Community October 17, 2016 THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 11 COMMUNITY CALENDAR Continued from page 10 annual Oregon Mycological Society (OMS) Fall Mushroom Show. In addition to a display of freshly picked Pacific Northwest wild mushrooms, the event features vendors, books for sale, cooked mushroom samples, speakers, and more. For info, call (503) 228-1367 or visit . Vietnamese dessert class Oct 30, 3:30-4:30pm, Midland Library (805 SE 122nd Ave, Portland). Learn how to make a tasty Vietnamese dessert at a program conducted in Vietnamese. To register (required), call (503) 988-5234. For info, call (503) 988-5392 or visit . Not So Spooky Stories Oct 31, 4-4:45pm, Woodstock Library (6008 SE 49th Ave, Portland). Attend Not So Spooky Stories, a Halloween event for young people. The event features stories, songs, and a fun craft. Wearing a costume is encouraged. For info, call (503) 988-5399 or visit . Medicare enrollment assistance Nov 2, noon-5pm, Midland Library (805 SE 122nd Ave, Portland). Attend a free Medicare enrollment assistance event presented by the Multnomah County Aging and Disability Services Division to receive advice on enrollment and paperwork. To schedule an appointment with a Multnomah County SHIBA (Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance) program volunteer (required), call (503) 988-3646. For info, call (503) 988-5388 or visit . “Redeeming the Soul of America: Race, Justice, and Reconciliation” Nov 3, 1-5:30pm (workshops), 7pm (lecture), Concordia University, (2811 NE Holman, Portland). Attend “Redeeming the Soul of America: Race, Justice, and Reconciliation,” the 2016 Collins Lecture featuring speaker Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III in addition to representatives of Oregon’s Black, Latino, Asian, and Native American communities discussing racism as it is experienced in Oregon today. Workshop leaders address community policing, mass incarceration, and more. For info, or to register, call (503) 221-1054 or visit . Saké tasting Nov 4, 6-7pm (VIP), 7-9pm (general tickets), Leftbank Annex (101 N Weidler St, Portland). Enjoy saké tasting with Joto saké at an event featuring several varieties of Japan’s beloved rice wine paired with food provided by Devil’s Food Catering. The tasting is hosted by the Portland Japanese Garden. For info, or to register, call (503) 223-1321 or visit . Free citizenship classes Nov 4, 11, 18 & 25, 10:30am-noon, Midland Library (805 SE 122nd Ave, Portland). Learn about the process of becoming a U.S. citizen and prepare for the citizenship interview at free classes taught in English by Goodwill instructors. Participants learn about U.S. history and government. For info, call (503) 577-9984 or visit . GirlFest 2016 Nov 5, 10am-4pm, Portland Expo Center (2060 N Marine Dr, Portland). Join thousands of girls (and boys) of all ages at GirlFest 2016. The event, which is hosted by the Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington, features educational, hands-on activities about resources and opportunities for girls in our community, including high-adventure sports, science and technology, and arts and culture. Participants can attend a workshop, meet live animals, and dance and sing along with musical guest Amanda Jones, who performs on the live entertainment stage. For info, or to purchase tickets, call (503) 977-6800, e-mail , or visit . “Miso Ramen” cooking class Nov 6, 10am-1:30pm, West Linn Adult Community Center (1180 Rosemont Rd, West Linn, Ore.). Learn the ins and outs of making “Miso Ramen,” a soup full of umami flavor thanks to miso, at a class taught by Indonesia-born chef Surja Tjahaja. The class includes lunch. For info, or to register, call (503) 557-4700 or visit . Free citizenship classes Nov 7-Dec 12 (Mon), 5:45-7:45pm, Holgate Library (7905 SE Holgate Blvd, Portland). Learn about the process of becoming a U.S. citizen and prepare for the citizenship interview at free six- session series of classes taught in English by library volunteers. Participants learn about U.S. history and government. For info, call (503) 577-9984 or visit . “Fly Gals: Women Airforce Service Pilots in World War II” Nov 13, 2-3pm, Hillsdale Library (1525 SW Sunset Blvd, Portland). Attend “Fly Gals: Women Airforce Service Pilots in World War II,” a talk about WASPs, the first American women military pilots, who flew vital ferry, training, and flight-test missions, freeing up men for combat during World War II. To register (required), call (503) 988-5234. For info, call (503) 988-5388 or visit . Gem Faire Nov 18-20, noon-6pm (Fri), 10am-6pm (Sat), 10am-5pm (Sun), Oregon Convention Center (777 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland). Browse an assortment of gemstones, beads, crystals, minerals, and more at Gem Faire. See a free admission coupon on page 5. For info, call (503) 252-8300 or visit . PROUD TO BE A PILOT. Allison Wetherington (left, #23), a senior at the University of Portland, is a center midfielder on the women’s soccer team. Kicking a soccer ball around has been part of her life for 17 years. During the last four years, she has represented the Portland Pilots on the pitch. (AR Photo/Jody Lim) Allison Wetherington: A story of soccer, gyoza, and dolphins By Ryan Nakano The Asian Reporter llison Wetherington’s greatest fear is the ocean. She is scared of the unknown, scared of what might be lurking underneath the surface. But the thing about Wetherington is that she loves dolphins, according to her best friend and former teammate, Noelle La Prevotte. Wetherington, a senior at the University of Portland (UP), is a center midfielder