Committed to Cultural Diversity
O cto b e r 6. 2004
M etro
}Jortlaxtb (Ohseruer
SECTION
C
o in ni u n i t y
a le n d a r
Pow Wow
N ative A m erican drum m ers,
singers and dancers will gather
at Mt. Hood Community College
for a traditional Pow Wow on
Saturday, Oct. 9 at 4 p.m. For
information, call 503-465-8074.
McCormack-Matthews Center Serves Kids
New space fo r Albina
Head Start opens
Trail Blazer and Portland native
Damon
Stoudamire officially unveiled
Learn to Swim
the
McCormack-Matthews
Center in
Fall Swimming Lessons are avail
able at the Columbia Pool, 7701
northeast Portland last week, named
N. Chautauqua Blvd and Matt
after longtime neighborhood activist
Dishman Pool, 77 N.E. Knott.
S haron M cC o rm ack and D am on
For information, call the Aquatic
S toudam ire’s grandm other, W anda
Division at 503-823-5130.
Matthews Stoudamire.
Trail Blazer President Steve Patterson
Rummage Sale
The H ollyw ood Loaves and
as well as Ron Herndon, the director of
Fishes Center hosts a rummage
the A lb in a H ead S ta rt, and the
sale to raise m oney for the
McCormack family joined him.
community’s Meals-On-Wheels
“This center is very special to me.
program from 1 to6p.m .O ct. 14
I'm so appreciative to just see my
and 15and9a.m .to6p.m .onO ct.
grandmother's name on the building.
16 at 1907 N.E. 45th Ave. For
She meant a lot to me and I have so
information, call 503-281 -8109.
many memories of spending time with
Adoption Seminar
her as a kid,” Stoudamire said.
Information on the process of
The McCormack-Matthews Center
adoption and a variety o f adop
was a $3.2 million project and is located at
tion opportunities will be shared
6930 N. Kerby. The building was de
on Thursday, Oct. 21 from 7 to
signed
to meet the space requirements of
8:30 p.m. at the New Hope Com
Albina Head Start programs. The center
m unity C hurch, 11731 S.E.
has three preschool classrooms, three
Stevens Rd. in Clackamas. For
infant and toddler rooms, computer lab,
information, call 503-659-5683..
multipurpose room, and a parent resource
Midwife and
room that will serve 90children from birth
Healers Conference
through five years old.
The International Center for Tra-
The center also has additional space
d itio n a l C h ild b e a rin g has
provided for administrative activities,
partnered with midwives and
recreation, parking and internal circula
healers who will show the con
tion.
nections o f current practices
with past traditions at the 3rd
Charitable donations for the project
annual Black M idw ives and
came from Stoudamire, the Paul G.
Healers Conference at PSU ’s
Allen Charitable Foundation, Bill &
University Place Hotel. Visit
Melinda Gates Foundation, Meyer M e
www.blackmidwives.org.
morial Trust, The Collins Foundation,
Leadership Summit
the Portland Trail Blazers, Region X
Albina Head Start kids surround Trail Blazer and Portland native Damon Stoudamire for the opening o f the new McCormack-
The National Forum for Black
Head Start Bureau and Spirit Mountain
Matthews Center, named after longtime neighborhood activist Sharon McCormack and Damon's grandmother Wanda
Public Officials is holding its
Community Fund.
Matthews Stoudamire.
annual Fall Leadership Summit
and Marks for Excellence Lun
cheon from 8 a.m. to4 p.m. at the
Double Tree Lloyd Center. For
information, contact Deena at
dpierott@ ci.portland.or.us or
M ic h e lle
H a rp e r
at
mharper@ ci.portland.or.us.
Aquatic Fitness
Providence has a full schedule
o f fitness classes including w a
ter exercising at the Providence
Aquatic Center, 4805 N.E.Glisan.
Foraschedule,call503-215-630l.
Women in NAACP
W om en in N A A C P, a new
women’s group, meets from 10:30
a.m. to 1 p.m. the first Saturday of
each month at the American Red
C ro ss B u ild in g , 3131 N.
