| Successful Clark County ReStore Kickoff Held |
| On Tuesday morning, April 8th, close to 75 enthusiastic public officials, business people, Habitat activists, and other community members met at the First United Methodist Church in Vancouver to express their strong support for opening a new ReStore in Clark County. "Some things are too good to pass up," exclaimed Carol Keljo, former Chair of the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and the event's first speaker. "This project is vital on so many planes," she added.
Joe Connell, Director of the Portland ReStore, spoke about the important role ReStores play in fulfilling the mission of Habitat for Humanity. "It's a simple model," he explained. "The only way to make money is to keep costs down. The Portland ReStore makes $100,000 a year for Habitat with a small staff and a lot of volunteers. We want to do that in Clark County."
Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard and Clark County Commissioner Steve Stuart approached the podium together. The mayor spoke about his grandfather's role in teaching him to value "good old stuff." "We want to be an example of sustainability for Washington state," he declared. Both spoke about the need to bring builders on-board. "We're committed to having a ReStore, mainly so we can build houses for people that need help," concluded Mayor Pollard.
 Commissioner Stuart and Mayor Pollard
Most moving was Pam Israel's autobiographical presentation. She, her husband and four children got a home through Evergreen HFH about three years ago after years of struggle. The room was silent as she emotionally shared her family's experiences: getting evicted from a small two-bedroom apartment, being homeless for several weeks, and spending time in a crowded 700-square-foot home with mold, bad plumbing, and constant power outages. "When I was told we'd been chosen (for a Habitat home), I sat down and cried," she recalled with a tremor in her voice. Pam now works part time in the Evergreen HFH office. Her words brought home why we do what we do, and hopefully inspired those present to redouble efforts to bring a ReStore to the Vancouver area as soon as possible.
Kristina Aitchison, Evergreen HFH Executive Director; Mike Piper, Vancouver Sustainability Coordinator; Tanya Gray, Vancouver Solid Waste Analyst; and Leslie Johnson, Clark County Waste Reduction Specialist rounded out the program by giving brief statements. Their comments demonstrated much more than support. These are clearly advocates. For example, Mike Piper encouraged audience members to write checks today, and Tanya Gray recommended that Vancouver's computer re-use program (CREAM), also looking for a space, partner with the ReStore to form a new Eco-Park.  Joe Connell, Kristina Aitchison, Tanya Gray, Leslie Johnson, and Mike Piper During the question and answer period, Joe Connell shared more specifics. A building committee has been formed, and is looking for 12-20,000 square feet (or larger for an Eco-Park) that has a loading dock, higher than normal ceilings, and hopefully heat. It could be available either short or long term, on sale or for rent. A fundraising drive is commencing with a goal of $100,000, which includes $72,000 to open the store. Grant applications are in the works. The event ended with Carol Keljo encouraging everyone there to get involved (there were contact cards on the tables to fill out), and to reach out to others in order to make the new ReStore a reality. She suggested we all close our eyes and envision the ribbon-cutting ceremony as the store opens. "It can happen," she concluded with determination.
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Donation Pick-Up Assistants needed to represent Habitat for Humanity out in the community. We could use your help from 9am until 3pm(at the latest) Tuesdays, Fridays, or Saturdays. No driving is required of you, just an ability to follow directions, move a variety of materials in efficient ways and be willing to help the driver when maneuvering our large box truck. This would be considered a regular volunteer position which means we would ask you would dedicate to a particular day weekly, but if you can't do a certain day every week you could also be considered a back-up in case some one else can't make it.
Warehouse Volunteers! Come in and get fit for the summer. We have more workout equipment (merchandise) than ever and at every level. Very informal membership, and it's free!
At the moment ReStore needs a little afternoon assistance. Come in after the rush and have a relaxing afternoon at the register, on the phones, or in the warehouse organizing. Most volunteers leave at 2pm so we could use a little help from 2pm until 5pm to get the store in a good place to start the next day.
