We are in great need of volunteers for the cleanup on June 1 to help unload vehicles, direct traffic, and work the electronics, block styrofoam, and #6 plastic recycling stations. We have two shifts to choose from: 7:45 – 10:15 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Please contact Katie Ugolini at 503-449-9690 or Ktugolini@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering for this event.
By Karen Lotts | CNA Media Team
Vernon Elementary School fourth graders collaborated with Ethiopian literacy advocates to produce a book. It’s available now on Amazon.com but, more to the point, it’s being distributed to children in Ethiopia. Art reprinted with permission from Open Hearts Big Dreams Fund.
A group of Vernon Elementary School students are officially published illustrators thanks to a collaboration between their fourth grade classes and authors/Ethiopian literacy advocates Jane and Caroline Kurtz.
The students’ drawings appear in the children’s book “Home,” written by the Portland-based Kurtz sisters. It tells a story of immigration framed in a tale about white storks that migrate annually from Europe to Ethiopia.
The text is written in both English and Amharic, one of the three main languages spoken in Ethiopia.
According to the sisters, who grew up in Ethiopia, children’s literature is just taking root in that country. There are still limited options for beginner books that both appeal to children and are written in Ethiopian languages.
To help meet this need, Jane co-founded the nonprofit Ethiopia Reads 20 years ago and in 2016 began writing stories for Ethiopian children learning to read. Jane and Caroline now volunteer as creative directors for Ready Set Go Books, a project of the Seattle-based nonprofit Open Hearts Big Dreams.
They have collaborated previously with community volunteer illustrators through churches or community college art programs. The project with Vernon came to life last spring when teacher Marie McMahon asked the sisters if they’d be interested in her students contributing to their next book.
“When my students heard that they could be a part of making a difference in other children’s lives by increasing access to literacy, they were immediately on board,” Marie said.
During a presentation at Vernon, Jane and Caroline spoke to the students about growing up and going to school in Ethiopia and the importance of these books to the young readers there.
Art reprinted with permission from Open Hearts Big Dreams Fund.
In the pursuit of authenticity, the students then researched Ethiopian landscapes and white storks before meeting with volunteer illustrator Jordy Farrell, from Ready Set Go Books, who offered illustration tips.
Using additional background art from a previous collaboration with students in Beaverton and combining it with the illustrations from Vernon students, a colorful book was ready to be published online and printed in Ethiopia.
The Vernon community has reacted warmly to the philanthropic project, and gathered recently at Cafe Eleven for the debut of the book and copies signed by the student illustrators.
“As a published author, I face incredible odds…a hard craft journey…and the payoff is in seeing readers connect with my books,” Jane said. “I think something similar happened with these students.”
The books are available through Amazon.com. Involvement opportunities can be found via EthiopiaReads.org and OpenHeartsBigDreams.org.
Karen Lotts is a local freelance writer who helps local small businesses and nonprofits connect with their audiences through copywriting. She can be reached at KarenLotts.com.
Bring your kitchen and garden tools to the May 19 CNA Spring Clean Up for professional sharpening. Between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., 1Sharptool Edge Service will donate a percentage of the proceeds from sharpening:
• Knives
• Pruners
• Pocket knives
• Hoes
• Scissors
• Loppers
• Garden shears
• Chisels
• Machetes
• Axes
• Shovels
• Rotary mowers
Services are first come first served. Prices start at $6.25 for garden tools and $7.50 for kitchen knives. 1Sharptool Edge Service accepts cash, checks and credit cards.
For details, contact 1Sharptool Edge Service at 360.606.7062 or visit 1SharpTool.com.
Spring cleaning comes to Concordia, and CNA will dump, recycle and/or find new homes for your household items.
ACCEPTED MATERIALS
• Household waste
• Metal
• Styrofoam (no peanuts)
• Furniture
• Electronics
• Lamps
• Mattresses
• Clothes
• Bicycles
• Other household items
SUGGESTED DONATIONS:
Car: $10
Truck, van, SUV: $15
Large truck: $20
Oversized load: $30
Electronics: $5
PROHIBITED MATERIALS
• HAZARDOUS WASTE, including batteries and chemicals
• Construction, demolition, roofing & remodeling debris
• Kitchen garbage
• Residential yard debris
• Commercial landscaping materials
• Waste & recyclables collected curbside
• Light bulbs
• Refrigerators & freezers
• Large appliances/white goods
• Tires, rocks & concrete
• Paint & oil
METRO prohibits the disposal of construction, remodeling or demolition materials suspected of containing asbestos at all neighborhood clean ups. Examples of prohibited materials:
Flooring: vinyl tiles, vinyl sheet, mastic
Walls: plaster, decorative plaster
Siding: cement siding shingles “Transite”
Ceilings: acoustical tiles, “popcorn” and spray-on texture
Insulation: spray-applied, blown-in, vermiculite, pipe, HVAC and lagging
Electrical: wire insulation, panel partitions
Other: fire doors, fire brick, fire proofing
SPECIAL FEATURES IN 2018
“You Price It”Yard Sale: See something you like among the reusable household goods, say what it’s worth to you and it’s yours.
