Page 6, Portland Observer, July 24, 1986
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• SPORT TALK * SPORT TALK •
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SLAM DUNK!
Slam Dunk judges and contestants
Clyde "The Glide" Drexler. as usual,
rose to the occasion.
Billy Ray soars in the attack position.
12.660 tans remembered their high flying scoring machine
’8 5 SUMMER EXPOSURE CLASSES
oähcb / w °
«MB«
The Slam Dunk winner, Billy Ray bates
The Lee Graham Classic
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BALLET
STREET & BREAK DANCING
ETHNIC MOVEMENT
AFRICAN DANCE
JAZZ
• LUNCH STRETCH
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•»CLASSES NOW IN SESSION
*** SPACE LIMITED!!!I!
FOR MORf INFORMATION CONIACI
287-9883
1829 NE. Alberta
p io d u c e d in entupí» bv ( le b o n iM p P io d u i In • V A iM -rtis m q C o m p o n »
We arc a group o f professionals,
educators and coaches from various
schools throughout the city ssho hase
joined together to form a collective
planning unit. We are a non-profit o r­
ganization and our primary focus and
goal is to recognize members o f our
community ssho hase gisen o f them
seises in a positive manner These
individuals have been pillars o f strength
and hase lacilitgated the development
and self-sufficiency o f our youth for
years; as model citizens, counselors
and members o f parent groups.
I his summer sve would like to
recognize M r. I ce Graham, by organ­
izing a community-based track and
field meet to be dedicated to him and
held in his honor. The track meet
w ill be tilled, "T h e Lee Graham
Classic," and w ill feature the finest
athletes throughout the city o f P ort­
land on (he high school and college
levels. There w ill also be several
events for "o p e n " and "m asters"
age groups. A total o f 12 specialty
events are being planned. The tenta­
tively scheduled dale is August IO,
1985 at Jefferson High School.
Historically, only business leaders,
members o f the legal profession,
educators, and professional athletes
have been honored by members o f
our community. We feel that this
pattern should be broken and a new
one established and set into motion.
I ee Graham has been unrecognized
for n xi long by those with limited
vision and little depth o f realism.
M r. Graham was a bus driver for A l­
derman Farms for years and was
directly responsible for getting hun­
dreds o f young people employed
during the summer harvest season in
the late 1950s and early I9«>s. He has
been a major force in the movement
to keep young people o ff "the streets"
and out o f trouble. His love and dedi­
cation to the yourg people o f his
community mandated that he adopt
many important and difficu lt roles:
counselor, father, teacher and em­
ployer to an ever-increasing extended
family o f youth during the past JO
years The young people loved him,
were in awe o f him, and most im ­
portantly respected him because they
knew that he was “ for real” and
that he had their best interests at
heart.
Mr. Graham is a strong and com ­
mitted man who has never allowed his
emotional love for youth to blind
LEE G R A H A M
him to their need for discipline and a
positively structured environment.
Since his retirement from Alderman
Farms, M r. Graham has remained ac­
tively supportive and involved in his
community. He is a member o f nu­
merous organizations that serve young
people, in addition to being a member
o f Jefferson High School’ s Dad's
Club. He has become a permanent
and welcome fixture in the grand
stands and bleachers at city athletic
events, and he has not missed a Jef-
ferson ball game or track meet in over
20 years.
We are asking fo r your support
and participation so that we can make
this event a celebration that appro­
priately honors an individual who has
made such a significant contribution
to our community. Leo Graham is a
man who deserves to see our respect
and admiration for the many years o f
service that he has so unselfishly dedi­
cated himself to.
Please help in our effort to make
this community based event a success­
ful and meaningful celebration o f the
spirit o f achievement that so appro­
priately honors M r. Lee Graham
He has contributed so much to the
youth o f Portland's northeast com­
munity.
We are in need o f a variety o f items
for the track meet. Articles such as
t-shirts, shoes, trophies, gift certifi­
cates, medals, record albums and/or
any other contributions that you
might be able to donate would be
very much appreciated by us as we
prepare for this event.
We are a non-profit organization
and all financial and “ in -k in d " con­
tributions arc tax deductible We
would o f course recognize your con­
tributions to people attending the
event, or respect a desire to remain
anonymous if that is your preference.
Please contact me if you have any
additional questions and if you would
like to make arrangements to con­
tribute in some way to the success o f
this community event.
Thank you,
ROSE ( I T Y P L A N N E R S
I eon Lincoln
John Mays
Leon McKenzie
Ernie Smith
YonRay Johnson
Grace McKenzie
Carol Walden