Portland News and Events for July 11 Through August 2014

PHOTO: A boxing camp in honor of Portland boxing coach and five -time Golden Glove champion Chuck Lincoln aims to connect youth to year-round support. Charleen Lincoln, one of Lincoln's six children is pictured here with Roy Pitman, longtime coach at Peninsula Park community center.  Lincoln was a key figure at the storied Knott Street gym, coaching champion boxers including Ray Lampkin, Delray Penn, Andy Minsker and Phil Ryan.  Penn is coaching at the three-day camp underway this week at Ryan's gym on NE 83rd and Russell. Donations to the Chuck Lincoln's corner will support gym memberships, equipment, travel and academic tutoring. Find out more at www.chucklincolnscorner.org

Silence the Violence Rally 

This event is being held at McCoy Park, 9298 N. Woolsey Ave., on Friday, July 11, from 2 to 4 p.m. It has been organized and is being led by youth from Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES)associated with STRYVE (Striving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere). It is a peaceful, silent protest against violence in our communities. More information can be found at www.safeyouth.gov

Community Voice Meeting

On July 14th, at 6 p.m., Portland Parks and the Office of Youth Violence Prevention will be hosting a community meeting at Peninsula Park. This meeting will focus on how the community can work collectively to impact violent crime. The Office of Youth Violence prevention offers resources at: http://www.portlandonline.com/safeyouth/.

Gang Violence Task Force 

The next Gang Violence Task Force meeting will be held July 18th at 10 a.m., in the North Precinct Community Room (449 N.E. Emerson Street).
Portland Police Bureau and its partners will be initiating OPERATION COOL DOWN this weekend. This event will include enhanced patrols by the Portland Police Bureau Gang Enforcement Unit, supported by other Police Bureau resources as well as the Gresham East County Metro Gang Enforcement Team, Multnomah County Department of Community Justice and the Office of Youth Violence Prevention.

National Night Out Information Fair

Join the Mayor, Portland Police and Portland Fire Bureaus Friday July 11 in celebrating this year's Crime Prevention Volunteer Award recipients.  Enjoy live music and free Flying Pie pizza from 5:30-7:30 pm at Laurelhurst Park (SE Caesar Chavez and Ankeny to the north of the pond) Click here for more information 

Cooling Centers

With a heatwave underway this week, Multnomah County announces it is opening Cooling Centers for elderly residents starting Sunday July 13.

·         NORTHEAST PORTLAND: Hollywood Senior Center, 1820 NE 40th Ave. Portland, 503-288-8803. Sunday: 4 pm-8 pm. Monday-Thursday, 8:30 am-8 pm.

·         DOWNTOWN: Meals on Wheels People (Elm Court) 1032 SW Main St., Portland, 503-953-8204: Sunday: 10 am – 8 pm. Monday-Thursday, 8:30 am-8 pm.

·         NORTH PORTLAND: Pioneer United Methodist Church, 7528 N. Charleston Ave., Portland. Tuesday and Wednesday 4 pm – 8 pm.

·         EAST COUNTY: Ambleside Meals on Wheels People, Multnomah County East Building, 600 NE 8th  St., Gresham, 503-988-3840. Sunday, 4 pm -8 pm, Monday-Thursday, 8 am – 8 pm.

These centers for elderly residents are activated based on weather conditions. When the forecast calls for three or more days of 95 degree or greater temperatures, county and community partners evaluate the need for cooling centers.

Classes for Kids

Community Upgrade provides youth safety instruction including the popular Babysitter Training and At Home Alone courses. The group offers classes that target every stage of child and youth development. A total of 15 courses offered cover everything from internet safety, as well as internet etiquette, social skills, bullying, conflict resolution, stranger safety and first aid.

Classes are held regularly at Kemba Shannon Dance Center, 2017 N. Kilpatrick St. Private classes are also available for groups of six or more and can be held at a location that is convenient for the group. View class offerings at www.communityupgradeclasses.eventbrite.com or call 971-400-9128.

Volunteer and Help Protect a Rare Species

Volunteer with Columbia Springs as we preserve our piece of northwest forest and the endangered Western Wahoo. Learn about invasive plants, local ecology, and a rare shrub species found at Columbia Grove. Then help us to remove invasive English Ivy that threatens to overwhelm this special shrub. We will conclude the day with a fun nature activity.

All volunteers are welcome! Children 14 and under may volunteer with parent or guardian supervision and teens under 16 with parent or guardian permission. Snacks and tools are provided. Please wear sturdy, close-toed shoes and appropriate outdoor work clothing. Walk-in's are welcome, but pre-sign up is encouraged.
For more information or to sign up, email [email protected], call 360-882-0936 ext. 230 or go to www.columbiasprings.org.

