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Campers Explore Oregon with New Friends |
Nothing tastes better than a steaming hot cup of cocoa on a summer's day. Well, maybe that's not exactly true, but when that summer day is spent on the unusually cold top of Mt. Hood, a cup of cocoa hits the spot. In fact, cocoa at
Timberline Lodge was among the many favorite activities for a group of sixteen youth who took part in Portland Parks & Recreation's (PP&R) Teen Explorer Camp held last August. Other new experiences included picking blackberries, catching
water bugs and exploring Hoyt Arboretum and Whitaker Pond.
Teen Explorer Camp combined service projects with environmental education, resulting in increased knowledge, fun and new friends. Campers visited several PP&R locations and discovered a wide variety of environments that make up our
region. Some of the activities included: 
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Kelley Point Park to study beach ecology.
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Hoyt Arboretum for a service project of pulling weeds.
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Whitaker Pond to study water ecology, and a service project of shoveling bark dust.
Surprisingly, one camper even said that the bark dust project was the most fun part of camp. Fun or not, it was an accomplishment, and the picture on the right shows two proud campers after they completed this project.
When asked what they'd do if they couldn't participate in a camp like this, many youth said they'd feel sad and bored, simply sitting on the couch and looking out the window. Instead, thanks to support from the Portland Parks
Foundation's (PPF) Project Inclusion grant, the Disabled Citizens Recreation program was able to host this camp and provide hot cocoa as well as a memorable experience for the campers!
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Kids Get Taste of Outdoor Recreation
Ever heard of the Eco-Challenge? For those who don't know, it's an expedition race where teams of four go non-stop for six to 12 days over a 300 mile course – using mountain biking, river rafting, kayaking, mountain climbing and
navigation skills.
Now, thanks to a generous grant from REI, Inc., twelve local youths will soon be participating in an Eco-Challenge of their own. They'll go on hiking, biking, kayaking and snowshoeing trips. They'll try their hand at rock climbing
at REI-Portland. And, REI staff will teach them how to read maps, use a compass and repair and maintain a bike. The kids will get to experience nature firsthand, build leadership skills and learn outdoor ethics, the first step towards
developing life-long outdoor recreation interests.
 This exciting new PP&R program is supported through a Project Inclusion grant. The picture on the left shows (from left to right) Nancy Harger, PP&R
Outdoor Rec/Environmental Education Supervisor, who designed the pilot program, PPF board member and REI-Portland manager Mary Bune and Linda Laviolette, PPF Executive Director, on the day that the Foundation received the generous grant
check.
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To learn more about the Portland Parks Foundation, visit our web site at
www.portlandparksfoundation.org, or call us at 503.802.5757.
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Thanks a Million, Columbia Sportswear! |
The Portland Parks Foundation is pleased to announce that Columbia Sportswear is adopting Sellwood Park. As a park-adopter, their generous gift will provide ongoing maintenance for the next ten years (at a cost of $100,000
annually). We will provide more information about this gift soon. To read the press release,
click here.
Playing Like the Pros
Shirts and skins? Not anymore! Thanks to Portland Trail Blazer Zach Randolph, kids participating in Portland Parks & Recreation's youth basketball teams will have reversible jerseys to wear at their games. Zach heard that PP&R
would not be able to provide uniforms, so he stepped up and provided $47,650 to purchase 5,000 of the snazzy reversible jerseys. Thanks, Zach, for helping Portland's youth play ball!
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