Carol:

July started off with another successful 4th of July firework display.
Thanks to Clackamas County Bank for sponsoring another exciting
event.

Mt. Festival started on July 9th with the Pet Show.

The 10th was the Bike Challenge at the new Cedar Park. Carol had to think outside the box
since we could not shut down the whole park but ended up using
wooden rollers and small jumps that were donated from Northwest
Trails Alliance. The bike challenge was a huge success because we had
different stations for the kids to participate in while they had to bike
around the park.

July 11th was the Kids Parade and that brought in over 150 people and
we had some of our local vendors. Wippersnappers had a bouncy
house that was long lines to get into. The Mt. Hood Athletic Club had 2
mini horses for kids to pet and take photos along with Spiderman and
Ariel. The Tae Kwon Do business had blocks for kids to split while
kicking. Thanks to CCB and Scoop n Swirl for the free hotdogs and ice
cream.

July 16th was the first music in the park- this was Johnny Limbo and the
Lugnuts. The Parks and Rec team did another 50/50 raffle and it was a
huge success. The winner ended up with $195 in their pocket. It was a
great crowd but sad to hear that this will be the last time to have the
band play in Sandy since they are retiring.

The middle of July we offered science classes, one of which ended up with 8 students, who loved the class. Minds in Motion will be coming back in the fall for
more science classes.

Next up is starting to work on Winterfest and Mt. Storm partnerships.

Amy:

-We had a fantastic time helping host our annual Summer Senior BBQ—great food, laughter, and a full house of happy guests!

-Carol and Amy brought the fun to Mount Festival with a trio of awesome Kids Events: the always adorable Pet Show, a fast-paced Bike Derby, and a colorful Kids Carnival that lit up the afternoon.

-We welcomed two new team members! Cassandra and Hayden joined us as Building Monitors—fully trained and already making a difference.

-Our Summer Concert Series is rocking along! Two out of three shows are in the books, and while our movie night screening of The Wild Robot hit a technical snag, it’s officially rescheduled for September 5th!

-Amy continued to keep things running smoothly with the Sandy Softball League and Community Gardens—a huge task that she handles with skill and care.

Caroleana:

Caroleana had over 271 senior related calls this month.   The center had 3 new meals on wheels clients and 2 Reassessments for current clients; which involved a home visit with each client and a completed NAPIS form for Clackamas County.   

Caroleana helped support our team by packing coolers four times throughout the month and delivered several routes for the Meals on Wheels program.  

We continued to hold congregate lunches on Tuesday . We have started to recruit volunteers and have 3 consistent helpers.    We are learning a lot and having fun.  In the month of July we served 63 people on the 4 Tuesdays and sent out 31 extra meals as seconds. 

Caroleana received over 42 calls for energy assistance this month.  She was able to schedule and help 28 households with the Clackamas County Energy Assistance summer program application.  

 The Song Care on Tuesday July 29th went very well, with 8 in attendance.   We welcomed the new Sandy River Threshold Singers as they offer gentle, soothing music.

Started the planning for the volunteer appreciation event with John and Amy and the Library staff. 

Future planning includes brainstorming for a possible fundraiser in the fall for Meals on Wheels.

Marc:

Senior Trips

– Dine out at Applebee’s in Gresham – 13 people with 2 meeting us there

– Hike & Lunch at Willamette Greenway and Old Spaghetti Factory in Portland – Hike cancelled due to heat index but some of us decided to still go to lunch. – 7 people

– Dine out Casa Colima in Happy Valley – Full Bus

– Tillamook Air Museum and Tillamook Creamery – Was full with a waitlist but had a cancellation the day before and unfortunately those on the waitlist couldn’t make it.

– Hike and picnic at Trillium lake – Was full with a waitlist but there was a cancellation the day before and the person on the waitlist couldn’t make it. Also one senior met us there who was up there camping.  

MOW

– 878

– Covered a route for one of the volunteers

Miscellaneous

– Took our van in for its 6 month ramp inspection

– Worked the kids pet show, bike derby and kids parade for Sandy Mountain Festival

Chelsea:

• Helped with the summer BBQ on July 8th. 
• Attended a meeting for the Travel Oregon grant we received for Meinig park. I learned how the updates and reimbursement work this specific grant. It was a very informative webinar! 

• Processed invoices related to various park projects. I also recorded final payments for the fiscal year end and made sure invoices were done prior to the deadline. 
• Attended meetings in regards to various ongoing park projects. Weekly Construction update meetings at Deer Pointe Park have begun. 
• Summer park shelter rentals continue to be busy. 
• Created a flyer for the upcoming Piano class. 
• Filed various documentation for Deer Pointe Park.  
• Prepped the September/October Senior newsletter. 
• Helped coordinate the delivery of the basketball shelter for Deer Pointe park. 
• Proofed the fall recreation guide and updated shelter rental information within the guide. I also built in all the block reservations into our software system for fall classes and activities. 
• Continued to monitor the budget for Deer Pointe park. 

John:

• Clackamas County Senior Center Collaborative Meeting:
  Attended the quarterly Clackamas County Senior Center Directors’ meeting. The focus of this session was to review and discuss changes to the upcoming fiscal year’s budget and how those changes may impact local senior services. Together, representatives from each center participated in collaborative problem-solving discussions to address shared challenges. The meeting also served as a platform to identify emerging trends in senior services and exchange program successes and best practices.
• National Night Out (NNO) Coordination:
  Coordinated logistics for the City of Sandy’s National Night Out block parties. Responsibilities included updating event rules and application processes, reviewing and approving submitted applications, and serving as the liaison between event organizers and internal departments. Communicated route plans and street closure needs with Public Works, Transit Services, and the Sandy Police Department to ensure safe and successful events.
• Staffing and Training:
  Hired two new building monitors to support operations at the Community & Senior Center. Conducted onboarding and initial training to ensure staff are well-equipped to support daily facility operations and provide excellent customer service to program participants and visitors.
• Winterfest 2025 Planning:
  Initiated planning efforts for Winterfest 2025. Early tasks completed include confirming installation timelines for decorative lighting across key city assets such as municipal facilities, the downtown street trees, and the large plaza tree. Developed a draft budget and scope of work for the event’s lighting elements, including coordination with contractors. Additionally, began researching new program ideas and enhancements to expand the event’s offerings and increase community engagement.

Parks & Facilities team:

• Broke ground on Deer Pointe Park construction

• Presented to the LGGP grant committee and are very hopeful for a positive outcome

• Playground equipment for Deer Pointe Park was delivered

• Facilities Maintenance truck purchased

• A challenge has been continued vandalism of our Parks. This has kept the Parks crew busy.

Upcoming Events:

• August 8th- The Goonies will be shown at Meinig Park

• August 13th- The Revival Brothers will be playing at Meinig Park

• August 19th- Our third Bee City USA meeting

• August 22nd- Wicked will be shown at Meinig Park
• September 5th- Rescheduled showing of the Wild Robot movie at Meinig Park!

