Community News November 09 11/03/09 Email this story to a friend Mazama street rambles The next Mazama Street Ramble is November 11 and every second Wednesday of each month, rain or shine. The Rambles are moderately-paced at a brisk walk and last about two hours covering 5 - 6 miles around the neighborhood and Mt. Tabor depending upon the condition of the hikers. Participants gather before 6 pm inside the Mazama Mountaineering Center, 527 SE 43rd Ave. (43rd and Stark.) Dress appropriately for the weather. Bring water and a flashlight. The Rambles are led by an experienced hike leader. There is a $2 fee or $1 for those over 55. MAZAMAS, founded in 1894 on the summit of Mt. Hood, is a non-profit mountaineering education organization offering over 800 hikes and 350 climbs annually. Activities, offered for every skill and fitness level, are open to both members and non-members. To become a Mazama, you must climb to the summit of a glaciated mountain peak. Nearly 3,000 are currently members. MAZAMAS offer classes in mountaineering, first aid, Nordic skiing and environmental education. To learn more, call 503.227.2345 or log on to . www.mazamas.org Caregivers educational programs In Oregon, more than 400,000 people are caregivers who provide unpaid help to older adults. These caregiver spouses, adult children, relatives, and friends provide help with shopping, transportation, and household chores as well as bathing, dressing, preparing meals and dispensing medications. Oregon caregivers provide an average 1,080 hours of care each year, valued at $4.6 billion dollars. Families often don’t identify themselves as a family caregiver, but rather, as a family member or friend. According to a survey done by the National Family Caregivers Association, over 90% of family caregivers become more proactive about seeking resources and skills they need to assist their care recipient after they have identified themselves as a family caregiver. To support family caregivers, an educational series will be offered during November. The sessions are free and registration is not required. Topics will include: • Alzheimer’s 101 – Tues., Nov. 3; 5:30 - 7 pm, Hollywood Library, 4040 NE Tillamook. • Helping Your Aging Parents Manage Their Possessions and a Later Life Move – Mon., Nov. 16; 6 - 7:30 pm, Hollywood Library, 4040 NE Tillamook. • Coffee and Conversation for Caretakers: Put on Your Own Oxygen Mask First! – Wed., Nov. 18; 6:30-8:30 pm, Portland Community College, 1626 SE Water Ave. • Difficult Topics in Caregiving: A Practical and Heart-Centered Approach – Sat., Nov. 21; 10-11:30 am, Midland Library, 805 SE 122nd. Multnomah County Family Caregiver Support Program also provides on-going assistance and information and referral for family caregivers living in Multnomah County. For further information, families can call the HELPLINE at 503.988.3646. Garden workshops–Register now for one (or more!) of your favorite East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District workshops. Space is limited and advanced registration is required, so act soon while spaces are still available. Naturescaping Basics: Naturescaping is the practice of designing (or redesigning) a landscape that provides wildlife habitat, reduces water use and pollution without sacrificing splendor. You’ll receive a workbook and take home a free native plant! Site Planning 1: Details steps involved in planning a landscape. You’ll learn how to map your property, assess your garden style and needs and work on a group design scenario. Prerequisite: Naturescaping Basics. Native Plant Workshop: Create beautiful landscapes that attract birds, butterflies and other pollinators into your garden by using native plants! This workshop explores which native plants are most appropriate for your urban landscape. Rain Gardens 101: Learn how to assess your property for the best rain garden location and size, choose the right plants and how to construct and maintain a rain garden. Register online at www.emswcd.org . For workshop information call 503.935.5383. Japanese garden free day The Portland Japanese Garden will be hosting their fall Free Admission Day on Veterans Day, November 11, Wednesday from 10 am – 4 pm. In addition to sharing a lovely fall Garden with the community, the event also benefits Janus Youth Programs through the collection of voluntary donations at the admission gate. All members of the community are invited to come and visit the Garden on Free Admission Day. The Garden will be accepting voluntary donations to the Janus Youth Program, a Portland non-profit which provides two shelters for homeless youth. The shelters provide a safe place to stay for 60 youth each night and are always filled to capacity. The following items are always in high demand: socks, dental floss, toothbrushes, small sewing kits and stocking caps The Garden is above Washington Park at 611 SW Kingston Drive. Medicare choices Making informed choices about Medicare plans can be frustrating and confusing. Enrollees are typically bombarded by information and offers from dozens of sources, usually with commercial interests behind them. To