Portland, OR. A virtual event for Randall Children’s Hospital on October 22nd raised over $370,000. “An Evening to Celebrate Kids” was the 5th annual benefit. Presenting sponsor was Pacific Office Automation. Located in North Portland, Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel is a regional center for the care of infants, children, and teens.
John Strong (Emcee/host) and Drew Carney (auctioneer)
Below is a video about Randall Children’s Hospital program to a program called Child Life.
Foundation volunteers: Gretchen Lawrence, Alyson Evans and Michelle Birman
From Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel:
We provide expert medical services, from routine care to the most complex cases. With a comprehensive range of pediatric specialties, we help families with children facing some of the most difficult medical conditions. That’s why local pediatricians and families trust us to provide the region’s most advanced care.
Our facility receives nearly 100,000 patient visits every year. We are Oregon’s largest provider of pediatric inpatient and trauma services, and Oregon’s ever-growing population means a continued increase in demand for our services. So, we’re building a new home.
Every inch of our state-of-the-art, nine-story, 334,000-square-foot building is designed exclusively for the special health care needs of children. Our new home opened in February 2012.
Portland, OR. De La Salle North Catholic High School (DLSNC) held an in-person fundraiser by following Covid-19 protocols. The benefit drew 250 supporters and raised $602,000. Ed Maletis and his wife, Board Member Cyndy Maletis, posed for a photo with VP for Advancement Ashleigh de Villiers and Phil and Barbara Silver. The Fall Benefit Dinner & Auction was held on October 29th at the new campus for the school which is located at 4300 NE Killingsworth Street.
Guests tour the new campus during the a reception hour.
Guests raise their paddles to support De La Salle North Catholic.
The event also celebrated 20 years of Knight Nation education and featured members of the first graduating class, 2005, and founding President Matt Powell and founding Corporate Work-Study Program Director Mike Jacobson.
2021 Cassin Award Winners Senka Lenn and Cathy Myers (on right) with DLSNC President Oscar Leong
People mingled in the outdoor courtyard during the silent auction.
250 guests are seated in the new Michael Kelley Gymnasium for the dinner and program.
From De La Salle North Catholic High School:
De La Salle North Catholic High School opened in 2001 to provide a faith-based, college preparatory high school education to underserved students from the Portland area. These families needed and wanted a viable and affordable choice of schools to send their students. Other private high schools in and around Portland were not an option for most of them because of the cost and the distance their student would have to travel to go to school each day. They spoke out and said, “put your school right here in our neighborhood.”
De La Salle was the first school to replicate the innovative Corporate Work Study Program pioneered by Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago. There are now more than 37 schools throughout American cities that model their school on this Cristo Rey model.
De La Salle North Catholic is sponsored by The De La Salle Christian Brothers and is a part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland/Western Oregon. A nationwide, independent rating agency has identified De La Salle North Catholic High School as the most diverse private high school in all of Oregon.
Students at De La Salle North Catholic High School attend class four days per week and work for a local company one day each week as part of the Corporate Work-Study Program (CWSP). The CWSP provides work experience, business contacts, and helps offset the cost to educate them. This school exists to provide this unique educational opportunity to families who would not be able to afford a private, Catholic education. Our goal is to develop tomorrow’s community leaders by making high-quality education accessible to motivated young people in a learning environment that values cultural, spiritual, and ethnic diversity. We don’t turn away any capable, motivated, or interested student because they cannot afford our modest tuition.
Portland, OR. This Red Panda is one of many animals that had a chance to play with pumpkins this October at the Oregon Zoo. The zoo is also encouraging parents to bring their costumed kids to ‘Howloween’ for treats and fun. The zoo provides a safe setting for this Halloween tradition, where costumed trick-or-treaters learn about healthy habitats for wildlife in a fun scavenger hunt throughout the zoo.
Treat bags are available at the end of the scavenger hunt for an additional fee of $3 per participant. In keeping with the zoo’s mission. Activities are best suited for children ages 2-12, but all are welcome.
Here’s a video with those cute animals playing with their pumpkins:
Here are some snapshots of the animals:
From Oregon Zoo:
What’s different for Howloween this year?
Make sure your costumes include masks that cover your nose and mouth.
Instead of collecting candy and toys throughout the zoo, Howloween participants may purchase pre-filled treat bags that can be collected at the end of their scavenger hunt. Treat bags are $3 each; tickets for the treat bags will be available for purchase online.
All tickets must be purchased in advance, in timed-entry segments. Please note that due to capacity restrictions, even infants need to be counted. Infants are free with a paid adult admission, but must have a ticket.