Carol:

June was the Longest Day Parkway, Fitness in the park at Cascadia and Noah’s
Quest.

This year was the 20th year for Noah’s Quest. It was a perfect day for everyone to be together. We had over 15 volunteers helping out on the course and at registration tables. We released bubbles at the beginning before the kiddie run. This year one of our local PD who participated won the weekend getaway in Astoria. The weekend getaway is a house in Astoria and it is something that gets raffled off every year.

We have more vendors for the Mt. Festival Kids Parade. The kids will have lots of hands-on activities from Wippersnappers, Todos Juntos, US World Class Taekwondo, Mt. Hood Athletic Club, Sandy Library & Sandy Parks & Recreation.
The Bike Challenge will have Northwest Trails Alliance helping out and promoting the new bike class that will be offered the end of July.

In June, I participated in a bike clinic to learn to be an instructor. Now we can offer bike clinics at Cedar Park. See below for our bike camp offering! We still have plenty of spots open.

Amy:

– Now that a few of our building monitors are graduating and heading off to college, we interviewed new building monitors and will be training them in July. Thank you to Charlie and Ansel for all of their hard work over the years.
– Hosted the 2nd Bee City USA Action Group Meeting in the beginning of June. We created seed bombs to hand out for the Longest Day Parkway event.
– Games started in the Sandy Adult Softball League. I’ve been helping out the teams and umpires to have a fun start to the season!

– I’ve been managing the Sandy Community Gardens. In June I began to collect donations of food to give to the Sandy Action Center. So far the community gardens have donated 13 pounds of food.

– Assisted with the Noah’s Quest fundraising event at the end of June.

– I have also been trained as a back-up employee for our congregate dining that occurs on Tuesday afternoons. I’ve begun to train volunteers for the program. 

– Supported Carol for her first Fitness in the Park class! 

Caroleana:

Caroleana had over 339 senior related calls this month.   The center had 9 new meals on wheels clients and 2 Reassessments for current clients; which involved a home visit with each client and a completed NAPIS form for Clackamas County.   

Caroleana helped support our team by packing coolers four times throughout the month and delivered several routes for the Meals on Wheels program.  

We continued to hold congregate lunches. We have started to recruit volunteers and have 3 consistent helpers. We are learning a lot and having fun.

Caroleana received over 30 calls for energy assistance this month.  She was able to schedule and help 11 households with the Clackamas County Energy Assistance summer program applications.  

The attendance for the grief writing workshop was small but very meaningful.  Started advertisement for the July workshop with Mt Hood Hospice and the Sandy Senior and Community Center.  Together we are excited to welcome the new Sandy River Threshold Singers as they offer gentle, soothing music on Tuesday July 29th. 

Started the planning for the volunteer appreciation event with John and Amy and the Library staff. 

Help with special event support.  Assisted with the setup for a city-sponsored event and post-event breakdown and cleanup. 

Marc:

Senior Trips:

– Hike and lunch – Fish Eddy Loop at Eco Park and Backstop Bar and Grill in Canby – 8 people.

– “Putt Putt” at Tualatin Island Greens – 9 people.

– Dine out at the Original Roadhouse Grill in Gresham -11 people with 2 people meeting us there.

– Hike and lunch at Park Loop Trail at Mt. Talbert Nature Park and Happy Valley Station Food Carts – 10 people (was full with a waiting list but 3 last minute cancellations and not enough notice to fill empty spots) with Amy joining us.

– Train Trip from Oregon City to Centralia, Washington – 13 people – Our first time doing a trip like this and it was great and everybody loved it and wants to do it again! It is a two and a half hour train ride and it leaves you about three and a half hours to get lunch and wander around the charming downtown area and shop at the antique stores.

– Dine out at Olive Garden in Gresham – 14 people and 2 people meeting us there.

Meals on Wheels:

– 912

Misc:

– Worked Longest Day Parkway (in the rain!!!!)

Chelsea:

• Processed invoices related to various park projects. 
• Attended meetings in regards to various ongoing park projects
• Center rentals continue to be busy, as well as spring/summer park shelter rentals. 
• Drafted the contract for Deer Pointe Park
• Continued working on the 1200c permit for Deer Pointe Park. The 1200c was approved towards the end of the month! 
• Helped with mailing the Longest Day Parkway post cards for the park neighbors. Submitted the Temporary Restaurant License Application. 
• Created a flyer for the senior BBQ.

• Updated Fun with Flowers flyers for the TV and center.

• Helped with Longest day prep- purchased goodies to hand out and made a flyer for our giveaway. Plus worked the event. Even with the rain, the turn out was decent. 
• Did the contract for erosion and sediment control inspections for Deer Pointe park. 
• Completed BOLI documentation for starting Deer Pointe Park construction and for closing out Cedar Park. 
• Completed the Responsible Bidder Determination Form for CCB for Deer Pointe Park. 
• Created July & August Seniors newsletter, printed, and mailed out. 
• Updated our rental prices in Sportsman and the website to go in effect July 1st.
• Created a flyer about the new Cedar Park Shelter rental opportunity. 

John:

1. Senior Services Coordination
Staff participated in the quarterly meeting with Clackamas County Senior Centers to review the closeout of the current fiscal year and discuss funding allocations for the upcoming year. The meeting focused on State and Federal funding for key Senior Services programs, including:

• Nutrition Services
• Transportation
• Case Management
• Energy Assistance
• Research-Based Exercise Classes

2. Community Event Support – Longest Day Parkway
Assisted in the coordination and communication for the Longest Day Parkway event. Key responsibilities included:

• Notifying neighborhood community members of the event
• Sharing departmental schedules, times, and locations
• Verifying all permits and approvals were secured in advance

3. ORPA Award Submission – Cedar Park
Submitted Cedar Park for consideration in the Oregon Recreation and Parks Association (ORPA) Design and Construction Award. This submission highlights the park’s innovative features and its impact on the local community.

4. Staffing – Facility Maintenance Lead Interviews
Participated in the interview process for the new Parks and Recreation Facility and Maintenance Lead position. This role will be instrumental in supporting and enhancing preventative maintenance across all City facilities.

5. Aquatics and Fitness Programming Partnership
Oversaw the continuation of the City’s partnership with Mt. Hood Athletic Club and Aquatics. Key offerings for the community this season include:

• Youth Swim Lessons
• Community Swim Passes
• Senior Water Aerobics

All program logistics and agreements have been finalized, and services are now fully in place for Sandy residents.

Parks & Facilities:

• Prepared Meinig park for Mt festival, cleaned gutters, roofs, and rebuilt several amphitheater benches.
• 
• 
• Awarded N8 Excavation the construction contract for Deer Pointe Park and work has begun
• The updated rules of conduct and exclusion from public property are completed
• Tiana attended an Emerald Ash Borer response seminar 
• Received the Travel Oregon Grant in the amount of $141,356 to help fund the Meinig Park ADA upgrades.

