Portland Rose Festival Foundation Benefit Draws 289 Guests

Portland Rose Festival Foundation Benefit Draws 289 Guests

by | Oct 26, 2019 | Events, Features, News

Portland, OR. The theme for the Portland Rose Festival’s annual fall fundraising event was “Cocktails & Roses.” The October 11th benefit raised $189,000 and was held at Montgomery Park’s center court before it closes for renovation under new ownership. Capital One Café’s Jhus Custodio, Sierra Harris, Antonio Montoya, Rick Blossom and Alex Hall enjoyed specialty cocktails during the Silent Auction. (Photo credit to Rich Jarvis and Mari Bunnage.)

2019 princesses Daria Stalions of Jefferson, Gabby Ferroggiaro of Madison and Toria Lopez of Tigard bring their royal charm to help raise funds for the festival foundation.

2018 Royal Rosarian Prime Minister Adam Baker, 2019 Rose Festival Board nominee Sgt.Paul Meyer and wife Mary Meyer.

Ben Sickenger and Marcia Randall enjoy time at the silent auction.

Rose Festival CEO Jeff Curtis shares a laugh with Ron and Beverly Burback of Funtastic Traveling Shows

Jermaine Atherton and wife Rose Festival President Teri Bowles-Atherton greet quests at the annual auction and dinner

Rose Festival Public Relations Manager Rich Jarvis and City Commissioner Amanda Fritz pose for a selfie during the silent auction.

From Portland Rose Festival Foundation:

The Portland Rose Festival Foundation organizes all of the events that are anticipated every year come springtime in Portland. The Rose Festival has many events that portray the diverse interests and communities in Portland. Some of The Rose Festival Foundation’s values include community leadership, volunteerism, patriotism, and environmentalism. Every year, girls from all different high schools in Portland can apply to be apart of the Rose Festival Court. The judges elect a lucky girl to be queen, and she is then crowned at the Queen’s Coronation in the spring. Events and programs like these encourage young girls to expand their leadership skills, reach their goals, and excel in both their school and community. Famous events such as the Grand Floral Parade, Starlight Parade, and the Junior Parade are just some of the events that bring the people of Portland together each year.

Here’s a video about the Rose Festival Court:

 

Part of Portland’s popular culture for more than a century, the Rose Festival has its roots in tradition while its programming is both contemporary and nostalgic. Foresighted city leaders started the festival during the first decade of the 20th Century in order to put Portland on the map and brand it the ‘summer capital of the world.’ Little did they know that more than a hundred summers later the Rose Festival would be world-famous for its amazing, award-winning events, as well as serving as a community leader for celebrating values like volunteerism, patriotism and environmentalism. In 2010, the Rose Festival was finally acknowledged as Portland’s Official Festival by proclamation of the Council. With dozens of events spotlighting the diverse interests and culture of the community, the Rose Festival makes a positive impact on hundreds of thousands of lives annually, bringing smiles to the faces of both locals and guests. Peruse this website to learn more about the festival’s three popular parades, its three-weekend urban fair packed with great entertainment, good food and fantastic features, and about the iconic Court made up of local high school women making goodwill visits all around the state. The Rose Festival makes Portland a better place to live and visit.

Holt International Raises Funding for Children and Families Worldwide

Holt International Raises Funding for Children and Families Worldwide

by | Oct 10, 2019 | Events, Features, Fundraisers, News

Portland, Or. Holt International held its Dinner & Auction at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Portland on October 1st. More than 150 people attended the event, raising over $80,000 for the organization. Guests enjoyed a champagne reception, live auction, and dessert dash. Leonard Bernhardt and Susan Cox supported the event which included an appeal from Mike Dennehy, father of 13 including ten adopted children with special needs. Founded in 1956 as an international adoption agency, Holt International has expanded its care for orphaned and vulnerable children as well as family strengthening services including education, safe housing, nourishing food, community advocacy, and job skills training that help empower parents with the tools and resources they need to independently care for their children. (Photo credit, by Brian Campbell)

Glenda Gordon, Leonard Bernhardt, Debbie Francis. 

Holt International strives to keep families together in times of poverty, war, illness, political instability, and more. Through donations and sponsors, Holt is able to provide programs such as education, job skills training, safe housing, hygiene, medical care, etc. These programs give families the empowerment and support to become self-sufficient. Holt also provides the highest level of care for children who have been orphaned, abandoned, or separated from their families. They have experts available that provide medical, nutritional, educational, and psychosocial services that are tailored to fit every child’s individual needs. In 2018 alone, Holt has helped over 255,024 children to thrive in the care of their families, gave life-changing care to 13,981 orphans and children without families, and helped over 602 children join families through adoption.

Here is an adoption story from Holt International:

More about Holt International:

Holt International seeks a world where every child has a loving and secure home. Since Holt’s founding in 1956, the organization has worked towards its vision through programs that strengthen and preserve families that are at risk of separation; by providing critical care and support to orphaned and vulnerable children; and by leading the global community in finding families for children who need them and providing the pre-and post-adoption support and resources they need to thrive. Always, Holt focuses on each child’s unique needs —keeping the child’s best interest at the forefront of every decision. For more information visit www.holtinternational.org