To learn more about the best way to spend your day please contact via email molly@pdxrestore.org , call 503-283-6247 and ask for the volunteer coordinator, or just stop by and introduce yourself. |
Letter from the Director
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| As you have read above we have just held a Kickoff Event for our new ReStore in Clark County. This event was the culmination of a tremendous amount of work by our Development Committee over the last several months. It is also the kickoff for a lot more work to come; and a lot of fun and excitement as well.
We have had a tremendous outpouring of support from the Clark County community for a new ReStore and we believe that the pieces are going to fall into place beautifully. Already we are talking to folks about buildings and funding and volunteering. Clark County and Vancouver are often overshadowed by Portland and the great efforts of our community on this side of the river, but I am learning that our neighbors to the north have a good bit to teach Portland as well. They have an incredibly active and growing interest in sustainability and re-use, impressive recycling programs, amazing community spirit and commitment, and big plans.
But even as I say "they and us" I realize I draw a false distinction. Our ReStore has been crossing the river for almost 6 years. They are us, without a doubt. To date we have contributed $155,000 to Evergreen Habitat in Vancouver, and many of our regular donors and customers are from Clark County, despite the bridge! So what we are trying to do is make another bridge, supporting even further the work of creating home ownership opportunities in the greater Vancouver Metro region [oops, I guess I've been spending more time up there lately than here!!].
So which ever side of the river you call home, keep in mind that the work of creating opportunities and protecting the home we all share is our common work. Our ReStore is an amazing resource for both. It is with great excitement that we look to expand it with a second store.
And now, more than ever, we need more volunteers, donors, and supporters. Its time to ramp it up a notch, and hopefully within a couple of years to double our support to Habitat and our environment.
Thanks
Joe Connell
ReStore Director
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| Earth Day Events |
April 19th -- Dance of the Dinosaurs
10am - 10pm Overlook Park 1301 N Fremont Portland
Organized by City Repair Project and a coalition. Run by
volunteers. 8th year. Country's largest community-
organized, non-corporate Earth Day celebration. The
focus is on local and sustainable, with more than 150
businesses and environmental organizations. 3
solar-powered stages for entertainment, free seed and
plant exchange, organized bike rides, and a better
transportation fair.
April 19th -- 100 SOLV-organized projects
9am - 1pm all over the Metropolitan Portland area
Cleanups, neighborhood beautification, watershed
SOLV is a statewide, volunteer-driven group that
organizes beach cleanups and other community
improvement projects year round. April 19th -- Earth Day Work Party and Celebration 10am - 1pm Friends of Zenger Farm 1741 SE Foster Rd. Portland Come help out at the non-profit sustainable urban farm and then enjoy a potluck BBQ with music afterward. RSVP to Jackie at 503-282-4245 or jackie@zengerfarm.org Also, every week there is "volunteer Friday, 3-5pm For more info, visit the farm's website.
April 19th -- 9th Annual Earth Day Celebration
10am - 4pm Oregon Garden, Silverton, OR
Free admission. More than 35 exhibitors, solar energy
and composting demonstrations, lectures, music,
and children's activities. For more information, visit
April 19 -- Sierra Club 15-Mile Bike Tour of Green Portland Sites
10am - 2pm Meet at Ecomotion (1625 NE Sandy Blvd.)
Tour of local businesses and projects that are cooling
the planet and driving the growth of Oregon's green
economy. $10 registration (gets you t-shirt, food & drink)
Contact: emily.bartha@sierraclub.org or 503-243-6656.
April 20 -- Party for the Planet
12-4pm Oregon Zoo Washington Park, Portland
free with zoo admission
Environmental Film Festival (zoo admission not required)
family program (7 short films): 12-1pm and 2-3pm
The Edge of Eden: Living with Grizzlies: 7-9pm
$5 adults, $3 children 3-11
April 27 --Tryon Creek Earth Day Celebration
2-4pm, 3:30 parade Tryon Creek State Natural Area
11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd. Portland
Arts and crafts, games, refreshments, stories (winners
from the Daryle Seil 13th Annual Tall Tale Contest).