Upcoming Events and dates to remember:

July 4th- Fireworks at Dusk at Sandy High School Field!

Mountain Festival Kids Event by Sandy Parks & Recreation:

July 31st- LGGP grant presentation

Carol:

The 2nd Annual Yappy Hour was a huge success even though it rained the whole
time. We had close to 200 people with their dogs and everyone had a blast. The vendors were excited and were impressed with how many people came out in the rain.

The Summer Guide came out the first week in May. Posters for music and movies have been distributed.

Adult Coed Softball starts June 1st with 12 teams this year.

Amy:

-The Bee City USA Action Group hosted a free film screening of “The Pollinators” in honor of World Bee Day at the Sandy Cinema. 30 residents enjoyed the film and learned about the challenges facing our pollinators and our agricultural industry.

-Finalized details for the beginning of Sandy’s Adult Softball League. We have about 200 participants across 12 teams and games start Sunday, June 1st! 

Caroleana:

Caroleana had over 280 senior related calls this month.   The center had 2 new meals on wheels clients and 4 Reassessments for current clients; which involved a home visit with each client and a completed NAPIS form for Clackamas County.   

Caroleana started to prepare her files for the end of the fiscal year, cleaning up client files and tracking annual reports needed.  

Held 2 congregate lunches on May 13 & May 27th .   Both dry-runs went smooth and we will start to recruit for volunteer help. This also entailed shopping for new kitchen supplies, cleaning and setting up the kitchen and dining room for lunch service.  As well, this entails a lot of paperwork so that we can receive proper Clackamas county reimbursements.  

Caroleana received over 30 calls for energy assistance this month.  She was able to schedule and help 14 households with the Clackamas County Energy Assistance summer program applications.  

Worked at the Yappy Hour event on May 15th.  Sent out thank you letters to the 19 businesses vendors that sponsored and supported the Yappy Hour Dog Carnival Event.  

Had a great Resource Fair on May 20th.  With over 75 older adults in attendance and 19 vendors representing local businesses and senior related organizations  participated, giving their time and providing resources to our community.  Marc provided transportation for 4 seniors to attend. 

Went on a hike to Brown’s Ferry Park in Tualatin and had an enjoyably beautiful day with a full bus of seniors. 

There was no attendance for the grief workshop in partnership with Mt. Hood Hospice; though we used the time to schedule the rest of summer and fall workshops.

Marc:

Senior Trips

-Dine out at Oswego Grill in Clackamas – 7 seniors

-NW Senior Theatre – Battle of the Bandstands Dick Clark vs. Lawrence Welk – 8 people

-Hike and lunch at Sandy River Greenway and Troutdale Station Food Carts – 9 people with Amy joining us

-Dine out at Dragon Palace in Gresham – 12 people

-Schreiner’s Iris Garden in Salem (100th Anniversary) – 12 people

-River Loop hike at Brown’s Ferry Park in Tualatin and lunch at California Pizza Kitchen at Bridgeport Village- 11 people with Caroleana joining us

-Spirit Mountain Casino in Grand Ronde – 14 people

Meals on Wheels

-954 delivered

-2 dry runs for starting congregate dining back up 12 for the first one and 18 for the second one

Miscellaneous

-Completed the second class, Best Ride With Wheelchair Securement, that Ride Connection requires every three years

-Completed class to obtain Food Handlers Card since we are starting up congregate meals again

-Got a phone call from Ride Connection out of the blue letting us know that they had a brand new bus for us! It was delivered to us two days later and it made its maiden voyage to Tigard to take the seniors on the Battle of the Bandstands trip on the very same day!

Chelsea:

• Built in May activities so their seniors could sign up May 1st. 

• Processed invoices related to various park projects. 
• Attended meetings in regards to various ongoing park projects
• Center rentals continue to be busy, as well as spring/summer park shelter rentals. 
• Attended the May Parks Board meeting and posted the video recording and drafted the minutes. 
• Attended Park Planner Palooza where I learned about data tracking, inclusive playgrounds and the history and implementation of Villebois village in Wilsonville. 
• Kept the Planholders list current for the Deer Pointe Invitation to Bid. I also compiled questions as they came in and uploaded the addendum once it was complete. Prepped for the actual bid opening, recorded bids, scanned bid packets, and drafted and issued the intent to award. 
• Continued working on the 1200c permit for Deer Pointe Park. 
• Created the Longest Day Parkway postcards for the park neighbors. 

• Created signs for a piano class, the dog park and a rental cleaning checklist. 

• Assisted with throwing a surprise going away party for Rochelle. 

• Helped out as we did a few Congregate dining test runs. 
• Worked the Yappy Hour- even with the rain, it was a blast!

John:

Budget Committee Meeting
Participated in the Budget Committee meeting(s) to provide guidance and respond to inquiries related to the Recreation and Senior Services budget for the upcoming biennium. My contributions focused on ensuring that the budget accurately reflects our strategic priorities, program needs, and community expectations.

Congregate Dining Program Relaunch
Following several months of extensive renovations and upgrades to the Senior Center kitchen, I am pleased to announce the successful relaunch of the Congregate Dining program. This program offers local seniors the opportunity to gather in a welcoming environment, enjoy nutritious meals, and engage in social and recreational activities that support their overall well-being.

ORPA Leadership Workshop
Collaborated in the planning and coordination of a statewide professional development workshop for Recreation Leaders, hosted by the Oregon Recreation and Park Association (ORPA). The theme of the workshop was “Building Positive Culture Through Dynamic Leadership.” I served as the event moderator and facilitator, guiding discussions, answering participant questions, and sharing strategies for fostering leadership and active engagement in the Parks and Recreation profession.

Parks & Facilities:

Future events/Dates to remember:

– Bee City USA Action Group Meeting on June 2nd from 6:00-7:00pm at the Sandy Community Center. All ages are welcome to attend this meeting to talk about what the city of Sandy can do to celebrate and educate our neighbors about pollinators!

Congregate lunch services officially start in june.

June 11th- Hospice class/workshop

Summer camps with i9 start the middle of June. The i9 camps will be held throughout all the city parks like Bornstedt and Sandy Bluff Park.

– Longest Day Parkway – Friday, June 20th from 6-8pm at Cedar Park

-Noah’s Quest – Saturday, June 28th

Carol:

Amy:

– I coordinated details for the Sandy Summer Adult Softball League. I created the season’s game schedule for all 12 teams, helped with recruitment of new players, and lead a coach/umpire meeting. We will be ready to get started in June!
– I coordinated all of the details for Arbor Day and SOLVE It In Sandy
– I got soil and wood chips delivered to the Sandy Community Gardens, and coordinated various volunteer work days to get the space cleaned up and ready for the community to use.

