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Gateway Green gets going
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Memo Pad

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 June issue are due by Friday, May 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.

Legion honors firefighter, police officer
At American Legion Portland Post #1’s 25th Annual Friendship Dinner held last month, Portland firefighter Robert Lemon from left, and Portland Police Officer Heath Kula were honored. East Precinct Commander Mike Crebs, far right, was also on hand as a presenter.
COURTESY ANITA FINN
At its 25th annual Friendship Dinner held last month, the American Legion Portland Post #1 and American Legion Auxiliary Unit #1 honored a Portland Firefighter of the Year and a Portland Police Officer of the Year.

Robert Lemon was selected by the Portland Fire & Rescue Bureau to receive the Firefighter of the Year award.

The Portland Police Bureau selected Heath Kula as its honoree.

Job search program to assist the unemployed
George DeWitz has assisted hundreds of people in achieving their professional goals. As our community faces some of the highest unemployment rates in decades, DeWitz is sharing his knowledge through a unique, free job search program at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, 17405 N.E. Glisan St., in Gresham from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 21.

Businesses are hiring, but how does one stand out from the crowd among so many qualified applicants? DeWitz will share tools and tricks he has learned over the years as an advertising and marketing executive who has taught hundreds of job seekers how to reach their potential.

You will learn how to get the attention of prospective employers and what you have to offer.

Come prepared with your current resume and employment history. Because one size does not fit all, you will receive individual assistance and consideration. For more information, call DeWitz at 503-256-3215.

See sees ways to help neighbors
Community volunteer Linda See views her once-a-month delivery of food boxes to needy families as an opportunity to return to the basic neighbor-helping-neighbor spirit instilled in her as a young girl growing up on the Oregon coast.

Linda See, long-time east Portland volunteer, delivers food boxes for Mid-county’s SnowCap Community Charities.
See spends time each month as a volunteer driver distributing food boxes for SnowCap Community Charities. “It’s only a little more than one hour a month and is a most rewarding use of time,” See said. “It’s getting back to looking after one another.”

She picks up food boxes at the SnowCap distribution center on Southeast Stark Street for delivery to waiting low-income seniors who count on the timely delivery for essential nutrition and nourishment that would otherwise be unavailable to them.

See, an east Portland resident, has a long history of volunteerism, including programs for Easter Seals, St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church and the annual golf tournament conducted by the Ladies Professional Golf Association, which provides funds for several Portland area nonprofits.

A lifelong golfer, See learned the game and the fulfillment of community service growing up in Newport, where her father was president of a local bank. “He engendered the community service concept,” she said.

She is especially fond of the SnowCap Food 2 You program because it also helps ease the isolation of some seniors and disabled clients.

“Drivers develop special personal relationships,” she said, noting that recently she assisted one client to move from a mobile home environment to an assisted living facility. “She couldn’t maintain her lease on her monthly Social Security benefit. Helping her find a suitable new home was a highlight for me.”

See learned the SnowCap volunteering basics with a group of Unitus Community Credit Union employees, who sorted food donations and filled food boxes for distribution at the agency’s pantry.

A busy businesswoman, See is an independent financial consultant with Primerica and has a backlog of customers who need help with reducing debt and getting on track with retirement plans. That doesn’t keep her from climbing behind the wheel of her car and delivering vital food donations to waiting households.

See’s efforts, however, are not enough. Volunteer drivers are needed immediately. In addition to delivering food baskets, drivers also are needed to pick up food donations from the Oregon Food Bank and from grocery stores and restaurants.

“During this recession we are trying to meet a growing need for food boxes with a diminishing amount of donations. Volunteer drivers are urgently needed,” SnowCap Executive Director Judy Alley said. While a good driving record is required, no special endorsements are needed.

See concluded, “It’s a good neighborly thing to do.”

SnowCap is a philanthropic organization created to provide food, clothing, advocacy and other services to the poor in east Portland areas, including Fairview, Troutdale, Wood Village and Gresham.

Teenager of the Month is adventurous and calm in a crisis
Karlei Marie Forrester, a Reynolds High senior, has been selected as the Gateway Elks Lodge Teenager of the Month.

Gateway Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler John Lillestrand with Teenager of the Month Karlei Marie Forrester, a Reynolds High School senior.
Submitted Photo
Forrester carries 3.76 grade point average and is active in sports, her school and her community.

A member of the National Honor Society, Forrester is a three-time recipient of the Reynolds’ Student of the Month award and is taking advanced placement classes in chemistry, language and composition as she prepares for enrollment at Oregon State University in the fall.

She is a member of the Reynolds dance team — state champs in the 2006-2007 school year — plays rugby and is active in the Adventure Club. A recent Adventure Club trek took her 3,000 miles through the rugged Southwestern U.S. where she rafted, mountain biked, rock climbed, canyoneered, and rappelled through technical and dangerous slot canyons, facing her fears head on.

