Portland, October 13th. Over 250 guests attended Youth, Rights & Justice‘s Wine & Chocolate Extravaganza at the Oregon Convention Center. Emcee Stephanie Stricklen from KGW-TV led guests through wine and chocolate tasting, dinner and dessert dash, and silent and live auctions. Just over $71,000 was raised in support of Oregon’s most vulnerable children and youth. Knowledge Universe was the title sponsor, and Tonkon Torp, LLP the presenting sponsor. (Photo credit, Merrie Lisa Conroy)
David Roy, speaking on behalf of Title Sponsor, Knowledge Universe
Silent auction and wine and chocolate tasting
Honorary Chair, Rep. Tina Kotek
Golden Ticket winner, Merrie Lisa Conroy to auctioneer, Graham Crow: “I want the puppy!”
Wine tasting was provided by Cooper Mountain Vineyard, Eos Wine Selections, Methven Family Vineyards, Pheasant Valley Vineyard and Winery, Sineann Winery, Sokol Blosser Winery, and Walnut City WineWorks.
Chocolate tasting was provided by Euphoria Chocolate Company, Missionary Chocolates, Stirs the Soul, and the Wallowa Lake Fudge Company.
Guests bid on centerpieces handcrafted by Bella Bevanda Candles. Made by local artisan, Jennifer Humphrey, the organic, soy candles are crafted using up-cycled wine bottles. For the event, Jennifer made 90 candles using bottles from the wineries participating at the event.
Speakers for the evening included Oregon House Democratic Leader, Tina Kotek; Knowledge Universe Director of Community Partnerships, David Roy; and Jennifer Williamson, advocate for education and justice, and her husband, Paul Loving.
The Golden Ticket raffle raised $5,000, and the winner chose her prize from among the live auction items: a miniature labradoodle puppy donated by Dixie Springer of Springville Labradoodles. The hottest item in the live auction was a ticket to a private dinner party with local New York Times bestselling author, Cheryl Strayed, and catered by Kaaren Bedi. Tickets went for $350 per person.
About Youth, Rights & Justice: Our mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable children and families through legal representation and advocacy in the courts, legislature, schools and community. Founded in 1975, we are Oregon’s premiere authority on juvenile law. We are the only non-profit law firm in the state dedicated to representing children in the courts and ensuring that Oregon’s laws protect the rights and well-being of children and their families.
Portland, October 9th. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, but hundreds of American Hearth Association supporters joined forces at the annual Go Red for Women luncheon to raise money and learn how it can be prevented. At The Nines Hotel, they heard from Julie O’Leary, a heart attack survivor who had her husband, Chris by her side. The $142,599 raised at the event is earmarked for life-saving research, education, advocacy and more in Oregon & SW Washington.
Local firefighters handed out “blinky hearts” to guests who made donations.
Julie O’Leary told supporters the story of her heart attack .
Go Red Heart Health Panelists: Dr. Laurie Armsby with OHSU; Sandra McDonough with the Portland Business Alliance; Susan Sokol Blosser of Sokol Blosser Winery and DJ Wilson with KGW NewsChannel 8 (Moderated by Susan Mullaney with Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center)
Shauna Parsons was the emcee.
Chairwoman Susan Mullaney with Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center
About the event:
Cardiovascular disease, which claims the lives of 460,000 annually, is the No. 1 cause ofdeath among women. The annual Go Red for Women Luncheon is aimed at raising funds and public awareness to fight the disease.
Overview More women die of cardiovascular disease than from the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer. But 80 percent of cardiac events in women could be prevented if women made the right choices for their hearts involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking. Make it your mission to learn all you can about heart attacks and stroke — don’t become a statistic. CALL 9-1-1
Heart Attack A heart attack occurs when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked, usually by a blood clot. If this clot cuts off the blood flow completely, the part of the heart muscle supplied by that artery begins to die.
Signs of a Heart Attack:
Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.
If you have any of these signs, don’t wait more than five minutes before calling for help. Call 9-1-1…Get to a hospital right away.
Stroke Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death in America. It’s also a major cause of severe, long-term disability. Stroke and TIA (transient ischemic attack) happen when a blood vessel feeding the brain gets clogged or bursts. The signs of a TIA are like a stroke, but usually last only a few minutes. If you have any of these signs, don’t wait more than five minutes before calling for help.
Call 9-1-1 to get help fast if you have any of these, but remember that not all of these warning signs occur in every stroke.
Signs of Stroke and TIAs
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Also, check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared. It’s very important to take immediate action. Research from the American Heart Association has shown that if given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug can reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke.