Caroleana:

Caroleana had over 275 senior related calls this month.   The center had 7 new meals on wheels clients and 9 Reassessments for current clients; which involved a home visit with each client and a completed NAPIS form for Clackamas County.   

Caroleana started to prepare her files for the end of the fiscal year, cleaning up client files and tracking annual reports needed.  

Joined in on the Sandy Connect zoom meeting and made several great community resource connections that will help our clients.  Went to a Sandy Chambers event at Avamere at Cascadia Village.  

Attended a workshop hosted by ORPA, SOAR chapter.  Heard from Geriatrician Dr. Alia Alhumaid on the Aging Brain, Librarians on the Modern Day Libraries and then Behavioral Health Specialist Kera Magarill.  

Received multiple calls for energy assistance even though the Clackamas County Energy Assistance summer program doesn’t start until summer.  

Sent out thank you letters to all the businesses that sponsored and supported the March for Meals campaign.  

Went on a hike to Mt. Tabor park had enjoyed a beautiful day with a full bus of residents. 

Marc:

Senior Trips:

– Hike at Graham Oaks Nature Park and lunch at McMenamins Wilsonville Old Church & Pub – 12 people and Amy joining us.

– Dine out at La Carreta’s in Gresham – 12 people with 4 people meeting us there.

– Historic Carousel & Museum and lunch at Pop’s Branding Iron in Albany – 11 people.

– Hike at Mt. Tabor and lunch at Chang’s Mongolian Grill – 13 people with Caroleana joining us.

– Oregon AG Fest – 11 people.

– Dine out at Hops n Drops in Happy Valley – 10 people with 3 meeting us there

Meals on wheels:

– 967 meals delivered.

Chelsea:

• Processed invoices related to various park projects. 
• Attended meetings in regards to various ongoing park projects
• Helped with 6 letters of support for the LGGP grant for Meinig Park Improvements
• Center rentals continue to be busy, as well as spring/summer park shelter rentals. 
• Created the May/June senior newsletter and printed/emailed it out. 

• Attended budget meetings with the Parks & Rec manager team. 
• Worked on the Deer Pointe Park Invitation to Bid, created the ITB page for our website, arranged advertisements for the ITB, and prepped documents for when the bid opens. 
• Coordinated with the Engineer to get the 1200c permit submitted for Deer Pointe Park. 
• Helped plan a flower class for the seniors and created a flyer advertisement. 

• Assisted with Contracts and Amendments. 

John:

Professional Development & Training

• Supervisor Training:
  Attended a professional development training focused on recruitment, onboarding, and training practices designed with long-term success in mind.
  
• ORPA Senior Services Workshop:
  Participated in an ORPA workshop focused on enhancing Senior Services. The session, “Modern Care for Your Golden Years,” offered insights into dementia care and strategies for supporting aging populations.

Community Events & Programs

• Arbor Day Celebration – April 24:
  Helped program, plan, and oversee our Arbor Day event at Bluff Park. With the support of volunteers, we planted four Forest Pansy Redbud trees in honor of the occasion.
  
• SOLVE Cleanup Event – April 26:
  Assisted in programming and overseeing our annual SOLVE event. Approximately 60 volunteers participated in removing trash and debris from City parks, streets, and public properties.
  
• Teen Egg Hunt – April 18:
  In collaboration with the Sandy Library, coordinated the annual Teen Egg Hunt at Meining Park. Around 150 teens participated in the fun and engaging event.

Administration & Planning

Budget Preparation and Presentation:
Throughout April, I worked alongside our team to prepare the FY25 budget for the Recreation and Senior Services Department. On April 28, I presented the proposed budget to the City’s Budget Committee for review and feedback.

Parks & Facilities:

Upcoming events:

May 15th- Yappy Hour at Bluff Park

May 21st at 6:30pm- World Bee Day Celebration! Come see The Pollinators at the Sandy Cinema for free

June 28th- Noah’s Quest at Bluff Park

Carol’s Accomplishments:
The recreation department hosted their 3rd Silent Disco for the teens. We had a total of 47 teens. Mostly high schoolers and a few middle schoolers. The event was sponsored by Dick Hannah, Maeco of Oregon and Dominoes pizza. With the monetary & food donations everything was paid for plus with ticket sales money was put into the special events budget. P & R likes to partner with the library on some of the teen events. Sandy Key Club members also volunteered to help with set up and break down for the event.

This year for Yappy Hour in May we have had such a big response as far as vendors/businesses wanting to be part of the event. All of the businesses from last year are back except VCA which closed down last year. The new businesses that are joining are Green Acres, Fern Hill Vet, Best Friend Bioscience, Pampered Pet Lodge, Elusive Canine Strength and Conditioning, and Chasin Tail. This event is so popular that businesses reached out to me so they can be a part of it. This year we also charged a vendor fee to all the businesses. $1250 so far in vendor fees.

Amy’s Accomplishments:
– Facilitated March for Meals Campaign’s Daily Marketing for the fundraising events and raffle baskets.
– Helped to set up for the Silent Disco. Create a photo strip and managed the photo booth. 
– Hosted the Mt Storm End of the Season Jamboree. Created a survey for all participants.

– Hosted the Bee City USA Action Group’s Pollinator Panel. 5 local experts shared their knowledge on all things related to supporting pollinators. 

-Organized a Tickle Creek Volunteer Clean Up with a local 4H Group.

-Hosted the Community Garden’s first Volunteer Day of the season. 

Caroleana:

Accomplishments: 

Caroleana had over 387 senior related calls this month.   The center had 2 new meals on wheels clients and 2 Reassessments for current clients; which involved a home visit with each client and a completed NAPIS form for Clackamas County.   

Caroleana helped support our team by writing and sending thank you cards to sponsoring businesses for Silent Disco.

Joined in a webinar training from American Society on Aging: From Clutter to Comfort.  This workshop gave insight on the characteristics and risks of hoarding at each level (1-5).  The workshop also discussed applying basic strategies, using empathetic communication to build trust and respect the client’s perspective

Started advertising for new Grief series workshops with Mt. Hood hospice, which highlights the process of grief through art expression.  This workshop was well attended with meaningful artwork made. 

Clackamas County Energy Assistance funding was depleted in the early part of March, which is early.  This shows the high need that our community at large has in this area.   Caroleana completed and submitted 9 applications for local senior households.   Over the winter program months of Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb and March Caroleana had 30 new clients.  The community has a need and 30 new households were served and helped with energy assistance credit from the Clackamas County utility support program.  

John and Caroleana toured the Pioneer Community Center in Oregon City to observe and learn about congregate dining.  We learned a lot, while trying not to have kitchen envy.  Our goal is to open our dining room for lunch service one day a week.  

