Portland News and Events for Dec. 4 - 14, 2014

PHOTO: On Thursday, Dec. 4, the Vancouver Police Activities League hosts another monthly literacy event. These events provide free books to kids, encourage reading, and create positive connections between kids and cops. This month's school is Crestline Elementary. Vancouver PAL literacy events focus on youth in the third and fourth grades. Each literacy event includes a safety presentation from the Vancouver Police Department, time for kids to pick out a free book, reading time with police officers and a tour of specialty police vehicles. These events are fun for the officers and the kids and are one of the education programs the Vancouver Police Activities League offers. For more information on the Vancouver Police Activities League visit www.vancouverpal.org.

GirlStrength and BoyStrength Volunteers Needed

Portland Police Bureau is looking for men and women to volunteer with the WomanStrength, GirlStrength and BoyStrength self defense and violence prevention programs -- volunteers to work with Boystrength are especially needed right now.
WomenStrength and GirlStrength have a 35 year history of success and trained over 110,000 community members in the Portland area.

BoyStrength is an exciting new program for boys ages 10-14 that provide boys with options, strategies and skills to make healthy choices and be leaders in non-violence.
Volunteer instructors are trained by professionals in the field of violence prevention. No experience necessary. Men and women from all backgrounds, abilities and ages (over 18) are encouraged to apply. Application Deadline: Feb. 5, 2015. Strength Instructor Training Starts: Feb. 21, 2015
Volunteer Information and Application: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/BoyStrength
For more information call 503-823-0239.

Operation ‘Silent Night’ Seeks Homes for Pets

Animal Services hosts ‘Operation Silent Night’ to find homes for all 200 unadopted pets in their facility by Dec 31st.

Beginning on Dec. 1, Multnomah County Animal Services hosts “Operation Silent Night” in an effort to find a home for every shelter animal by Dec. 31.

To help meet this goal, adoption fees for all animals over the age of 6 months will match the date. On Dec. 1, you can adopt for just $1, on Dec. 2, $2 and so forth, through Dec. 31. These are some of the lowest adoption fees of the year. (Please note that puppies and kittens under 6 months of age are excluded from the special.) All adoptions include spay/neuter, vaccinations, a health exam, a one-year pet license and a microchip that can be registered for free.

For more information go to www.multcopets.org.

Rose City Rollers Host Toy Drive for Operation Homefront

Fans Will Receive $5 Merchandise Voucher and Support US Service Members

The Rose City Rollers host a toy drive at their season opener bout on Dec. 13, at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 300 N Winning Way.

Fans who donate a new, unwrapped toy at the double-header will receive a $5 voucher that can be redeemed at the RCR merchandise table. This toy drive will help provide a brighter holiday for the families of our Northwest service members and wounded warriors. Doors open at 5 p.m., the match starts at 5:45p.m.

The RCR season opener will feature all four Portland home teams squaring off. First will be the High Rollers vs. The Heartless Heathers, followed by the Guns ‘N’ Rollers vs. the defending champions, the Break Neck Betties.

A national non-profit, Operation Homefront provides emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members. Operation Homefront was able to help 31,648 military families celebrate with toys during the 2013 holidays. For more information, please see: www.facebook.com/OHPacificNorthwest and www.operationhomefront.net

Multnomah County Sheriffs, Troutdale Police Partner for Holiday Toy Drive 

Officers and deputies from TPD and MCSO will be volunteering their time to help bring joy this holiday season to children from families with less fortunate means and collect toys for east county youth to be distributed through SnowCap. Officers will also be collecting gifts for teenage children, a group often overlooked during holiday toy distribution efforts.

Toys will be distributed through Snowcap of East County and Human Solutions to children and youth through 18 years of age. You can help by bringing your unwrapped NEW toy to the Wal-Mart store in Wood Village on the dates listed below. Collection stations will be located just inside each store entrance and members of the Troutdale Police Department and Multnomah County Sheriff's Office will be at the stations supporting toy drive efforts.

Toys and gifts will be accepted at Wal-Mart in Wood Village during the following times:

• Saturday and Sunday Dec. 6 and 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday Dec. 13 and 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Volunteer Tax Preparers Needed For Free Tax Assistance Program

AARP Foundation will be providing free tax assistance and preparation for taxpayers with low to moderate income through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program. But first, the program is in need of volunteers to help prepare tax forms.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide thrives due to the remarkable efforts of its volunteer base. With nearly 50 million low- to moderate-income taxpayers helped and growing, there are always opportunities for new volunteers. Lack of experience shouldn't stop anyone from volunteering. Tax volunteers must complete a tax preparation workshop from the Internal Revenue Service prior to working with taxpayers. There is also a need for grass-roots leadership on-site greeters, and those who can provide language assistance in Spanish, Mandarin or Cantonese.

Last year, 1,197 AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers in Oregon helped more than 80,795 people file their federal and state tax returns. The program is offered at approximately 134 sites in Oregon including senior centers, libraries and other convenient locations.

For volunteer information and an online application, visit www.aarp.org/taxaide. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is offered in conjunction with the IRS.

Arts Commission Seeks Artists, Works to Mount 2015 Exhibitions

The Clark County Arts Commission is seeking artists who create two-dimensional pieces and are interested in exhibiting their works next year in the Sixth-Floor Gallery at the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St.

Artists can propose a solo exhibition of 20-24 pieces or share an exhibit with another artist and each show 10-12 pieces.

Interested artists should send four representative JPEG images to [email protected]. Submission deadline for jurying is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23.

Tool Library Celebrates ‘Power Tools to the People’

A celebration of North Portland Tool Library’s 10th anniversary is Tuesday, Dec. 9, 5-10 p.m. at the PAUSE kitchen and bar, 5101 N Interstate.

The event features delicious food from PAUSE and a raffle for items and gift cards from local businesses.

PAUSE is donating 25 percent of all food and beverage sales from 5-10 p.m. to the tool library– so please eat and drink up! Additional donations to NPTL are gratefully welcomed.

The North Portland Tool Library (NPTL) is a community resource that loans a wide variety of tools to North Portland residents free of charge. For more information call 503-823-0209, write [email protected] or go to www.NorthPortlandToolLibrary.org.

Groundwork Portland Celebration

Groundwork Portland is excited to celebrate this year's accomplishments and growth with you at our Annual Fundraiser and Network Social, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 6 - 9 p.m. at El Centro Milagro, 425 SE 6th Ave, Portland.

This will be an exciting event featuring inspiring stories from environmental justice changemakers of all ages. Enjoy delicious food, drinks, silent auction and the opportunity to meet Groundwork Portland representatives, partners and allies. We look forward to seeing old and new friends at this event to continue our work with Portland area communities.

For more information go to www.groundworkportland.org.

Find more news and events in Portland and Seattle on The Skanner News Community Calendar