help consumers choose Medicare plans that are right for them, local nonprofit Health Advocacy Solutions (HAS) is offering a workshop from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, Saturday, November 7 at Portland State University, in 269 Cramer Hall. The workshop will be led by Jason McNichol, PhD, HAS executive director and adjunct professor in the Department of Sociology at PSU. At this hands-on workshop, independent experts help solve the mysteries of Medicare, answer questions, and provide participants with tools they can use to make informed choices. Participants will learn what they need to know about eligibility, cost and coverage options for Medicare Parts A, B, C (Medicare Advantage), and Part D drug plans, along with supplemental (Medigap). A decision-making guide and other take-home materials will be provided. The workshop fee is $35. Pre-registration is required. Scholarships are available for low-income individuals. Current and future Medicare enrollees, their families, advocates, and advisors are welcome to attend. For more information and to register, visit HASolutions.org/upcoming or call 503.828.1078. Southeast Spirit of Portland winners Twenty-five winners will be receiving the coveted 2009 Spirit of Portland Award during an evening ceremony at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts Thursday, November 12, 7 pm. The Selection Committee chose the group of winners a few weeks ago after reading through the many nominations. Here’s a few southeast neighbors who have been recognized by the City of Portland: • Brooklyn Birchfield, Emerging Community Leader, creator of the South Tabor Harvest Swap which brings people together to share the abundance of garden produce and build community, which comes together to provide space, music, and share information at the event. • Division/Clinton Business Association, Business Association, has sponsored numerous neighborhood activities since its inception in the early 1930s including the Division Street Main Street Plan and mural, street fair, and tree- planting projects. • Diane Meisenhelter, Independent Spirit, community leader, site manager of the SUN Program at Buckman School for the last 10 years, and founder of ON-Going Concerns, a sustainable co-housing project at NE 19th and Going where nine households share meals, pool tools and form an extended “family” of support. You can read more about the other 22 winners by visiting the Office of Neighborhood Involvement’s website www.portlandonline.com/oni/ . Congratulations to all nominees and thank you! Bikers weigh in on plan The Portland Bureau of Transportation is inviting public input on the Public Comment Draft of the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030 through November 8, 2009. During this public comment period, Portland residents are invited to review the plan, confirm that it includes the elements that are most important to them, and submit comments on the plan. A hearing before City Council is tentatively scheduled for the evening of January 20, 2010. Portland’s first Bicycle Master Plan was adopted in 1996. Since that time, the bicycle network doubled to more than 300 miles, the City developed innovative programs to promote bicycling, and Portland experienced an exponential rise in the number of people bicycling. In 2008 the League of American Bicyclists recognized these efforts, granting Portland platinum- level status as a Bicycle Friendly Community. The Public Comment Draft of the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030 is available for review at www.portlandonline.com/transportation/BicycleMasterPlan . Paper copies of the report can be viewed at public libraries in the City of Portland and at each of the Neighborhood Coalition Offices. Comments on the draft plan are due by November 8, 2009, to: Ellen Vanderslice, PBP Project Manager Portland Bureau of Transportation 1120 SW 5TH Avenue, Suite 800 Portland, Oregon 97204 Email: bicyclemasterplan@pdxtrans.org Providence Festival of Trees One of Portland’s premier holiday events – the 27th annual Providence Festival of Trees will take place Dec. 2, 4, 5. This event, with a theme of “Believe,” offers a beautiful, heartwarming holiday experience for the entire family to enjoy. Wednesday, Dec. 2 from 5:30 to 11 pm: gala evening, tree auction and dinner; Friday, Dec. 4, and Saturday, Dec. 5, 10 am – 9 pm: public show. The event will take place at the Oregon Convention Center, Exhibit Hall A, 777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd. Children ages 12 and under can visit the teddy bear hospital, learn about hospital care and receive a free teddy bear. Kids can capture holiday fun creating crafts in Santa’s Workshop and have a photo taken with Santa. Public show admission: $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for children ages 3- 12.Children 2 and under admitted free with an adult. Discount coupons available at area merchants including all US Bank branches, Fred Meyer customer service counters or at www.providence.org/festivaloftrees . Providence Festival of Trees seeks to raise more than $500,000. A portion