The Woodlawn Neighborhood, Portland, Oregon » Resources

Spring is garden time…EcoRoof, Community Garden events March 13!

Bethany — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:52:47 +0000

Two great events happening Saturday March 13!

The Woodlawn United Methodist Church is starting up a community garden. All neighbors are invited to take part in the set up. It will be a great opportunity to meet other neighbors and build community.
1pm – 2:30pm
On the SE corner of the church (15th and Dekum).

Also, Woodlawn neighbors Gregg and Nikki got a grant from the city to build an ecoroof! Gregg says the next deadline for the next round of grants is in about a month… it was really easy. He suggests people who are interested check out

Free Portland ECOROOF event THIS weekend March 12-13th
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. both days
Leftbank Annex | 101 N Weidler Street Portland, Oregon 97227

City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services Presents Ecoroof Portland 2010

Building owners and home owners wondering how to go about building an ecoroof can learn about it at Ecoroof Portland 2010 THIS Friday, March 12 and Saturday March 13, 2010. Ecoroofs are vegetated roof systems that absorb rain to reduce stormwater runoff and last longer than conventional roofing.

Ecoroof Portland is a free event open to the public. Architects, consultants, contractors, landscape architects, manufacturers, nurseries, structural engineers and suppliers who specialize in ecoroofs will be on hand. A full speaker program both days will showcase local ecoroof case studies and success stories.

EVENT DETAILS:
Ecoroof Portland 2010
Friday, March 12 and Saturday, March 13
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. both days
Leftbank Annex | 101 N Weidler Street Portland, Oregon 97227

http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/ecoroofpdx

Seed Library: Spring Seed Swap / Stock-up Event

Bethany — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:49:13 +0000

Come join us at the Northeast Portland Tool Library on Saturday, February 27th, for a free seed swap and library stock-up event to kick off the new gardening season! We have a wide range of seeds available that you can take home to start or supplement your garden for 2010. You may find some interesting local varieties that you wouldn’t see at the store! If you have seeds of your own that you’d like to share with others or with the library, now is a great time to bring them in.

The event will be from 11AM to 2PM at the Tool Library (in the basement area of the Redeemer Lutheran Church – 5431 NE 20th Ave). In addition to swapping seeds and stories, we’ll also have info about upcoming gardening and seed-saving workshops. For more information, please contact Chris Price ( chris// @ //digitalnotions.com ). Hope to see you there!

About the Seed Library: the Portland Seed Library, graciously hosted by the Northeast Portland Tool Library, was started in 2009 by Gregg Lavender (Woodlawn resident!) and several other fine Portlanders. There is a large inventory of seeds available for free from the library; just stop in to the tool library (http://neptl.org) any time during their open hours and pick up what you need. Then, make sure that you let a few of your plants go to seed so that you can save some seeds and bring them back to the library for others to borrow for the next season.

Thinking about going solar?

Bethany — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:39:49 +0000

Would you like to save money, save energy, and help save the planet? An exciting new initiative can help you and your Northeast Portland neighbors do all that and make your home more comfortable at the same time.

Solarize Northeast is a volunteer-driven community effort led by the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN) to bring renewable solar energy and the benefits of weatherization to Northeast Portland homes. Residents may sign up for solar or connect with weatherization programs, or both. The final date for enrolling in the program is April 15. Check out http://solarize.necoalition.org/default.cfm

You can enroll on our Sign Up page to get started (it does not commit you to installing solar).

To learn more about this project, please check out the Information page above. To learn more about solar and weatherization, check out our Resources page. Please attend our workshops to learn more about the basics of going solar, tax credits and other financial incentives, the details of connecting to the power grid, and how to finance the purchase of solar panels. These free workshops are listed under the Calendar menu option.

Participating neighborhoods will be doing outreach to their immediate neighborhood through neighborhood association newsletters, websites, e-lists and events. For additional information, contact solarize@necoalition.org.

Also coming soon is a clean energy job fair on February 27 from 10:00 – 2:00 at Curious Comedy Theater. Our solar consultant, SolarCity, will be hiring electrians and limited renewable technicians for this project.

Friends of Trees Woodlawn deadline extended to January 4th!

