Portland, OR. Dogs of all sizes, ages and breeds are invited to put their best paw forward to be honored as 2018 Portland Rose Festival Grand Marshal or serve on the Canine Court. In recognition of the role that the Oregon Humane Society (OHS) a has played making Oregon one of the most pet friendly states in the nation, the Rose Festival will — for the very first time — feature a Canine Grand Marshal in the Grand Floral Parade on Saturday, June 9th. The Grand Marshall could be a Corgi like one of those who helped raise money for OHS at special Corgi Beach Party.
Selected as the Portland Rose Festival‘s Official Charity for the 2018 season, OHS is joining forces with the Rose Festival to find Portland’s canine royalty and they’re asking for the public’s help. Five dogs will be honored as the official Canine Court, including one lucky dog being crowned Canine Grand Marshal. Information and applications are available on the OHS website and at all LexiDog locations. There is a $50 fee to apply which is a donation to OHS.
The Spirit Mountain Casino Grand Floral Parade is the crown jewel of the annual Rose Festival. The Brilliant Oasis float took top honors in 2017 parade.
The parade draws hundreds of thousands of cheering viewers of every age, along a 4.2 mile route that winds through city streets and across the river. It features over a dozen full-size all-floral floats, all-floral mini-floats, marching bands, and equestrian units.
“It’s wonderful to be able to partner with one of Oregon’s most tenured nonprofits, one that’s been a part to the community even longer than the Rose Festival,” says Marilyn Clint, Rose Festival Chief Operations Officer.
A panel of representatives from the Oregon Humane Society, LexiDog, Rose Festival and Heathman Hotel panel will pick 20 canine finalists to participate in the Canine Coronation Ceremony at the Heathman Hotel, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 23. During this event, the canine court will be chosen! Winners will receive prizes worth up to $1,000. Additionally, during duration of the contest entry window, the Heathman will donate the pet fees charged to all guests who stay with their pets at the hotel to the Oregon Humane Society.
“We are honored to be named the official charity of this year’s Portland Rose Festival,” says Sharon Harmon, President and CEO, Oregon Humane Society. “Our organizations share a rich history and are part of what makes Oregon unique and special.”
“As OHS marks our 150th anniversary, it’s the perfect time to celebrate Portland’s love for pets by having a canine Grand Marshal in the Grand Floral Parade,” adds Harmon.
Here are more details about the contest:
Is your pup the perfect royalty canine-date? An Oregon Humane Society, LexiDog, Rose Festival and Heathman Hotel panel will pick 20 Canine Finalists to participate in the Canine Coronation Ceremony at the Heathman Hotel on May 23 from 6 to 9 p.m. During this event, the Canine Court will be chosen!
Event Details:Date – May 23, Time -6 p.m., Location – Heathman Hotel, Tickets -Will open May 1
Prizes: 20 finalists will receive a gift basket valued at approximately $100. The 4 Prince/Princesses of the Court will receive a gift basket valued at approximately $500. The Canine Grand Marshal will receive a gift basket valued at approximately $1,000, and of course, have bragging rights for being the only canine Grand Floral Parade Grand Marshal ever!
The fee to apply is $50. All proceeds benefit OHS. Entries must be received by May 14 at noon.
If you prefer to fill out a hard copy form, these can be picked up and turned in to any LexiDog location. Entry fee of $50 is payable when you turn it in. Please make checks payable to Oregon Humane Society. 100% of entry fees benefit OHS. Click here to download an application.
Drop off or mail your entry to any of these LexiDog locations:
Pearl District: 416 NW 10th Ave. Portland, OR 97209
On Macadam: 6100 SW Macadam Ave. Portland, OR 97239 (behind Starbucks)
Lake Oswego: 131 N State St. Lake Oswego, OR 97034
Southeast: 2929 SE Powell Blvd. Portland, OR 97202
Fine print: Male and female dogs may apply. There are no restrictions on the number of males or females on the Court. The Grand Marshal may be male or female. Canine Requirements: All dogs must be current on vaccinations, and dogs over 6 months of age must be spayed/neutered to be eligible. Canine Court Princesses and Princes will be chosen based on personality, poise, presence, platform and talent by a panel of celebrity judges. Dogs must be: Well-poised (be at ease and well-behaved in different settings, with all types of people and dogs). Well-traveled (comfortable on a leash and riding in a vehicle).
The Oregon Humane Society is the Northwest’s oldest and largest humane society, with one of the highest adoption rates in the nation. Founded in 1868, OHS receives no government funds for its adoption, education and animal cruelty investigation programs. Visit oregonhumane.org for more information or to make a donation.