Professional tool & knife sharpening: Details here.
All proceeds support CNA’s mission to organize human and physical resources, build community and enrich livability here.
THANKS TO THE CNA SPRING CLEAN UP’S GENEROUS SPONSORS
Pizza generously donated by Hot Lips Pizza, Pizza Jerk and Red Sauce Pizza.
Coffee generously donated by Caffe Vita.
Suggested donations:
Raffle prizes generously donated by Basics, a Pacific Foods store; Dekum Street Doorway; Cottage Pantry; Frock; Grand Central Bakery; Hot Lips Pizza; Just Bob; Amelie Marian – Hasson Company Realtors; Red Sauce Pizza; Sarah Miller – Portraits in Prose, ink; Seastar Bakery; and Verum Ultimum Art Gallery.
Recent events indicate nowhere is safe from disaster, natural and otherwise. Dedicated volunteers and professionals in Concordia – throughout Portland, the state and the nation – are ready to help you prepare for events that may come.
Two of them will share details with you at the Wednesday, Nov. 1, Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA) Annual Membership Meeting. It begins at 7 p.m. in the McMenamins Kennedy School Community Room.
Immediately prior to the 7 p.m. Annual Membership Meeting, the CNA Board of Directors will convene for its regular monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend and contribute.
Justin Ross
Justin Ross, community capacity specialist, represents Multnomah County Emergency Management at the CNA meeting. That department hosts and sponsors a variety of personal and community preparedness classes through its new Community Preparedness Education and Outreach Team.
His presentation will outline the impacts of a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. Scientists estimate that zone, a fault that stretches from northern California to Vancouver Island, has a 37 percent probability to rupture within the next 50 years and produce a 9.0-plus earthquake in Portland.
He’ll also discuss the necessity for local residents, businesses, agencies, organizations and governments to become disaster resilient. That requires them to:
Amy Gard
Amy Gard, leader of the all-volunteer Concordia/Vernon/Woodlawn Neighborhood Emergency Team (NET) will explain how the three-dozen-member team plans and drills for natural disasters. She’ll also discuss “Map Your Neighborhood,” an Oregon Emergency Management/Oregon Citizen Corps publication.
The NET is one of 71 across Portland that are trained by the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management and Portland Fire & Rescue to respond to events that include:
The local team is tasked with acting as first responders to help the 17,000 local residents survive until the arrival of adequate emergency services. NETs aren’t new to Portland which, in 1994, was the third city in the country to form them.
Click here for additional details – including the board election – about the CNA Annual Membership Meeting.
Wednesday, Nov. 1, is election day for Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA). In addition to the election/re-election of board members are presentations on emergency preparedness, CNA committee reports and time for you to speak up on neighborhood concerns.
Immediately prior to the 7 p.m. Annual Membership Meeting, the CNA Board of Directors will convene for its regular monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to also attend that meeting and contribute.
Each year, seven two-year positions – half of the CNA Board of Directors – are up for election/re-election. Incumbents may or may not stand for re-election. In either case you’re welcome to nominate yourself or another Concordian for office.
This year eight positions will be included in the election. That’s because the Southwest 2 position is being vacated, with one year remaining in the term. The incumbent in the East 1 position has indicated he will decline re-election to a two-year term.
Terms expiring and/or becoming vacant Dec. 31, and the incumbents, are:
East 1, Tyler Bullen
Southwest 1, Garlynn Woodsong
Southwest 2, Daniel Greenstadt
Northwest 1, Isham “Ike” Harris
At large 1, Robert Bowles
At large 3, Jody Pollak
At large 5, Truls Neal
Chair, Chris Lopez
See the map to right for CNA district boundaries.
The primary qualification is residing in or owning property or business interests in the neighborhood. The age minimum is 14 years, and any nominee younger than 18 must have written permission from a parent. The two-year terms begin in January.
Each board member commits to attending monthly board meetings, attending regular and special membership meetings, attending CNA-sponsored events and membership on at least one CNA committee.
