NEHALEM NEWSPAGE

L'Arche Nehalem 8501 SE Stephens Portland, OR 97216
(503) 251-6901 Fax: 251-6952 e-mail: mail@larche-portland.org web site: www.larche-portland.org

JANUARY 2004

Our mission is to create a place to call home
for people with developmental disabilities and those who share life with them.

NEWS

A Really Big Tree Sale and Some Really Big Thank-You’s 

• In uncharacteristically sunny December weather on December 21 and 22, we took down the 82nd Avenue and Hollywood Christmas tree lots after a wonderfully successful Christmas tree sale. It was Nehalem’s fifteenth year selling trees at 82nd and Burnside and our first in the Value Village parking lot in the Hollywood district. We sold more than a thousand trees and took in gross receipts almost twice as high as we ever have before.
  
  This would not have happened without the foresight, generosity, planning, and hard work of a large number of people. Big thank-you’s to:
  
  • Diane Frank and Matt Weisensee, who took major responsibility for planning and running the new tree lot and who also spearheaded a major publicity effort through Channel 8 news, The Hollywood Star, and personal contacts with Hollywood churches and businesses.
  • Other board members who worked on planning, publicity, tree sales, openings and closings of the lots, cookie-baking, tool-lending, and in many, many other ways.
  • Old and new friends who volunteered selling trees at both lots and helped with set-up and take-down.
  • Assistants and core members who were present at the tree lots selling trees, passing out candy canes, and telling people about L’Arche Nehalem.
  • Safeway and Value Village which generously shared their parking lots with us.
  • Tuff Shed, which provided shelter for 82^nd Avenue volunteers, and A Superior Shed, which did the same thing at the Hollywood lot.
  • And especially, our long-time faithful friend, Jerry Weisensee, the donor of our beautiful trees, who delivered them cheerfully, often on short notice, and was quick with encouragement and sound advice throughout.
    
• Lillie Swindle, who has been a core member of L’Arche Mobile for nineteen years, will visit us from January 14 to 19. Lillie loves animals and likes to travel and meet new people. She is proud of her Cherokee heritage and is a great University of Alabama football fan. Mary Ann will return home with her to Mobile to vacation in Mary Ann’s former community until January 22.
• On January 4 at 2 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Church in Milwaukie, there will be a liturgy marking the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Bishops Pastoral Letter on the Church and People with Disabilities, which affirmed the gifts that parishioners with disabilities bring to the life of the Church. All are invited.
• The Board will have a retreat and planning day on Saturday, January 24 from 8:30 to 3:30 in the Conference Room at Ascension Church, SE 76th and Alder. Joan Mahler has kindly agreed to facilitate the day.
• Thanks to the Meyer Memorial Trust for a grant of $12,000 to be used toward a new van. A special thanks to Doug Westberg, who wrote our grant proposal, and to Jerry Deas for negotiating with auto dealerships.
• Thanks to Tom Richards, Adam’s father, for the many maintenance projects he has done recently at Nehalem House.

Santa Claus was comin’ to town at Nehalem’s Christmas party on December 17 thanks to Cynthia Boucher, who arranged for the visit and volunteered as an elf. (Our energetic, very tall Nehalem Santa jumped up and down when he sang Jingle Bells, threatening to leave holes in the Nehalem House ceiling, as everyone had a wonderful time.) We will welcome University of Portland Urban Plunge students on Wednesday, January 7. They will learn about L’Arche and spend the afternoon with some of the members of our community.

• Wednesday, Jan. 7, 7 p.m., Neahkahnie House: Lisa’s Anniversary
• Wednesday, Jan. 14, 7 p.m., Nehalem House: Susan’s Anniversary
• Wednesday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m., Nehalem House: Prayer Night
• Monday, Jan. 26, 7 p.m., 8435 SE Stephens (next door to Neahkahnie House): Lisa’s Birthday Party and Game Night

CLASSIFIEDS

Alison and Rod Hilkiah have a 1991 Isuzu Rodeo that they would like to sell. They are hoping to sell it for $3000 or best offer. They have all the details about the vehicle and would be happy to talk with you or your friends about it. You can reach Alison and Rod at 503-255-2531.

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