Portland, OR. On June 20th, 2021, it’s the summer solstice and the day with the most light. Many Portland metro residents will join advocates across the world to participate in The Longest Day® to fight the darkness of Alzheimer’s through an activity of their choice. This year, Rachel Martin, owner of Arthur Murray Dance Studio locations in Salem and Wilsonville, is hosting a dancing fundraiser for The Longest Day. When a friend at an Arthur Murray studio in California started hosting fundraisers for The Longest Day five years ago and encouraged other studios to follow suit, Rachel jumped on the opportunity. Each year around the summer solstice, Rachel offers heavily discounted dance lessons with all proceeds going to the Alzheimer’s Association. Together, they will use their creativity and passion to raise critical funds and awareness to advance Alzheimer’s Association® care, support, and research programs. The event coincides with Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month® in June. Look for other volunteers out seeking donations.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic, Longest Day participants can support the event “virtually” through “at-home” and “social-distance” activities – biking, hiking, playing bridge, knitting, and more – to shine a light on the more than 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias, and the more than 11 million family members and friends providing care and support.
“We are thrilled to have so many supportive local teams participating in The Longest Day,” said Stephanie Foster, The Longest Day event manager, Alzheimer’s Association Oregon & Southwest Washington Chapter. “Together, the strength of our light will outshine the darkness of Alzheimer’s.”
Key facts about Alzheimer’s include:
● Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States.
● More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias, and more than 11 million family and friends are providing care and support.
● In Oregon alone, there are more than 69,000 people living with Alzheimer’s and more than 155,000 family members and friends caring for them.
Visit alz.org/thelongestday for more information and to register.
About the Alzheimer’s Association® The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia®. For more information, visit alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.
Portland, OR. Over 150 guests tuned in to support Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp‘s second annual virtual gala and online auction. It raised over $156,000. Art Edwards was the host of the event. Over the course of the hour-long event on April 21st, guests watched videos and heard personal stories of how Camp has impacted and changed their lives.
Each year, MHKC offers 8 weeks of Main Camp, where campers enjoy a one-to-one camper-counselor ratio with the option for outgroup adventures, including Trip & Travel, Tent & Travel, and Lakeside Camp where campers pitch tents on Trillium Lake, paddle canoes, go whitewater rafting and more. June brings the opportunity for new campers to experience MHKC through Family Camp, while experienced campers can come back to Camp in the snow through two weekend winter retreats.
Executive Director Dave McDonald addressed supporters during the online event.
The show ended with a tribute to long-time supporter and professor emeritus, Ann Fullerton who was instrumental in creating and growing the long-standing Portland State University/MHKC capstone program. To see a recording of this event, please go to www.mhkc.org/gala.
June brings the opportunity for new campers to experience MHKC through Family Camp, while experienced campers can come back to Camp in the snow through two-weekend winter retreats.
Here’s a video about the camp:
There are few places where individuals with disabilities can spend a week joyfully focusing on their abilities. For over 85 years, Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp (MHKC) has offered incredible outdoor recreational programming for campers with developmental, intellectual, and physical disabilities at its fully accessible 22-acre campsite in the Mt. Hood National Forest.
On any given summer day, our campers are catching fish, conquering their fear on the adventure course and zipline, splashing at the pool, riding a horse for the first time, whitewater rafting, paddling a canoe on Trillium Lake, and dancing the night away at campfire. Wheelchair-accessible trails and innovations such as adaptive saddles, harnesses, and bicycles make the traditional camp experience available to all. Camp doesn’t just offer outdoor activities, it offers a chance for people with disabilities to make new friends and build community in a friendly, non-judgmental environment where they can feel empowered and included.
Portland, OR. St. Mary’s Academy challenged supporters to dream big at its 33rd annual auction and they responded, raising $851,000 for the all-girls, Catholic, college-prep high school. Hayden Thomas, Tom Fink, Greg Bell, Greg Meyer posed for a photo at the virtual event on April 17th. This year’s four auction co-chairs were all St. Mary’s Academy dads. In addition to Bell, the co-chairs included Tom Fink, past parent to three St. Mary’s alumnae: Amy ’95, Jeani ’97, and Molly ’99 and current member of the St. Mary’s Board of Directors; Greg Meyer, parent to current student Avery ’24; and Hayden Thomas, past parent to Claire ’04 and Lauren ’07 and current Board member.
Guests from across the country joined the live, webcast event for an hour and a half of entertainment, testimonials, and bidding on auction packages, including a 10-day trip to Molokai, Hawaii, a sailing experience on America’s Cup yacht in San Diego, and a private dinner for 8 at Cellar Z at Zupan’s Market.
