Monthly square dances are being organized at the Village Ballroom by a team of two local square dance aficionados.  Music will be performed by the Greasy Chain String Band.  The dances are also benefits for local non-profits, and a different beneficiary is chosen for each month.  So far the organizers have two months scheduled as a trial run, and they hope there will be enough support that they can keep these dances going.

“But SQUARE DANCES?” you might say.  Yes, the old time-y dances of yore have made quite a come-back in the last few years, especially in Portland where there is a thriving old-time music scene.  Local square dances are well loved for drawing peopel of all ages to dance the night away.  A caller calls out the dance moves, and by the end of the night you’ve probably danced with everyone in the room. No special dance skills are required, so this is great fun for people who are usually shy on the dance floor.

The Monday, Jan. 26 dance will benefit the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and the Monday, Feb. 23 dance will benefit the Portland Fruit Tree Project.   The bar opens at 6:30pm and dancing is from 7:00-9:00pm.  The organizers are very welcoming.  “Beginners and all ages encouraged to come dance and have a good time!’ they say.  The entry fee is a suggested donation of $5-$50 to support the non-profits and attendees are encouraged to pay what they can.

In the early days of Woodlawn, the neighborhood held famous dances in the Ballroom.  It is exciting to see a resurgence of activity in that building!

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The Woodlawn Neighborhood Association Board recently underwent some exciting changes. At our annual board elections, we were sad to see a few members leave.  Other commitments and interests drew them elsewhere, and we are thankful for the time they gave to the board.  The elections were held at the general meeting in November, and three neighbors joined the board to round out the great team who will assist with project and budget oversight for the neighborhood.

We are still in need of a president (or two people to co-lead) and a treasurer.  These positions do not require a large time commmittment (1.5-3 hours a month) and are very rewarding.  The ideas for our neighborhood come from our neighbors at the general meetings and through conversations, but the board helps unify the ideas and offers oversight and cohesion.

Are you good with numbers?  The treasurer helps prepare our budget, writes checks and keeps our finances in check.  At this point, we don’t have a lot of financial activity so this is a very low-stress position.

Are you good at motivating people?  Leading people?  Speaking up?  Sounds like you’d be great as our board president!  Various board members have taken on portions of the president’s responsibilities, so you would not have to take on everything yourself (such as meeting announcements).  You may also team up with another person to co-lead the board, which can be a great way to further share the workload.

If you are interested in either of these positions, please e-mail Board //at// GoWoodlawn.com or call Ayleen at 971-221-7228 so we can talk further.  The board meets on the first Wednesday of the month from 7:15-8:15pm at the Woodlawn Methodist Church.  Please join us next month to learn more about the board.  General meetings happen on the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm, and board elections take place at general meetings, but we need a little advance notice to schedule that into the agenda.

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Snowy days make great photos! Have you been out taking photos in this crazy weather? We started a Flickr internet-based photo sharing group for Woodlawn. It’s free to post or view photos, and we hope you’ll take part. Flickr makes it easy for even non-tech-savvy neighbors to easily upload photos.

Please add your photos to our group (you’ll need a free Flickr account first). And we’re not just talking snow photos; we’d love a glimpse at what you are seeing in the neighborhood, what catches your eye and what strikes you.

// View our slide show >>

// View our GoWoodlawn photo group >>

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Celebrate the holidays with your neighbors!  We’re transforming this month’s general meeting into a holiday party!  We’ll still talk about a little neighborhood news, but we’ll also have a spread of delicious food (rumors of neighborhood-made tamales or Jamaican food have been flying around – yum!).  Please feel free to bring holiday treats to share.

All neighbors are most welcome at this party and we certainly hope you’ll join us – even and especially if you’ve never been to a neighborhood meeting before. The room will be toasty and filled with good cheer.

The Woodlawn Holiday Party is Wednesday, December 17th from 7-8:30 pm. Meetings take place at the Woodlawn Methodist Church at the corner of 15th and Durham. Enter the west door and head immediately up the stairs.

Let’s celebrate another great year in Woodlawn and welcome our new board!

** Please spread the word! **

For more info, please contact us: Board //at// GoWoodlawn.com

We hope to see you there,
The Woodlawn Neighborhood Association Board

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From the NE Tool Library:

Due to the continued cold and icy conditions forecasted through the end of the week, we will not open the Tool Library this coming Saturday, December 20. If you have tools checked out, you can hold onto them for another week (we won’t charge late fees) and return them December 27th.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and hope you’ll stay safe and warm.

You may also view these as a pdf here.
12/5/08
Woodlawn Neighborhood Association Board Meeting Minutes
Meeting at the WCRC

Present: Ethan Jewett, Shirley Minor, Andrée Culpepper, Anjala Ehelebe, Ayleen Crotty, Willie Ranson, Thelma Diggs, Ross Danielson

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Read the rest of this entry »

From the City of Portland:
Commissioner Dan Saltzman and the Office of Sustainable Development (OSD) recently opened the public comment period for the proposed High Performance Green Building Policy. This innovative policy seeks to cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce energy costs and accelerate the growth of green jobs in Portland. The proposed green building policy was developed by OSD staff with input from stakeholders in the design, development, construction and real estate sectors. It includes the following components to encourage energy efficiency, sustainable Read the rest of this entry »

Join your neighbors to discuss the possibility for a City Repair project in the tiny pocket park at the intersection of Durham, Holman and 13th (or potentially elsewhere).  The meeting is at the house of Gregg and Nikki, the dark green house at the corner of Durham and Highland (facing Highland).  Tuesday, December 2, 6:45pm.  Come with your idea hat on or just to sit and listen.

To comment on this article, leave your comment below then send an e-mail to Comments [at] GoWoodlawn.com so we can push it on through.

We’re having a land use committee meeting on Thursday, October 23, from 7 – 8:30 p.m. at the Woodlawn Methodist Church (1425 NE Dekum).

On the agenda:
* update on the kiosk
* plans for the “Dekum Corner” project in the building on the SW corner of Dekum and Durham.
* sign cap update
* revisiting the land use plan committees and workplans
* electing a chair for the land use committee
* and lots of other fun stuff

PLUS SNACKS!

I hope that you can join us.

Best,
Joellen Pail
WNA Co-Chair

The next presidential debate falls on the same night as our monthly social neighborhood meeting, so we’ve changed the date of our meeting. Meetings regularly occur on the third Wednesday of the month.

Our meeting for October will be on Tuesday, October 14, from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. in the Woodlawn United Methodist Church at 1425 NE Dekum.  Enter through the door on the west side of the building and head up the stairs.

Please join us for:
* food from Rumpspankers
* information about the Children’s Levy ballot measure
* updates from our land use and newsletter committees.

I hope to see you next Tuesday!

Best,
Joellen
WNA Co-Chair

P.S. Coincidentally, October 14th is also the last day to register to vote in Oregon – so do that before you come to the meeting if you aren’t already registered!

// Info on registering to vote