Portland, OR. Ecotrust held a grand opening for its new Pearl District event space on August 8th. The space, called Irving Street Studio, is located in the first floor of the Ecotrust building.
While the Irving Street Studio is located in the Ecotrust building, it features a separate address and dedicated entrance.
In 2017, a longtime tenant of the historic Ecotrust building, outdoor clothing company Patagonia, moved to West Burnside. Ecotrust then used the vacant space to host large events such as Paul Hawken’s sold-out Drawdown book launch. Ultimately leaders decided to upgrade the vacant space and use it as another rental venue to help raise funds to benefit their organization. Ecotrust is a nonprofit working to create social, economic, and environmental change.
The new Irving Street Studio is divided into three rooms, the west room can seat up to 280 guests for a meal and 375 as a theater. The east room is situated for ceremonies, receptions, and silent auctions.
The third room, a historic bank vault and the original warehouse office, will retain its charm but allow for the privacy required for board meetings, breakouts, and bridal suites.
More information about the venue in the Pearl District at NW 9th Ave. is available here: https://ecotrust.org/
West Linn, OR. The 11th annual Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) Invitational was held August 11th-12th at The Oregon Golf Club and featured 21 Oregon and Southwest Washington PGA golf pros, paired with amateur players, vying for a competitive prize purse, all while raising funds for the CCA. The invitational golf tournament is one of the largest fundraising events for CCA and has raised more than $1.7 million over the course of 11 years, which includes this year’s record-breaking total of $470,000. (Photo Credit, Portland Photography)
The Bruno family whose daughter was served by CCA posed for photo with the three celebrity panelists, Roger Clemens, Drew Bledsoe and Sean McDonough.
Sean McDonough, ESPN Sportscaster; Eric Weckert, CEO/Partner, Team Studio, CEO/Founder, DRIVe; Drew Bledsoe, former NFL Quarterback; Andy Lytle, CCA Board of Directors and Division VP, Western US at Jackson Family Wines
Regina Ellis, Founder and Chief Joy Officer, CCA delivers keynote speech
Group photo
The event was founded by Grant Hammersley, Vice Chair of Opus Board of Directors, and is governed by a steering committee including co-chairs Bob Turnquist, Head Pro/GM at The Oregon Golf Club and Jason Strobbe, VP of Sales at Vintage Wine Estates.
The event began with a Celebrity Round Table dinner on Sunday, August 11. Celebrity panelists included former MLB All-Star Pitcher, Roger Clemens; former NFL Quarterback, Drew Bledsoe; and ESPN Sportscaster, Sean McDonough.
The reception and dinner featured an inspiring story shared by Heidi Bruno of Tigard, OR, whose daughter, Holly, was served by CCA. Guests also had the opportunity to bid on exclusive experiences curated by each of the celebrity panelists.
The Pro-Am tournament, presented by OnPoint Community Credit Union, followed the reception on Monday, August 12, and offered world-class golf overlooking the sweeping views at the Oregon Golf Club. Additional sponsors include Joe’s Burgers, Go To Ortho, Prestige Care, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, and Acme Construction.
To learn more about CCA, please visit JoyRx.org.
About Children’s Cancer Association (CCA):
Since 1995, Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) has been transforming the pediatric healthcare experience through innovative, Joy-based programming, enhancing the mental health and emotional well-being of pediatric patients with the healing power of music, friendship, and nature. JoyRxTM programs empower kids to positively shift their emotional states during the stressful and painful experiences related to fighting life-threatening illnesses and extended hospitalizations. CCA aims to clinically position and deliver JoyRx as best practice in children’s hospitals across the country. See JoyRx in action at JoyRx.org or Facebook.com/ChildrensCancerAssociation.
FALL PREVIEW: Portland, OR. United Cerebral Palsy of Oregon & SW Washington (UCP) will honor business leaders committed to employing Oregonians who experience intellectual and developmental disabilities. Supporters are gearing up for a special recognition happy hour for employers who have excelled in diversifying their workplaces in partnership with Employment Solutions. The AbilityAware happy hour will take place on Thursday, October 24th from 4:00 to 6:30 at the Portland Armory: 128 NW 11th Ave.
