Selected articles from the Concordia News are published on the website, but the entire paper is available for download as well. Here’s the December Edition – hot off the presses (pdf ~4MB).
Monthly Archives: November 2007
4th Annual Tannenbaum Madness Begins November 29
The 4th Annual Tannenbaum Madness event will open during the upcoming Last Thursday, November 29th. Sponsored by Art on Alberta, businesses up and down NE Alberta Street will create a walking tour of whimsical, artistic, and unique holiday trees on display in their front windows.
This year’s trees include Frock’s “Glitter Dolls,” “Le Petit Prince” at Tour de Crepes, “Silly Faces” at Guardino Gallery, “Tinseltown Tree” at Videorama, “Puestos de la Loteria” at Random Order Coffehouse, “All Things Bright and Beautiful” at Onda Gallery, “Tree for World Peace” at Enterbeing, and “Haute Hanukkah” at Foundation Garments. A complete list of participating businesses, as well as where to find printed directories will be available at the Arts on Alberta website.
Take a tour of this community celebration, and make sure to vote on your favorite tree during opening weekend. Ballot boxes will be distributed throughout the event with special prizes awarded for the top three trees. This event will run through December 31st.
Annual CNA Holiday Party, December 4
Mark your calendars for the annual CNA Holiday Party! The party will be held Tuesday, December 4, 2007 in the Community Room at the Kennedy School in lieu of our December General Meeting. This year the festivities will begin at 6:30 pm instead of 7:00 pm. There will be food, children’s activities, free prizes from local businesses, and plenty of good cheer and conversation. We are also pleased to announce that the Portland Recorder Society will be performing for our listening pleasure. Everyone is invited to come out and meet your neighbors in a fun and festive atmosphere! Please contact Katie at 503-296-7839 if you are interested in helping with the Holiday Party.
Concordia University Regents Endorse Learning Center
The Concordia University Board of Regents voted to recommend that Concordia University begin construction of its 74,000 square foot learning center in May of 2008. Their recommendation will move forward to two governing bodies of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod for final consideration in early 2008. The new Concordia University learning center will double the capacity of the current library, and expand space for academic program centers, meeting rooms, and faculty offices. The estimated cost of building construction is $15 million.
Concordia University officials have made a point of including community interests in all its plans for campus development. Neighbors will have access to library resources and meeting rooms in the learning center, and a new athletic complex will also be open to community use.
“This project will transform our campus and our neighborhood community,” said Concordia University President Chuck Schlimpert. “Our ability to develop the learning center supports the vision that a university engaged in the community can provide expanded opportunities for its students and help its neighborhood thrive.”
The learning center will be built on the current site of the University’s soccer and baseball fields, and construction will finish in August 2009. Concordia will temporarily vacate its current athletic field until the new athletic complex is complete in March 2010. The athletic complex will occupy the two blocks north of campus that are currently used for married student housing. The first home will be moved offsite by the end of October 2007. Concordia is developing plans to add new student housing along 27th Avenue.
Project Suggestions Needed
[The following is a reprinted letter to the editor, originally published in November’s Concordia News.]
As a newcomer to Portland it is difficult for me to identify a community need that is not already being dealt with by some group or individual. In the six months I have lived in Portland I have been impressed by the awareness, determination, and creativity of citizens in finding solutions to the problems found in their communities.
I am an AmeriCorps volunteer through the Northwest Service Academy this year. As part of that program I will lead a Community Action Project. The only requirements for this project are that it has to serve a need of the community, and I have to lead the effort. I can do anything from leading a team to clean up a park, to coordinating a community event, to planting a garden. My job placement is with Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Coalition, which is great, but I really want this project to happen in my own community in Northeast Portland.
I have spent some time over the past few weeks trying to think of a way I can help my neighborhood with this project, but then it occurred to me that maybe a better approach would be to let the neighborhood suggest to me what there is a need for. I will be attending the Concordia Neighborhood’s General Meeting on November 6th to introduce myself and to listen to suggestions and ideas for the community project. I hope anyone who has an idea will come talk about it with me to help me make the most of this opportunity to do something helpful with my new community.
Tim O’Neal
NWSA AmeriCorps Volunteer
503-232-0010 ext.313
tim@southeastuplift.org