on the women’s soccer team. After graduation, she will step out into the unknown, the metaphorical “ocean” laid out for the post-college student, and she will be certain of only one thing: that she will continue to play soccer the way she will continue to love the torpedo-shaped cetacean. “She is very reserved, but she is such a passionate person,” La Prevotte said. “I mean, she has played soccer almost all of her life and the passion she has for the game can also be seen in her loyalty and selflessness in her friendships.” La Prevotte and Wetherington played together for the Pilots for three years, but it wasn’t until last summer, La Prevotte’s senior year, that they became good friends. Since then, both players have visited each other’s families and homes on two separate occasions, Wetherington visiting the La Prevottes in California and La Prevotte flying to Georgia, the southern state in which 21-year-old Allison grew up playing soccer. “It started when I was three years old, kicking a ball around at my brother’s games,” Wetherington said. “By four, my parents signed me up and I’ve been in love with the sport ever since.” Not only has she been in love with soccer, she has excelled at it. Before signing with the Pilots, Wetherington played international matches for several different teams in England, Sweden, and Spain. During her first year in Portland, she was named the West Coast Conference (WCC) Freshman of the Year in 2013. With five matches remaining in the regular season, she has played in every game of her college career (72 games), scoring 13 goals and giving 19 assists. Prior to her senior year of high school, Wetherington had no intention of attending the University of Portland. A She was continuously told by her club soccer coach, Brian Moore, that the Pilots wanted her to become part of their program, but Oregon always seemed too far from home, which made her uncertain. It took some convincing, but she eventually boarded a plane that would land her at Portland International Airport on June 1, 2013. After watching one match on campus and meeting players on the team in person, she was signed within 24 hours. Aside from the distance, her home in Acworth, Georgia couldn’t have been more different than Portland or the Pacific Northwest in general. Simple Southern mannerisms like saying “yes ma’am” and “no ma’am” disappeared. Living in the city as opposed to the countryside was completely foreign, but it didn’t take long for Wetherington to adapt. In fact, she currently has no plans to leave Portland, a city she now calls home. Since heading to college, Wetherington has travelled back home twice a year. Each trip to visit her family has a routine that starts with a stop at her grandmother’s house in South Carolina, a gathering that includes homemade gyoza and California rolls. “She is one of the sweetest people I know and she just loves to make food for us,” Wetherington said of her 87-year-old grandmother, Shigeko Wetherington. “We usually drive her to the grocery store after we eat so she can start preparing for dinner.” A dinner of steak, rice, and sushi. The sushi is for Wetherington’s father; Allison doesn’t really care for sushi all that much, but she is happy to be home, happy to hear the stories her grandmother tells about living in northern Japan while sharing their meal. “There is a definite communication barrier. Her Japanese accent is very thick, so most of the time I have to get my dad to help translate for me,” she said. Wetherington is one-quarter Japanese from her dad’s side of the family. Much like the communication barrier with her grandmother, there are several cultural things that she grew up with not fully understanding. “Both my dad and grandma are Buddhist and they both have Buddhist altars in their homes,” Allison said. “When I was younger, I used to sit next to my dad in the morning while he chanted in front of it, even though I had no idea what was going on.” This is the general sense of uncertainty she has grown Continued on page 13 AAAS seeks nominations for awards recognizing Oregon AAPI leaders and organizations The Association for Asian Ameri- can Studies (AAAS) is accepting nominations for awards recognizing an outstanding leader as well as an organization within the Oregon Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. The Community Leader Award recognizes an individual who has given exemplary service and leadership to the AAPI community in Oregon whether it be a specific ethnic group or pan-AAPI members. The Community Organization Award recognizes an organization that has shown outstanding leadership and service to specific ethnic or AAPI communities in Oregon, which may include commu- nity-based or non-governmental organizations, museums, and asso- ciations. Each of the awardees receives $300 from the AURA-AAAS Endowment Fund. Award recipients are recognized at the association’s annual conference, scheduled for April 13 to 15, 2017 in Portland. To nominate an individual for the Community Leader Award or an organization for the Community Organization Award, a one-to-three page Letter of Nomination must be submitted that describes the indivi- dual’s or community organization’s contributions to the community. Nominations should include contact information for both the nominee and nominator (name, title, organization, e-mail and mailing address, and phone number). Nominations should be e-mailed to the awards committee at by November 30, 2016. Award recipients will be notified in February 2017 and are invited to attend the annual AAAS banquet on April 15, 2017. To learn more, contact Claire Oli- veros at .