March for Meals Campaign; 

Throughout the month of March the center promoted the March for Meals Campaign, which fundraised and brought awareness to the Meals on Wheels program.   Caroleana advertised, promoted and attended the different events.  

The Campaign was multi faceted; restaurant participation, raffle baskets and a senior dinner to conclude.  

A huge thank you to the restaurants who participated in the campaign were Smoky Hearth, Scoop n Swirl, Sandy DQ, Mt. Moka, and Sandy Panda Express. We raised $708 and counting.

The Senior Dinner had to be postponed to April 5th, which extended the display of the raffle baskets.  This year we had 13 awesome raffle baskets donated for the March for Meals Campaign.  

A BIG thank you to the local businesses: Blue Door Rustic, Embold bank, Mt. Hood Senior Solutions, Mt. Hood Adult Day Center, Prestige Cinema, That Salon, Sandbar, Gresham Golf, Thrive Fitness, Red Apple Restaurant, Boring Bark, and Avamere in Sandy. A heartfelt thank you to the businesses outside our local community that have supported our efforts; Gresham Golf Course, Kah Ne Tah, Bruce’s Candy Kitchen, Cannon Beach Smokehouse, The Warren House, and Bill’s Tavern.  

The baskets were in the lounge area of the Senior Center throughout the month of March, which brought attention to the campaign.  Many visitors purchased tickets while at the center for events or classes and some even just simply donated to the program.   

The campaign raised has raised over $3000, with more coming in, as the Senior Dinner will be April 5th.  Raffle tickets: $1425, Restaurants:  $708 + more to come,  Senior Dinner: $1375. 

Marc:

Senior Trips

– Hike at Springwater Corridor in Boring and lunch at Smoky Hearth (It was the day a portion of their sales went to our March for Meals fundraiser) – 12 people with Amy joining us and 5 people meeting us for the hike and 3 of those meeting for lunch as well. 

– Dine out at Red Lobster in Gresham – 9 people with 4 meeting us there

– Portland Roadster Show – 6 people 

– Hike at Fanno Creek and Greenway Loop and Lunch at Big Red’s Bar & Grill both in Beaverton – 12 people with Carol joining us

– Dine out at The Cazadero Steakhouse in Estacada – 12 people with 5 meeting us there

– Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals and lunch at P.F. Changs both in Hillsboro – 4 people, was 7 but one cancelled the day before and 2 cancelled the morning of the trip.

Meals On Wheels

– 893

Miscellaneous

– Completed my Safe At Any Age – Basic Defensive Driving class that I am required to take every three years through Ride Connection 

– Blacked out the skylights in The Auditorium for the Silent Disco 

Chelsea:

• Processed invoices related to various park projects. 
• Attended meetings in regards to various ongoing park projects
• Helped with 6 letters of support for the LGGP grant for Meinig Park Improvements
• Center rentals continue to be busy, as well as spring/summer park shelter rentals. 
• Created the March and April senior newsletter and printed/emailed it out. 
• Built in April activities so their seniors could sign up April 1st. 
• Made and laminated multiple signs for Cedar Park’s construction work. 
• Attended budget meetings with the Parks & Rec managers team. 
• Assisted with reviewing the Code of conduct draft ordinance and provided feedback. 
• Helped proof the summer recreation guide. 
• Attended preliminary meetings about the Deer Pointe Park Invitation to Bid. 
• Attended The Parks & recreation team’s belated holiday party. 
• Helped sell tickets for the March for Meals raffle. Raffle tickets were popular!  
• Continued entering responses for the most recent Deer Pointe Park Survey.

John:

Monthly Report – March

1. Policy and Administrative Updates

• Continued development of our in-house Policy Handbook to ensure alignment with current department practices and compliance standards.
  
• Focused efforts on updating the Special Event Application and associated processes to streamline permitting, clarify requirements for applicants, and enhance internal review procedures.
  

2. Budget Planning and Financial Management

• Conducted an in-depth analysis of the current fiscal year budget to identify remaining resources and prepare for year-end financial wrap-up.
  
• Initiated the development of the proposed biennial budget for the Recreation and Senior Services Department, including forecasting operational needs, program growth, and strategic priorities.
  

3. Fee Structure Review

• Collaborated with the Parks and Recreation Management Team to review and update the Master Fee Schedule. Revisions included adjustments for inflation, improved consistency across departments, and alignment with current usage patterns and service demand.
  

4. Program Management

• Provided oversight and support for the successful conclusion of two major programs:
  
  • Mt. Storm Youth Basketball League
    
  • March for Meals Campaign
    

5. Capital Project Preparation

Requested formal bids for the installation of a live-stream camera at Jonsrud Viewpoint. This is part of our strategic tourism enhancement project aimed at showcasing Sandy’s natural beauty and drawing more visitors to the area.

Parks & Facilities:

Upcoming Events/Dates to remember:

– April Full Moon Hike – April 12th

– Community Gardens Work Day – April 13th
– Softball Umpire + Coaches Meeting – April 14th

– Rotary Club Gardens Work Day – April 16th

-Teen Flashlight Egg hunt at Meinig Park April 18th 8pm
– Arbor Day – April 24th

– SOLVE It In Sandy – April 26th

-2nd Annual Yappy Hour Sandy Bluff Park- May 15th

Carol:
Working on sponsorships for Noah’s Quest, Movies and Music, and 2nd year Yappy Hour. Finalizing Summer Recreation Guide by adding more science camps with Minds in Motion, and working to collaborate with Northwest Trails Alliance for some bike clinics at the new Basecamp.

Amy:

– Continued to manage the Mt Storm Basketball League! Worked to make all practices and games run smoothly, despite bad weather and gym cancellations.
– Hosted the first Sandy Bee City USA Meeting for 2025.
– Submitted the Bee City USA Renewal Report

Caroleana:

Caroleana had over 280 senior related calls this month.   The center had 1 new meals on wheels client and 2 Reassessments for current clients; which involved a home visit with each client and a completed NAPIS form for Clackamas County.   

Caroleana helped support our team by packing coolers several times throughout the month and delivering several routes for the Meals on Wheels program.  

She continued to organize, advertise and communicate with local businesses who are participating with the March for Meals campaign.  

Started advertising for new Grief series workshops with Mt. Hood hospice.

She went on a hike with the center on Feb 19th.

For the month of February Energy Assistance  Caroleana completed and submitted 9 applications for local senior households, and has 2 applications pending.   Several appointments were held with the assistance of a translator from Todos Juntos staff.   This was a wonderful collaboration allowing more households to be assisted with this great program.  

Marc:

Senior Trips:

– Hike at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge and lunch at Old Spaghetti Factory (was supposed to be Bob’s Redmill but they closed unexpectedly earlier in the month) – 11 people with Caroleana joining us.

