Portland News and Events for August 16 Through September

PHOTO:The Community Cycling Center has launched the “Take Back the Streets” campaign, galvanized by community activists Jason Washington, of Brothers Gaining Equality Through Excellence, and DeMarcus Preston, a former gang member, who approached the bike nonprofit for support.

The group is holding a bike ride Sunday, Aug. 24, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. departing from New Columbia’s Bike Repair Hub, located on the corner of N. Trenton Street and N. Woolsey Avenue. A film and $5 healthy barbecue starts at 2 p.m. at Columbia Park. Proceeds benefit Stop the Violence Foundation and P.I.L. Reunions. Find out more about the cycling center project on Facebook at Take Back The Streets Bike Ride and Event.

We are Black. We are…’

The Portland African American Leadership Forum holds its next event in the ‘We are Black. We are…’ campaign, which is a monthly community breakfast, Saturday, Aug.16, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the  Highland Christian Center, 7600 NE Glisan St.

August's program will focus on developing a unified plan for the future of the community in the wake of a lacking geographic center.

Throughout the remainder of 2014, the group plans monthly breakfast gatherings focused on building relationships, providing resources and discussing our experiences as Black people, and how the community can come together to address challenges.

For more information, go to: www.weareblackweare.com; and look for the group on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram.

Back to School at Boys and Girls Club

The Trailblazers Boys and Girls Club holds Back to School Family Day for families who are already enrolled in the BGC, this Friday, Aug. 15, 1-4 p.m. 5250 NE. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

The event features music, food, entertainment, with a taco cart and prizes for families. Parents can register their child for the 2014-2015 school year.

There'll be a back pack and school supply give away and teens vs staff basketball game in the gym.

For more information call 503-282- 8480, or e-mail [email protected].

Oregon Commission on Black Affairs

Oregon Commission on Black Affairs will meet 9am – noon Saturday, Aug. 16th, at Portland Community College Cascade Campus, Terrell Hall, Room 112, 705 N. Killingsworth St. Portland.

Guest speakers will include:

· Nora Meier, OCBA Intern, will report on research in minority advancement in Apprenticeship to Journeyman.

· Jeri Williams, community leader, will speak on sex trafficking prevention.

· Antoinette Edwards, City of Portland Director of Youth Violence Prevention, will speak on the Black Male Achievement Initiative.

Find out more at www.oregon.gov/ocba.

Enough is Enough Campaign

Volunteers who want to help reduce violence in our communities are invited to join the Enough is Enough campaign, organized through the Office of Youth Violence Prevention and the gang task force. First meeting is 6 p.m. Aug. 18 in the conference room at North Precinct, 449 N.E. Emerson. Call 503-823-4180 to connect with the campaign.

Free Child Safety Seat Clinic

The Beaverton Police Department in a partnership with Safe Kids Washington County conducts a free child car seat clinic on Saturday, Aug. 16, at Kuni Collision Center located at 3725 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Beaverton, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
This clinic is designed to teach parents and caregivers how to properly install and use a child safety seat. A properly installed and used child safety seat will greatly decrease the chance of your child sustaining a serious or life threatening injury during a motor vehicle crash.
A certified technician will help parents and caregivers learn to install and use their child safety restraints properly. No appointment is required just drop by during the event. Each car seat check will take about 30 minutes.

Portland Parks & Recreation Offers Pools, Park Fountains, Splash Pads, Water Safety Tips

PP&R has seven outdoor and six indoor pools, a great way to cool off as the mercury moves to miserable levels. Our pools offer open play swims, water exercise classes, junior lifeguard training, junior swim instructor training, summer swim teams, and more!

Park fountains are enjoyable ways to keep cool.  Find a list here of the ones labeled as “interactive” – they allow wading, splashing and play: www.portlandoregon.gov/parks

Portland Parks & Recreation's splash pads around the city are open to help you stay cool! Splash away through the end of September, hours are 11 am to 9pm.

Splash pads can be found at the following PP&R parks: Columbia Park - North Lombard & Woolsey; Essex Park - SE 79th & Center; Earl Boyles Park - SE 112th & Boise; Elizabeth Caruthers Park - 3508 SW Moody; Farragut Park - North Kerby & Farragut

Grant Park - NE 33rd & US Grant Place; Kenton Park - 8417 North Brandon; McCoy Park- North Trenton & Newman; Northgate Park - North Geneva & Fessenden; Peninsula Park - 700 North Rosa Parks Way; Pier Park - North Lombard & Bruce; Raymond Park- SE 188th & Raymond; Stark Street Island - SE 106th & Stark

Sensational Summer Fruit Celebration

The Annual Hood River County Sensational Summer Fruit Celebration is Saturday and Sunday, August 15-17, at Packer Orchards & Bakery (and throughout the Hood River Fruit Loop,  3900 Highway 35, Hood River.

Packer's will be offering fresh Gravenstein apples, peaches, and berries. Visitors will also find peach milkshakes and smoothies, fresh pies and empanadas, a couple dozen varieties of cookies, jams and pepper jellies, pickled veggies, ice cream, nuts, gifts, and so much more.

For more information call 541-234-4481.