Board members should additionally be willing to represent the community to the city on issues such as land use, livability and safety. They are also ambassadors within the neighborhood and at association events.
For complete details on CNA elections and positions, visit ConcordiaPDX.org/about-cna/bylaws/. If you have questions prior to the Nov. 1 meeting, contact board member Ali Novak, AL4@ConcordiaPDX.org.
In addition to the board election, the CNA Annual Meeting features emergency preparedness presentations by the local neighborhood emergency team and Multnomah County.
Clio, Killian and Crosby plan to participate in the 2017 Halloween Candy Buy Back program. They’ll deliver some of what they collect to a local dentistry office – which will reward them with cash or toys – to send the candy to troops stationed overseas. Photo by Chris Baker
Three dentistry offices in northeast and north Portland will exchange some of the candy stash your trick or treaters collected this year – some for cash, others for toys.
The dentists are participating in the 2017 Halloween Buy Back program and partnering with local veterans organizations to send the candy to military troops stationed overseas. Since 2015, the program has collected more than 130 tons of candy nationwide.
Children have benefited by reducing their sugar intake, dentists seize the opportunity to contribute to their community and military personnel appreciate being remembered.
Local dentistry offices are:
Hollywood Children’s Dentistry 3839 N.E. Tillamook St., 503.288.5891
Email:Info@hcdpdx.com
Wednesday – Friday, Nov. 1 – 3, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Exchange: $1 per pound of candy
North Portland Orthodontics
3332 N. Lombard St., 503.289.1992
Nov. 1, 8 – 4 p.m.
Exchange: $1 per pound of candy (five pound limit)
World Of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry North
4548 N. Albina Ave., 503.626.9711
Wednesday, Nov. 1 – Friday, Nov. 10, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mondays – Thursdays, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Fridays
Exchange: toys for candy, children are encouraged to write notes of appreciation to the troops
CNA’S BICYCLE & PED PARADE ON AUGUST 4th is CANCELLED but THE NNO CELEBRATION WILL GO ON THAT EVENING WITH A FREE CONCERT & MOVIE IN FERNHILL PARK!
CNA’s National Night Out Parade has been cancelled due to the extreme heat, but as the temperatures start declining on the evening of August 4th, please join us at FERNHILL PARK for a night of traditional Afro-Mexican folk music, song, and zapateado (percussive dance) by COLECTIVO SON JAROCHO DE PORTLAND from 6:30 to 8:15 PM.
Then stay at the park and beat the heat with a cool nighttime showing of THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE (Subtítulos en Español) at SUNDOWN sponsored by ROSE CITY MORTGAGE & your CNA!
There will be fun activities at the park, including:
There will be FREE popcorn, popsicles, and water for all! Bring a picnic dinner or buy a meal from one of our 4 food vendors!
Bring a blanket, or low-back concert chair, relax in the hopefully cool breeze and enjoy the show!
In light of recent events in our city – and rising racial, cultural and faith-based tensions across our country – the Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA) reiterates our commitment to fostering a strong and safe neighborhood.
We cannot rely on legislation alone to eliminate hate from our world. Instead, resistance must come from the bottom up, from within our own communities.
We agree with the recent statement from our Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods, which “strongly encourages all our neighbors, friends we know and those we have not met yet, to stand in solidarity with marginalized and vulnerable communities and individuals. Find ways to get trained in ‘bystander intervention,’ and ‘disrupting racism’ trainings.
“Get to know all your neighbors, even those who may be different from you, as your neighbors are your greatest assets in our ability to create resilience and safety during challenging times.”
We may have a history of challenging racial relations, and are in the midst of a period of growth and sometimes uncomfortable change. However, we believe Portland today will stand together against hate, and our community will not tolerate fear tactics and intimidation.
The CNA board of directors has changed our board meeting time and date so we no longer conflict with RACE TALKS, held on the second Tuesday of each month, beginning at 6 p.m. at McMenamins Kennedy School.
We invite our neighbors to join us at Race Talks for important conversations. The July 11 event topic is “Protecting Yourself Physically and Emotionally in Trying Times.”
Standing united in amity and peace,
Your CNA Board of Directors
Chris Lopez, Chair
Daniel Greenstadt, Vice-chair
Heather Pashley, Treasurer
Steve Elder, Secretary
Ali Novak
Amelie Marian
Donn Dennis
Garlynn Woodsong
Isham ‘Ike’ Harris
Jody Pollak
Robert Bowles
Truls Neal
Tyler Bullen