Portland, OR. The theme for the October 16th virtual benefit, “Weathering the Storm” addressed the challenges many have faced navigating the pandemic. INCIGHT navigated its own rough waters during the past 18 months and yet the nonprofit stayed buoyant. Dan Friess and local TV personality Natali Marmion were hosts for the event, which raised $130,000. INCIGHT is dedicated to “Changing Hearts and Minds,” “Leveraging Obstacles,” and “Unlocking Potential” for those with disabilities through education, employment, and independence.
Julie Resk, Mair Blatt and friends Weather the Storm together.
Storm watchers Gary Buczkowski, Rosemary Buczkowski and Meagan Kimball host a house party in support of INCIGHT.
INCIGHT co-founder Scott Hatley reports from Majestic Cape Meares in Tillamook County.
The INCIGHT team enjoys the success of the night.
The event showcased stories of success and highlighted the important partnership with Hood-to-Coast Relay which helped keep INCIGHT on its feet during COVID by providing pro-bono office space.
The virtual benefit featured reports from remote locations such as Cape Meares in Tillamook County and Charbonneau in Wilsonville, Oregon.
We could not have held this event without the generosity of our presenting sponsor, the Safeway Foundation. Other sponsors for our event include:
INCIGHT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has been Unlocking the Potential of People experiencing disabilities for more than 17 years. INCIGHT’s services have influenced thousands of students, job seekers, educators, parents, employers, and community members. The INCIGHT mission is one that invites and challenges everyone to think, feel and behave with more equity and expectancy.
Portland, OR. Portland Opera is celebrating a return to in-person performances with three performances of Puccini’s grand opera Tosca at the Keller Auditorium. The performances of Tosca are on October 29th, 31st, and November 6th. “We are over the moon to be returning to the Keller Auditorium this Friday for the first time in 727 days,” says General Director Sue Dixon. “Tosca is the perfect opera for our return to the theater after all of this time — it’s grand, traditional, passionate, and beloved. It’s really a classic for a reason.” This production will feature a number of company debuts, including tenor Noah Stewart as Cavaradossi, seen above, and Soprano Alexandra LoBianco will make her Portland Opera debut in the title role.
The piece tells the story of Tosca, a renowned diva, in Rome in 1800. An artist-activist has won her heart, and his revolutionary sympathies provoke the wrath of Scarpia, the corrupt chief of police. Her devotion and moral resistance are challenged by abuses of power, attempted rape, and tragedy—as this high drama builds to its haunting finale.
Gordon Hawkins as Scarpia and Alexandra LoBianco in the title role of Puccini’s Tosca. Photo by Cory Weaver/Portland Opera.
Dixon continues; “We’ve spent the last 18 months following the most up-to-date guidance, shifting our policies, and keeping health and well-being at the forefront of our decision-making. We are committed to keeping everyone involved safe. For this reason, all audience members must show proof of vaccination or negative PCR test to attend a show at Portland Opera this season, and everyone is required to wear a mask inside the theater (except when consuming food or beverages). Audience members will be asked to present this proof of full vaccine or negative COVID-19 test result, as well as verify their ID, prior to entering the theater to have their tickets scanned. At this point, children under the age of 12 (for whom there is not currently an available vaccine) will not be admitted to performances. We’ve also worked with our unions to create a COVID action plan for our cast, crew, and staff working on Tosca.” Detailed information about Portland Opera’s COVID-19 policies can be found here. If postponed, alternate COVID-19 dates for this production are May 13 – 21, 2022.
“We recognize that some people may not be ready to come back to the theater in person – and that is okay! We launched a digital channel, Portland Opera Onscreen, as a way to connect with our audience and perform throughout the pandemic, and we will continue to stream our performances here into the future. For Tosca, audience members can stream the opera on demand November 16th-December 31st.”
With the launch of the 21/22 season, Portland Opera welcomes Artistic Director Priti Gandhi, who joined the staff in early September. “I am delighted to be here in Portland for my first production as Artistic Director, and to welcome this incredible cast and creative team to Portland” shares Gandhi. “Tosca is full of passion, romance, tragedy, and politics. It is the perfect grand opera for a return to the theater.”
Noah Stewart as Cavaradossi and Damien Geter as Angelotti in Puccini’s Tosca. Photo by Cory Weaver/Portland Opera.
Soprano Alexandra LoBianco, whose performance as Tosca has been described as “thrilling” by Opera News, will make her Portland Opera debut in the title role. This production will feature a number of company debuts, including tenor Noah Stewart as Cavaradossi, baritone Gordon Hawkins as Scarpia, and tenor Katherine Goforth as Spoletta. Baritone Deac Guidi returns to Portland Opera as Sacristan, bass-baritone Damien Geter (Portland Opera’s co-artistic advisor) returns as Angelotti and the Jailer, and baritone Zachary Lenox returns as Sciarrone.
