition is seeking volunteers who can commit two to four hours per week to meet with adults in settings such as one-on-one tutoring, working with small groups and assisting an instructor in a class. Currently, the largest need is for volunteers to assist with life skills and basic literacy for non-readers. In addition, volunteers are needed who will tutor small English as a Second Language (ESL) groups. Tutoring locations include the Mt. Hood Maywood Park Campus. For more information or to volunteer, call Christina Bright at the Mt. Hood Literacy Coalition at 503-667-1640 or the Oregon Literacy Hotline at 1-800-322-8715.
Help Snow-CAP support our community
Snow-CAP, a Community Action Program, benefits many people in our area. This is made possible by the local volunteers who donate their time or money to help support those less fortunate in the community.
Snow-CAP runs several food and clothing programs for low-income residents of the Mid-County area. These programs have served over 4,000 different families in the last year. This translates to over 65,000 visits for various services. These programs include a shopping style food pantry, produce distribution on Tuesdays, a co-op-type program called Community Basket, a community garden, and a delivery program for low-income seniors called Food 2 You, as well as much more.
Our community works through volunteers from the community pitching in, providing time and donations to help those less fortunate make it through another Portland winter. Assist your community by supporting Snow-CAP. Call 503-674-8785 to volunteer, donate, or for more information about what you can do to help.
Get certified in your spare time
Gain an international computer credential by taking classes toward Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) Certification, now offered at Mt. Hood Community College’s Maywood Park campus.
MOUS Certification is recognized as the global standard for demonstrating desktop computing skills in the Microsoft Office suite. Applications include Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Outlook. Fall term registration is happening now for both credit and non-credit MOUS preparation classes ranging from beginning to advanced levels. Classes provide preparation for the Core and Expert MOUS exams, which range from testing standard business computer tasks to testing with assignments that require advanced formatting and functionality.
Coursework can be completed in 10 weeks or less in the lab, at home or on the job. The Self-Paced Learning Center (SPLC) is open seven days a week, including four evenings, and instructors are always on site to provide assistance.
The SPLC is located at the Maywood Park Campus, 10100 N.E. Prescott St. For more information or a brochure, call 503-491-6122. People requiring accommodations due to a disability should contact the MHCC Disability Services Office at 503-491-6923 or 503-491-7670 (TDD).
Let your dog run free
The Off-Leash Site Selection Committee will soon be asking the community for comments and ideas on their recommendations for a location for an off-leash dog park in East Portland. They have been quietly working for four months, reviewing sites, considering criteria, and setting up a process to develop a recommendation. Initial research found 42 properties larger than an acre that might be suitable for the park. Many sites were eliminated because of being in an environmental zone or having habitat or water quality issues. A tour in June looked at the eight most promising sites, to get a first-hand impression of the possible sites.
All of the potential sites will be ranked based on criteria developed by the committee. The three sites that have the highest ranking will be publicized and the committee will seek comments and ideas from the community about the best location for an off-leash area. Tentative dates for the public meetings are Thursday, Oct. 3, Thursday, Oct. 10 and Monday, Oct. 7. Locations for the meetings will be announced soon. For more information, contact Alesia Reese, 503-253-4414.
Elders in Action offers help for seniors
Elders in Action has specially trained volunteer Ombudsman available to assist seniors and people with disabilities who may be experiencing problems in the areas of healthcare, housing and elder crime and abuse.
These Ombudsman can provide problem solving assistance, advocate for client’s rights, safety, dignity and well being. They provide information and link clients with community services, provide emotional and peer support, and provide physical support in making phone calls, filling out paperwork, or accompanying clients to appointments.
Elders in Action volunteers are also available to speak to senior and community groups about Medicare fraud and abuse and to alert them to swindles and fraudulent practices aimed at seniors.
For more information on Ombudsman Services, or to arrange for a speaking engagement call the Elders in Action Ombudsman Services Line at 503-823-5293.
You can also get involved over the Internet. Sign up today to participate in public surveys about issues that affect seniors. Your voice will help Elders in Action to decide what issues to focus on, and you will also be more informed about current legislation that might affect you. Sign up today in an e-mail addressed to volunteer@eldersaction.org.
Experience local area history
The David Douglas Historical Society has a museum highlighting the history of the David Douglas School District and of the area. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to share. Immerse yourself in the history of your neighborhood. Come see old pictures and memorabilia in the Children’s Services building, 1400 S.E. 135th Ave. The museum is currently open by appointment only. For more information or to make an appointment, please call Jo Curry at 503-254-5923.
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