The Portland Rose Festival Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that serves families and individuals with programs and events that promote the arts, education and volunteerism. We value environmental responsibility, diversity, patriotism and our historic & floral heritage.
The 2018 Rose Festival runs from May 25 through June 10 www.rosefestival.org.
Portland, September 10th, 2015. If you couldn’t join the thousands who flocked to Pioneer Courthouse Square for The Standard’s Annual Volunteer Expo, you’re in luck. We’ve got all the information and website links to explore over 125 local nonprofits that could use your time.
A full list of links of nonprofits is at the bottom of our story.
R. Richard Crockett, (left) is the Program Operations Director & Volunteer Coordinator at Chess for Success.
Classroom Law Project is a non-profit organization of individuals, educators, lawyers, and civic leaders building strong communities by teaching students to become active citizens.
The Standard’s Volunteer Expo has repeat participants year after year, here’s a look at some nonprofits which continue to recruit volunteers:
Jenny Bedell-Stiles and Andy Meeks from Friends of Trees
talks with Casey Rhodes and Clark Hays.
Jenny Chu from Literary Arts
New Avenues For Youth volunteers are a hit every year because they dish out the free Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream!
Rachel Randles from Oregon Historical Society
The Volunteers of America recruited some new volunteers!
Special Olympics Oregon has room for coaches and event volunteers.
Newspace Center for Photography promoted its multidimensional photography resource center and community hub for students, working artists, professional photographers, educators, and photo-enthusiasts of all types.
Latino Network’s Edgar Ortega
Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro Area had a colorful display.
The Work for Art’s Community Fund and Arts Education Fund support more than 80 arts and culture organizations every year—encompassing dance, visual arts, music, literary arts, media arts, theater, cultural arts, and arts education.
IMPACT NW drew prospective volunteers who learned that each year over 60,000 low-income children, youth, families, seniors, and adults with disabilities participate in Impact NW’s comprehensive anti-poverty programs.
The YMCA was handing out information about programs.
People who stopped by The Q Center booth were met with a friendly smile.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Oregon Chapter staffers promoted their many volunteer options.
Reps from the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon explained their work on behalf of local cats and kittens.
American Red Cross volunteer recruiters had the trademark red vests!
The mission of the Make-A-Wish Oreogn Foundation® is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
Northwest Pilot Project began in 1969 as an all volunteer agency to provide basic supports for seniors at risk of losing their ability to live independently.
Miracle Theatre Group is The Northwest’s premiere Latino arts and culture organization.
Camp Fire offers opportunities for volunteers who like to work with kids.
Bridge Meadows is a multi-generation housing community serving Oregon’s vulnerable populations; foster youth, adoptive parents and elders (55+).
Here’s a list of links to charities at the The Standard’s Volunteer Expo. Please consider donating your time, and tell them PortlandSocietyPage.com sent you!
Portland, July 24th, 2015. Guests at the Oregon Humane Society’s Tail Wag event had a howling good time raising $294,000 for the Portland nonprofit. Cheri Jones had a chance to get cozy with new furry friend.
The event, held at Castaway and the adjoining Pomarius Nursery in Northwest Portland, drew approximately 300 people for dinner, cocktails, dancing and fund raising. Guests had the opportunity to get up close and personal with more than two dozen cats, kittens, dogs and puppies available for adoption. Special animal guest stars, such as Lola, who was part of an OHS rescue, helped attendees get a first-hand look at the work OHS does.
Judi Hood, Lola the dog, Robert Hood
Nancy Tonkin-Zoucha, Nathan Zoucha, Pamela Tonkin, Cheri Jones
OHS Puppy
Zak Koontz, Laura Spear, Terri Koontz
From OHS:
Founded in 1868 by noted humanitarian Thomas Lamb Eliot, OHS is the third-oldest humane society in the nation and the oldest in the West. Eliot initially established OHS to stop the neglect and abuse of draft animals. The mission expanded to include companion animals and, until 1933, orphaned children.