Portland, October 31st. A report, written and researched by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and released by Bank of Americashows the following:
In 2011, high net worth households were most likely to give to education (79.6 percent), basic needs (79.3 percent), and arts and culture (68.8 percent). By comparison, the nonprofit categories receiving the largest proportion of all high net worth dollars included education (27.6 percent), giving vehicles (23.4 percent), and religion (12.6 percent). In addition, in 2011, high net worth donors focused their largest gifts on religious organizations (35.9 percent) and organizations involved in education (25.0 percent), followed by organizations focused on health (8.2 percent).
According to the research, as in previous years, high net worth households revealed a strong commitment to charitable causes in 2011. That year, 95 percent of high net worth households donated to at least one charity. This figure is in contrast to the approximately 65 percent of the general population who give.1 The percentage of all high net worth households that gave in 2011, however, decreased from its peak of 98 percent in 2009.
The rate of volunteering by high net worth individuals continues to grow. In 2011, 89 percent of high net worth individuals volunteered, up 10 percentage points from 2009. Over one-third (35.1 percent) of these individuals volunteered more than 200 hours in 2011.
High net worth individuals were most likely to volunteer on their own (78.5 percent), rather than with family, friends, or coworkers in 2011. In addition, these individuals were most likely to have served on a nonprofit board (60.6 percent) or to have spent time on board-serving activities (an average of 144.6 hours) compared with other volunteer activities.
In general, high net worth individuals who volunteer tend to give to charity more often than those who do not, and high net worth individuals who volunteer more tend to give more. However, there are exceptions. In 2011, high net worth individuals who volunteered 101 to 200 hours gave the highest average amount at $95,868, while those who volunteered more than 200 hours gave the second-highest average amount at $68,619.
High net worth donors gave the highest average amount in contributions to organizations both where they volunteered and believed their gift would have the largest impact ($102,642). By comparison, in 2009, high net worth donors gave the highest average amount to organizations where they served on the board or had an oversight role ($84,551, adjusted to 2011 dollars).
In 2011, the majority of high net worth donors had a giving strategy (70.9 percent) and had a budget for their giving (60.5 percent). Just 5 percent of high net worth donors reported having a mission statement for their charitable activity. Correspondingly, a smaller percentage of high net worth donors gave spontaneously in response to a need in 2011 compared with 2009, at 40 percent and 47 percent, respectively.
About the study:
The 2012 Bank of America Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy examines the giving patterns, priorities, and attitudes of America’s wealthiest households for the year 2011. This study, the fourth in a series written and researched by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University in partnership with Bank of America (in particular, U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management), builds on previous studies issued in 2006, 2008, and 2010. In addition, this partnership has produced two other reports — the 2011 Study of High Net Worth Women’s Philanthropy and the Impact of Women’s Giving Networks and the 2006 Bank of America Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy: Portraits of Donors. Together, all of these studies provide valuable information about high net worth giving across multiple dimensions to be used by nonprofit professionals, charitable advisors, donors, and others interested in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector.
Portland, September 20th. This fall, Portland Saturday Market hosted its first ever charity fashion show with a DJ dance party feel. The stylish event at the Bossanova Ballroom was an eclectic showcase of the original work created by market’s independent designers. It was a benefit for Portland Old Town Arts & Cultural Foundation.
Here’s a video of the fashion show:
The show concentrated on fourteen local designers: Mugwump, Bella Sisters, Orox Leathers, Yed Omi Jewelry, Amy Dotts, Rythmatix, Cygnet Silks & Red Wizard Arts, Amy Wing, Maru Silks, Shabby Knapsack, Perfekt Tension, Hat People and Flood Clothing. Fashionista’s, Hipsters, and everybody in-between viewed the fashion forward trends that make up the Portland Saturday Market.
Amy Dotts
Cygnet Silks
Flood Clothing
“Hustle & Bustle is an opportunity to experience the modern styles coming out of the Portland Saturday Market in a traditional fashion show setting. The boutique qualities of these designers aren’t muddled down by the distractions of the weekend Market. Portland is quickly conquering the nations fashion scene and Portland Saturday Market is an ideal venue to find local fashion artists,” explained Reid Decker, Marketing Manager.
Guests meandered through installations of other Market artists, listening to the cool tunes of Mr. Wu (http://soundcloud.com/mr_wu) and sampling chocolates, and other fine desserts from the Market. The event continued with a runway show of contemporary PSM designers showcasing their latest creations. At the end of the fashion show the audience enjoyed a “Transitional Groove Performance by: inLOVE”: leading directly into a late night high energy dance party featuring GlobalRukus (http://soundcloud.com/globalruckus) and Icarus.
All net proceeds were donated to Portland Old Town Arts & Cultural Foundation.
About the Beneficiary:
Portland Old Town Arts & Cultural Foundation: supports the creation and presentation of significant works of art, as well as activities that preserve and promote the cultural identity of Portland neighborhoods and peoples. We believe an important contribution to the cultural life of our area lies in empowering independent local artists to bring important works before the public.
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
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