The webcast event was co-hosted by Cathy Marshall, Managing Editor and former news anchor for KGW News channel 8 and Greg Bell, longtime Oregonian, author, motivational speaker, and father to Sofia ‘23, a current St. Mary’s student.
During the live event, current students shared how St. Mary’s has dared them to dream. Liana, class of 2023 shared, “St. Mary’s dares me to dream by challenging me to be my best self.”
Sophia, class of 2022, shared, “St. Mary’s dares me to dream by inspiring me to pursue my passions and giving me the resources to grow into a responsible leader.”
Rose, class of 2023, shared, “St. Mary’s dares me to dream by teaching me to be a decisive, strong young woman.”
Emily Niedermeyer Becker ’86, Vice President for Development, shared her thoughts following this year’s event. “We couldn’t be more thankful to our community of supporters who stepped up in ways unimagined to support the young women of St. Mary’s Academy. In the midst of an incredibly challenging year for our city, our country, and our world, they confirmed their commitment and belief in the power of an all-girls education. We are thrilled to be able to continue making St. Mary’s Academy accessible for any young woman, regardless of their financial situation, and are so proud to be graduating the future women leaders of tomorrow.”
Thomas shares his inspiration for being involved in this year’s event. “St. Mary’s has a long history of excellence, and I am always proud to say my daughters went to school there. What I admire most about SMA is the focus on the growth and development of young women. St. Mary’s is an institution that serves its mission so well and has done so from the very beginning. Annually, the auction is one of St. Mary’s signature events. It is not only a critical fundraiser but a joyful celebration of the SMA community, and I feel privileged to be involved in this year’s event.”
The live event was preceded by a week-long silent auction with over 250 packages available for bidding. Additionally, St. Mary’s again held its much-anticipated raffles for both a 2020 Range Rover Evoque S and a $5,000 travel gift certificate. Participants could also purchase tickets for a “Golden Ticket”, allowing the winner to select their choice of any of the live auction packages. This year’s Golden Ticket winner was Marcy Moore Forman ’67 and she selected an Italian Dinner for 8 with wine pairings in a location of her choosing. Upon learning she held the winning ticket, she exclaimed, “Wow, that is so great! Now I have to figure out how to whittle down my guest list!” Forman is a St. Mary’s Academy alumna, and her granddaughter will be joining St. Mary’s as a freshman in the fall.
Here’s a video about the school:
About St. Mary’s Academy:
Mission Statement: St. Mary’s Academy, sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary since 1859, is a Catholic high school for young women, providing a challenging college-preparatory education in a vibrant learning environment. Guided by the values and charism of the Sisters, St. Mary’s fosters a diverse community, educates the whole person by nurturing spirituality, encouraging creativity, promoting justice, and inspiring a sense of global interdependence to prepare students for service and leadership.
Portland, OR. Students are still working online, but almost 25,000 community members tuned in to Portland Community College Foundation’s fundraiser, Tomorrow Together. PCC broadcasted this event on KOIN (Channel 6) and online at pcc.edu/tomorrowtogether. The Foundation exceeded its fundraising goal, raising $318,000 (and counting!) for student scholarships.
Ebony Frison is a student who says PCC feels like home.
Portland Community College Foundation envisioned a more equitable tomorrow alongside the community during Tomorrow Together. The one-hour program was filled with inspiring stories, high-energy Punjabi dancing and the most adorable farm animals.
Those who tuned in on April 10th, heard from PCC students and alumni, as well as hometown favorites such as The Honorable Margaret Carter, musician Thomas Lauderdale, author Mitchell S. Jackson, singer Julianne Johnson-Weiss and more. Well-known Portland philanthropist Anne Naito-Campbell donated $50,000 towards PCC student success. The event was presented by Comcast.
This annual fundraising event supports scholarships for PCC students, including scholarships for those coming from traditionally underserved communities, first-generation college students and students of color. PCC Foundation Interim Executive Director, Christina Kline said, “This spring, we had a record number of students apply for scholarships. We are eager to continue to help our students pursue their dreams of education and a brighter future.”
To watch or rewatch the event, visit pcc.edu/tomorrowtogether.
From Portland Community College:
As the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon, PCC serves over 60,000 full-time and part-time students. We offer high-quality education and opportunities for our students, which in turn contributes to the vibrancy of Portland’s economic community.