Conductor Tiffany Chang will conduct Puccini’s lush score, which features the beloved arias “Vissi d’arte,” “E lucevan le stelle,” and “Recondita armonia.” Chang, who makes her debut at Portland Opera as well as Opera Columbus this season, serves as artist-faculty at Oberlin Conservatory and Berklee College of Music, and was a recipient of a 2020 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award as well as a recent OPERA America Grant for Women Stage Directors and Conductors.
Stage director Linda Brovsky will make her Portland Opera debut directing this grand, traditional production. Performances will also feature the talented local and regional musicians who make up Portland Opera’s orchestra and chorus.
From Portland Opera:
Portland Opera appreciates the ongoing support of funders including the National Endowment for the Arts, Oregon Arts Commission, James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, Multnomah County Cultural Coalition, Oregon Community Foundation, and the Regional Arts & Culture Council, including support from the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and the Arts Education & Access Fund.
You can find more information about Tosca here, and for more information, and to purchase tickets visit portlandopera.org or call Patron Services at 503-241-1802. For more information, patrons may also contact the Opera Concierge at [email protected], Monday through Friday from 10 PM–5 PM.
Grand Ronde, OR. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde redevelopment project at Willamette Falls is slated to receive $2 million in federal funding toward infrastructure improvements at the former site of the Blue Heron paper mill. The news comes out of U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley’s office, which announced plans for an upcoming Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill.
Senator Jeff Merkley said, “I’m pleased I was able to secure this $2 million in support of the Grand Ronde Tribes’ ongoing effort to clean up and restore the Blue Heron site at Willamette Falls—a location that holds significant historical and cultural significance to tribal nations. I will continue to advocate for this funding as it moves through Congress, and do everything I can to support the sovereignty and self-determination of tribal nations in Oregon.”
Here’s a video about the project:
The site is located in the center of Oregon City, Oregon, at the majestic Willamette Falls, the second largest waterfall in the United States by volume. It suffered years of heavy industrial use at the Blue Heron paper mill, which closed in 2011.
The demolition at the Blue Heron site in Oregon City kicked off in September. As demolition occurs, everything is being sorted so it can be recycled.
As a part of the broader redevelopment effort, which kicked off with demolition in September 2021, Grand Ronde will use this federal funding to improve street infrastructure and utilities on-site. These infrastructure improvements will cost around $3.7 million. This work will include new public access streets and an extension of Main Street from downtown Oregon City into the site. The previously vacated Water Avenue will be constructed from 99E to 4th Street, and 4th Street will be extended from Water Avenue to Main Street. Along with new streets, new public utilities will be installed to serve the development, including sanitary and storm sewers, a water main and facilities, streetlights, and traffic signals.
“Since its foreclosure, the old Blue Heron site has sat empty and abandoned. The funding allocated to the Grand Ronde Tribe under the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development appropriations bill will allow us to make significant improvements to the property’s infrastructure and take this project one step closer to welcoming family and friends back to Willamette Falls,” said Cheryle A. Kennedy, Chairwoman of the Grand Ronde Tribal Council. “We want to thank our Senators for work they’ve done to highlight this important project.”
The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill also includes support in a variety of other areas, including affordable housing and homelessness services. The bill is the basis for negotiations with the House, as Congress works to fund the government for fiscal year 2022.
Senator Merkley is the only Oregon member of Congress from either chamber since Senator Mark Hatfield to serve on the Appropriations Committee, considered to be one of the most powerful on Capitol Hill. He joined the committee in 2013 so that Oregon would have a strong voice in decisions about the investments our nation should be making.
The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon includes over 30 tribes and bands from western Oregon, northern California, and southwest Washington. For more information, visit www.grandronde.org.
Portland, OR. Over 150 guests gathered to cut the ribbon and officially open the new De La Salle North Catholic High School. The school is located at 4300 NE Killingsworth Street in Northeast Portland. The new facility includes state-of-the-art science labs, a visual arts center, and a new gym. It will serve up to 350 students—significantly more than the 280 who attended at the previous location on North Fenwick Avenue.
Amanda Weingarten ’05, Lech Kaiel ’05, Jonna Frater ’06, and Nik Tucker ’14.
Former Principal Tim Joy along with Lisa Bendt and Charles Leverton from the Multnomah Athletic Club.
Oscar Leong, Brother Chris Patiño and Tim Joy pose next to the statue of St. John Baptist de la Salle.
