By Elaine Oliver | Contributing Writer

Soccer, or what is mostly known around the world as football (or futbol) is often touted as “the world’s game”, though for players who are also fans, like me, it can resonate more deeply. I played soccer growing up but not in college. Shortly after college while an expat in Sydney, Australia, I found an amazing soccer team and group of friends. Being on the field again became a core part of my social life, fostered the opportunity to learn about other cultures and revived an exercise routine that had diminished as a working adult.

When moving back to Portland, it was clear to me that locating a similar soccer club would help ensure my quality of life. I moved into my house off of NE 27th and Dekum in January of 2020. I wanted to be near a stadium because I love women’s soccer. I was excited to have a beautiful school stadium nearby. Or so I thought! Concordia University shut its doors and my plans for being part of a thriving support squad were squashed. The campus was quiet and the stadium doors were sealed for more than five years.

So, I made a friend who was managing a women’s and non-binary team in the Northwest United Women’s League (NUWS), and immediately kickstarted a rhythm of weekly soccer. Soon enough, I began co-managing the team and have enjoyed doing it since. There’s a special kind of joy in embracing a person’s return or fresh start to the game, and knowing they’ll be welcomed by a supportive group. About four years ago, a few friends from my team and I decided to buy season tickets to the Thorns and we routinely commune for a drink or food before cheering on our amazing hometown squad in their matches.

In spring of 2023, even as University of Oregon reactivated the campus; renovating buildings, holding community meetings, and revamping its groundskeeping beyond bare minimum; the stadium doors remained closed. It was understandable- NE Portland is the school’s satellite campus and there aren’t collegiate teams requiring its use. Each day, I walked past the stadium with my dog and longingly hoped that one day I myself would get to play a game of soccer on it.

Then, my wish came true. This January, the Pickles baseball franchise made an agreement to rent the field for a new soccer team in the USL League Two called the Bangers. The coaches are two former Timbers players who each have a special place in the culture of soccer in Portland. Diego Valeri is a 2021 retiree from the Timbers (playing attacking midfield), an Argentine who made a second home with his family here over the course of eight years playing for the Timbers. And the head coach is Jorge Villafana, who especially got my attention because he was an talented left back defender – my favorite position to play. Villafana was a huge reason why the Timbers progressed and eventually won the 2015 MLS championship. I bought tickets.

On a roasting late Friday afternoon last month, the Bangers welcomed the city for Community Day, a free season opener to experience what’s in store for the inaugural season. Banners were abound with signature vibrant pink and lush green. Within the first three minutes of play, the ball landed in the east pavilion bleacher block, just a few seats from a few members of the Concordia Neighborhood Association board. Then the energizing call-and-response began.

“Let’s go, Bang-ers!” Fans clapped and cheered. Kids ran in every direction across the sidelines, lounge areas and risers, some quite jubilant after having achieved selfies with the “fearless and feisty” Saucy T. Sausage, whose surname is common for the British slang of the club’s handle. The first goal was scored at 26:29; the next 57:11.

“It’s like a reunion, I know so many people here! Everyone looks familiar.” said an attendee at concessions just before halftime. The sport has enabled me to make new friends, rediscover a level of exercise I didn’t think I was capable of anymore, and allowed me to meet people from all walks of life who come together each week to try and achieve something together. I look forward to seeing more of my neighbors at games this summer.

Elaine (she/her) is a former tech trainer turned ADHD coach and Concordia newspaper ad sales rep. She is a passionate auntie, pitbull mom, and soccer player who has called Concordia home for 4 years. You can find her eating good food with friends or walking her lovable pitbull Charlie in the neighborhood.

Aerial Posture
By Joshua Lickteig

O those humming birds’ dharmas
each day with attention new to
layers of the canopy,
Green plumages of the crown
near motionless all the while
remarkable wingbeats
Convert inner energy
to greatest amplitudes
of refined motion,
Wings reorienting their angles in
figure ∞ patterns.
This wax-leaf privet, they know,
was set here years past
by way of another form’s action.
One chose the same route
for five days, inspecting first
the progress of yesterday’s petals,
then paused in a windless place,
Its gaze upward
the very direction
of its heart.
Now it returns to the purple rosemary flower, just as it did moments
Ago.

Bopping Around Concordia
By Mary Therese Otis

Raindrops shine like JuJubes on flowers leaning out from lawns:
Rhododendrons! Tulips!
Euphorbia! Rosemary!
Lavender! Licorice Ferns
fanning from mossy boles of trees…
Out I go for my morning joe into the herbal air,
where joyful offerings sprout
like wild onions everywhere –
playful pops against long charcoal days and heavy, listless skies –
disarming as a baby’s
laughter in church.
Greeting each burst as I go, I SMILE
at the painted metal ant, ADMIRE
the landscape on the garden wall, TASTE
the free blueberries (thanks), EXPLORE
the little library, the wildlife sanctuary, READ the poem on the wooden stand, CHAT
with the chickens, and LAND
at last, on Alberta Street, with rhymes under my feet. And there I MEET in a shop window, the image of
a stranger – me – transformed, luminous
like the indigo glow on Portland’s crows….

