P age A6
J uly 17, 1996 • T he P ortland O bserver
“Serve And Be Served” Day
The Northwest Service Academy,
a local AmeriCorps program, is spon­
soring a community service event on
July, 27th 1996 to give an opportuni­
ty for residents of Portland to make a
difference in their community, either
by making improvements at their lo­
cal school grounds, empowering the
growth o f healthy trees in Forest Park
serving with individuals who are ded­
icated to save an urban riparian area
from further damage, or doing fin­
ishing work on a house in North
Portlandenablingalow income fam­
ily to buy a home.
The purpose o f the Northwest
Service Academy is to engage over
100 AmeriCorps members in hands-
on community service projects. These
projects bring clear and demonstra­
ble benefits to local communities
and their surrounding environment.
file Northwest Service Academy
has 70 members working in the Port­
land Metro area as well as 30 mem­
bers who live and work on a rural site
in WA M embers’ projects focus on
community based environmental ser­
vice. AmeriCorps is part o f the Cor­
poration for National Service estab­
lished by Congress with strong bi­
partisan support in 1993.
One way we, as an organization,
meet the goals o f AmeriCorps is by
planning this community wide ser­
vice event where volunteers can work
with a variety o f organizations such
as: Friends o f Forest Park, Friends o f
Fanno Creek, M cLoughlin Junior
High School, Ardenwald Elementa­
ry School, and Portsmouth Commu­
nity Redevelopment Corporation.
Volunteers will have an opportu­
nity to participate in all the above
activities.
For more information on projects
in your area and exact times please
contact The Northwest Service Acad­
emy Community Outreach Com m it­
tee at (503) 695-3747. We will be
glad to hear from you.
“Waiting Children”
Around the United States, there
are many children awaiting adop­
tion. In the state o f Oregon alone,
there are over 200 children in need
ofadoptive families. W eareagroup
o f private agencies working with
the state to help find adoptive fam­
ilies. These agencies are com plete­
ly waiving fees in order to encour­
age the adoption o f these children
in need. Single adults, both male
and female, as well as couples are
welcome to consider adoption To
learn more, contact The Special
Needs Adoption Coalition at The
Boys and Girls Aid Society, (503)
222-9661
Below are some examples o f the
special children looking for a lov­
ing home:
Occasionally bashful, Alvin is a
peppy, on-the-go kid. He thrives on
the joy o f play! This dear child is
said to be easy to parent. Develop-
mentally right on target, Alvin is a
smart and active problem-solver.
Despite testing positive for drugs at
Sand In The City '96, presented
by Yoshida’s, promises to be a fam­
ily event like no other in Portland, the
sand sculpture contest, which will
take place at Pioneer Courthouse
Square July 25-28, will feature 14
corporate teams waging creative
warfare against one another and 60
tons o f sand.
The fun begins on Thursday, July
25, when master sand sculptors will
construct a giant demo sand castle.
The next day, competing teams will
have from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to shovel,
pack and carve their creations.
Awards will follow at 5:30 p.m.
Free public view ing, p u p p et
shows, music and food sales will
highlight the weekend A hugh fam­
ily sand castle building area and a
wheelchair accessible sand castle
building area will welcome aspiring
architects to display their handiwork.
Entertainment includes the bands
Golden Delicious, a bluegrass band;
The B lack b ird T rio , fe a tu rin g
Beatles-type music; Flying Safari
Ants, a marimba band; and many
more. Hours for the weekend festiv­
ities are Saturday from 10 a m. to 6
p.m. and Sunday from 10 a m. to 4
p.m.
Major sponsors include present­
ing sponsor Yoshida’s—makers o f
gourmet sauces and other diverse
products including board games and
Molly Snow boards-and Black and
Company Inc., and investment spon-
sors/teams include Hoffman Con­
struction Company, who agreed to
truck 60 tons ofthe beach to and from
the Square; CFI ProServices, Inc;
Beaches Restaurant & Bar in Van­
couver; NAACO Materials Handling
Group Inc.; Northwest Natural Gas
Co.; U.S Bank: Pacific Generation
Company; Generic Parts Service, Inc;
W ieden& Kennedy and Wells Fargo
Bank.
Sand in the City '96 is a benefit for
the kids on the Block Awarenes
Program. The program uses chili
size puppets to help children am
adults learn to understand and accep
differences in one another and t<
protect themselves in difficult situa
tions.
The purpose o fth e program is ti
encourage acceptance and open com
m unication reg ard in g physical
social and cultural differences; ani
to provide accurate information an<
educational materials that focus oi
ability, dignity, independence am
self-esteem.
The Kids on the Block puppet:
dress and act like real children. The)
speak in kids’ language and deal witl
children’s fears, concerns and ques
tion in a simple non-treating way
The puppets encourage fresh new
attitudes and present differences a:
assets, not liabilities.