Bethany — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:21:23 +0000

The deadline for the 2010 Woodlawn Friends of Trees planting is now Monday January 4th. Sign up to get trees for your parking strip, or your yard. Tell your Woodlawn neighbors about this wonderful event!

Go to friendsoftrees.org to register. It only takes a couple of minutes.

More information from Gregg Lavender…

We will have more information at the Woodlawn Neighborhood Association on Wednesday December 16th at the church on the corner of Dekum and NE 15th.

For 35 bucks (no one turned away by lack of funds), you can get a tree (Some of which would be 300+ dollars if you bought it from an arborist and had it installed.) The cost also includes a planting permit from the city, an inspection (to make sure there are no gas or water lines under there) METRO digs the holes, we plant the trees together in with our neighbors, and we even have a breakfast and lunch party! Other neighborhoods get a great deal for 75 dollars (which is a huge discount.) We pay only 35 bucks in Woodlawn. No one will be turned away by lack of funds- we have one neighbor willing to pay for a portion/ or all of a tree for neighbors who can’t afford the 35 bucks. (Contact woodlawntrees// @// gmail.com)

Trees absorb carbon. They cool in the summer, and protect from wind in the winter. They provide oxygen to us all. They provide food and shelter for birds. They slow traffic. They increase your (and your neighbors’) property value. They are beautiful. They fight global warming.

The rich and fancy neighborhoods shouldn’t be the only ones with beautiful trees. Our wonderful Woodlawn neighborhood should also get lots of beautiful trees too.

Last February in one day, we planted 59 new trees in Woodlawn. In 2008 we planted 89 trees in Woodlawn in one day. Right now, we are only have 41 scheduled to be planted. Help us triple that #!

If you want to help plant in February, and to come to our party, contact Friends of Trees.

If you want to help pass out door hangers telling neighbors about their last chance to order for this years planting, come to the Neighborhood Association meeting, or contact Gregg at woodlawntrees// @// gmail.com

Avoid Foreclosure

Ayleen C — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:24:11 +0000

You’re invited to a public hearing addressing access to homeownership education, assistance and foreclosure prevention for households in Multnomah County as part of the process of developing the 2010-2015 Consolidated Plan.

Where: New Columbia Education Center—4625 N. Trenton
Date: Thursday, November 5, 2009
Time: 6:00-8:00 pm
Trimet: Bus Line # 4 (www.trimet.org)
If you can’t attend this hearing, there are four other convenient ways to comment.

1. You can write a letter:

Pat Mobley, Housing & Community Development Commission Chair
421 SW 6th Avenue, Suite 1100
Portland, OR 97204

2. Send an e-mail:
bryan.swisshelm@ci.portland.or.us

3. Leave a voicemail message:
503-823-2396
503-823-6868 TTY

4. Comment Online:
www.portlandonline.com/phb/conplan

Questions?
Please visit the Consolidated Plan website: www.portlandonline.com/phb/conplan for more information on this hearing.

Sincerely,

Bryan Swisshelm
City of Portland
Portland Housing Bureau
503-823-2396

Public Hearing: Equitable Access to Serives

Ayleen C — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:10:55 +0000

All residents of our community deserve equal access to services and opportunities. The trouble is that good jobs, high performing schools, social service agencies, and even grocery stores are not always conveniently located. Census data shows that poverty now extends past the inner Portland neighborhoods to the County’s outer reaches. Yet, basic amenities and services such as parks, sidewalks, health clinics, and social service agencies are still concentrated in Portland’s inner core. Language and other cultural barriers may also stand in the way of people of color and immigrant communities seeking to connect with these vital resources.

Your input will inform how federal dollars are spent on programs addressing equitable access to services for households in Multnomah County. You’re invited to a public hearing on equitable access to services, as part of the process of developing the 2010-2015 Consolidated Plan.
Where:          King Elementary School Cafeteria
Date:           Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Time:           6:00-8:00 pm
Trimet:         Bus lines 6 & 72 (www.trimet.org)

If you can’t attend this hearing, there are four other convenient ways to comment.