City Of Portland Seeks Volunteers for 311 Focus Groups

The City of Portland has contracted with Spencer Stern Consulting to assess the potential for development and possible implementation of a more centralized Customer Relationship Management system and 311 Call Center.

Volunteers are sought to give feedback on how community members currently use City services, how they feel about their current experiences, and their opinions on the potential of a 311 system for the City of Portland. To gather this type of information, we are asking for community volunteers to participate in a 2-hour focus group session with our 311 Assessment Project Team.
If you are interested in volunteering to participate in any of these focus groups, please contact 311 Project Manager Laura Wolfe by Monday Aug. 18 with your preferred session. Write or call [email protected], 503-823-4762.

City Opens 2014 Spirit of Portland Award Nominations

Nominations are now being accepted for the 30th annual Spirit of Portland awards. If you know of an individual or group who has helped make Portland a better place to live, work, study, pray or play, please nominate them for one of the 2014 awards.

Celebrated since 1985, the Spirit of Portland award ceremony is an important way for the city to recognize and celebrate those who make who make outstanding contributions to our community. Each year, there are roughly 20 winners.

Award recipients will be chosen based on any of the following criteria:

• Assisting in the implementation of outstanding projects
• Enriching and revitalizing our community and neighborhoods
• Providing the community with a special service
• Demonstrating responsiveness, creativity and civic values
• Raising cross-cultural awareness
• Acting as good steward of the environment

Nominations are due in the Office of Neighborhood Involvement by 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12. Nomination forms are available at www.portlandonline.com/oni/spiritofportland or by contacting Victor Salinas, at 503-823-3093 or [email protected].  They may also be picked up at the Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI), 1221 SW Fourth Ave, Room 110, Portland, OR 97204.

The awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2014 from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center – Atrium – 501 N. Graham St. Portland.

American Red Cross has Urgent Need For Blood And Platelet Donations

The American Red Cross continues to have an urgent need for blood and platelet donations, even as thousands of people answered the urgent call to donate last month.
Through the end of July, the Red Cross saw an increase of approximately 7.5 percent in the number of donors coming to give blood, resulting in more than 11,800 additional donations beyond what was anticipated. Despite the increase, blood products are currently being distributed to hospitals as quickly as donations are coming in, maintaining the urgent need.
To prevent a shortage and ensure an adequate blood supply for patients the rest of the summer, the Red Cross especially needs platelet donors and those with types O negative, B negative and A negative blood.
Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information.

The Human Bean Schedules Share Food Drive Aug. 22

The Human Bean drive-thru espresso franchise in Vancouver is holding their second annual food drive on Friday, Aug. 22.

Human Bean customers will enjoy drink discounts and a chance to win Oregon Ducks or Beaver college football tickets with their donations during the one-day food drive. All food donations benefit the local community through Share Food Bank.
The Human Bean will raffle off both (2) University of Oregon and (2) Oregon State football tickets for an upcoming home game this season.
The Human Bean at 15630 NE Fourth Plain will be accepting food donations during their operating business hours of 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 22. The community is encouraged to donate nutritious non-perishable foods like canned soups & vegetables, peanut butter, pasta, rice and cereal. Be sure donated food items are packaged in non-breakable containers.
For more information go to www.sharevancouver.org.

YWCA Clark County Holds Open House for Volunteers

YWCA Clark County will host a free open house on Thursday, Sept. 4, 6-7:30pm for prospective volunteers to learn about the wide variety of volunteer opportunities available at YWCA. Staff will be available to discuss how volunteers contribute to the mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. No reservation is needed.
Opportunities include providing advocacy and support to survivors of assault, representing the best interests of abused and neglected children in the court system, offering encouragement and information to women who are incarcerated, and supporting the safety and healing of families experiencing domestic violence. Additionally, volunteers with previous experience can help out in a preschool classroom, assist youth aging out foster care, or provide support for trainings on racism and social change.
To learn more about volunteering at YWCA Clark County, visit www.ywcaclarkcounty.com/volunteer or contact Nichole Peppers at 360-906-9112 or [email protected].

Oregon State Athletic Commission Seeking Ringside Physician Candidates

The Oregon State Athletic Commission is conducting a statewide recruitment for interested, qualified candidates to serve as Ringside Physicians. The recruitment will close Sept. 15.
The Oregon State Athletic Commission (OSAC) is charged with regulating professional boxing, mixed martial arts and entertainment wrestling in the State of Oregon.

The Commission has a Medical Advisory Committee that recommends Ringside Physician applications under consideration.
Ringside Physicians must meet the following minimum qualifications, must be approved by the Medical Advisory Committee and consent to and pass a background investigation:
* Must be a medical doctor or osteopath licensed in the State of Oregon;
* Must be familiar with or willing to learn the physical standards for licensing boxers and mixed martial arts contestants as outlined in Oregon Administrative Rule 230 Section 20 and Oregon Revised Statute 463;
* Must be willing to provide pre and post-fight medical exams prior to and during events; and
* Must be willing to travel to and attend events on weekends when able.
Ringside Physicians receive payment for their services at OSAC sanctioned events. Interested persons should contact Sgt. Jeff Lewis of the Oregon State Athletic Commission, at 503-378-3578, or email at [email protected].

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