By Sophie Hauth | Contributing Writer

In the late 1800s, Portland faced a crisis of homeless and abandoned youth who had little support. At the time, the common response of the government was to incarcerate or institutionalize them. However, our founder, Thomas Lamb Eliot, refused to give up on these kids. In 1885, he rallied Portland’s leaders to establish the Boys & Girls Aid Society of Oregon, an organization whose mission was to obtain legal custody of at-risk youth and place them in private foster homes. Today, there is a shortage of foster homes in NE Portland and Boys & Girls Aid (BGA) is looking to recruit new foster family volunteers to support these children.

Beyond well-documented improvements in education and career outcomes, our foster parents give children the love and consistency they need to form lasting relationships and achieve a secure future. Few acts of service can change a life so completely.

Youth in the program may be anywhere from 4-21 years old. Foster parents must be able to pass a background check, show financial stability exclusive of the foster care stipend, have a valid driver’s license, have a reliable vehicle to transport youth, and be able to provide a separate bedroom for youth with a window and a door. Foster parents provide food, shelter, clothing, and activities. They also communicate with BGA staff and Oregon Department of Human Services caseworkers and lawyers, as needed.

We offer extensive support to all of our foster parents, including 24/7 staff availability, financial assistance, and paid time off when needed. Whether you can commit to a full-time placement or just a few days each month, we have flexible fostering options that can fit your schedule.

By becoming a foster parent with Boys & Girls Aid, you can provide the nurturing foundation that empowers a child to thrive and lead a fulfilling life. For more information, visit boysandgirlsaid.org/fostercare or contact our Recruitment & Certification Coordinator, Daisy Pesak, at 503-258-7932 or daisy@ bgaid.org.

As a Recruitment & Certification Specialist at Boys & Girls Aid, Sophie Hauth (she/ her) guides and supports families throughout their journey to becoming foster parents, from attending an information session to completing their certification and welcoming a youth into their home.

With profound sadness we announce the passing of Donna Guardino, founder and owner of Guardino Gallery in Portland, Oregon at the age of 81 (June 16th, 1943 – April 9th, 2025). Donna’s unwavering commitment to the arts enriched our community and provided a platform for countless artists to showcase their work. A celebration of life will happen on June 14th. Details will be announced on social media and in the digital version of Concordia News. There will also be a feature in the July edition of the Concordia News highlighting stories from those whose lives she touched. If you have a story or photos to share please send them to peggy@ptownpd.com. Guardino Gallery will continue to show the artists curated by Donna for 2025 and remain open until it is no longer possible. To stay informed of shows and other happenings, please sign up for the newsletter at guardinogallery.com

By Megan Cecil-Gobble | Contributing Writer

“When you prepare for an earthquake, you also prepare for smaller emergencies, like a temporary loss of water or sewer service.” So says a Portland City Utilities 2022 newsletter. In Oregon, we usually don’t think about water scarcity, but pipes do freeze or 100-year old pipes burst and then no water flows through our kitchen sink. This month we begin to gather our two week emergency supply kit which includes life’s necessity – water.

Each of us needs about 1 gallon a day of water, or 14 gallons for two weeks. That’s 112 pint bottles (four dollars for 40 at Costco) or ten 1.5 gallon bottles ($1.79 each at Target). You’ll need to find storage somewhere in your house or apartment. If you have access to a water heater, it can hold 30 to 80 gallons of drinkable water. The Regional Water Providers Consortium website at regionalh2o.org has useful info on where to store water at home, how to recycle your own bottles, and steps to get H₂O from a water heater.

Once you have space to store water and supplies, it’s time to gather this month’s items:

• 3 gallons of water per person
• 3 cans of protein per person (tuna, chicken, etc)
• Hand operated can opener
• Dry fruit or trail mix
• Paper, pencil, a permanent marker
• Large tub to hold items

First look around your house for anything you may already have available. I found my parents’ can opener and plenty of paper and pencils.

Then, complete these other tasks:

1) add ICE (In Case of Emergency) numbers to your phone contact list, and
2) Read up on local types of disaster preparations. The Oregon Health Authority’s Emergency Preparedness website is pretty thorough. If you read this article on CNA’s website, I’ll have links to various resources and the “Weekly Steps to Emergency Preparedness” brochure to peruse on your own.

I’m hunting for supplies locally and visiting neighborhood stores. There are several within Concordia’s boundaries. I found trail mix and fresh owner-made spring rolls at Union 76 on NE 33rd and Killingsworth. Food Villa near NE Holman Street has canned goods and a water filling station and so does New Seasons, our wonderful local grocers. I bought a second hand basket at Take It or Leave It on NE 42nd and fixed it up with colorful ribbons I had. The little store La Playita (2815 NE Alberta St.) on Alberta has been open for 27 years. Stop by and say “Hi/Hola” to the owner and buy some helados.

