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MEMO BLOG | |
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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 December issue are due Tuesday, Nov. 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.
New priest joins the St. Matthew's staff
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| Rev. Caroline Litzenberger is the new priest-missioner at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Parkrose. Courtesy St. Matthew's Episcopal Church |
Litzenberger and Deacon Marla McGarry-Lawrence extend a personal invitation to those not currently attending a church to worship on Sunday or stop by for a visit during the week to learn more about St. Matthew's and the Episcopal Church. St. Matthew's is located at 11229 N.E. Prescott St.
Hone public speaking, literacy skills through poetry competition
The Oregon Arts Commission, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, announces the 2012 Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. Now in its seventh year, Poetry Out Loud encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance and competition.
The contest is free.
Poetry Out Loud requires less than three weeks of class time. Registration information for Oregon high schools is available at oregonartscommission.org/poetryoutloud. Schools that wish to be part of the official Poetry Out Loud program must register with the Oregon Arts Commission by Thursday, Dec. 1. Contact Deb Vaughn, arts education coordinator at 503-986-0085 or deborah.vaughn@state.or.us.
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| Registration opened recently for the seventh annual Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. Brynn Tran, a 16-year-old junior at Lake Oswego's Lakeridge High School, won the state Poetry Out Loud competition in 2010. Courtesy The Oregonian/ Lori Cain |
Poetry Out Loud seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers by capitalizing on the latest trends in poetry - recitation and performance. The program builds on the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, seen in the slam poetry movement and through the immense popularity of rap music. Poetry Out Loud invites the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word and theater into the English class. Through Poetry Out Loud, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.
The NEA and the Poetry Foundation provide state arts agencies with free, standards-based curriculum materials for use by participating schools. These materials include print and online poetry anthologies; a teacher's guide with sample lesson plans to help instructors teach recitation and performance, a DVD of successful performances from past national competitions and a CD with poetry readings by well-known actors and writers such as James Earl Jones, Anthony Hopkins, Alyssa Milano, and N. Scott Momaday. Downloadable program materials and additional resources are available at poetryoutloud.org.
Festival of Lights needs you
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| The 24th annual Festival of Lights begins this month and needs volunteers. Courtesy Larry Kirby/The Grotto |
If you are interested in this fun opportunity, please contact volunteer coordinator Tim Larson, at 503-261-2433 or volunteer@thegrotto.org.
Memory Garden wins national design award
Portland Parks & Recreation's unique Portland Memory Garden has been chosen as the recipient of the 2011 Therapeutic Garden Design Awards sponsored by the American Horticultural Therapy Association. The award is given annually to recognize gardens that excel in therapeutic design and activity programming throughout the country. The Portland Memory Garden will receive the award plaque at an AHTA conference this fall.
The Portland Memory Garden, located adjacent to PP&R's Ed Benedict Park off Southeast Powell Boulevard at 104th Avenue, was designed to meet the special needs of those with memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and to provide respite for their caregivers.
The garden was dedicated in May 2002 and is one of only eight memory gardens in the U.S., and one of just two built on public land. It is maintained largely by volunteers under the joint supervision of Portland Parks and Recreation and the Friends of the Portland Memory Garden. FPMG also sponsors regular activities led by registered horticultural therapists and geared to those with memory disorders.
The garden design features a totally accessible circular pathway and visual landmarks, as well as four seasons of plants and flowers in raised beds that have been chosen to stimulate the senses and spark past memories. The fenced and gated garden offers security and comfort for families as well as a restroom and drinking fountains. The garden site is relatively flat and is away from other park activity and significant traffic noise. It is open to the public year round from 8 a.m. to dusk and is free of charge.
Northeast Fremont NE122nd Avenue Green Street update
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| Work continues on Northeast Fremont/NE 122nd Avenue Green Street project. Expect delays between Fremont and Shaver streets this month. Courtesy Larry Kirby/The Grotto |
With relocation of a gas line completed, construction on the stormwater facilities along Northeast 122nd Avenue between Fremont and Shaver streets is expected to resume in late November or early December. Construction schedules at that site are contingent upon completion benchmarks at the Northeast Fremont site and on the weather. Neighbors and commuters in the area should prepare for impacts to motor, bicycle and pedestrian traffic flows.
The paving work on Northeast Shaver Street is complete.
Extra precautions are being taken to secure the construction sites on the Northeast Fremont Green Street project after work hours. Chain-link fencing; flexible orange, plastic mesh exclusion fencing; construction candles (tall, orange singular barricades) and caution taping will be present at all active construction sites overnight and on the weekends. Safety and security of the construction sites is a priority. Construction will progress along the north side of Fremont with the facilities on the south side at 156th Avenue being the last to be constructed.
Typical work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The contractor may choose to work the same hours on Saturdays. Equipment and materials will be stored on the street after hours. Barricades and fencing will protect the work site. Work crews may remove and replace some asphalt next to the green street to ensure street drainage enters the facility. Facility construction includes forming and pouring concrete curb extensions, excavating the facility, lining, placing soil, installing check dams and installing plants. Crews work on several facilities at a time and there may be periods of inactivity between construction steps. A city construction inspector is on-site during work hours, and should be able to assist you with construction concerns. Street parking is prohibited in the work zone. Motorists, cyclist and pedestrians should exercise caution and good judgment when traveling through the construction zone. For more information call Kate Goudschaal, 503-823-2827, or e-mail her at kate.goudschaal@portlandoregon.gov.
Kit saves energy
Saving energy is easy when you know where to start. This fall, Energy Trust of Oregon is helping residents keep their homes cozy and trim energy costs by offering free Energy Saver Kits filled with products that offer quick savings.
The free Energy Saver Kit can help customers save up to $88 a year in utility costs. The kit arrives by mail filled with easy to install energy-saving products such as compact fluorescent lamps, a high-performance showerhead and a faucet aerator. The items are easy to install, and are designed to help save energy right away. Energy Saver Kits are available for homeowners and renters. Order online at energytrust.org/free or call 1-866-368-7878.
Customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural and Cascade Natural Gas are eligible.
Prepare now for winter weather
The city's Bureaus of Transportation and Emergency Management are urging Portlanders to prepare for an early and wet winter.
Emergency managers are following forecasts from the National Weather Service that point in the direction of a more active winter storm season and higher precipitation than normal this year. The general advice to the traveling public from regional partners is to be aware that winter weather and road conditions in the Portland area can change quickly and without warning, making travel unpredictable. “People should familiarize themselves with www.PublicAlerts.org. It's an easy way to get travel information, street closures, highway road conditions, and transit alerts in our region,” said Emergency Management Director Carmen Merlo. “Now is the time to prepare your home, family and vehicle for winter weather. A little planning now will save you precious time during an emergency.”
ODOT advises the public to be prepared for winter weather before taking a trip of any duration by going to tripcheck.com or by dialing 511 for real-time highway road and weather information. Motorists should carry chains in their vehicles and know how to use them. Make sure your heater and defroster and your lights and battery are all working.
Residents are advised to commute by public transit in bad weather if possible and to have a plan before venturing out in winter weather. Service alerts are posted at trimet.org, TriMet's mobile site m.trimet.org, or available by calling 503-238-RIDE (7433).
The city also asks that residents and businesses assist lessening street flooding this fall and winter by cleaning the catch basins near their property and to help prevent landslides by making sure their property's drainage system is working properly.
Visit publicalerts.org for more information and sign up for emergency notification. To receive alerts via Twitter, please follow @PublicAlerts.
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