The Kelley Family in the Michael Kelley Gymnasium.
Board members Cyndy Maletis and Mary Boyle, and guest Gay Jacobsen.
Mary Boyle, the honorary co-chair of the Capital Campaign Committee, said “When we found out that we needed to have a new campus, our own campus, we started looking around and working with the architects and trying to see what kind of campaign we could do, and what we could raise, $30 million was out in the air and we said no way can we raise that amount of money, maybe $15 million? Little did we know, with an incredible campaign committee and all our donors and supporters that we were able to complete a full gym and renovate this whole school and raise $26 million during a pandemic.”
De La Salle North Catholic High School opened in 2001 to provide a faith-based, college preparatory high school education to underserved students from the Portland area. These families needed and wanted a viable and affordable choice of schools to send their student. Other private high schools in and around Portland were not an option for most of them because of the cost and the distance their student would have to travel to go to school each day. They spoke out and said, “put your school right here in our neighborhood.”
De La Salle was the first school to replicate the innovative Corporate Work Study Program pioneered by Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago. There are now more than 37 schools throughout American cities that model their school on this Cristo Rey model.
De La Salle North Catholic is sponsored by The De La Salle Christian Brothers and is a part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland/Western Oregon. A nationwide, independent rating agency has identified De La Salle North Catholic High School as the most diverse private high school in all of Oregon.
Students at De La Salle North Catholic High School attend class four days per week and work for a local company one day each week as part of the Corporate Work-Study Program (CWSP). The CWSP provides work experience, business contacts, and helps offset the cost to educate them. This school exists to provide this unique educational opportunity to families who would not be able to afford a private, Catholic education. Our goal is to develop tomorrow’s community leaders by making high-quality education accessible to motivated young people in a learning environment that values cultural, spiritual, and ethnic diversity. We don’t turn away any capable, motivated, or interested students because they cannot afford our modest tuition.
Portland, OR. 170 supporters attended the Oregon Episcopal School (OES) ‘Ties & Tennies’ event on October 16th. The celebration, held in an outdoor tent, was designed to thank the school’s major donors, particularly supporters of the expanded and remodeled 42,000 square foot athletic center. The OES community raised $13.5 million for the new athletic center, which was constructed during Covid, and completed in June 2021. Longtime supporters Don and Alicia Morissette, seen above, are parents of four OES alumni and Capital Campaign co-chairs. They were presented with a framed piece of the former gym floor as a thank you for their leadership. A new athletic space in the facility is called Morissette Court after the family. It honors their passion to give back to future generations of athletes. Morissette Court has full-size basketball and volleyball courts, and two basketball and volleyball practice courts when the bleachers are retracted. OES Head of School Mo Copeland explained, “The family has been all-in as champions and supporters of OES and we are in their debt for their efforts in inspiring donors and the community to forever make this spectacular building a reality.”
Parents Jeanine Fukuda and Kevin Walkush connect with OES Head of School Mo Copeland
Copeland explained, “The building is truly a game-changer for our students and campus and our community.”
A court remodeled from OES’s previous gym is named for Kris Van Hatcher ‘70 (second from left), who celebrated with son, Addison ‘06 (left), Missy Smith, associate athletic director (second from left), and Dennis Sullivan, athletic director.
Oregon’s Episcopal Diocese bishop, The Rt. Rev. Diana Akiyama, and husband, Michael L. Jackson.
Oregon Episcopal School’s donor thank you event was held outside in a tent with its newly expanded and remodeled athletic center as a backdrop.
Here’s a video about the new facility:
The new athletic facility almost doubles the school’s indoor physical education and athletics capabilities, enhances OES’s already successful and inclusive no-cut athletics programs, and creates a new hub that meaningfully connects the entire school community.
The “old gym” was also upgraded and the space was named for OES’s first student to graduate with 12 varsity letters, a longtime coach, and athletic director Kris Van Hatcher ‘70. Van Hatcher was joined at the event by his wife, Karen, son Addison ‘06, and his wife, Laura.
“The strength of our inclusive and winning athletics program is in large part thanks to Kris and it is only fitting that we recognize his incredible influence at OES by naming our west gym in his honor,” said Copeland.
From OES:
Among the woodlands, wetlands, and wildlife of the hills of Southwest Portland lies the unique educational experience that is Oregon Episcopal School. The school occupies a 59-acre campus where 880 students in Pre-K– Grade 12 share an excellent faculty, a college preparatory curriculum, and a strong sense of community.