UCP Oregon began in 1955 by supporting adults who experienced cerebral palsy. But today we do so much more than that! We assist adults and kids of all ages, who experience all kinds of developmental disabilities.
About Employment Solutions:
Employment Solutions is a service of UCP Oregon and has been connecting businesses with qualified candidates since its inception in 2006. Candidates are vetted to determine their best job match and supports are put into place to ensure employment success. Employment Solutions partners with hundreds of businesses in Portland, Clackamas, WA County and Hood River to increase diversity, productivity and profitability for local businesses. Some of the benefits of partnering with Employment Solutions are no-cost, on-site coaching, assistance with accommodations, and consultation on topics such as ADA compliance and filing tax credits. Our experienced team customizes the level of supports based on the needs of each business.
About AbilityAware:
An AbilityAware employer is a community-focused business, committed to advancing employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and in turn cultivating a strong local economy. Employers have earned this designation and can proudly display the AbilityAware plaque and signage in their workplace. Learn more about being an AbilityAware employer here.
Boring, OR. “Happiness is a warm puppy,” wrote Charles M. Schultz and volunteer puppy raisers at Guide Dogs for the Blind agree. The organization held its annual Oregon Fun Day on July 20th at its Boring campus. The theme for this year’s Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) Fun Day was “Bone Voyage” with dogs and humans dressing up in leis, tropical shirts and captain’s hats. (Photo credit, Morry Angell, Guide Dogs for the Blind)
This puppy raising family wears sailor hats as they work with their new GDB puppy in training.
Pawprint painting made by some furry Fun Day attendees
Fun Day was a day of celebration for dogs and humans alike. In the spirit of the “Bone Voyage” theme, special activities were set up all over campus. Activities ranged from a paw print painting station to a photo booth meant to capture some of the clever costumes from the day. A boat-themed “Dogs on Deck” obedience training session and a “Good Ship Lollipop” socialization and training session gave puppy raisers the opportunity to practice skills with their GDB puppies in training. In addition to festive activities, GDB experts spoke on the subject of “Journey vs. Genes,” which explored what makes a successful guide dog.
To conclude the celebration, a puppy delivery ceremony, matching to local Pacific Northwest volunteer puppy raisers with their new guide dog puppies, took place. Volunteer puppy raisers are typically responsible for socializing and taking care of their GDB puppies in training for about a year. Puppy raisers were given the chance to guess the name of their new puppy before meeting them. From “Jamboree” to “Fleetwood,” these ten new GDB puppies in training ventured off with their new puppy raisers to embark on a journey of learning obedience and socialization skills before their formal Guide Dogs for the Blind training.
From Guide Dogs for the Blind:
Are you curious about becoming a volunteer puppy raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind? Puppy raising is one of the many ways to get involved with the nonprofit organization. Learn more here: https://www.guidedogs.com/support-gdb/volunteer/puppy-raising.
Guide Dogs for the Blind provides all services free of charge to clients and relies completely on the support of donations, as it receives no government funding.
Portland, OR. Anne Naito-Campbell (far right) was honored by the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (OCOM) at a celebration on August 7th. She was surrounded by friends and family members Rod Eckerson, Grover Lines, Jr., Micki Naito, and Wesley Campbell. The lobby of the OCOM building was dedicated as the Naito Family Legacy Plaza. OCOM is a private college focused on graduate degrees in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. The college was among nine local nonprofits to receive gifts from the Naito family in May. The gift, valued at $50,000, benefits both the students and patients who now utilize the college’s Old Town clinic and classrooms.
Sherri L. Green, PhD, OCOM’s president and CEO, addresses attendees.
Rod Erickson, Micki Naito, Sherri Green PhD, Cathy Chinn, Anne Naito-Campbell
OCOM Board of Trustees Secretary, Cathy Chinn and Sho Dozono
Anne Naito-Campbell is presented with the dedication plaque which will be displayed in the lobby by OCOM Board of Trustees Secretary, Cathy Chinn
Here’s a history of the relationship between the Naito family and OCOM:
The relationship between the Naito family and OCOM begins with the building that once housed the family’s Import Plaza and is now home to the college’s campus and teaching clinic. Originally developed in 1911, the property was known as the Globe Hotel and had 500 open air cots, barely separated from each other and covered by chicken wire, where it only cost 50 cents a night to get a “room.” At that time, Portland’s Old Town was home to Japanese, Chinese, and other immigrant communities. Evidence of these historical roots were uncovered during the 2012 redevelopment of the site, when crews dug up several artifacts, including a Japanese herbal medicine bottle from the late 1800’s.
