PORTLAND, ORE. – Each year, thousands of children in Oregon face physical and sexual abuse, neglect and/or domestic violence. Since 1987, CARES (Child Abuse Response and Evaluation Services) Northwest has put their health and safety first.
To celebrate 25 years of service protecting and healing children in the community, CARES Northwest will host its 25th Anniversary Gala on Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, 6 p.m., at the Leftbank Annex in Portland. The Gala promises a vibrant and inspiring evening of festivities, including a cocktail reception, full-course dinner, award presentation and dancing. The festive event will also honor retiring Multnomah County District Attorney, Mike Schrunk, who was instrumental in the development of CARES Northwest.
For the past 25 years, CARES Northwest has served as a community-based medical program for the assessment, treatment and prevention of child abuse. The program combines the collaborative forces of four of the region’s leading health systems—Kaiser Permanente, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Providence Health & Services and Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel.
“Since opening our doors in 1987, we have served nearly 30,000 children in our medical clinic, and have triaged almost twice that many referrals,” said Kevin Dowling, CARES Northwest program manager. “Most of the children we see are 12 years and younger, with sexual abuse and physical abuse being the most common reasons for referral.
“The need is great and our program is committed to serving all children, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. CARES Northwest relies on generous contributions from the community to ensure our most vulnerable patients receive care.”
Twenty-five years of devotion to improving and enriching the lives of children gives everyone a good reason to celebrate. For more information about the CARES Northwest 25th Anniversary Gala, please contact Kelly Stover, event coordinator, at 503-413-6465 or kstover@lhs.org. To learn more about CARES Northwest, visit www.caresnw.org.
Portland, October 13th. 475 guests joined forces to support “I Have a Dream” Oregon at the Nines Hotel. The annual “Dream Big” auction raised $285,000, a 20% increase over last year. Abbey Gibb of KGW was the host for the evening and Timber Joey came out to help. The “I Have a Dream” Oregon program serves over 1,200 Dreamers in Oregon, from pre-K through college. Advocates works collaboratively with other local organizations to provide mentors, access to social and academic wraparound services, and create a “culture of college and career” within schools and Dreamer families.
Dreamers from the “I Have a Dream” Oregon Dreamer School in Reynolds School District before going on-stage at Dream Big 2012
Sara Caldwell-Kan, Class 9’s College Access Coordinator with Class Sponsors Julie & Robb Ball and President & CEO Mark Langseth
Board Member Kay Hall with her husband Dan Hall and “I Have a Dream” President & CEO Mark Langseth smile for the camera in front of art from famed artist Tom Cramer during the social hour
Dreamer School Dreamers help show off the live auction artwork handcrafted with the support of “I Have a Dream” Oregon’s friend Polly Spencer and Alder Elementary Dreamers.
Class 9 Dreamer, Arthur Jackson, delivers a heart-felt special appeal speech about how the Dreamer Program has made all the difference in his life as he approaches high school graduation. Arthur received a standing ovation.
Special guest Timber Joey!
From “I Have a Dream” Oregon:
We believe that, with the right supports, low-income students can overcome barriers to a great education. For over 20 years, we have been helping Dreamer students with three proven core services: long-term relationships with caring adult mentors; access to wraparound services; and creating a “culture of college and career” within schools and Dreamer families.
While our service delivery model has changed, our mission remains the same: to help low-income students succeed in school, college and career.
National: In 27 cities across 17 states – over 14,000 student “Dreamers”
Oregon: Nearly 900 student Dreamers served since the first student class was ‘adopted’ in 1990, with 655 additional Dreamers being served at the Dreamer School at Alder Elementary.
Classes: 7 in Portland and 3 in Forest Grove/Cornelius
Schools: The first Dreamer School was launched in 2011 at Alder Elementary
According to a study completed by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory in 2009, Dreamers that have participated in “I Have a Dream” Oregon programs have benefited from:
Increased high school graduation/GED rates: In 2011, 94% of our Dreamers graduated from high school – nearly 3x the rate for students with their backgrounds.
Increased college attendance
Increased high school completion rates of teen mothers and decreased discipline problems for all Dreamers, including suspensions, expulsions, and referrals to the judicial system.