We aim to educate a skilled workforce, prepare students to successfully transfer to four-year schools, enrich the community through lifelong learning, build a greener workforce and shrink our carbon footprint, and be a sound financial steward of public dollars.
Southeast Campus
Four comprehensive campuses, eight centers and dozens of independent locations throughout the community offer courses and provide student services. Online Learning gives students the ability to take classes off campus.
Four comprehensive campuses, eight centers and dozens of independent locations throughout the community offer courses and provide student services. Online Learning gives students the ability to take classes off campus.
Portland, OR. The “Chair Affair 2021” was a virtual affair to celebrate the fact that Community Warehouse has been serving under-furnished neighbors for the past 20 years. Dale Johannes and Anna Kurnizki, Community Warehouse’s Interim Executive Director, were hosts for the event.
The event featured inspiring stories from people whose houses have been transformed into homes. The event on March 10th raised $262,311 which will be used to connect essential furnishings to neighbors in need throughout the region. Many staff and volunteers helped make the event happen.
Partners like the Jami LeBaron from ROSE Community Development describe the respect and dignity that under-furnished neighbors find. “I’ve helped a single mother of three come in and furnish her home. We came to this location [Community Warehouse in Tualatin] and shopped around. For her, I think that it absolutely filled her with joy to bring home beds, and bring home a couch, and it made a huge difference for her.”
Roz Babener is the founder of Community Warehouse. She highlighted the growth of Community Warehouse over the past 20 years. “We opened our doors in 2001. The first location that we had was just some big garage doors in a storage unit area, and we’ve grown from there.”
Former Client Megan Renee was a Community Warehouse furniture recipient. Megan and her daughters enjoy dinner at the table with lively conversation. “Every night we sit at the table and we have dinner and we talk about our day. It’s important to me that I give them that foundation to build from.”
Megan and her daughters relaxing together on their couch.
Enthusiasm for Community Warehouse’s mission was focused on the essential service that Community Warehouse provides. Testimonials included a mother’s story of resilience despite the challenges caused by disruptions from COVID-19.
Anna Kurnizki, Interim Executive Director explained, “Our mission of giving and receiving invites and inspires everyone to give back. Even during the pandemic, when each of us is in some way struggling, everyone is stepping up – with love for each other.”
As the only furniture bank in the tri-county region, Community Warehouse provides the necessary support for housing stability. After being deemed an essential service during the shutdown, Community Warehouse remained open to provide fundamental items to families throughout the region. Items such as beds and pots and pans enabled families to shelter in place safely.
Our clients receive essential items critically important for a safe and healthy home, such as a bed to sleep on and tables to eat meals at. These basic items are paramount in ensuring and maintaining housing stability. As a former client explained: “My goals were getting an apartment and providing for my daughter financially, getting on my feet and off of assistance. Furniture was a huge financial burden, so that helped me get the stability to achieve my goals.” Community Warehouse has been sustainably serving the most vulnerable members of the community for 20 years, growing from a grassroots drive to help refugee families from the former Soviet Union to an established 501c3 nonprofit working with 250+ referring agencies to serve 60 families per week. In 2020 alone, CW provided essential furnishings to over 2,800 people, including 900 children under 18. Our clients include people transitioning from homelessness, domestic violence survivors, refugees and immigrants, veterans, and many other individuals and families recovering from crises. 67% of our clients are people of color and 70% are female-headed households.
You can help, too! Drop off your donations of new or gently-used furniture and household items at one of the Warehouse locations in NE Portland and Tualatin. Visit Community Warehouse’s website to learn about most-needed items and donation guidelines: www.communitywarehouse.org.
NONPROFIT BENEFIT TICKET GIVEAWAYS!
Sign up for our free weekly highlights for the chance to win two tickets terrific nonprofit events! If you "like" us on facebook, or sign up for our weekly news highlights, you'll be entered to win! Sign up today!
Look for another ticket giveaway soon! Are you a nonprofit looking to bolster your publicity with facebook and tweets? Email us and we'll run a contest with tickets to your event! [email protected]
On any given summer day, our campers are catching fish, conquering their fear on the adventure course and zipline, splashing at the pool, riding a horse for the first time, whitewater rafting, paddling a canoe on Trillium Lake, and dancing the night away at campfire. Wheelchair-accessible trails and innovations such as adaptive saddles, harnesses, and bicycles make the traditional camp experience available to all. Camp doesn’t just offer outdoor activities, it offers a chance for people with disabilities to make new friends and build community in a friendly, non-judgmental environment where they can feel empowered and included.
