4 • The Southwest Portland Post
FEATURES
February 2018
Wilson’s “Team Hat Trick” seeks to score big for cancer research
Approximately every three min-
utes, someone in the U.S. will be
diagnosed with a blood cancer; that’s
62,130 people in 2017! Three Wilson
High School students are working
hard together to change those statis-
tics by raising funds for leukemia and
lymphoma cancer research.
These dedicated Wilson High
School students, led by sophomore
Ben Finnell, have banded together to
seek Wilson’s third state title as the
leading student fundraiser for the
Leukemia Lymphoma Society.
Wilson’s “Team Hat Trick” fund-
raising campaign will be challenged
by student teams from other Oregon
high schools also competing in “Stu-
dent of the Year” competition that
generated nearly $90,000 in 2017.
Wilson High School has won this
statewide competition in the past two
years. The competition runs seven
weeks and will end March 4.
Typically, sophomores Ben Finnell,
Lauren Davis, and Sam Altman enjoy
weekends with friends or playing
baseball, softball, or soccer for Wilson
High School.
But when Finnell was asked by
Susan Korte, of the Leukemia Lym-
phoma Society, to carry the fund-
raising torch this year at Wilson, he
jumped at the opportunity to lead the
effort and called on two of his most
reliable friends.
“This is a really good cause and
I’m glad I got the opportunity to
help families beat this awful cancer,”
said Finnell, “I want to do what I can
to reduce blood cancers in any way
possible.”
Davis’ motivation to help raise
money for cancer research stems from
loved ones affected by blood cancer.
“Because my uncle is currently suffer-
ing with leukemia, I’ve seen what it
can do not just to the ones who fight
this difficult battle, but their families.
Nobody should have to live with that
pain,” she said.
According to Altman, “I’m part
of Team Hat Trick because I want
my kids [someday] to grow up in a
cancer-free world. I value this pro-
gram’s message to spread awareness
about these terrible diseases and to
create ways for youth to get involved
in such an important cause.”
Blood cancer research gives hope
to anyone with cancer. More than
40 percent of new cancer therapies
approved by the Food and Drug
Administration from 2000 and 2015
were initially approved to treat blood
cancer.
“Team Hat Trick” is asking Port-
land residents to support this stu-
dent-driven effort by visiting com-
munity “donation stations,” available
at various Multnomah and Hillsdale
businesses through March 4, or, by
donating online at http://events.
lls.org/oswim/PortlandSOY2018/
bfinnellrxu.
Lauren Davis, Ben Finnell, and Sam Altman of Wilson High School are fundraising
for cancer research. (Photo by Kerri Ann Garfield)
Vermont Street rehabilitation to include
repaving, walking and bicycling access
By Jack Rubinger
The Southwest Portland Post
The Southwest Vermont Street
Pavement Rehabilitation Project will
bring increased safety and improved
access for pedestrians, families and
cyclists to this east-west corridor.
Proposed improvements were dis-
cussed at an open house event held
at the Southwest Community Center
in January.
According to Mychal Tetteh, man-
ager of the Portland Bureau of Trans-
portation’s Fixing Our Streets Pro-
gram, popular destinations include
the Southwest Community Center,
Gabriel Park, the West Hills Mon-
tessori School and the Park Village
Apartments.
The more than 1.5-mile corridor
from 30th Avenue to 65th Avenue, is
N O R T H A M ER I CA’S
also home to the Vermont Hills Shop-
ping Center, OHSU Family Medicine
outpatient clinic and a number of
shops.
It’s a key route for accessing the St.
John Fisher Parish and School and
the St. Luke Lutheran Church.
The TriMet No. 1, 45, and 64 bus lines
serve the area.
“The project will begin this sum-
mer and stretch from 30th to 65th
Avenue,” Tetteh said. “Residents in
this area have been eagerly awaiting
these improvements which are being
made possible with funding from the
Fixing Our Streets voter-approved
program.”
In the coming months, residents
will see new and wider sidewalks,
improved shoulders, traffic mitiga-
tion, repaved roadways, ramps for
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