ALL ABOUT VOLUNTEERISM: Portland's Alliance Fr
an
�aise, the 8th largest in the nation, is proud to welcome talented volunteers and also visitors from abroad. Here is a snapshot of a few. Read on for the stories of how these folks fit volunteerism into their lives, and fill out a quick
online survey if you'd
like to volunteer. We need help with social media, events and more! Volunteers like
Emily and Julie, shown here at left, help our events - small and large - run smoothly. Most recently, Emily
and Julie helped greet and orient guests at last Friday's huge dinner event at the MAC.
B�a from Bordeaux (pictured here at right): Many students and members have had a chance to get to know B
�a, who regularly does volunteer projects around the world, when
she's not organizing training for her hometown's civil servants. During her visit to Portland, she's made a number of acquaintances at the Alliance who (surprise!) will be visiting her shortly in Bordeaux.
Sherri (pictured here at left) is the volunteer behind the organization and maintenance of the Alliance's 2000-book library, free to members. This is a huge job that involves categorizing and sorting new donations, shelving current books, and more. Sherri also helps with events, including setup for the quarterly open house.
Join these and other volunteers if you have time and talent to share. Catlin Gabel French Camps for Middle Schoolers:
Catlin Gabel School is offering two summer camps for students entering grades 6th through 8th. The camps, open to middle-schoolers from the general public, are calledFrom Portland to Paris and French Cuisine. These classes are taught by Middle School French teacher Katie Gunderson and participants will have fun exploring French culture, music, art, food, and more. Details and registration can be found online. The week-long camps are priced at $350.
Mercy Corps Seeks HR Officer Fluent in French: Mercy Corps is seeking candidates for the position of Human Resources Officer; a minimum of two years' experience in HR is required, as well as fluency (written and oral) in French. Click
here for the link.
Keeping Up with Paris News: A couple
months ago, the city welcomed its first female mayor,
Anne Hidalgo, who was born in Spain. In today's news, the popular "love locks" damaged the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris. Click
here for an article on the quaint tradition, now widespread in Europe. And finally, the cultural "scene" in France is threatened by changes in the way that the government subsidizes workers in the entertainment industry, called "
intermittents du spectacle." (Since the 1930s, seasonal part-time artists in France have received a form of "artist welfare," but new belt-tightening threatens that system.) A number of strikes this summer by workers in the entertainment industry (theater, film, TV, etc.) will threaten major festivals.