Offering a true liberal arts curriculum, OES is dedicated to scholarship and an enriched academic environment of “learning by doing” that strives to help each individual reach his or her fullest potential. Small classes provide intimate learning environments that allow teachers to instill in each student a love for learning and the joy of discovery. Learn more about our Academic philosophy and Essential Competencies.
The oldest Episcopal school west of the Rockies, OES values developing the spirit as well as the mind. Though steeped in Episcopal heritage and tradition, the school welcomes students of all beliefs. We provide instruction about all major faiths, and encourage individuals to discover their own spiritual path. Learn more about our Episcopal tradition.
Portland, OR. The Living Yoga’s Board of Directors announced the nonprofit will stop providing services as of November 12th. Living Yoga began offering trauma-informed yoga to incarcerated in 1998. An announcement noted, “Due to the ongoing pandemic, we have experienced a sustained period of not being able to deliver in-person classes; therefore, We hope you will join us in celebrating our accomplishments over our 24 years of service to our community.”
The nonprofit closure is one of many in the Portland area. Canceled fundraisers and lost donations have left many struggling to stay afloat.
Prior to the pandemic, Living Yoga volunteers provided 34 weekly trauma-informed classes to 24 partner sites including prisons, substance use disorder treatment, and recovery centers, and community health programs.
In response to COVID-19, Living Yoga pivoted in 2020 to provide virtual services, training, and continuing education for the community. Leaders say, “While we have been able to maintain partnerships with select service sites via a virtual model through our dedicated volunteers, our community impact has been greatly limited. The new delta variant has further exacerbated this situation, and we struggle to reach our most vulnerable students.”
Prior to the pandemic, volunteers served more than 600 students per month. Many students in prison were grateful for the opportunity as seen in the message above.
Here’s a video about the nonprofit:
From Living Yoga:
When Living Yoga began offering trauma-informed yoga to those impacted by incarceration in 1998, there were few yoga studios in Portland, let alone free or accessible offerings for our most in-need community members. At this time, there was minimal mainstream knowledge regarding the impact that body-based practices like yoga could be utilized to support healing and resilience in cases of trauma. Living Yoga has increased access to yoga and body-based practices in our community and has inspired students and organizations alike to incorporate these practices into their own lives and service offerings.
Recognizing that there is an ongoing immense community need, we have made the bittersweet decision to dissolve Living Yoga and share our resources with other nonprofits that can have a greater impact at this critical time. We are actively vetting organizations that will be good stewards of our funds and will provide additional information as we make a final decision.
You can continue to access free, trauma-informed, recorded classes from Living Yoga in The Living Room until the end of 2022.
We want to share our deepest gratitude with you for supporting Living Yoga throughout the past 24 years. Thank you for your commitment to fostering healing and resilience through trauma-informed yoga. We appreciate your continued support as we return to our roots as a working board during this unprecedented time.
Portland, OR. Albertina Kerr worked with Durham & Bates Insurance to raise money and awareness for the nonprofit’s work helping children and teens struggling with their mental well-being. The insurance company offered $5,000 with a chance to double it if 500 supporters liked and shared the challenge on social media platforms. Organizers say they surpassed 500 votes and secured the full $10,000 donation for the nonprofit.
Durham & Bates Insurance attended Albertina Kerr’s 24 Hours of Kerr fundraiser to assist in raising funds for the organization in 2019.
The recent donation is just one of many that businesses and community members have to Albertina Kerr. The organization continues its offer short-term, safe, and secure residential placement for children and teens (ages 5-17) who are experiencing a mental health crisis. Services focus on mental health stabilization, psychiatric evaluation, and transitional planning.
Children and teens are provided individual and family therapy, like this group therapy session, intensive skill-building, case management, and medication management.
From Albertina Kerr:
Kerr provides services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), mental health challenges, and other social barriers by:
Serving over 53% of the youth in IDD group homes in Oregon.
Leading the creation of employment and community living opportunities for adults with IDD.
Operating the only standalone subacute children’s crisis psychiatric facility in Oregon.
Providing leadership in statewide policy discussions related to disability and mental health care.
Leading industry discussion, training, and innovation of best practices in programs for children with dual diagnosis.
Practicing evidence-based and trauma-informed care.
Since 1907, Albertina Kerr has been caring for Oregon’s most vulnerable citizens. Over the decades, our services have evolved to meet the community’s needs. While these needs have changed, the values of our expert caregivers remain constant: compassion, commitment, collaboration, and advocacy.
Today, Kerr empowers people experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), mental health challenges, and other social barriers to lead self-determined lives and reach their full potential. We provide comprehensive crisis and preventive mental health care for children and teens, as well as a full range of services for children and adults experiencing an I/DD.
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