In the 1960’s, when the Naitos bought the then-vacant Globe building, the intent to start a retail import shop in the middle of what was then known as Skid Row. The flagship store carried a mixture of eye-catching and kitschy products from across Asia including lamps, wicker and wood furniture, porcelain figurines, glass bowls and vases, folding screens, and a wide variety of Buddha sculptures. Despite predictions to the contrary, Import Plaza was an instant success, and it demonstrated the Naito family’s commitment to developing the beauty and resilience of Old Town. It also generated the cash flow and spawned a retail chain that allowed the Naito family to acquire extensive real estate holdings.
At its peak, Import Plaza consisted of eight stores across Oregon. Closing in 2000 due to changes in retail trends, the flagship location lay dormant, waiting to become a part of a new vision for the Old Town neighborhood. OCOM selected the location as the perfect home for its new campus. In collaboration with the Naito’s, the redevelopment project was funded through a combination of tax credits, PDC funds; and conventional financing, and the campus has since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The $15.2 million dollar rehab of the building took one year, included gutting all four existing floors for seismic retrofit purposes, and earned the structure LEED Gold certification. The project team included Beam Development, Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects, and LCG Pence Construction, LLC. On the roof is the old Import Plaza sign, restored and now emblazoned with the letters, OCOM. Culminating with the ribbon cutting in 2012, Anne Naito-Campbell and the Naito family have supported OCOM’s role in revitalizing the Old Town neighborhood. The relocation nearly doubled the college’s square footage, allowing OCOM to educate students and offer acupuncture, herbal, and wellness services to the public.
Founded in 1983, OCOM is a single-purpose professional graduate school that offers first professional and postgraduate degree programs in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. OCOM’s mission is to transform health care by educating highly skilled and compassionate practitioners, providing exemplary patient care, and engaging in innovative research within a community of service and healing. Our 1,500 graduates practice, teach, and research Chinese medicine in 50 states and across the globe, and have provided an estimated 10 million treatments over the past 36 years. Additional information about the college is available on our website, ocom.edu
Portland, OR. Bridge Meadows supporters are gearing up for a special evening on September 19th at the Hilton Hotel. It’s the 14th annual IMAGINE Fall Auction & Gala. Portland favorite, KGW’s Drew Carney and Benefit Auctions 360’s Johnna Wells will co-host the event again this year. Bridge Meadows is a nonprofit which builds purposeful communities where children formerly in foster care, their forever families, and elders of modest means flourish together. Click here for tickets information.
Due to damage inside of the Kridel Grand Ballroom at the Portland Art Museum, Bridge Meadows is moving our 14th Annual IMAGINE Fall Auction & Gala to the Hilton Portland Downtown Grand Ballroom I. The Hilton Portland Downtown and the Portland Art Museum have been very gracious and helpful in working with us through this transition, and we hope that this shift to a location several blocks away will not inconvenience
At the benefit, attendees will enjoy a selection of wine and cocktails, dinner, and live auction while supporting the meaningful work Bridge Meadows provides for children who have experienced foster care, parents and elders in our community. Entertainment will be provided by talented youth performers from Friends of Noise. Come celebrate the transformative power of intergenerational communities!
Here are some photos from last year:
Board Member Gayle Meyer, Associate Director Renee Mosely, and friends pose at the photobooth.
Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle and friends
Bridge Meadows Supporters Steve Meyer, Mike Cobb, Patty Cobb, and Board Member Gayle Meyer
The IMAGINE Fall Auction & Gala is the premier fundraising event for Bridge Meadows. Since its inception in 2005, the IMAGINE Fall Auction & Gala has raised more than $2 million to sustain and build intentional, intergenerational neighborhoods where children, families, and elders flourish together.