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The Shop People: An Industrial Arts Club
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Perhaps you are a professional craftsman or woman in need of a work space. Or, maybe you are a serious hobbyist with a great project idea, but you lack the proper tools. Even if you are just someone interested in exploring a new creative endeavor, you might find The Shop People just the place you've been looking for. It's an enormous place, located at 416 SE Oak (between Grand and MLK).
 Rebekeh and Richard
The Shop People is a dream-come-true for founders Richard Ellison and Rebekeh Dreske. They spent many months, first cleaning out the former motel storage site of old furniture and junk, then rehabilitating it before opening it almost three years ago.
Currently about 60 active participants help keep the place running seven days a week. A basic membership costs $150/month. A family membership (for 2 adults) is $200/month, plus $25 for youth 16-18 years old. There are additional fees for storing tools, or for extra space for larger projects. However, some fees are waived if you make your tools available to other members. Most everyone does, which means that all sorts of expensive power tools, plus kilns, potters' wheels, welding equipment, etc. are available for use. Shorter term memberships are also available. Currently there are people building boats, aquariums, and furniture, as well as creating metal and wood sculptures, mosaics, jewelry, and ceramics. Some members also teach classes in such subjects as jewelry, clay sculpting, figure drawing, kayak building, and welding.
The Shop People also operates a combination Coffee People and gallery at Grand and Oak. Southeast Portland's First Friday Art Walk, 5-10pm, is a good time to visit. For more information, visit the group's Web Site, or contact Richard at richard@theshoppeople.com or 503-490-7799. |
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| ACE Academy Open House and Barbecue |
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Our work at the ReStore is successful partly because of all the great business donors that care about our work, and daily bring us terrific donations. We are incredibly thankful and wish to invite you to also support and partner with the
Academy for Architecture Construction and Engineering (ACE)?
So if your business would also be interested in supporting this exciting new venture then consider yourself invited to attend a barbecue at the ACE Academy, 4222 NE 158th Avenue in Portland on Thursday May 8th from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. In attendance will be enrolled students, their parents and the new ACE Academy faculty. There will be presentations on the curriculum and the outcomes they will expect every student to achieve. Learn how you can play a major role in helping the design-build industry develop its emerging workforce. RSVP to Dick O'Connor at dicko@obcweb.com.
Help the ReStore as well to work with this new school and help teach this new generation of builders the importance of sustainability, re-use, and affordable housing. These kids are the future of the building industry, and the future of ours as well. |
Cooking Up a Story: Remarkable on-line videos about local farmers and our food
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If you like a good story, and believe that our local small farmers should be our heroes and celebrities, then Cooking Up a Story is for you. For the past two years, veteran TV news reporter Rebecca Gerendasy and her husband Fred have been producing short, fascinating, somewhat subversive, on-line video documentaries about real people and their passionate connections to food and sustainable living.
 John Valls photo
In addition to wonderful personal stories told by farmers as they work, there are also interviews and talks with experts on a wide range of topics related to food. For example, Dan Imhoff talks about the federal Farm Bill, and how the epidemic of
obesity and early onset diabetes is fueled by government subsidies that
enables unhealthy foods to be more affordable than healthy foods. Carlo Petrini outlines how Americans spend less on food (based on
per capita income) than most other citizens of the world, and why we
need to spend more for better quality food.
A third type of show focuses on easy-to-follow demonstrations on how to prepare fresh, healthy foods. Plus there are recipes from each subject of the main stories,
and also recipes from some of the How-To cooking videos.
To see for yourself, visit the Cooking Up a Story website.
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Please Give Us Feedback!
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Please let us know what you think of the ReStore Newsletter. Are you finding useful information and/or resources? Do you have ideas for articles you would like us to do? Are there aspects of the newsletter that you think need improvement. Please help us make this newsletter better. Contact robin@pdxrestore.org with your thoughts. Thank you!
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RESTORE HOURS
Tuesday through Saturday
9am-5pm | |
April 2008
