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www.portlandobserver.net
Committed to Cultural Diversity
November 3, 1999
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Non- profit Better People expands Board of Directors
CONTRI B l TEDSTORY
for T he
Stop the War on Youth !
Local activists involved in the
campaign to repeal Measure 11 will
report on why this mandatory
minimum sentencing law must be
abolished and present highlights
o f this tenacious battle against
injustice. Thursday, November 11th
at 7PM. A hearty Italian Buffet will
be available at 6:30PM for a $6
donation. NW N eighborhood
Cultural Center, Community Room,
1819 NW Everett, Portland. The
m eeting is free and open to
everyone. Call 503/228-3090.
“Sew For The Cure”
The holiday spirit is already alive
and those with crafty hands are
invited to “ Sew For The Cure”, a
special fu n d raiser co n test to
benefit breast cancer research. Jo-
Ann Fabrics and Crafts and the
A m erican
H om e
S ew ing
A sso c ia tio n e n c o u ra g e the
community to enter “Sew For The
Cure” by crafting a Christmas tree
ornament. The ornaments will then
be displayed in Jo-Ann stores
across the country throughout the
holiday season on Christmas trees
and a v a ila b le for sale, w ith
proceeds to support local cancer
organizations. Call 503/629-5177
or503/659-2718.
F ellow sh ip M issionary
Baptist Church
ITS REVIVALTIME! Join usas we
gather in Fellowship and prayer on
November Is' through November
5,h at 7:00 PM for a Time ofRevival
at Fellowship Missionary Baptist
Church 4009 N. Missouri Avenue
Portland OR 97227. For more
information contact Pastor Johnny
Pack IV (503)284-9195 or Maretha
Kaye Hart, Secretary (503) 249
0377.
Washington, D.C. Mayor
in Town
The first African-American woman
to become mayor o f a major city in
the United States will speak in
Portland next month during the
32nd Appreciation Dinner for the
P o rtla n d
O p p o rtu n itie s
Industrialization Center, which
includes Rosemary Anderson High
School, and alternative high school
located in North Portland. Sharon
Pratt Kelley, the former mayor o f
Washington, D.C., is the keynote
sp e a k e r d u rin g the d in n e r
scheduled from 6PM to 9PM on
N ovem ber 6, at the Sheraton
Portland Airport Hotel, 8235 NE
Airport Way. Tickets are $40 each
oi $400 fora table for lOpeople.Call
503/735-1825.
“Lift Jesus Up” Revival
file Lifeline Christian Church is
sponsoring a month long, citywide
“Lift Jesus Up” revival to spur
re sid e n ts o f the P o rtla n d
metropolitan area to take action
against ills plaguing families and
the community. The revival is free
and occurs from 7PM to 9PM every
weekday from October27-Nov. 19
at First AME Zion Church, located
at 4303 N. Vancouver Ave. Call
Reverend Weaver at 503/705-1673.
Pow er
Available
W h eelch airs
The Senior Wheels USA
Program makes makes Power
(electric) Wheelchairs available to
non-ambulatory SeniorC itizens (65
yrs old & up) at no out-of-pocket
expense, ifthey qualify. Thepower
Wheelchairs are provided to those
who are confined to a wheelchair,
and can no longer self-propel in
their living area, and who meet the
a d d itio n a l g u id e lin e s o f the
program No deposit required
Please call for more information on
thedetailsoftheprogram. Call toll
free, 1-800-360-8765.
P ortland O bserver
Better People, a privately-funded non-profit
employment and counseling program forex-
offenders, has added five new members to
its Board o f Directors.
The new members are as follows:
Robert C. Hughley, Ed.D. - Education/
Evaluation Consultant
Sam Jackson, Jr. - Gunderson, Inc. (retired)
Brian Ross - Te Nation, not shown.
L.E. “Jack” W agner- Marsh, Inc. (Formerly
Sedgwick o f Oregon), not shown.
Patricia W arren-U.S. West(re tired), Warren
Insurance Service, not shown.