OHS is now the largest humane society in the Northwest, and adopts more animals from our Portland shelter than any other single-facility shelter on the West coast. OHS puts no time limits on how long animals remain at the shelter—a pet stays available for adoption for as long as needed to find a loving home. If a pet in our care needs medical attention, our veterinary hospital provides the pet with same level of care you would want your own pet to receive.Community Services
OHS finds homes for more than 11,000 pets each year
OHS Officers rescue neglected and abused animals, investigating more than 1,200 cases annually
The OHS medical team provides free and low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for thousands of pets owned by low-income families
OHS educators reach more than 14,000 youths and 2,500 adults annually through humane education programs
The OHS Second Chance program brings nearly 5,000 pets annually to OHS from other shelters around the region
In the state capitol, OHS is the driving force behind efforts to improve laws that protect animals and punish offenders
Funding OHS receives no tax dollars
OHS does not receive any portion of dues or donations paid to national organizations
OHS is an Oregon nonprofit that relies on donations
OHS operates independently of any other shelter group
Financial information, including annual reports and audited statements, can be found here.
OHS Mission
To foster an environment of respect, responsibility and compassion for all animals through education, legislation and leadership. To care for the homeless, to defend the abused and to fight with unrelenting diligence for recognition of the integrity of all animals.
Is OHS a “No-kill” Shelter?
“No-kill” is typically defined as a shelter with at least a 90% save rate. The OHS save rate is 98%, certainly fitting the definition. However, OHS does not refer to itself as a “no-kill” shelter because the term does little to help the public understand the decisions a shelter must make in caring for pets.
Some shelters that use the term “no-kill” admit only the healthiest of pets and do not face the challenge of treating and rehabilitating ill animals. A county shelter, on the other hand, must accept every pet that comes to its door, including pets who are severely ill or dangerously aggressive. At OHS, about half of the pets admitted meet the nationally recognized standard of “healthy.” The remaining pets require medical and/or behavior treatment, sometimes for weeks or months. We are committed, however, to providing the same standard of care for pets at our shelter that an owner would want for their personal pet. We never put time limits on how long pets remain available for adoption and we never euthanize pets for space reasons.
We believe the public is better served by looking at a shelter’s admission policy and overall treatment record, rather than relying on a vague term such as “no-kill.”
Portland, September 14th. MIKE Program supporters enjoyed an upbeat fundraiser at the Multnomah Athletic Club. The nonprofit raised over $50,000 to help empower youth to be health leaders—ambassadors for health—through education, mentorship and community outreach. (Photo credit, Anna M. Campbell)
MIKE Program Board of Directors member Brent Barnett, Roy Jay, An Autumn Evening Chair Kathe Fradkin, and Keith Lyons presided over the successful evening.
Former Oregon State Senator Margaret Carter, who serves as director of Community Engagement with Oregon Health & Human Services, and Bobbie Dore Foster, executive director of The Skanner News and member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Board of Directors, joined in the fun during the festive evening.
MIKE is an acronym for: Multicultural Integrated Kidney Education. The program works to fight chronic disease conditions which harm kidneys including obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. These health issues are are increasingly impacting our children, especially low income and minority children.
Supporters work to empower more youth to be health leaders to counter chronic diseases of diabetes, high blood pressure . They explain that By 2020, Medicare expenses for kidney failure in the U.S. are expected to reach $54 billion.
Annually, MIKE Program empowers over 160 diverse youth in the Portland Metro Area to be ambassadors of health. MIKE Program recruits and trains caring adults to match with the youth on a 1:4 ratio, supporting them in the teens’ educational and experiential environments. The customized curriculum meets national health promotion and career related learning standards, as the teens develop individualized health promotion projects for their communities. MIKE Program provides critical interventions to the dire health consequences of poor nutrition, physical inactivity, risky behaviors, and poor access to health care.
Portland, September 16th. The Oregon Humane Society’s 6th Annual Ride for the Paws Event drew nearly 200 motorcyclists and raised over $5,000 to help sheltered animals. The event was a 150-mile ride and included a pancake breakfast at Cycle Specialties in NE Portland, a barbecue lunch at Bob Lanphere’s Motorcycles in Beaverton, and an ice cream social at OHS, where the ride ended.
Human Society Riders at 2012 Ride for Paws
Dr. Kirk Miller, veterinarian at the OHS animal hosptial, was on the ride.
Goggles and helmets are on for the ride!
Dave Salesky, KATU weatherman, joined the ride and was a guest speaker.
About Oregon Humane Society: Established in 1868, OHS is the largest and oldest humane society in the Pacific Northwest. We are not affiliated with any other humane society and we rely entirely on private donations for everything we do. Last year OHS found homes for more than 11,500 animals, including 3,000 animals that came from other shelters around the state.
The video above explains the work of the Oregon Humane Society.
Story submitted by Rebecca Ramach from the Oregon Humane Society
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