– Dine out at Bugatti’s in Oregon City – 11 people

– Oregon Quilt Festival in Salem with lunch at In-N-Out Burger afterwards – 7 people

– Spirit Mountain Casino – 8 people 

Cancelled trips due to Inclement weather:

– Hike & Lunch at Mt. Tabor & Chang’s Mongolian Grill

– Dine out at Red Lobster

Meals on Wheels:

– 664 (2 missed delivery days due to inclement weather)

– Covered one of the routes for a driver

Chelsea:

• Processed invoices related to various park projects. 
• Attended meetings in regards to various ongoing park projects
• Attended the February Parks & Trails Advisory Board meeting, posted the video, and wrote up the meeting minutes. 
• Helped with 6 letters of support and collected pictures for a Travel Oregon grant to redo the Meinig Park pathways.
• Updated our attendance tracking sheet by inputting our center visits. 
• I prepped for being on vacation by printing daily signs, checking building monitor schedules for rental coverage, and having attendance sheets laid out. 
• Center rentals continue to be busy. We’re getting lots of rental requests for March/April as well as spring/summer park shelter rentals. 
• Assisted with researching grant opportunities.
• Updated the center’s TV with our most recent flyers
• Helped call center patrons during center closures related to snow/ice.  
• Assisted with a letter of Support from the Parks Board for another Local Government Grant Program Grant that we’re applying for to help with Meinig Park Improvements. 
• Created the March and April senior newsletter and printed/emailed it out.

John:

ORPA (REPS) Section Meeting

I led a focused meeting on volunteer engagement within the Oregon Recreation and Park Association (ORPA) Recreation and Park Services (REPS) section. During the meeting, I shared best practices and strategies for improving volunteer recruitment, training, and retention. I also facilitated discussions to encourage knowledge exchange and collaboration among recreation professionals.

March 4 Meals Campaign

I helped Caroleana, our Client Services Coordinator, in her efforts to establish our second annual March 4 Meals campaign. My efforts centered on outreach to businesses along the Oregon coast to increase community participation and support. 

Mountain Storm Basketball League

Throughout the month, I served as the active Supervisor for the Mountain Storm Basketball league. I oversaw daily operations, ensuring smooth execution of games and related activities. I addressed and resolved challenges promptly to maintain a positive and organized environment while fostering a welcoming atmosphere for both participants and spectators.

Summer Partnering Contractors

I met with summer program contractors to discuss upcoming programming and provided contracts and clear frameworks for a variety of summer offerings, including sports camps, aquatics programs, concerts, and movies in the park. These meetings ensured alignment between contractors and the department’s standards and expectations for community programming.

Parks & Facilities:

Upcoming events/dates to remember:

-Tickle Creek Tree Planting, March 2nd

-Softball registration opens March 3rd

March for meals campaign- all month long.

Grief class at the center- March 12th

– March Full Moon Hike, March 13th

– Silent Disco, March 14th

– Mt Storm Jamboree, March 15th

– Pollinator Panel, March 20th

– Tickle Creek International Day of Forests Guided Hike –  March 23rd

– Spring Break Felt and Fiber Class (March 24th-27th)

-March for Meals Dinner at the Center- March 29th

– 1st Community Gardens Work Day (If weather permits) – March 30th

-April 17th- Senior Egg Hunt at the Library

-April 18th- Teen Egg Hunt at Meinig Park

Carol:

Mt. Storm started off with games in January at Oregon Trail Academy,
Firwood, Welches, and Cedar Ridge. Grades ¾ games are during the
week and the 5/6 games are all on Saturdays at Cedar Ridge. We hired
high school kids that play on the high school basketball team to ref.
We have a total of 320 kids that signed up for this program.

New winter classes started in January. Newest class was the Group
piano.
Young at Heart Class reached the highest # of participants. 42!

Amy:

– Mt Storm Games started and they’re off to a good start.

-Continued to coordinate Mt. Storm practices, games, and ref schedules.

-Coordinated Mt. Storm shirt hand outs.

-Updated the building monitor schedule and booked building monitors for last minute rental requests.

– Hosted an outreach booth at the Library’s Seed Swap

-Helped Marc with the senior hike to the Confluence trail.

Caroleana:

Caroleana had over 223 senior related calls.   This month the center had 3 new meals on wheels clients and 4 Reassessments for current clients; which involved home visits with each client and a completed NAPIS form for Clackamas County.   

Archived files, organized client files into fiscal year and not annual year

Caroleana helped support our team by packing coolers several times throughout the month and delivering several routes for the Meals on Wheels program.  

Sent out letters to local businesses to participate with the March for Meals campaign fundraising for Meals on Wheels program. 

Started advertising for new Grief series workshops with Mt. Hood hospice.

ADRC meeting regarding a new program coming from the state called: Oregon Project Independence-Medicaid.  This program will open March 1st, 2025, and will be available for individuals with high ADL needs allowing them to stay in their homes and keep the investment/retirement of their homes. 

Caroleana attended the Gresham Senior Center Resource Fair, where she was able to access a variety of valuable resources. The event provided helpful information and services aimed at supporting the needs of seniors, including, community services, and local support organizations. It was an excellent opportunity to connect with resources that can enhance quality of life and well-being for seniors in our community.

At the end of the month, Caroleana and Marc attended an online event hosted by Centers 50+ located in Salem.  With guest speakers Bandana Shrestha the state director from AARP Oregon who spoke on Catalyzing Age-Friendly Futures.   age friendly 

Then we heard from Ashton Applewhite, a writer and activist, who wrote “This Chair Rocks” on the topic of Ageism. Applewhite would like us to think differently about growing older.

Lastly we heard from San Diego Community Foundation, Kris Kelly and Junne Esguerra,  

For the month of January Caroleana completed and submitted 10 applications for local senior households, and has 3 application pending.  Several appointments were held with the assistance of a translator from Todos Juntos staff.  This was a wonderful collaboration allowing more households to be assisted with this great program.  

Future Events

Marc:

Senior Trips:

– Dine out at Szechuan Open Kitchen in Gresham – 13 people with 3 people meeting us there.

– Clackamas Town Center – Cancelled due to lack of sign ups.

– Hike & Lunch – Confluence Trail at Sandy River Delta in Troutdale and lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings in Wood Village – 7 people with 2 people meeting us there.

– Rose City Classic Dog Show – 5 people

– First Taste of Oregon in Salem – 10 people

– Dine out at Jantzen Beach Bar and Grill – 13 people

Meals On Wheels:

– 1049 meals delivered during January.

