Announcement

Fall 2025 Newsletter "Diversity, Harmony, Community - Together 'WE' can make a difference!”

Read it now!

Fall 2025 Newsletter Inside This Issue: Election of Board Officers Jason Naumann Rockwood Common Tool Library Cathy Keathly Gresham City Councilor Neighborhood News and more!

Download your copy here. (includes active web links)

¡Descargue nuestro boletín en español aquí!. (incluye enlaces web activos)

Newsletters are a regular publication of the Wilkes East Neighborhood Association. They are hand-delivered to over 1,500 residences and businesses in our area 3 times per year, timed to correspond with our general meetings.

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By Janet Unruh WENA Board Member Good news— Slider, the otter has returned to Nadaka Nature Park. Slider is a beautiful, life-size bronze sculpture of a standing otter, the twin of the original,that was stolen. As luck would have it, sculptor Rip Caswell (https://caswellsculpture.com/) had created two otter sculptures, almost identical in size.

Judy Han, director of Gresham Outdoor Public Art, was instrumental in convincing the City of Gresham to replace the otter sculpture in Nadaka Park. There was a suggestion to place the otter in another park, but Judy prevailed. Thanks to Judy Han and the City of Gresham for restoring Slider to Nadaka Park.

For a complete list and downloadable map of all outdoor public art in the City of Gresham please visit https://www.greshamoutdoorpublicart.com/

By Claudette Naylor, WENA Board Member

WENA is combining our printed newsletter delivery efforts with the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program at Reynolds High School.

There are several areas in Wilkes East which have not received our newsletter because we have too few delivery volunteers. We contacted the AVID group at the high school, and the students who participate in this program need opportunities for community service activities.

AVID is a proven national program designed to support and assist all students to succeed in a college preparatory path for admission to universities and colleges. Students are easily identifiable because they are determined students who want to succeed, but may need a little support focused on college-readiness skills such as note taking, test preparation, time management, etc. These are students who are capable, but fall short of their potential. The determination to succeed coupled with good attendance, a willingness to work and the ability to succeed with support earmarks these students.

AVID was founded in California in 1980, primarily to support underachieving and disadvantaged students to overcome social and academic challenges for future education. For more information, visit the AVID website: https://www.avid.org/.

If you notice these student deliverers please welcome and thank them. Our newsletters are delivered three times a year and provide good community information.

Neighborhood Board Meeting Zoom Online Meeting RESCHEDULED When: Mon Oct 15, 2025 6:30PM-8:00PM Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83828746083?pwd=RaNDxi1bhNmVgFHlr6KHCQhs8a3v9k.1 Meeting ID: 838 2874 6083 Passcode: 410294 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbcIIKhFJv

Download Sep 2025 meeting minutes here.

Board meetings are scheduled for the 2nd Monday each month 6:30PM via Zoom

For more information please contact: info@wilkeseastna.org

Upcoming Meetings

* General Meeting. Everyone's invited. Please attend.

Neighborhood Board Meeting Zoom Online Meeting When: Mon Sep 08, 2025 6:30PM-8:00PM Rescheduled: When: Mon Sep 15, 2025 6:30PM-8:00PM Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89944001511?pwd=xSAe3cMrIjEYTUUeUIlhOsAT7PPMf8.1 Meeting ID: 899 4400 1511 Passcode: 471835 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbcIIKhFJv

Download July 2025 meeting minutes here.

Board meetings are scheduled for the 2nd Monday each month 6:30PM via Zoom

For more information please contact: info@wilkeseastna.org

Upcoming Meetings

* General Meeting. Everyone's invited. Please attend.

Summer Meeting Notice When: Mon Aug 11, 2025 7PM-9PM Where: Moose Lodge 16411 NE Halsey St Get Map!

Everyone's Invited

Join Your Neighbors. Get involved. Make a difference!

Save the date
Be sure to save Monday Aug 11th at 7PM for the Wilkes East Neighborhood 2025 Summer Meeting being held at the Moose Lodge, 16411 NE Halsey St

Agenda

Download the Summer 2025 meeting agenda here!

• Jan Hann
  President Gresham Outdoor Public Art
  Sliders Return to Nadaka
• Janet Unruh
  Secretary, Wilkes East Neighborhood
  Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”
  and Impact on Gresham
• Neighborhood news and more!

Download the Spring 2024 meeting minutes here!

Who should attend?
Participation is open to all residents who live, own property or a business, organization, church or government agency within our boundaries

Be Part Of Your Community. Plan To Attend.

Watch for these red & white Meeting Signs the week before our meeting. The signs were purchased with assistance of the City of Gresham Neighborhood Grant Program, and with volunteer hours to set them out and retrieve them. Signs Now NW also made a generous contribution to this project.

Mark your calendar. See you there!

Questions or comments?
Contact Wilkes East Neighborhood by email at info@wilkeseastna.org

Great News For Families In Our Community!

By Alma Landon, Wilkes East Neighbor

Oregon Senate Bill 692, which focuses on expanding access to maternal health services, has been enrolled. This bill aims to make it easier for new and expecting parents to get the support they need, including services like doula care and lactation consultations, with a special focus on making sure these services are culturally specific and competent.

As a mother and doula with Native roots, I understand how challenging it can be to find culturally specific services. That's why I'm passionate about supporting our community with knowledge and education, and I'm excited to share this important update with you all!

For more information please visit https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Analysis/SB692

Don't Let Old Paint Cans Get In Your Way - Recycle At These Locations!

Recycling old paint offers several benefits, including resource conservation, landfill space reduction, and potential reuse for others. It helps prevent environmental pollution from toxic chemicals and reduces the need for new paint production, saving energy and resources.

For residents of Wilkes East, the primary locations for dropping off unwanted paint for recycling is:

• Habitat for Humanity ReStore
  610 NE 181st Ave
  (503) 575-7336
• Sherwin-Williams
  18179 NE Halsey St
  (503) 666-1258

Quantity accepted varies between 20-25 gallons per visit. Both sites accept latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size.

They do not accept aerosols (spray paint or other spray products), containers without original labels, or containers that are leaking or empty. Contact store for details.

For more paint recycling info visit PaintCare at https://www.paintcare.org/drop-off-sites/

Did You Know? You can toss opened and fully dry paint cans in your weekly trash.