Where they are in 2012:
– Dreamers from Class 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are enrolled in colleges and universities around the nation
– Class 9 Dreamers are 12th graders with our programming based out of Benson High School
– Class 10 Dreamers are 8th graders with our programming based out of Vernon Elementary
– The 2011 – 2012 year signaled the first year of implementation for the Dreamer School at Alder Elementary
Portland, October 27th. Proprietors of The John Palmer House, Susan Dunn and Maggie Kolkena, opened the doors of their 1892 grand Victorian for Spellbound, Portland Story Theater’s 4th annual fundraiser. Ticket holders crept around the lavishly renovated private home in the Historic Mississippi District whilst sipping white wine Corpse Reviver cocktails. Guests had an intimate look at the entire home, which some claim is haunted, as storytellers regaled them with what they claimed were true stories of the supernatural. (Photo Credit, Scott Bump)
Construction on the John Palmer House was originally started in 1890. John Palmer’s wife died just four years after moving into the home (some say her ghost still haunts its halls.)
Inside John Palmer House
“When Lynne contacted us with the idea of holding a Halloween event at the house, we were delighted!” says current co-owner Maggie Kolkena. “We were looking for ways to give back to our community and we’d been thinking of doing something like this, something involving the arts.” This will be the fourth year in a row that The John Palmer House has hosted this event for Portland Story Theater. The bulk of the proceeds support the work of Portland Story Theater, with a portion donated to a local community charity on behalf of The John Palmer House. “The John Palmer house is the perfect place to hold an event like Spellbound,” says Lynne Duddy, co-founder of Portland Story Theater. Lynne grew up a few blocks away from the Palmer House and the moment she saw the house being renovated a few years ago, she thought it would be the ideal setting for a story theater experience in honor of All Hallows Eve.
Lizzie and Maggie embody the era.
Jeff Burke entertains supporters
Featured in Portland Story Theater’s Urban Tellers Invitational, Mary Welch, enthralls listeners with a performance style that has passion and presence.
Tamara Lynne is the founder of Living Stages and is an outstanding practitioner of Theatre of the Oppressed (Teatro do Oprimido), which is a process of community action, reflection, and transformation through artistic expression.
The John Palmer House is a lavishly ornate Victorian that has been beautifully restored and updated by the current owners, Susan P. Dunn and Margaret Kolkena. For many years the home was used as the Multnomah Conservatory of Music. The Sauter Family purchased the John Palmer House in the late 60’s and used the home as a Bed & Breakfast. In 2008, the home was purchased by the current owners. The property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (1977) and is designated a Portland Historical Landmark (1972). www.johnpalmerhouse.com/
Portland Story Theater is a 501(c)3 and was launched in 2004 to bring the urban community together to hear and tell true stories that stimulate the mind and rouse the heart. Portland Story Theater uses a unique collaborative approach to co-create story theater that is drawn from real-life experiences. Authentic. Honest. Urban. Portland Story Theater is building empathy, compassion, understanding by transforming our community narrative one story at a time. www.portlandstorytheater.com/
About the performers:
There are all kinds of master craftsmen in the world, Lawrence Howard is a master at crafting stories. One of
the original co-founders of Portland Story Theater, he delivers stories that resonate with adult audiences. This year he’ll be telling a story about being chased by a big black dog….or was it something else? Lawrence is best known for his Armchair Adventurer series, and will be taking “Shackleton’s Antarctic Nightmare” to Off Broadway in New York. www.lawrencehoward.name/
One of the original co-founders of Portland Story Theater, Lynne Duddy is the creator and a performer of the new works solo festival, Singlehandedly, which will be celebrating its 5th anniversary this Spring. Her performance art has been described by The Oregonian as “raw, revealing, and vulnerable” but the stories she tells at The John Palmer House have proven to also be creepy and disarming. This year she shares a true story about an eerie experience between the dream world and reality. www.lynneduddy.com/
Nobody tells a scary story quite like Jeff Burke. Best known as the proprietor of Hipbone Studio, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, unleashes his darker side at this event at the John Palmer House. Jeff has participated in several Urban Teller showcases and is an avid supporter of art in the Portland community. He also teaches figurative drawing at his studio in NE Portland. www.hipbonestudio.com/