Vancouver. For questions, call
503-249-6263.
Children’s Healthy
Growth Clinic
A free 40-m inute session on
Rolfing, a holistic system o f soft
tissue manipulation and move
ment to insure health growth
and movement patterns, is avail
able for children ages zero to 10
on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 1-5
p.m. at Wild Oats Market, 2nd
floor, 3535 N.E 15th. For ques
tions about this clinic, call 503-
7 5 3 -7 6 5 3
or
em ail
rolfer@earthlink.net.
In Charge
The American Red Cross O r
egon Trail Chapter offers When
I’m in Charge, a 2.5 hour course
that prepares children ages eight
to 11 how to respond to and be
safe in situations. The next class
is held Wednesday, Oct. 20 from
6to8 :3 0 p .m .atM t. Hood M edi
cal Center, 24800 S.E. Stark St.,
Gresham. The fee is $ 18. To reg
ister, call 503-280-1440.
Forces of Nature
OM Sl presents Forces o f N a
tu re , N a tio n a l G e o g ra p h ic
Chases M other Nature’s Dark
Side, at Omnimax from Oct. 8
through March. For more infor
mation,call 503-797-4000.
B
Energy
Costs
Skyrocket
Warmth this winter
will cost a bundle
Many local residents face steep heating bills in
the upcoming months thanks to record prices for
heating oil and big increases in the cost of natural
gas.
The Oregon Public Utility Commission approved
an 18 percent rate increase for Northwest Natural
beginning this month and heating oil prices have
soared over the past few months.
Industry experts are warning that crude oil prices
- which hit new highs last week - could lead to local
home-heating oil prices routinely hitting above $2
a gallon this winter.
For gas customers, the bill for a typical residen
tial customer of Northwest Natural who uses 56
therms will increase by $ 10.40monthly, from $57.64
to $68.04.
r,-
*
.
,
,
photo by M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver
“Until prices come back down again there are
Donya Frazier, parent educator for Albina Early Head Start, embraces kids. She is part of a program that helps
things customers can do to lessen the impact of
educate parents about how to act as teachers toward their children.
these price increases, especially during the upcom
ing winter months, when they will take a bigger bite
out ot household budgets,” said PUC Commission
Chairman Lee Beyer.
Tum ing your thermostat down can save up to 3
velop the ski I Is parents need to meet the
percent for each degree o f reduction. A program
needs o f their children,” said Donya
mable thermostat that automatically reduces heat
Frazier, parent educatorfor Albina Early
at night or while the house is unoccupied can lower
Head Start. “Parent willingness and in
heating bills by 5 to 10 percent.
by J ohanna S. K ing
volvement are the essence o f what we
T he P ortland O bserver
Experts say gaps, leaks and small holes in
use to assist parents in becoming more
ductwork account for as much as 25 percent of
Albina Early Head Start knows about
experienced and better qualified for the
home heating loss. Fully insulating your residence
the vital needs o f young ctiildren. They
jo b .”
generally results in up to 30 percent savings on a
also understand that parenting is nei
In a joint effort with Self Enhance
heating bill
ther a quick nor easy task.
ment Inc., the free Parent Child Services
Local residents can ask for a free energy audit.
In response to a critical community
Program meets M onday and Friday
Utilities are required to provide free energy audits
need for parenting assistance, a new
evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the SEI
and incentives such as rebates or loans for energy
program has evolved to help bring par
building and offers support to parents
saving measures.
ents closer to their children through
in need of some helpful hints of the
Bill paying assistance for low-income residents
hands-on interaction and activity ori
basics.
may also be available.
ented projects.
Influenced by the idea that parents
For more information, call the Oregon Depart
"W e highlight the relationship be
- Donya Frazier, parent educator
ment of Energy at 1-8OO-221-8O35.
tween parents and kids in order to de-
continued
on page 116
Back to the Basics of Parenting
Head Start brings
families together
I
Parent willingness
and involvement are
the essence of what
we use to assist
parents in becoming
more experienced
and better qualified
for the job.
1