Bridge Meadows builds purposeful communities where children formerly in foster care, their forever families, and elders of modest means flourish together. We provide safe, affordable housing that helps interrupt the cycle of poverty, instability, and isolation that weakens communities over generations. Youth find comfort in stable homes. Parents receive support and guidance. Elders find the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of families and children. Bridge Meadows community members are invested in each other’s success. With safe, stable housing, and a shared social purpose, Bridge Meadows residents can re-orient themselves toward improved family stability, wellness, education, and economic outcomes. Our program has a lasting impact on the health and well-being of children who have experienced trauma, their adoptive parents, and elders who live in our communities. As we continue to look beyond our two communities, North Portland and Beaverton, we feel a grand sense of urgency to respond and build more intergenerational communities. Proceeds from the IMAGINE gala & auction will support on-site programs, mental health services and future community site developments.
Your support at the IMAGINE Fall Auction & Gala will make it possible for future generations to benefit from a Bridge Meadows community.
The IMAGINE Fall Auction & Gala is the premier fundraising event for Bridge Meadows. Since its inception in 2005, the IMAGINE Fall Auction & Gala has raised more than $2 million to sustain and build intentional, intergenerational neighborhoods where children, families, and elders flourish together.
Editor’s note: Fall Preview is a PortlandSocietyPage.com feature and is sponsored content.
Portland, OR. The seventh annual Forage in the Forest on August 3rd was the largest event to date for the nonprofit Hoyt Arboretum Friends. The event raised over $127,000 and drew 130 people who started their evening with a walk along the Bristlecone Pine Trail. The Hoyt Arboretum is located in Washington Park and has over 2,300 tree species from six continents. Twelve miles of hiking trails course through its 189 acres.
Supporters told auctioneer Johnna Wells about upcoming plans for 2020.
Joey Pope and the Pope Family were honored for over 30 years of leadership at Hoyt Arboretum. Joey was joined by daughter Molly Pope and granddaughter Josephine Pope as well as friends and neighbors.
Bartlett Tree Experts was the Diamond Sponsor for the Forage in the Forest event and national Bartlett President Jim Ingrahm was in Portland for the evening.
Portland Parks & Recreation Director Adena Long joined table sponsors Brad and Nancy Miller.
Cameron Winery donated the wine for the event
The meal featured a first course of chilled cucumber soup and smoked tuna prepared by Chef Greg Higgins, his seventh time donating his food in support of this event. Other courses were provided by Artemis Catering. John Paul attended and donated wines to complement all courses from his Cameron Winery. A short auction was followed by a paddle raise.
From Hoyt Arboretum Friends:
Hoyt Arboretum grows through a longstanding partnership between Portland Parks and Recreation (PP&R) and Hoyt Arboretum Friends (HAF), a membership-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Through fundraising and volunteer recruitment, HAF enhances visitor experience and provides educational opportunities around the trees and collections in the Arboretum. Hoyt Arboretum staff and volunteers run the Visitor Center, distribute literature, and help fund major projects. HAF volunteers maintain the trails and trees, provide tours and classes, and help to catalog the Arboretum’s collection.
Our Board of Directors and Advisory Council are volunteer positions. We employ a staff of four to manage our education, volunteer, fundraising, and communication efforts.
Our mission is to maintain and improve Hoyt Arboretum and its collections for all people through advocacy, resources, awareness, and education. To learn more about our long-term goals, read the executive statement of our current five-year Strategic Plan.
FALL PREVIEW: Portland, OR. Lan Su Chinese Garden supporters want you to join them on September 7th for a remarkable benefit called: Under the Moonlight. It’s Lan Su’s premier fundraising event of the year. Click here for more information and tickets options.
Here’s what you can expect: Guests arrive to a cocktail hour and silent auction followed by a brief live auction. After the auction guests enjoy an intimate evening in the twilight of the garden and a three course dining experience with wine pairings prepared exclusively for their table by one of Portland’s prominent chefs. Participating restaurants are Tanner Creek Tavern, LeChon, Swank and Trattoria Gallo Nero.
Here are some images from last year’s benefit. (Photo credit, Jingsi Photography)
Tanner Creek Tavern staff prep meals for guests.
Jazz singer Mia Nicholson entertains guests during the cocktail hour.
Auction emcee Tracy Barry
Table sponsorships for Under the Moonlight are available for $5,000 or $3,500 and seats are sold for $350. All revenue from the event goes directly to maintaining and improving the garden and the hundreds of cultural programs offered throughout the year.
