Volume X X IV . Number 35
"Ser\ ing the communi!) through cultural dix ersits
WI jê
(Db sente r
August 31.1994
SECTION
Bonds Cemented At Reunions
Friendships,
Community
Celebrated
Wyden Town
Meetings Set
Area residents are invited to talk with
Oregon Congressman Ron Wyden during
town meetings scheduled Thursday, Sept.
1 at 7 p.m. at the Fremont United Method­
ist Church, 2620 NE Fremont, and Satur­
day, Sept. 3 at 3:30 p.m. at the Milwaukie
Police Department, community meeting
room, 3200 S.E. Harrison.
There was fun and frien d ­
ship for hundreds of area resi­
dents and visitors from around
the country last week at re­
unions scheduled fo r “The
G athering.”
Choir Singers To
Audition
The eighth annual event was kicked
o ff with a reception on Friday at the Holi­
day Inn Airport, with the family and friends
picnic Saturday at Columbia Park, ending
with a country dance that evening at the
Holiday Inn.
“The Gathering,’’ started as a reunion
o f friends who grew up together in the 50s
and 60s.
The event was started to give old
friends a reason to “come back home” to
the neighborhoods o f North and Northeast
Portland and get together in peaceful har­
mony, to celebrate living and life as it
existed in Portland’s past as well as today.
A uditions are sought for a new
children’s choir, ages 9 to 13, to premiere
with Oregon Repertory Singers in Decem­
ber. Rehearsals begin in September. Call
Linda Noah at 242-3857 for audition in­
formation. Scholarships are available.
PCC Features
‘Lunch and Learn’
Portland Community College and the
Multnomah County Library will co-spon-
sor a brown bag professional development
series this fall at the Portland Art Museum’s
North Wing, 1119 S.W. Park Ave. The
| free lectures will be on Tuesdays from
j noon to 1 p.m. Leading the services Oct. 4
will be "Mastering the Rapids o f Change,
j presented by Larry Ferguson. For infor­
mation, call PCC community education,
244-6111, ext. 7308.
Old and new friends and neighbors of North and Northeast Portland and visitors alike found the food and comradery of The
Gathering' picnic at Columbia Park just to their liking.
See additional photos, story
Page 83
Walking Tours Of
Portland
P ortland C om m unity C ollege will
j o ffer tw o w alking tours o f dow ntow n
P ortland Sept. 24. T our guides Linda
j Dodds w ill lead the “dow ntow n dis-
j covery w alk s” in the c ity ’s core to
exam ine great buildings, sm all urban
J parks and public art treasures. The
tour will be o ffered from 9:30 a m. to
' noon and from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m .
C ost is $7 per tour. The w alking group
I will m eet in front o f P o w ell’s Books
in P ioneer Square.
I
i
j
j
'
Opera Concert
Planned Downtown
The Portland Opera presents a 30th
anniversary concert at PioneerCourthouse
Square at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4. The
evening air o f downtown Portland will
ring with the soaring voices o f the La
Beheme cast and the sounds o f the Port­
land Opera Orchestra. “This free concert
is our way o f saying thanks to the city o f
Portland and the people o f the entire area
for their outstanding support over the
years,” said opera director Robert Bailey.
Burke Presents
Powell’s Reading
James Lee Burke returns to Powell’s
Books, 1005 W. Burnside, to present a
reading from his new mystery, Dixie City
Jam on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Burke's novels are set primary' in Bayou
country, particularly the area in around the
tiny sugar cane town o f New Iberia, La.,
where Burke makes his home.
Cultural Bus Debuts
For Artquake
You can meet “Art the Cultural Bus,”
a new resource to the Portland area, during
Artquake, Sept. 3-5. The bus will offer
information on cultural attractions in the
Portland/Vancouver area. Funding for the
bus was made possible by the Northwest
Business Committee for the Arts, the Met­
ropolitan Arts Commission, Tri-Met and
Metro regional government.
The steaks were cooked just right on the barbeque at The Gahtering's' friends
and family picnic.
Linda Grice joins Paul and Geneva Knawles during The Gathering's' reception at
the Airport Holiday Inn.
Club Provides Activities For Gresham Kids
A new P o lice A c tiv itie s
League Club is now open, pro­
viding young people in G re­
sham an alternative to hanging
out on the streets.
Located at 172 and Glisan, the club was
rebuilt on the remains o f the old Rockwood
Elementary school which burned about nine
years ago.
In addition to the basketball and volley­
ball games which go on almost continuously
in the w ell-lighted gym. the centeralso offers
an art room, game room, weight room, li­
brary and other supervised activities.
According to JerryCioeta, PALclubco-
director, about 75 to 100 kids take advantage
of the club each day, and he expects that
number to increase as more young people
hear about the center
In addition to the club's co-directors, the
center is staffed with VISTA volunteers and
off-duty Gresham police officers who also
volunteer their time.
The building was made possible in large
because o f the efforts o f contractors like Tice
Electric, a member o f the National Electrical
Contractors Association, Oregon-Columbia
Chapter and the International Brotherhood
o f Electrical Workers. Local 48, and general
contractor P & C Construction.
“ Facilities like these can make such a
positive impact on young people,” said Gary
Hunter, head electrical for Tice Electric
Gresham Police Activities League Co-directors Jerry Cioeta and Justin Rekucki look on as Alena Cawthome serves the
volleyball at the new PAL Club in Gresham The club provides young people a constructive alternative to hanging out on the
streets
"We felt it was important to be part o f help­
ing make facilities and services like those
here at the PAL Club available to boys and
girls in the area.
“ This is a real area o f need in our com­
munity," said Dave Smejkal, P& C 's project
manager. “ If it helped just one kid a year, it
would be worth it, but we know PAL is going
to be helping many, many more than that.”
According to Stephanie Blair, one o f the
young regulars at the club, it’s already work­
ing.
“I come here all the time,” Blair said.
“It 's something to do. It’s fun and I meet a lot
of friends and different people here."
“It was amazing the w ay everyone pulled
together to get this youth center going,” said
Cioeta “ We appreciate the huge contribu­
tions these contractors made.”
“ W e're here to help the kids, to be their
friends and someone they can look up to,”
said Justin Rekucki, club co-director. “The
contributions like Tice Electric and P & C
Construction have made that job a lot easier."