of that amount will help provide charity care for patients. Call 503.215.6070 for more information. Composting can be simple and inexpensive By Judy Scott You can start a recycling factory in your own backyard by re-thinking the leaves at your feet and withered tomato plants in the garden as valuable organic materials. You can put stalks and stems left after harvest, sod, hay, straw and grass clippings to good use (if they haven’t been treated with weed killers). Gather them in a pile, add vegetable scraps from the kitchen and you’re on your way to making compost that can become fertilizer, soil conditioner and excellent mulch. Composting does require more work than that, but it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Organic materials will decompose whether you have a fancy bin, container or just a pile on the ground, according to Dan Sullivan, soil scientist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. A composting station can be made from old lumber or pallets, mesh fencing or cinder blocks. Some disposal companies offer composting containers free of charge to encourage composting rather than land filling. For hot (fast) compost, minimum bin size should be at least about half a cubic yard, or about two to three feet wide, two to three feet tall, and three feet deep to retain heat. Sullivan recommends combining two parts bulking agents such as autumn leaves, wood chips, sawdust, hay, wheat straw or corn stalks with one part energy sources such as grass clippings, fruit and vegetable waste or non-woody garden trimmings. Other hints for a hot compost pile: • For faster composing, keep the size of the raw materials put into compost to no greater than an inch in diameter. • Mix the types of raw materials rather than layering them. • A large pile holds heat better than a small pile. For hot compost, make the initial pile at least a half cubic yard in volume. • Keep the pile moist, but not wet. • Cover the pile in wet winter weather or dry, hot summer weather. • Turn the pile once a week to aerate it, if you wish. • Compost ingredients are covered with microorganisms. There is no need to add starters or soil, although some people prefer to use them. “If you cannot get the pile to heat, it’s okay,” Sullivan said. “The pile will still break down, but more slowly than hot compost and weed seeds may not all be killed.” Ecoroofs incentive The City of Portland Environmental Services is accepting applications from property owners and developers for incentives to construct ecoroofs. The deadline for this cycle of incentive applications is Tuesday, December 1, 2009. Ecoroofs are lightweight, vegetated roof systems that replace conventional roofs with a layer of foliage over a growing medium on top of a waterproof membrane. They are part of Portland’s program to manage stormwater with facilities that work like natural systems. There are currently 173 ecoroofs in Portland, totaling nearly ten acres. Funds will be available until 2013. Industrial, residential, commercial and mixed-use projects are eligible. An Environmental Services committee reviews applications twice per year and awards incentives. To find out more about ecoroofs or to apply for the incentive visit www.portlandonline.com/ecoroof or call 503.823.7914. METRO nature in neighborhoods Metro’s Restoration and Enhancement grant program supports hands-on activities and environmental education programs that protect and contribute to watershed health in the region. The program connects community-minded people to their neighborhoods, natural areas, backyards and beyond. Proposals are accepted from nonprofit organizations including, but not limited to, an individual, citizen or business group, schools, government agency, or charitable organization with 501(c)(3) status. Pre-application deadline: 4 pm, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010 Want more information? Need help with your application? Find tips, samples and details at Metro’s free grant-writing workshop – 9 am, Saturday, Dec. 5. Contact Kristin Blyler at 503.797.1834 or Kristin.Blyler@oregonmetro.gov. St. Stephen Church Holiday Bazaar, Sunday, December 6, between 9 am – 3 pm, held in gym located on 4126 SE Taylor St. There will be craft tables, a white elephant sale and lunch will be served. Donate to the White Elephant Sale until November 30. If you are interested in renting a table for crafts, the cost is: $25 for one table or $35 for two tables. For more information call Nancy, 503.232.1515. Portland Police Bureau Chief Rosie Sizer will be the featured speaker at an open community meeting on Thursday, November 5, 7 pm at the Police Bureau facility located at SE 47th and Burnside. The Chief has been asked to address the positive as well as the negative results of the recent precinct realignment; the recent issues surrounding the use of force; how the bureau will address the tight budgetary concerns facing all public agencies and other topics she believes to be of interest to all residents of Southeast Portland. The public is encouraged to attend this open and free meeting, and to enjoy the refreshments and opportunity