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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 the April issue are due by Thursday, March 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.

New programs for safe, active teens
From an “American Idol”-style singing competition to youth community gardening, Portland’s teens now have the opportunity to take advantage of expanded recreational activities through Portland Parks & Recreation.

These new opportunities originate from the Children’s Bill of Rights, created by hundreds of youth from Portland and Multnomah County last June. In an effort to provide more recreational opportunities for the community’s youth, the Portland City Council allocated $500,000 in special funding to expand programs aimed at keeping teens safe and active.

Of the council’s investment in PP&R teen programs, Commissioner Dan Saltzman noted, “Due to the foresight of Portland City Council, we are able to offer these important and exciting programs to the youth of Portland.”

Special programs encouraging teens to try new activities and explore their interests will take place throughout the city over the next five months. One activity promising to be very popular is PP&R’s search for Portland’s most talented teen in the upcoming Teen Idol competition, kicking off in late March. Loosely based on the television program “American Idol,” judges will travel to PP&R community centers where teens will audition to compete in the final round for a chance to win the title of Portland’s Teen Idol.

Other highlights of the expanded teen programs include Hit the Dirt teen gardening; a mobile, collaborative teen art project; workshops focused on teaching teenagers the skills they need to apply for college or land their first job; several Girls Nights Out at Mt. Scott Community Center; garage band, hip-hop and music video clinics; Wednesday night drag racing at Portland International Raceway; a late-night basketball tournament; and weekend-long outdoor adventure trips. Expanded community center hours have begun, with special activities just for teens offered at many community centers during these extra hours.

“Portland Parks and Recreation has a strong commitment to the health and well-being of Portland’s youth,” said Saltzman. “These programs and activities show that continued commitment.”

For more information about PP&R’s new teen programs, call 503-823-1600 or contact your local community center. Specific details of all new teen programs will be announced at a later date. The East Portland Community Center is located at 740 S.E. 106th Ave. Reach the folks there at 503-823-3450.

Meals-On-Wheels drivers needed
Are you available from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m?

Loaves & Fishes Centers, The Meals-On-Wheels People deliver 2,800 hot meals every weekday to homebound seniors in the Portland-Vancouver area. The Cherry Blossom Center at 740 S.E. 106th Ave. could use your help. Drivers are needed for deliveries to east Portland area seniors. Once a week or once a month is all it takes.

Call Tamara Bailey today at 503-256-2381 to help provide nourishing meals to seniors in your own neighborhood. You will be reimbursed for mileage.

Future athletic trainer tapped by Gateway Elks
Tyler Sanders, a senior at David Douglas High School is Gateway Elks Lodge No. 2411 teenager of the month.

Sanders, who has a cumulative GPA of 3.4 is also an athlete and a leader. He is a wrestler, plays football and is a member of the track team. He has served as a wrestling coach for Alice Ott Middle School students, serves on the high school leadership council and is active in Young Life youth group.

A musician as well, Sanders plays alto sax, is a section leader in the jazz band and was the drum major last year.

Sanders plans to attend the University of Oregon with an eye toward becoming an athletic trainer. He is the son of Jeff and Lisa Sanders.

SnowCap needs drivers now
SnowCap Community Charities is in immediate need of volunteer drivers to pick up food donations and deliver food baskets to low-income seniors.

“This is a serious and urgent need,” said Judy Alley, SnowCap executive director. Volunteers must have a good driving record, but no special endorsements are required, according to Alley.

The emergency need arose when SnowCap’s most dependable volunteer driver developed a medical condition that forced him to retire. “He drove our truck every weekday,” Alley said. “We have found volunteers who can fill in on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but we have a pressing need for drivers to help on Thursday and Friday and short, regular runs on the weekends,” she added.

Drivers pick up food supplies from the Oregon Food Bank and donations from restaurants and grocery stores and deliver them to the SnowCap warehouse. They also deliver food boxes to low-income senior housing complexes.

“Some lifting is required. Our previous driver was in his 80s and he did it all,” Alley added.

Additional information and sign-ups are available from Danni Mooney, SnowCap volunteer coordinator, at 503-674-8785, ext. 19, or danni@snowcap.org.

“This is vital volunteerism,” Alley said. “In addition to providing essential nutrition, the program connects people and helps build community unity. Our drivers develop relationships and help ease the isolation of many seniors and disabled folks.”

SnowCap Community Charities is a nonprofit, faith-based agency that provides food, clothing, energy assistance, English language instruction and other advocacy services for low-income families and individuals in the east Multnomah County communities of Gresham, Troutdale, Wood Village and Fairview. Last year the organization prepared more than 23,000 food boxes and provided more than one million pounds of food to families in need.

Sports enthusiasts, PHS grads wanted
Wouldn’t you love to join other Parkrose High alums and community volunteers to support the high school teams? Your help is needed this spring.

The PHS community thrives on the generosity of the many volunteers who work behind the scenes at the school — staffing concession stands, maintaining equipment, organizing fundraising events, coaching teams and much more. With baseball season just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get involved.

Joanne Oleksiak, the program developer in the Parkrose High Community Connections office stresses that there are many ways, not just in athletics, for former students and community members to aid the current student body. She can help you become a mentor to a student seeking to apply to colleges or vocational schools, find you a job in the high school office, set you up to read with a student once a week, schedule you to provide computer tech and homework help or to tutor students in math and science. There are opportunities in the arts and theater programs as well.

Contact Oleksiak at 503-408-2645 or joanne_oleksiak@parkrose.k12.or.us for details. The high school is located at 12003 N.E. Shaver St.

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