In a cooperative effort by the American Red Cross and the National Honor Society, Forrester volunteers at her school’s blood drive. She is the team development chair for the East County Youth Relay for Life, which benefits the American Cancer Society, has volunteered at Legacy Mt. Hood Hospital and spends time each week with a Fairview Elementary fifth-grader as part of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Forrester is also a trained teen crisis response volunteer with the Portland/Vancouver Trauma Intervention Program. The TIP national training academy is geared towards adults but Forrester is part of a groundbreaking group of young people that complete the training and work alongside qualified adults to provide support for those who have experienced a recent trauma such as a death, home fire or similar catastrophic event.

Forrester works as a server and barista at a local general store. Upon completion of her undergraduate studies at OSU, she would like to continue her education at Oregon Health Sciences University, eventually pursuing a career as a physician’s assistant.

Summer camp for disabled youth needs volunteers
Southern Oregon Camp Kiwanis is accepting applications for counselors and volunteer staff for this summer’s camping session, July 26 through July 31.

The camp serves youth and young adults aged 12 through 20 years old who have physical disabilities including cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries, spina bifida, artificial limbs or other physical challenges. The camp is accessible to wheelchairs and activities are adapted so that campers can safely participate in swimming, canoeing, sports activities, arts and crafts, nature hikes, astronomy, campfires and other group activities.

Youth and young adults aged 12 through 25 are needed to serve as peer counselors and will receive free room and board. Unit counselors and medical professionals are also invited to participate. A police background check is required and training will be provided. The camp is located at Camp Myrtlewood near Bridge, Oregon on Highway 42 between Roseburg and Coos Bay.

To obtain a counselor application, please visit www.campsock.org or contact Wendy Millard at 541-882-8078. You may also request an application by e-mail at info@campsock.org or write to P.O. Box 735, Keno, OR, 97627. The application deadline is June 1.

Mom launches autism treatment program
A Portland area mom and a therapist have launched a cutting edge autism treatment program. Local businessman Dean Gauthier of Carpet Kingdom, 12311 N.E. Halsey St., has pledged his support to this fledgling, worthwhile venture. “We heard about this worthwhile cause and wanted to help. Autism is a tragedy for families,” he said. He plans to donate a portion of his carpet store’s gross sales during the month of May to A Hope for Autism.

Gayle Woodruff, A Hope for Autism founder, with son Miles.
Gayle Woodruff, the mother of a five-and-a-half-year-old son with autism, has partnered with renowned therapist and board certified Associate Behavior Analyst Robbin Sobotka-Soles to create A Hope for Autism.

The duo formed A Hope for Autism to focus on connecting with children with autism and following their interests to provide learning opportunities that are personalized for each child. With their combined knowledge of autism spectrum disorder, they have put together an effective educational program providing a safe, loving environment that is conducive to teaching and learning.

The mother and therapist team focuses on using a child’s interests to motivate learning opportunities and create an environment where learning is fun, effective and efficient. Each child with ASD varies in their ability to learn, communicate and relate to others. A Hope for Autism provides consultation for families setting up custom home programs, family support, training, supervision and in-home treatment.

Woodruff was inspired to launch A Hope for Autism after searching numerous avenues for help with her son Miles. Through determination to make a difference with her son, she received intensive training in various theories of how to best work with him. She has also assembled a team of professionals that work with her son on a regular basis.

Sobotka-Soles has been working with children with ASD for over 15 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Linfield College and completed graduate work in behavior analysis at the University of North Texas. As an experienced behavior analyst and therapist, Sobotka-Soles has had the opportunity to work as an in-home instructor, a program supervisor in the Northwest and has worked alongside school professionals in order to create an optimal learning environment for each child she works with. Her current focus is developing individualized teaching programs and promoting a more natural learning environment, including using relevant teaching materials and focusing on the child’s interests.

Oregon has one of the highest rates of autism in the U.S. Nearly 1 in 98 children is affected with ASD. National rates are typically 1 in 150 children. A child in Oregon is three times more likely to have autism than a child in Kentucky, Arkansas or Louisiana.

Woodruff is thrilled to launch this service. “Being a mom who has received the news and experienced the feeling that all hope is lost; it’s refreshing to be in a position to share hope with others,” she said.

Portland parks board seeks three new members
The Portland Parks & Recreation parks board is currently recruiting one new member to fill an immediate vacancy and two additional members to fill vacancies that will become open when the terms of current board members expire this coming fall.

Formed by city ordinance in 2001, the parks board is a 13-member, non-administrative board whose role is advisory to the PP&R director, the commissioner of parks and the Portland City Council. The volunteer board serves as an advocate for parks and recreation in city infrastructure, provides a forum for public involvement and decision making about major park policy issues, and brings a citywide and long-term perspective to neighborhood-based issues. The next term will begin in September.

Members of the public who are interested in applying for the vacant positions are encouraged to find out more about the role, duties and expectations of parks board members at www.portlandparks.org.

To apply for a position, simply complete the application form, which is also online at www.portlandparks.org. The application form is required for all applicants for city of Portland boards and commissions. Applications for the Portland parks board positions will be accepted until Tuesday, May 5. Interviews with applicants and the candidate selection will occur in May and June.

Please direct questions to Karen Loper, assistant to the parks director and park board liaison, at kloper@ci.portland.or.us or 503-823-5123.
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