Better People is the first program in the
nation to com bine jo b placem ent and
retention services with Moral Recognition
Therapy (MRT), a well-researched and well-
documented cognitive-behavioral approach
aim ed at system atically altering how
offenders make decisions - how they think.
A recent study shows that for every dollar
invested in MRT programs, taxpayers and
crime victims receive $ 11.48 in benefits.
A strong advocate for the offender, Better
People only accepts jo b orders from
employers who offer a minimum o f $8/hour
plus health benefits. Since opening in June
o f 1998, Better People has placed more than
50 form er offenders in jobs actually
averaging alm ost $9/hour plus health
benefits.
Sam Jackson, Jr., Gunderson, Inc. (retired), New Board Member, For
Robert C. Hughley, Ed.D. Education/Evaluation Consultant, New Board
Better People
Member, fo r Better People
Mike Dunleavy and the Blazers Community Builders
tip-off NBA teamUp with 4th Annual Harvest Dinner
general manager Bob Whitsitt led the
Blazers community efforts last year
and established a company-wide
policy o f paid tim e o ff for its
employees to participate. “We won
the Points o f Light Award primarily
CONTRIBUTED STORY
for
T he P ortland O bserver
Last year, the Portland Trail Blazers
fed close to 4,000 homeless, hungry
and less fortunate people at their 3rd
annual holiday dinner at the Rose
Garden arena. This year. Head Coach
M ike Dunleavy and the Blazers
Community Builders reached more
than 5,000 people when they hosted
the event Wednesday, October 27
from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. This year’s event
took place during NBA TeamUp
Week, the NBA ’ s community service
initiative. Meanwhile, in Washington
D.C., Blazers team president and
general manager Bob Whitsitt will
accept the 1999 Points Of Light
Foundation Award for Excellence in
Corporate and Community Service at
a special awards dinner as the Blazers
celebrate community service from
coast to coast.
“This is a very special day for our
organization,” said Whitsitt. “Our
Blazers Community Builders program,
including our players and coaching
staff, are working hard to give back to
our local community at our annual
Harvest Dinner. On the very same
day, the Blazers are being recognized
by the Points o f L.ight Foundation for
our efforts. It is exciting and
rewarding for our staff and we plan to
live up to the honor in the future by
continuing to give back to those in
need.”
The PortlandTrail Blazers have been
named as one o f only five companies
across the nation to receive the Points
o f Light Foundation 1999 Award for
Excellence in Corporate Community
Service.
The Blazers are the only professional
Scottie Pippen doled out spoonfuls of baked beans during the Trailblazers
efforts to help the community.
volunteer program, the Trail Blazers
sports team ever to be recognized
exemplify how corporate America can
and the first corporation to receive
be an important and valuable resource
the award in the state o f Oregon.
for volunteer action that has an
The award honors companies who
impact. We applaud and appreciate
have dem o n strated ex ceptional
commitment to community service
their efforts.”
The Blazers team president and
and who have very strong employee
vo lu n teer program s that target
serious social problems.
The team is one o f five winners o f the
prestigious award this year. “Through
the Blazers Community Builders
program, the team has assumed an
active role in addressing community
problems and concerns,” said Robert
K. Goodwin, president and CEO of
the Points ofLight Foundation. “With
every member o f the full-time staff
participating in the com m unity
Rasheed Wallace serves out dressing to the needy during the 4th annual
Harvest Dinner.
Blazers launch new official Blazers Kids
Club For Kids ages 14 and younger
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because o f our Blazers Community
Builders (BCB) employee volunteer
p rogram and our 100 p e rc e n t
employee participation is whathas
made this program so successful,”
said Whitsitt.
?
Blazer Center Joe Kleine
and Guard Roberto
Bergersen announce new
Kids Club with Blazers
Advisory Board youth
members.
Blazers sponsors Lifewise
and General Mills donate
150 Kids Club
membership to Boys A
Girls Clubs and Legacy
Emanuel Children's
Hospital
Membership includes
Official Blazers Kids Club
t-shirt, membership ID
Card, Blazers Kids Club
School Folder,
Newsletters, Contests and
Suprises.