PHOTO: Elder John Hart Sr. celebrated 111 years of life last weekend at Peninsula Park. Father of Pastor Mary Overstreet-Smith of the Powerhouse Temple Church C.O.G.I.C., Elder Hart was joined by dozens of well-wishers including his great-great-great granddaughter and great-great-great-great-granddaughter, pictured at right. Now considered a supercentenarian, he is reportedly the oldest living man in the state of Oregon. Jerry Foster photo

Nominations for Oregon Nurse of the Year
Nominations for the Fourth Annual Nurse of the Year Awards are now open. This year, March of Dimes will honor nominated nurse caregivers and award 17 of these nurses for their constant care of and compassion for patients.
Nominations may be submitted online at www.marchofdimes.com/oregon through Aug. 19. There is no fee to submit a nomination and you may submit multiple nominations.
For more information visit marchofdimes.com/oregon.

Seniors Need Fans to Keep Cool in Hot Weather

As the temperature climbs outside, many homebound seniors are struggling to keep cool in houses that have no fans or air conditioning. Each year citizens from throughout the greater Portland-Vancouver area respond to this need by donating fans to help keep frail elderly neighbors comfortable during the summer heat.

Meals on Wheels People is again asking for donations of fans to help keep homebound seniors cool and health as temperatures are expected to exceed 90 degrees this week.

Fans can be brought to our headquarters at 7710 SW 31st Avenue in Portland or to any of our 34 meal sites in Multnomah, Washington and Clark counties. For information on the center nearest you, call our switchboard at 503.736.6325.

About Meals on Wheels People: Since 1970 the Meals on Wheels People has provided a nutritional and social lifeline for seniors through 34 meal sites in Multnomah, Washington and Clark counties and Meals on Wheels delivery to homebound seniors. With the help of more than 8,550 volunteers, the nonprofit organization now serves 5,000 meals daily and 1.2 million meals each year. Visit: www.mealsonwheelspeople.org.

Free Job Search Skills Training Every Wednesday Evening in July

Individuals wishing to learn job search strategies, interviewing techniques and how to write resumes and cover letters, among other topics, are invited to attend free employment workshops every Wednesday in July from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Vancouver Community Library, 901 C Street in downtown Vancouver.

Employment workshop dates and topics are: July 16, Perfecting Applications; July 23, Resumes & Cover Letters; July 30, Interviewing Techniques.

Registration is requested for the July 16 classes due to limited space in the computer classroom. For more information visit www.fvrl.org and click “events” or call Jennifer at 360-906-5138 or Michael at 360-735-5015.

PHOTO: River lovers from the Human Access Project Tuesday kicked off a new twice-weekly ‘Inaugural River Hugger Swim,’ Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 a.m., swimming one lap across the river and back between the Water Avenue dock and Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The group will meet on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 7 a.m. at Cooper’s Coffee, 1515 SE Water Ave., then swim in a “pod” – all together – at a skill level described as “intermediate” but a paddler in an inflatable boat rows alongside in case of trouble. Human Access Project founder Willie Levenson says it takes about 45 minutes to swim across and back. Above, Sam Drevo, Damon Hess, Willie Levenson, Cindy Werhane, Sean Keener and Dean Hall were part of the first group of splashers. Photo by Steve Bloch

Historic Parkrose Shows Off Summer Fun in the Streets

Family members, friends and neighbors come out for Summer Nights on Sandy, on the second Thursday each  month this summer in Historic Parkrose. The first monthly street fair will be on July 10 in Northeast Portland.

People take over the streets to enjoy live music, kids entertainment, street vendors and games. Food vendors feature ethnic cuisine from local restaurants and food carts found in and around Historic Parkrose.

Summer Nights on Sandy events take place in the street on 106th Avenue, south of Northeast Sandy Boulevard next to Neumann’s German Bakery at 10534 NE Sandy Blvd.

Each night the music stage starts with local musicians performing on stage for an “open mic” session starting at 5 p.m. Each performer gets to wow the audience with up to 3 songs. Sign up is at the stage onsite.

The Red Pepper Group, starting at 7 p.m., is the headliner on July 10 performing funk, jazz and soul so dancing shoes are a must.

For more info go to www.historicparkrose.com/summer-nights-on-sandy.

ReShonda Tate Billingsley Reading at North Portland Library

ReShonda is the national bestselling author of more than 35 books. Her sophomore novel “Let the Church Say Amen” has been made into a movie, directed by actress Regina King and produced by Queen Latifah’s Flava Unit Productions. Her entire Amen series, as well as the novel “I Know I’ve Been Changed” has been optioned by BET Film.

She will be Reading from and signing her newest work. At the North Portland Library Meeting Room 512 N. Killingsworth. Tuesday, July 22 from 6-8pm.

ReShonda also makes her on-screen acting debut in the movie, which will air in 2015.

 ReShonda is a winner of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literature for her book “Say Amen Again” and was nominated again in 2013 for her book “The Secret She Kept”. She has won numerous awards for her journalism, fiction and poetry writing skills. She is a five-time winner of the National Association of Black Journalists Spirit in the Words competition. Considered one of the top Inspirational Fiction authors in the country, her books have appeared on the Essence Bestsellers list more than 20 times, as well as The Washington Post and Dallas Morning News Best Seller's lists.

 Find More Events on The Skanner News Community Calendar