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

JUNE 2006

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

NEWS

• Kelly Hebert, summer assistant for three years while she was attending the University of Portland, died May 31 of pneumonia following surgery for a staph infection. Kelly was set to join us as a year-long live-in assistant following her graduation in 2000, but was in a tragic car accident which left her a quadriplegic. Kelly’s courage, loving spirit, and ongoing relationship with L’Arche Nehalem community members have been an inspiration. Her mother, Ann Hebert, lives at 9047 E. Paradise Dr., Scottsdale, AZ, 85260 if you would like to write to her.
• US Bank recognized Cindy Leonard for her 15 years of working for them. Congratulations, Cindy!
• Abigail Jean entered the world April 30th as the youngest member of the Paul and Tricia Curley family.
• In a ceremony on June 2, L'Arche Nehalem received a Community 101 grant awarded by students in La Salle High School’s Community 101 class and funded by the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Foundation and student fundraisers. Community 101 is a program of the PGE Foundation, and since its inception in 1997, Community 101 has engaged over 4,500 youth who have invested more than $1 million in Oregon to over 300 nonprofit organizations.
• Thank you to everyone who attended our May 18 Spring Social. It was a lovely event and netted L'Arche Nehalem over three thousand dollars. Special thanks to Neil Evans and our awesome Board of Directors. Thanks also to Yiota Cooksley, who catered the event.

LIFE IN THE HOMES

• Eileen and Ann Marie, members of the L’Arche community in Washington, D.C. visited us on May 24. They ate dinner at Nehalem House and took in the PHAME recital, featuring Jeff Deeks’ acting and artwork.
• Robyn Dowell has been kicking and punching the air in aerobics class each Tuesday with Portland Parks and Recreation at the East Portland Community Center.
• Ben Miller participated in a play through Portland Supported Employment on May 16 & 17. A picture of him in costume accompanied an Oregonian article about the performance.
• Folks at Nehalem House enjoyed a Memorial Day weekend visit from Margaret Dulaney, mother of former assistant Sarah Dulaney. Activities with Margaret included a shopping trip to Clackamas Town Center and a movie at the OMSI IMAX Theater.
• THANK YOU to students from Holy Family School who prepared and served us dinner twice last month, once at each house.

• Erin Wheeler and Melissa Bixler rode the train to Seattle in May to take in a Mariners game and spend some time with the Seattle L’Arche community. "Go team!"
• On May 20, Robyn and Cindy traveled to Olympia, WA for a Portland Parks and Rec outing to Northwest Wildlife Trek. They saw lynxes, cougars, deer and other "fuzzies" during their adventure.
• Susan Mitchell and board members Jerry Deas, Patty McNally, Rosemary Lyons and Monica Ranaghan attended the L’Arche Western Region’s annual Board Formation Weekend in Federal Way, WA, May 19-21. The theme of the weekend was "The Spirituality of Fundraising." The energizing workshop helped participants view fundraising as a form of ministry and see it as a way of proclaiming what we believe in such a way that we offer other people an opportunity to participate with us in our vision and mission. We’ll soon be sharing ways you can participate in this ministry!
   

• Wed., June 7, 7:00 p.m., Neahkahnie House: Celebration of Dan Barcia’s 6th Anniversary
• Wed., June 14, 7:00 p.m., Nehalem House: Prayer Night
• Wed., June 21, 7:00 p.m., Neahkahnie House: Blessing for Dan & Amy’s Move-out Transition

MEETINGS Fri., June 9, 7:00 a.m. Board Formation Committee Wed. June 21, 7:00 a.m. Executive Committee Thurs., June 22, 7:00 a.m. Finance Committee Wed., June 28, 7:00 p.m. Community Council

WISH LIST Two twin beds for Neahkahnie House

 

" Loving someone does not simply mean doing things for them; it is much more profound. To love someone is to show to them their beauty, their worth and their importance; it is to understand them, understand their cries and their body language; it is to rejoice in their presence, spend time in their company and communicate with them. To love is to live a heart-to-heart relationship with another, giving to and receiving from each other." Jean Vanier, Seeing Beyond Depression

Did you check out the new interactive Jean Vanier quote library on our home page? Or sign up for an inspirational daily thought or weekly story from Jean Vanier's writings via email at www.larche.ca/en/home/eletters/

Getting a paper copy? Would you like to save us a stamp and receive the Nehalem Newspage electronically? Please drop us an email at doug@larche-portland.org or call us at 503-251-6901.