For more ¡»formation, please call
Lynne Bangsund at 503/2466-5818
Fight Pain With Positive Alternatives
m M arian W rigiit E delman
Alvin, age 2.
Anna, age 4.
birth, Alvin is a healthy child. His
cultural heritage is Hispanic, Kla­
math Indian and Caucasian. Alvin
also has a baby sister who might be
available for adoption at some point.
This beloved boy is ready for a safe
and supportive home!
Anna is ajolly littlegirl with a super
sense o f humor! She tells hilarious
jokes and stories, punctuated by her
cute laugh. Anna energetically plays,
sings, and dances. She is very interac­
tive with others and loves to con­
verse. Anna currently struggles with
some challenges, including some
possible drug or alcohol effects. She
has been making excellent progress!
This bubbly girl would benefit from
parents who could shower her with
consistent attention.
Computer Hurling Catapult Makes Last Casting Call
1996 da V inci D ays c e le b ra ­
tion. O re g o n ’s finest fam ily fe s­
tiv al, is ex cited to have a fam ous
addition th a ttie s in science, te c h ­
nology, and arts all in one stru c ­
ture.
Sand In The City
The "M ona Lever.” a trebuchet as
seen on episodes o f “Northern Ex­
posure," wi 11 be ready to launch com­
puters to demonstrate how physics
can he Ip computers clear 102.3 yards.
Computers can be delivered to
the trebuchet launch site on the day
o f event or prior to the festival at the
da Vinci Days office at 760 SW
Madison, Corvallis, Oregon.
For more information call the da
Vinci Days office at (5 4 1 ) 757-6363.
In the 16 years that James Prister
has been on this earth, he has experi­
enced more pain and sadness than
any person should be forced to en­
dure in a lifetime. Two o f his older
brothers were arrested in a robbery
attempt when James was 10. They
are serving long prison terms. A cou­
ple of years ago, another brother was
shot and killed on the streets o f New
York. James says that he sees vio­
lence and death everywhere he looks
in his Brooklyn neighborhood.
But James, a New York YMCA
Member, who traveled to W ashing­
ton, D C., last June I to Stand For
Children with several other YMCA
supporters, has turned his sadness
into anger. And he’s fighting back.
“ I want to focus on the positive things
so the drug and gun dealers will
never get m e,” he says. “ When
younger kids see me, they’re not
going to see a criminal. They’re go­
ing to see a young man who leads by
example. I have to stand up to the
criminals and say. You’re not going
to get me!”
“ I haven’t seen my brothers since
chance to develop leadership skills
I was 10, and I probably won’t see
instead o f getting into trouble. It
them again until I’m old,” he contin­
seems like the government puts us
ues. “Grabbing a gun, getting a girl
last. Sometimes they treat us like
pregnant—what’s that? Why not say,
w e’re nothing but dogs.”
‘I want to grab me a diploma or a
Another o f Jam es’ traveling com­
career?’”
panions was Gary Swartels, 33, a
“ My brother was killed and my
nativeN ew Yorker and worker at the
other brothers are in prison because
G reater New York YMCA
they were al I in the wrong place at the
“There needs to be increased re­
wrong time. There needs to be more
sources to other organizations like
things for young people to do so
the YMCA that help young people
they’re not so bored, so that there are
pass safely into adulthood,” says
more positive alternatives. The drug
Swartels. “Last year, New York City
dealers and gun sellers are all around
YMCAs served more than 95,000
us, and when there’s no programs for
youths, and the goal is to increase
kids my age, those are the people we
that number fourfold by the year
end up giving in to.”
2000,” he says.
Fifteen-year-old Kristy Schlaffler,
James, Kristy, and Gary all have
anotherm em berofthe YMCA Great­
the right idea. Ifthis society is to turn
er New York, also stood for children
the pain and sadness that many o f our
at the Lincoln Memorial. “ Kids need
children are experiencing into safety
a positive image, and that’s why we’re
and peace, we must stress the impor­
here today. We have so many pro­
tance o f positive alternatives. What
grams that are being cut in New York,
we don’t provide for our children
which only puts kids back on the
and youths on the front end, we will
street,” she says. “ With programs
only pay for on the back end in the
like ours, kids get to play basketball
form o f prison sentences and more
and other sports, and they get the
dying.
Prices^ Effective^ July 17 through July 2 3 ,1 9 9 6 a t your nearby Safeway store.
FOOD & DRUG
Whole Boneless
Beef Top Sirloin
69
• Primal form untrimmed
• Cut & wrapped in one
package FREE!
• Valu Pack Steaks, 3 or
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• Smaller packages, 2.19-lb
•SAVE UP TO 1.20 LB
lb
Fresh California
Sweet Cantaloupe
• Wholes melons
• SAVE AT SAFEWAY
Stouffer’s
Lunch Express
• Original or Lean Cuisine
• 8.5 to 10.75-ounce
•S A V E UP TO 1 .3 0 EACH
*
69
0
ea
0
19
lb
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