Editor’s note: Fall Preview is a PortlandSocietyPage.com feature and is sponsored content.
From Lan Su Chinese Garden:
The mission of Lan Su Chinese Garden is to cultivate an oasis of tranquil beauty and harmony to inspire, engage and educate our global community in the appreciation of a richly authentic Chinese culture.
Lan Su Chinese Garden is one of Portland’s greatest treasures and most interesting sites to see while visiting Portland. A result of a collaboration between the cities of Portland and Suzhou, our sister city in China’s Jiangsu province that’s famous for its beautiful Ming Dynasty gardens, Lan Su was built by Chinese artisans from Suzhou and is one the most authentic Chinese gardens outside of China.
Much more than just a beautiful botanical garden, Lan Su is a creative wonder — a powerfully inspiring experience based on a 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition that melds art, architecture, design and nature in perfect harmony.
Once inside the garden’s walls, you’ll feel as if you’ve traveled through time to another era in a faraway world. Lan Su is a window into Chinese culture, history and way of thinking. Ever changing, Lan Su always has something new to offer — by the minute, by the hour, and with the seasons. Enter the wonderland.
Our Name
The garden’s name represents this relationship: sounds from both Portland and Suzhou are combined to form Lan Su. “Lan” (蘭) is also the Chinese word for “Orchid” and “Su” (蘇) is the word for “Arise” or “Awaken,” so the garden’s name can also be interpreted poetically as “Garden of Awakening Orchids.” (蘭蘇園)
FALL PREVIEW – Portland, OR. A lively group of Wind & Oar Boat School supporters wants you to join them on Tuesday, September 10th for food, drinks and a robust silent auction. The innovative school’s 2nd annual Root Beer Float-tilla will take place at the Daimler Trucks North America Headquarters on Swan Island (4555 N Channel Ave., Portland, 97217.)
At the benefit, you’ll also have a chance to learn more about Wind & Oar. It’s an Oregon nonprofit engaging youth in math, practical and social skills through the art, science, and craft of wooden boat building.
The school’s methods include a low teacher-to-student ratio, hands-on math application and promoting self-confidence in solving problems.
The guest speaker will be Guest speaker is Roger Nielsen, CEO, Daimler Trucks.
Here are a few photos from last year’s event:
Root beer floats (hand-made using table sponsor Tillamook Creamery ice cream) are served while guests hear success stories from Wind & Oar educators and students.
Partnering with public schools and youth serving organizations, we deliver STE(A)M (science, technology, engineering, art, math) programming to underserved youth across the Portland Metro region in elementary school through post-secondary settings.
Building a wooden boat is the platform for exploration of an array of academic, practical, and social skills.
Students master new skills in an atmosphere that fosters critical thinking, teamwork, and perseverance.
Through the process of crafting a tangible, functional object, young people gain confidence, motivation, and a curious spirit they carry forward at school and in the workplace.
Address: Wind & Oar Boat School 2303 N Randolph Portland, OR 97227
Editor’s note: Fall Preview is a PortlandSocietyPage.com feature and is sponsored content.
Portland, OR. Fences For Fido, a nonprofit based in Portland, is the recipient of a grant from the Dr. Jane Foundation. The $1,125 grant announced on July 26th, will support the nonprofit’s work of offering spay/neuter services while building free fenced yards for dogs who previously were confined to tethers or small enclosures. A Fences For Fido volunteer and a dog smile for the camera during a fence build.
A dog named Cole smiles with a Fences For Fido volunteer after receiving his new fence.
Volunteers pose with Kota in SW Washington after building a new fenced yard. Kota previously spent his days on a chain.
From Fences For Fido:
Fences For Fido volunteers built their first fence in Portland in May 2009. This summer, the organization is marking its 10th anniversary and celebrating 2,200 dogs unchained in Oregon and SW Washington. The all-volunteer organization works directly with families who previously confined their dogs to chains or small kennels. With volunteer labor and donor funding, the organization build free fenced yards and provides spay/neuter surgeries, insulated dog houses, and urgent veterinary care as needed.
The Dr. Jane Foundation is the charitable arm of Florida-based Life’s Abundance, Inc. The foundation issues quarterly competitive grants to charitable organizations that contribute to the health and well-being of pets in their communities.
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