Leisure

Monica McAllister, Nadaka. Click to enlarge

Nurturing Nature, Food, and Families By Grace Graham, Confluence AmeriCorps Member, Events & Outreach Specialist The turning of winter over to spring is one of our favorite seasons at Nadaka Nature Park..

The forest is cool and quiet, patiently holding its breath for the first signs of new life, and the garden lies resting, silently preparing rich soils that will nurture new seeds in the coming months. This is a time of year that gives Friends of Nadaka (FON) the opportunity to reflect on the old year’s accomplishments, and welcome in a new season of beginnings, opportunities, and goals.

This 2019 New Year came with the bittersweet news that our incredible Nadaka Coordinator of the last 5 years, Monica McAllister, has decided to begin a new journey as the Community Connections Liaison with East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District. As Nadaka’s first and only Coordinator to-date, Monica leaves behind an amazing legacy of community engagement and education programs, lasting partnerships, and deep ties with our neighbors in West Gresham. We join our partners, neighbors, and park users in thanking Monica for years of dedication, leadership, and initiative in helping bring a community vision to life.

Friends of Nadaka is taking this shift in leadership as an opportunity to review the successes, challenges, and accomplishments of Nadaka’s first five years, and develop a strategic plan for moving forward. This review and planning process will last through the spring, and no permanent hires will be made to replace Monica until the review is complete. In the interim period, Jamie Stamberger of Stamberger Outreach Consulting has stepped in as a part-time Interim Coordinator for Friends of Nadaka, and has begun working closely with Nadaka’s current AmeriCorps Member, Grace Graham, to keep events and programs running through the next several months. Jamie recently served as the Interim Executive Director for the Columbia Slough Watershed Council (FON’s fiscal agent), so she is already familiar with Nadaka’s programs, systems, and partners. Please direct all Nadaka inquiries to info@friendsofnadaka.org, and expect a short delay in response as Grace and Jamie are frequently outdoors, meeting with partners, and navigating a new wave of projects and responsibilities.

Despite all of these organizational changes, Friends of Nadaka hosted a wildly successful MLK Day of Service event on January 21st, in partnership with Friends of Trees, the Nature Conservancy, and several other community organizations. Over 100 volunteers showed up to help us get 750 native plants in the ground in under three hours, an amazing feat that demonstrates the passion and energy our neighbors and partners have for giving back to their community and honoring the legacy of a great community servant and leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The cold snap and snow that followed forced us to cancel February 9th’s Community Planting Event, but we have decided to combine it with the coming Nadaka & Rockwood Neighborhood Planting Event this April 13th from 9am-12pm with Friends of Trees, to form one giant restoration party! If you are interested in volunteering with us, please sign up through Friends of Tree’s website at https://friendsoftrees.org/event-calendar/.

This year’s English-led Seed to Supper gardening course with the Oregon Food Bank kicked off on Thursday, February 21st, and will take place as a 5-class series every Thursday evening from 6:30-8:30pm through March 21st. This class is free to attend, and is a wonderful opportunity for beginner gardeners to learn how to get started growing their own food on a budget. Due to some unexpected conflicts, the Spanish-led Seed to Supper class has been tentatively postponed for later in the spring. Friends of Nadaka is working with the Oregon Food Bank to reschedule the Spanish Seed to Supper, and we will post details on our website and Facebook page as soon as possible. Please email info@friendsofnadaka.org with questions or requests to be notified when more details are available.

Friends of Nadaka is excited to announce that for the fourth year in a row, we are once again hosting the Welcome Back Vulture Day festival on Saturday, March 16th from 12-3pm, in partnership with the Audubon Society of Portland.

This free, family-friendly event is filled with educational activities, live birds, food, games, and more! Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Ruby, Portland Audubon’s live Turkey Vulture, along with many of Audubon’s other education birds. Other activities will include comparing your wingspan to that of a California Condor, exploring the varied cultural significance of different birds, enjoying a scavenger hunt and bird walk in Nadaka Nature Park’s forest, and crafting your own unique bird mask! Learn more about this event at Audubon Society of Portland’s website: http://audubonportland.org/.