for dialogue with our Police Chief. This meeting is sponsored by the Southeast Portland Citizens Advisory Committee. For any questions, please contact Dave Hillman at 503.254.5931, or email davehillman@comcast.net. Puddletown School welcomes all individuals and families to a great community event. There will be fun for the whole family with music, storytelling, facepainting, art, food and wine. The art auction will feature works by 50 plus artists and the art of the Puddletown students. Take advantage of great deals and complete your holiday shopping early. Buy $5 raffle tickets for the grand Dining Out in Portland prize.All of the proceeds go to the Puddletown Montessori School scholarship fund. The event is scheduled for Friday, December 4 from 7-10 pm and Saturday, December 5 from 11 am to 2 pm at the Chelsea Ballroom,1510 SE 9th. For more information call 503.261.3963 or www.puddletownschool.com . FREE event for seniors - A panel discussion on Strategies for Successful Aging: Keeping Ahead of the Big WHAT-IFs. December 2, from 1 - 3 pm at the East Side Community Center, Room 1, 740 SE 106th. Register at 503.299.4060 because seating is limited. Rachel Hemmingson specializes in Elder-Law, Medicare/Medicaid, Seniors Real Estate, Senior Housing, Reverse Mortgage. Soil and Water Conservation Grants–The East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District has $450,000 available in grant funds and is now accepting applications for projects that address soil or water conservation, watershed health or conservation education. Funding is only available for projects that take place east of the Willamette River. Grant Applications are due at the EMSWCD office no later than Friday, November 13. In this grant cycle they are allowing applications with projects of up to $10,000 to not have matching fund requirements. They are encouraging multi-year projects with a plan for long term maintenance and viability. For more information, go to www.oregon.gov/ODA/SWCD/ for more information, guidelines and application forms. Third Annual Holiday Craft Bazaar at Sunnyside Environmental School takes place on Saturday, December 5 from 11 am - 4 pm. There will be over 30 vendors including students, parents and members of the Sunnyside community. Come one, come all and win raffle prizes and enjoy items from the bake sale. The school is located at 3521 SE Salmon St. Plants That Deserve More Attention IN PORTLAND AREA GARDENS– Sean Hogan, co-founder of Cistus Nursery, will be speaking at the Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church, 5441 SE Belmont on Nov. 10 at 7 pm. Parking is on SE 54th Avenue. Hogan will discuss plants that may have been ignored in local garden designs, but deserve a second look and perhaps, a place in the local horticulture palette. The First Annual Winter Artisan Bazaar school fundraiser at Laurelhurst Elementary School, 840 NE 41st,will take place December 6, from 9 am – 4 pm. This community-building event supports local business and sustainability through use of recycled decorations and supporting recycled goods businesses. Laurelhurst PTA is offering space to qualified and talented artists who’s $50 entry fee will go directly to the school. In addition, there will be live music, scrumptious food and beverages, charming decorations, family portraits, silent artisan auction, children’s art classes, an amazing raffle and shopping some of Portland’s premiere artisans. If you are interested in supporting this local school, contact Violet Craft at 503.999.4089 or email at violet@violetcraft.com. Advent Craft Festival at Tabor Heights United Methodist Church, 6161 SE Stark on Dec. 6, 12:30 to 3:30. The public is invite to this annual event. A light lunch will be served then join us at the craft tables. Make a swag, a gift or ornament, nibble a Christmas treat and get into the spirit of the Holiday season. A great neighborhood event, all ages, free. For information go to wwwtaborheightschurch.org or call 503.232.6137. Tibetan Tantra The body provides our most direct and effective access to profound spiritual transformation. A workshop directed by Dr. Reggie Ray explores both the theory and body-based practices of Tibetan Buddhism which aim at what tantra calls “the redemption of the body.” On Thursday, November 19, the evening talk is free and takes place from 7:30 - 9 pm at PSU Native American Student Center, corner of SW Broadway and Jackson St. is The next three day workshops will be November 20 -22 at The Chelsea Ballroom, 1510 SE 9th St. (the intersection of 9th and Hawthorne, Friday, 7:30 – 9 pm; Saturday: 9 am - 5 pm and Sunday: 9 am - 4 pm. Please visit www.dharmaocean.org or call 1.877.DHARMA9 for more information. Call to Artists:The Fifth Annual Mt. Tabor Art Walk will be held May 15 and 16, 2010. This juried event showcases the many artists, who live in the Mt. Tabor neighborhood, and promotes high-quality visual art in a variety of media. For details and to complete an application, please visit www.MtTaborArtWalk.com.Applications , fee, and images for jurying are due January 15, 2010. Please note that the deadline is firm.