Vehicle Maintenance:

– Took the MV1 in for its annual inspection

– Took the MV1 in for its ramp inspection

– Took the Bus in for its lift inspection

Chelsea:

• Processed invoices related to various park projects. 
• Attended meetings in regards to various ongoing park projects
• Drafted various signs and publications for upcoming Parks & recreation needs, including center closed signs for the upcoming holidays. 
• Attended the January Parks & Trails Advisory Board meeting, posted the video, and wrote up the meeting minutes. 
• Assisted with making suggested edits to the Parks Rules based on the Advisory Board’s recommendations. 
• I built in the February senior events in the system so sign ups can happen.
• Updated our attendance tracking sheet by inputting our center visits. 
• I prepped for being on vacation for a week by printing daily signs, checking building monitor schedules for rental coverage, and having attendance sheets laid out. 
• Assisted with reviewing slide deck presentations. 
• Submitted the final update and reimbursement request for the Cedar Park grant. 
• I closed out the 1200c permit with DEQ- 
• Center rentals continue to be busy. January weekends ended up very full.

John:

• Policy & Instructional Manual Development: Initiated the creation of an updated policy and instructional manual tailored specifically for the Parks and Recreation Department. This document will serve as a comprehensive resource to standardize procedures, improve operational efficiency, and ensure clarity in departmental policies.
• Sponsorship & Event Planning: Collaborated with the Recreation Team to refine sponsorship parameters and update the application process for Yappy Hour, our second annual Canine Carnival. These updates aim to enhance partner engagement, streamline sponsorship opportunities, and support the event’s continued growth.
• ORPA REPS Board Meeting Participation: Attended a board meeting for the Oregon Recreation and Park Association’s (ORPA) Recreation: Events, Programs, and Sports (REPS) section. The meeting focused on planning annual meetings and workshops that provide professional development opportunities for management-level professionals, with a particular emphasis on dynamic leadership strategies.
• Summer Concert Series Planning: Initiated the booking process for high-profile bands to perform at our annual Summer Concert Series. This effort aims to elevate the quality of performances, attract larger audiences, and enhance the overall concert experience for the community.
• Meinig Park & Fantasy Forest Public Engagement: Analyzed and synthesized feedback from our second public survey regarding proposed improvements to Meinig Park and Fantasy Forest. This data will help inform decision-making and determine actionable next steps in the park enhancement process.

Parks & Facilities:

Upcoming Events/Dates:
February 10th- Bee City USA Action Group Meeting – 6pm at the Sandy Community and Senior Center

Feb 17th- Center closed for holiday

March 14th- 2nd Year of the teen Silent Disco
March 15th- Mt. Storm Jamboree at SHS

Carol:

4 Winterfest events in December. Pictures with the Grinch, Estampa with Santa, and the shortest day walkway, and Holiday Happy Hour (a 21 and over event). All these events brought in lots of visitors to the park.

The 2025 Winter/Spring Recreation is online and cases are filling up.

Currently working on sponsorships for music and movies, July 4th fireworks, Silent Disco for the teens and second annual event Yappy Hour.

Amy:

Held a Building Monitor Training
Mt Storm Season began with 3 practices each for 26 teams.
Winterfest!

Winter Rec Guide Finished

Caroleana:

December was a month full of giving and Winterfest.   

Caroleana had over 288 senior related calls.   This month the center had 2 Reassessments for MOW clients; which involved home visits with each client and a completed NAPIS form for Clackamas County.   

Caroleana helped support our team by packing coolers several times throughout the month and delivering several routes for the Meals on Wheels program (due to drivers being out sick).  

Our Meals on wheels clients received several extras this month:

• Holiday wreaths were sent out the week before Christmas which were donated by Sandy High FFA 
• Christmas cards that were made by local kids and residents 
• New this year, we sent shelf stable meals to be used with inclement weather.  Each person received 3 meals that they can use if the winter weather causes us to close this year.  
• Those with pets received a special animal toy from Animeals Fido Food bank. 

As well we thanked our Meals on Wheels volunteer drivers that are so dedicated to the program serving seniors in our community.  They all go above and beyond to make sure the seniors we serve are taken care of.

For the month of December Caroleana completed and submitted 22 applications for local senior households, and has 5 applications pending. Several appointments were held with the assistance of a translator from Todos Juntos staff.  

Outside my regular duties, I helped with several WinterFest events and tasks. 

• Helped at the Estampa and Santa WinterFest event at Meinig park-Set up and clean up – I carried heavy signs across the park.  
• Designed, updated and printed Stocking Stroll Map for our 2nd annual Stocking Stroll event.  Designed and printed the Passports for the Shortest Day Walkway 
• I sent out thank you cards to all our WinterFest sponsors, Stocking Stroll participating businesses, Friends of the Lights sponsors, special event non-profit organizations that participated in our WinterFest festivities.  In total for Winterfest we sent 92 thank you cards. 
• Thanked Sandy PD for their extra attention to Meinig park during WinterFest, and sent them fun holiday treats and gifts for the evening shift Police officers. 

.  

Designed and had printed new calendars for the Senior newsletter for the months of January and February. 

We hosted a senior Christmas gathering with a fun gift exchange.   Carol coordinated special music of local students. 

Helped sign up local seniors for Christmas Food boxes through Sandy Kiwanis; which entailed phone calls to homebound seniors that I serve in many capacities (meals on wheels, and Energy Assistance and those who have been on my client list in the past). 

Sandy Kiwanis served over 250 households this year with food boxes and toys for over 500 children.  Later in the month myself and Carol helped pack presents for the children.  As well, I helped deliver food boxes to homebound seniors who did sign up.  

Marc:

Senior Trips:

– December pop up dinner at Alpine Events & Busy Bee Catering in Rhododendron

   – 11 people with 3 meeting us there

– Lunch at Backstop Bar & Grill in Canby and then the Clackamas County Winter Fair at the fairgrounds

   – 8 people

– Dine out at Heidi’s in Gresham

   – 11 people with 2 meeting us there

–  Pittock Mansion with lunch at Elephant’s Delicatessen afterwards

   – Full bus with a waiting list

(view of the city from the grounds outside the mansion)

– Hike & Lunch at Rosemont Trail in West Linn and Famous Dave’s BBQ in Tualatin

   – 5 people. 4 people cancelled the week of and 2 more cancelled the day of the event due to rain. They all missed out! We had a great time and stayed dry!

Meals On Wheels:

-1012

-Due to Wednesday being one of the two days we deliver food, we changed it to Tuesday, Christmas Eve day and New Years Eve day, to make up for being closed for Christmas and New Years Day.

Chelsea:

• Processed invoices related to various park projects. 
• Attended meetings in regards to various ongoing park projects
• Drafted various signs and publications for upcoming Parks & recreation needs. 
• Attended the December Parks & Trails Advisory Board meeting, posted the video, and wrote up the meeting minutes. 
• I picked out a tree for the Center from Ant Farm’s tree lot and Brandon helped get it to the Center. Our decoration volunteer decorated it and I helped put finishing touches on it. 
• We hosted a senior holiday party with decorations, refreshments, a gift exchange, sweater competition and live music. I helped by ordering supplies and getting gifts for the contest and exchange.
• We published the January and February senior newsletter. 