So head out and explore as you fill your emergency kit. Have fun, learn something new, and be prepared to ride the waves of future chaos as calmly as you can.

You can recycle soda and water containers after cleaning, sterilizing and filling with tap water (and some bleach – yeah, that bleach). But you can’t reuse milk or juice containers this way as they will grow unpleasant bacteria.

Megan is a retired Engineer/ RN. Aged Girl Scout with survival training. Lived 30 years in Portland with Patrick. Grandkids nearby.

By Joe Raineri and Sabinna Pierre | KGW8 News

Devon Horace, the former president of the now-defunct Alberta Main Street nonprofit, has pleaded no contest to embezzling over $100,000 from the organization. The plea agreement, reached in a Multnomah County Court in February allows Horace to avoid a lengthy prison sentence. Instead, he will pay $50,000 in restitution and serve 12 months of probation.

Horace, who led Alberta Main Street from July 2021 to January 2023, was accused of misappropriating funds from the nonprofit, which was dedicated to supporting local businesses and organizing community events in Portland’s Alberta Arts District. During his time as president, Horace solicited donations in bad faith, withdrew money from the organization’s accounts without authorization and falsified financial records to conceal his actions.

According to court documents, Horace took substantial sums of money, including donations from major companies, like Nike Inc. and the Portland Trail Blazers. He withdrew funds from the organization’s account on the same day they were deposited, using the money for personal expenses. The total amount stolen was more than $100,000.

The financial mismanagement ultimately led to the collapse of Alberta Main Street, which had been a staple of the Concordia neighborhood for over a decade. The nonprofit’s mission to promote local businesses and organize beloved community events, such as the Alberta Street Fair and the Christmas tree lighting, came to an end in February 2023 due to the financial instability caused by Horace’s theft.

A statement from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office outlined the scope of Horace’s actions. The office confirmed that Horace misappropriated restricted funds, made false statements to the nonprofit’s board, and concealed his theft by falsifying bank records. These actions, the statement said, directly contributed to the nonprofit’s closure.

“Alberta Main Street was a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to develop Alberta Street as a vibrant, sustainable commercial district,” the District Attorney’s Office said. “Horace’s actions undermined the organization’s mission and caused significant harm to the community.”

Despite the severity of the charges, Horace’s plea agreement allows him to avoid a lengthy trial and prison time. In court, Horace acknowledged his wrongdoing but did not issue a public apology to the nonprofit or its supporters. Instead, he expressed a desire to move forward with integrity.

“I’ve accepted this not as an admission of guilt but as a step to move forward,” Horace said. “I want to close this chapter of my life with integrity, and I take full accountability.”

Though he acknowledged the challenges he has faced in recent years, Horace did not focus on the harm done to the nonprofit.

“I’ve lost many professional opportunities despite these hardships,” he said, “but I try not to dwell on that and instead focus on what I can do for others.”

The financial misdeeds came to light after a forensic accounting investigation revealed discrepancies in the nonprofit’s financial records. James Armstrong, the interim president of Alberta Main Street, took on the task of reconciling the organization’s accounts after a mass exodus from the nonprofit’s board in February 2023. Armstrong, a former board member, said that the organization is cooperating with investigators and has continued to operate virtually while working to recover from the financial damage caused by Horace’s actions.

For the community, the loss of Alberta Main Street has been deeply felt. The nonprofit had supported local businesses and organized important community events for years, and its closure has left many wondering about the future of these beloved traditions.

“It would be like a ghost town,” said Allison Chown, owner of Mimosa Studios and a former board member of Alberta Main Street. “Everyone would come in here and ask what happened to Alberta Main Street.”

Chown, who was on the board from 2011 to 2016, said she was shocked by the scale of the theft. “I never saw a withdrawal as large as $64,000,” she said. “As a nonprofit, that was really surprising. Normally, withdrawals would be for regular expenses, like payroll, but never amounts like that.”

The interim board, led by Armstrong, is working hard to maintain the community’s events and rebuild the nonprofit in the future. However, without the necessary funds, this process has been challenging. Armstrong has been focused on reconciling financial records and ensuring that the community’s needs are met, even if Alberta Main Street is no longer in operation.

Horace’s legal troubles are far from over. Although the plea agreement has resolved the immediate charges, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office continues to investigate additional stolen funds, including another $50,000 that Horace is accused of taking. He is scheduled to return to court in one year to address this additional amount. The case has sparked outrage among many community members, who feel that Horace should have faced harsher consequences.

We need accountability,” said one local resident. “This isn’t just about money; it’s about the trust he broke with the community.”

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office has emphasized its commitment to prosecuting financial crimes, particularly those that exploit nonprofit organizations.

“These types of crimes have serious consequences for the victims and for the broader community,” the office said in a statement.

For now, the Alberta neighborhood continues to cope with the loss of a crucial community organization, while hoping for justice and potential restitution.

Original article: Ex-president of Portland nonprofit pleads no contest to stealing over $100K | kgw.com