1. You can write a letter:
Pat Mobley, Housing & Community Development Commission Chair
421 SW 6th Avenue, Suite 1100
Portland, OR 97204

2. Send an e-mail:

bryan.swisshelm@ci.portland.or.us

3. Leave a voicemail message:
503-823-2396
503-823-6868 TTY

4. Comment Online:
www.portlandonline.com/phb/conplan

Questions?
Please visit the Consolidated Plan website: www.portlandonline.com/phb/conplan for more information on this hearing.

Spanish + Cultural Education Center Opens

Ayleen C — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:29:12 +0000

Tierra Educational Center, a locally owned Spanish and Latin American Cultural Center has opened in NE Portland to help bridge the communication and cultural gap between the growing Hispanic population and the community at large. The center offers quality and affordable Spanish classes for all levels, as well as special courses in topics specific to Latin American Culture and History. Tierra also hosts a free Spanish Conversation Club every Friday from 6-8pm, with guided discussion, guest speakers and film screenings pertaining to Latin American issues.

People of Hispanic descent account for 7% (an estimated 38,684 people) of the population in Portland, and these numbers continue to rise. It is becoming increasingly imperative that professional service fields are staffed with bilingual employees, and that the community develops a greater level of awareness pertaining to Latin American issues. More information on Tierra Educational Center and its programs can be found on their website or e-mail Info //at// TierraCenter.com

Community Conversation

Editorial Team — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:53:21 +0000

Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods will host the 3rd gathering in the series Powerful or Polarized! Now We’re Talking

April 30, 2009
At St Andrew’s Community Center
806 NE Alberta and 8th
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Join your neighbors for dinner and conversation about how you feel about this economic situation and ways we can work together and support each other one neighborhood at a time.

Food Sharing Free Hands-On Workshop

Editorial Team — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:20:19 +0000

Interested in gardening, cooking, gleaning, preserving or harvesting? Join Our United Villages on Saturday, May 9th from 9am-3pm for a free hands-on workshop all about food. Learn new food sharing skills. Take a cooking class. Watch a canning demonstration. Volunteer at a garden or urban farm. Meet at the Whole Foods Market Wellness Center, 3535 NE 15th Avenue, for a light breakfast and to pick your project. Lunch will also be provided.

Registration by by May 4th is required. Contact Info //at// OurUnitedVillages.org or call 503.546.7499.

Updates From the Tool Library

Editorial Team — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 23:11:00 +0000

From the North East Portland Tool Library:

The North East Portland Tool Library is now 236+ members strong (and growing every week.) We have 637+ tools (also growing every week.) We just started a free seed library, open and available to our members, and anyone else who is interested in planting veggies and flowers.

We recently received our first grant ($4,400) from the North East Coalition of Neighborhoods and our first large private donation ($2,200). We have already spent much of these monies on the tools most requested by our members.

The advisory council of NEPTL is seeking 8-11 interested members who would be willing to commit to a 2 ½ hour shift once a month to become volunteer tool librarians (we are all volunteers at NEPTL). Duties would include checking tools in/out, signing up new members/ etc. We will have a training for tool librarians this Saturday March 21st from 8:40am-12:30 pm (the first 3 to respond to this email). In fact, we really need a portion of these hours covered by volunteers this Saturday, so if you have been wanting to get involved, NOW is the time to jump in! Working shifts is relatively easy, and a nice way to get to know your NE neighbors.
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.
Interested members should email Gregg Lavender at NEPortlandToolLibrary //at// gmail.com, or call 503-382-7285. After we train a solid group of new tool librarians, we are hoping to open one weekday evening a week during the summer.

NEPTL will be teaching a “Wake Up Your Garden” class Saturday March 21st from 10am-noon. At last count, there were just 4 spots left to enroll! Check NEPTL.org for more details. We will be offering 9 other free classes this spring/ summer, including “Building a Deck.” Stay tuned to our website for more info.

We are always looking for donations of cash and tools. And as you may have noticed, with our tool shed virtually bursting at the seams, we are in need of a new location. At this time, we are also seeking a lead seed library organizer, a grant writer to join our advisory council, and a treasurer to join our advisory council. Please contact Gregg if interested or for more information.

Thanks for your support. More hands make the load lighter.