Tamara Lynne draws upon some extraordinary experiences she had in Wales to create an unforgettable tale of doubt and indecision. http://www.teatrocambio.org/
Featured in Portland Story Theater’s Urban Tellers Invitational, Mary Welch, enthralls listeners with a performance style that has passion and presence. She likes to say she is a recovering bohemian, but that is always at the risk of having people question just how recovered she really is… Mary is also a visual artist and her work can be viewed at www.myartwhimy.com/
Portland, October 13th. More than 400 guests gathered in the Grand Ballroom of the Portland Art Museum for Food, Wine & Wishes, a gala auction and dinner to benefit Make-A-Wish Oregon. The event raised $265,000 to grant local wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions. Guests enjoyed wine tastings from some of Oregon’s premier wineries including: Sokol Blosser, David Hill Vineyards and Elk Cove Vineyards. ( Photo credit, Eugene W. Wong)
Jamie Morris and Make-A-Wish CEO Laila Umpleby (right) present Kathryn Morris the Katie Star Award
Members of the Board of Directors, Ambassador Board and Junior Board: Members of the Make-A-Wish Boards gather for a champagne toast
Wish recipients Ella Grace Edmonson and Lily Moser auction off Ella’s art
Wish recipient Denton Holmgren with Make-A-Wish Oregon Board Chair Ross Carey
Make-A-Wish Oregon grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. By granting a wish to a child during a time of turmoil for the entire family, Make-A-Wish is often the light at the end of the tunnel for wish kids and family members. Since 1983, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 2,500 wishes in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
Portland, October 26th. Portland Shakespeare Project announced that Michael E. Nehring, Professor of Theatre at Chapman University in Orange, California, has joined Portland Shakespeare Project as the Education Director and Associate Artistic Director.
Core to Portland Shakespeare Project’s mission is offering classes and educational programs designed to raise proficiency, broaden knowledge and enrich understanding of classical material and contemporary works that honor the traditions of classical theatre. Nehring will continue the development of strong education programs for actors, students and audience members.
Nehring is an accomplished actor, director, choreographer and teacher. He has been a founding member of several successful theatre companies, including Shakespeare Orange County for which he has played leading roles such as Prospero, Shylock, Benedick, Iago, Malvolio, Polonius, Caliban, and all the Shakespearean fools. He has received the Los Angeles Weekly Award for Performance and three Los Angeles Drama-logue Awards for Performance. As a proud member of Actor’s Equity he has performed for The Center Theatre Group of Los Angeles, A Noise Within, Shakespeare Santa Barbara, Pensacola Shakespeare, and recently for the Prague Shakespeare Festival in the Czech Republic.
Nehring earned his Master’s of Theatre degree at the University of Oregon. He is also certified to teach acting with the Meisner Technique and completed the Shakespeare and Company Intensive training. He has been teaching at Chapman University for thirty years, serving several terms as Theatre Department Chair. He was instrumental in developing Chapman’s BFA degree program in Theatrical Performance and has created classes for the BFA degree program in Screen Acting. He has served as an on-camera acting coach for The Disney Channel and has taught for California State University at Long Beach, The Portland Actor’s Conservatory and at Portland Shakespeare Project for the past two summers.Nehring currently lives and teaches in California, but plans to spend summers and many weekends in Portland.
Portland Shakespeare Project is a nonprofit theatre company dedicated to educating, enriching and entertaining audiences by producing classical works and contemporary works associated with classical material. Portland Shakespeare Project is committed to using dedicated, professional, local actors and technicians.
Portland Shakespeare Project offers classes and educational programs for students, actors and audience members designed to raise proficiency, broaden knowledge and enrich understanding of classical material and contemporary works which honor the traditions of classical theatre.
Portland Shakespeare Project was formed by Michael Mendelson and Karen Rathje to bring high quality and innovative interpretations of both classic works of theatre and modern works associated with classical material to Portland audiences.
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