If you aren’t able to make it to our Seed to Supper series but are still interesting in buildling or freshening up your gardening skills, Outgrowing Hunger will be hosting a monthly hands-on Natural Gardening Class from 6-7:30pm in the Nadaka Community Garden, starting with April 16th, May 16th, June 20th, and continued once a month through the end of the growing season. Find more event dates at https://outgrowinghunger.org/calendar. We will also be hosting the Creating Edible Landscapes Workshop on May 18th from 9-11:30am with East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District. Registration is required for this event, and it will fill up fast, so don’t wait! Sign up here:
https://emswcd.org/workshops-and-events/upcoming-workshops/.

For more information about how to get involved in creating positive social and environmental change at Nadaka and the Wilkes East and Rockwood neighborhoods, sign up for Friends of Nadaka’s brand new e-newsletter! Newsletter subscribers will receive an email at the beginning of each month with event information, park news, and other community resources! Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/gb1A2r. You can also stay up-to-date by “liking” our page on Facebook @NadakaNaturePark, or following our new Instagram account, @nadakanaturepark_. If you have questions about any events, news, or programs at Nadaka Nature Park, please email info@friendsofnadaka.org. Thank you for your support, and we hope to see you at Nadaka soon!

Migration Brewing, Gresham. Click to enlarge

Focus on Community Migration Brewing started as a neighborhood brewpub in NE Portland in 2010. They grew that business with a focus on making a great product and supporting the community and clientele.

After 9 years serving the community with a venue to call home for reunions, birthdays, weddings, baby showers and all life events in between it was time to grow their brand and find a second home.

After searching all the cities surrounding Portland, Gresham proved to be especially attractive. In particular, the City's capacity to get a large project permitted and complete on time, a building that suited their needs, and a location that still maintains the feel and engagement of a small town. "Gresham is one of the friendliest and tight knit communities you could imagine and that is exactly what spoke to our brand" said Colin Rath of Migration Brewing. "For a company that prides itself on being community oriented we felt Gresham was the perfect fit".

The 3,000-square foot pub with plenty of open seating has been host to multiple Gresham high school reunions, fundraiser's supporting Gresham nonprofit's, and community causes. Plus all Gresham teachers get a discount simply by showing their id badge. "We didn't choose Gresham simply because we found a building that suited our needs, we chose Gresham because it's a community we wanted to be a part of." said Rath.

Migration Brewing serves a large selection of house brewed beers, wine, appetizers, soups, salads, pizza and calzone. Open daily. Sun-Thur 11AM-9PM, Fri-Sat 11AM-10PM. 18188 NE Wilkes Rd, Gresham.

Seeing the Invisible Universe When: Fri, Feb 08, 2019 6PM & 7:15PM Where: MHCC Planetarium Sky Theater 26000 SE Stark Street Get Map!

Shows are at 6 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Admission is only $5.
MHCC students (with valid ID) and children 17 and under are $2.

All shows are presented under a realistic representation of the night sky, featuring the latest galactic, stellar and planetary images.

The Sky Theater is wheelchair accessible.

2018-2019 MHCC Planetarium Sky Theater Schedule:

All planetarium shows are at 6 and 7:15 pm. All of the above dates represent the first Tuesday of each month that the school is open followed by the Friday of that same week.

More Info
For more info visit: http://www.mhcc.edu/Planetarium

Let's Hoop It Up! When: Fri, Feb 08, 2019 6PM-10PMM Where: H.B. Lee Middle School 1121 NE 172nd Ave. Get Map!

Middle school and high school youth can attend free basketball practice, skill building and game play on Friday nights at H.B. Lee Middle School, 1121 NE 172nd Ave.

• Open to boys and girls in grades 6-12
• Learn new skills, make new friends, play basketball.
• Adult supervision and mentorship provided by the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC).
• Sponsored by the City of Gresham.

Schedule

• 6:00 - 8:00 pm for grades 6-8
• 8:00 - 10:00 pm for grades 9-12

Registration form

For more information, visit our basketball page or contact Coach Michael Magnum at 503-975-2929.

Let's Hoop It Up! When: Sat, Feb 09, 2019 8PM-12AM Where: Friends of the Children 424 NE 172nd Ave. Get Map!

Middle school and high school youth can attend free basketball practice, skill building and game play on Saturday nights at Friends of the Children at 424 NE 172nd Ave.

• Open to boys and girls in grades 6-12
• Learn new skills, make new friends, play basketball.
• Adult supervision and mentorship provided by the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC).
• Sponsored by the City of Gresham.

Schedule

• 8:00 - 10:00 pm for grades 6-8
• 10:00 pm - 12:00 am for grades 9-12

Registration form

For more information, visit our basketball page or contact Coach Michael Magnum at 503-975-2929.

Let's Kick Ball! When: Sun, Feb 10, 2019 5PM-7PM Where: Friends of the Children gym 424 NE 172nd Ave. Get Map!

Indoor Sunday Futsal youth recreation is open to all students in grades 6-12 on Sunday from 5:00-7:00 pm at the Friends of the Children gym.

• Free. Open to boys and girls.
• Learn new skills, make new friends, play futsal.
• Participants must bring a signed waiver to play.
• Adult supervision and mentorship provided by Active Children Portland volunteers.
• Sponsored by the City of Gresham.

For more information, email Ricki Ruiz at Ricardo.Ruiz@GreshamOregon.gov or call 503-583-0771.

Read more about Sunday Futsal and print the waiver.

Let's Hoop It Up! When: Fri, Feb 15, 2019 6PM-10PMM Where: H.B. Lee Middle School 1121 NE 172nd Ave. Get Map!

Middle school and high school youth can attend free basketball practice, skill building and game play on Friday nights at H.B. Lee Middle School, 1121 NE 172nd Ave.

• Open to boys and girls in grades 6-12
• Learn new skills, make new friends, play basketball.
• Adult supervision and mentorship provided by the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC).
• Sponsored by the City of Gresham.

Schedule

• 6:00 - 8:00 pm for grades 6-8
• 8:00 - 10:00 pm for grades 9-12

Registration form

For more information, visit our basketball page or contact Coach Michael Magnum at 503-975-2929.

Let's Hoop It Up! When: Sat, Feb 16, 2019 8PM-12AM Where: Friends of the Children 424 NE 172nd Ave. Get Map!

Middle school and high school youth can attend free basketball practice, skill building and game play on Saturday nights at Friends of the Children at 424 NE 172nd Ave.

• Open to boys and girls in grades 6-12
• Learn new skills, make new friends, play basketball.
• Adult supervision and mentorship provided by the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC).
• Sponsored by the City of Gresham.

Schedule

• 8:00 - 10:00 pm for grades 6-8
• 10:00 pm - 12:00 am for grades 9-12

Registration form

For more information, visit our basketball page or contact Coach Michael Magnum at 503-975-2929.

Let's Kick Ball! When: Sun, Feb 17, 2019 5PM-7PM Where: Friends of the Children gym 424 NE 172nd Ave. Get Map!

Indoor Sunday Futsal youth recreation is open to all students in grades 6-12 on Sunday from 5:00-7:00 pm at the Friends of the Children gym.

• Free. Open to boys and girls.
• Learn new skills, make new friends, play futsal.
• Participants must bring a signed waiver to play.
• Adult supervision and mentorship provided by Active Children Portland volunteers.
• Sponsored by the City of Gresham.

For more information, email Ricki Ruiz at Ricardo.Ruiz@GreshamOregon.gov or call 503-583-0771.

Read more about Sunday Futsal and print the waiver.

1874 Zimmerman House. Click to Enlarge

Winter Slumber When: Sat Feb 16, 2019 Noon-4PM Where: Zimmerman Park 17111 NE Sandy Blvd Gresham, OR Get Map!

A delightful 1874 Victorian farmhouse
Take a step back into history at the Zimmerman House, a Victorian era farmhouse, built in 1874 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This beautiful farmhouse is a perfect reflection of typical Columbia River dairy farm life in the late 1800s. The Zimmerman Heritage Farm is a unique cultural education and recreational resource that is being created for the benefit of the public on a 5.98-acre historic site in Gresham, Oregon.