• I helped proof the Winter Recreation guide and entered in block reservations for the classes. 
• I worked the Estampa y Santa event and the Shortest day walkway event. Both were successful! It’s always good to see how many people come out and enjoy the Winterfest events and the park itself. 
• I closed out the 1200c permit with DEQ. 
• Center rentals are picking back up. December was a busy month for rentals. January weekends are almost full at this point.

John:

We successfully completed our 3rd annual Winterfest events, culminating in the Holiday Happy Hour, where we announced the winner of the Merry Makeover Challenge. This year’s Mayor’s Award went to That Salon, and the Voter’s Choice Awards were as follows:
1st Place – Pacific Northwest Tattoo Collect
2nd Place – Blue Door Rustic
3rd Place – Berkshire Hathaway

I attended the annual board meeting for the Oregon Recreation and Parks Association, where we discussed the year’s goals, priorities, and future professional development opportunities for Oregon Parks and Recreation professionals.

I was awarded a grant through Mt. Hood Territory Clackamas County Tourism in the amount of $66,979.75. This funding will allow us to install a customized pole with a camera at Jonsrud Viewpoint, enabling the City to stream the viewpoint online and collaborate with local news outlets to showcase one of the most impressive views of Mt. Hood.

I attended a quarterly meeting for Senior Centers in Clackamas County, where we discussed state and federal funding related to senior programs such as Meals on Wheels, transportation, energy assistance, and case management.

Additionally, we updated the suppression system for our commercial kitchen range, which will enable us to launch our Congregate Meals program in the near future.

Parks & Facilities:

Upcoming Events/Closures:

Mt. Storm games will start on 1/10 and will continue with games through
3/15/2025.

Full Moon Hike Jan 13th, 5:30-7:00, location TBD

Jan 20th- Center closed for MLK Day

Carol:

Received 1 more sponsorship for Winterfest. Mt. Hood Community College! Total sponsorships $13,250.00
Mt. Storm finally closed and we have a total of 270 kids. We had 2 open gyms for 5/6 grades at Cedar Ridge and had over 100 kids show up for both days. Meetings concluded on Nov 11th with all coaches and rosters complete. Kids will be on the courts ready to practice before winter break.

Tree lighting this year had record numbers. Part of it was we added a flash mob dance and had over 60 people in the dance. Those 60 people invited friends, relatives and neighbors to watch this performance and those people would have not come to the tree lighting if it wasn’t for the dance. It was a huge hit!

Here is a link to a video of the flash mob: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MZrcRGl8r8p7fsxE5h_u1dDxZUiQ3N-h/view?usp=sharing

Amy:

– Worked the Cedar Park Grand Opening

– Mt Storm Ref Training (Part 1), Mt Storm Open Gyms, Skills Assessments, and Coaches Meetings

– Final 2024 Bee City USA Meeting

– A Hoot and A Howl Full Moon Hike

– Boothed at Todos Juntos’s Early Childhood Resource Day

– Nov 22 Tree Lighting 

– Nov 30th Coaches Clinic for Mountain Storm.

Caroleana:

November was a rush of meetings and it  went by way too quickly.   

Caroleana had over 332 senior related calls.   This month the center had 2 new MOW clients; which involved home visits with each client and a completed NAPIS form for Clackamas County.   Caroleana further offered and assisted each household with other available resources. 

Caroleana helped support our team by packing coolers and delivering several routes for meals on wheels.  

For the month of November Caroleana completed and submitted 26 applications for local senior households, and has 5 applications pending. 

She continued to work on the Senior Law Project for the center.  Caroleana sent out another letter to a local lawyer requesting their involvement in the Legal Aid clinics that she is striving to start back up.  

Attended the screening of a new documentary called “No Place to Grow Old” hosted by LoveOne and The Father’s Heart.  This documentary captured the growing crisis that is quietly unfolding across America in our older adult population, who unfortunately are aging into homelessness.  

Link for Trailer: https://youtu.be/RuNqn2cRhJg?si=9KHd847t84LttG9m

Held the Veterans Honoring event on November 8 at the Center.   In partnership with Mt. Hood Hospice, we welcomed over 70 guests and honored 30 courageous veterans.  The event commenced with a beautiful rendition of the national anthem by the Sandy High School Choir. John Wallace, Center Manager, Jolie Phanton from Mt. Hood Hospice, and Jackie Key from Auxiliary Post 4273 each shared meaningful reflections. Jackie specifically highlighted the significance and symbolism of the missing man table

Went on a hike with seniors to Wilderness Park in West Linn on a beautiful sunny day. 

Helped with the Cedar park Grand opening and had a wonderful time celebrating with the team! 

Thanksgiving lunch was served on Tuesday Nov 26th.  We had over 60 seniors come and enjoy a delicious lunch.  Our volunteer made centerpieces for decorations.  

Marc:

SENIOR TRIPS

– Hike & Lunch – Heron Creek Loop Trail at Mary S. Young  & Backyard Burger Company in West Linn – Full bus with Caroleana joining us

– Dine out at Oswego Grill in Clackamas – 11 people

– Portland Holiday Market at The Expo Center – 9 people

– Dine out at Boccelli’s in Gresham – Full trip with a waitlist and 2 people meeting us there

– Home for the Holidays – A musical put on by Northwest Senior Theatre at Rise Church in Tigard – 13 people

Meals On Wheels

– 1052 meals delivered in November

– covered one of the routes for a driver that was out sick

Events worked

– Grand Opening of Cedar Park

– Tree Lighting

Chelsea:

• Processed invoices related to various park projects. 
• Attended meetings in regards to various ongoing park projects
• Drafted various signs and publications for upcoming Parks & recreation needs. 
• Helped set up Parks & Trails advisory Board interviews. Emailed applicants, organized interview packets and schedules, and attended/hosted the interviews. 
• Worked the Grand Opening of Cedar Park! I was primarily behind the swag table, handing out VIP bags and selling merch. What an amazing park opening! 
• Attended the November Parks & Trails Advisory Board meeting, posted the video, and wrote up the meeting minutes. 
• Purchased supplies and Decorated the Parks & Recreation gingerbread house for the Park. Caroleana and I also worked together to create a parks & recreation skateboard for one of our Gingerbread men in front of the gingerbread house. 

• Participated in the flash mob at the tree lighting which included 2 dance practices. This was such a fun addition to the tree lighting ceremony and great to be a part of. 
• The tree lighting was a great success and the rain held off. 
• We hosted another senior thanksgiving with about 61 seniors plus our staff. The seniors really enjoyed the meal- the turkey was raved about and they loved the decorations.  

John:

Continued building repairs. We’re working to get the stove’s fire suppression system updated to fit the new stove.

Oversaw and assisted with all things Winterfest- sponsorships, Merry makeover, the tree lighting, flash mob, ect.

Helped with the Grand Opening of Cedar park. Man what a success! I worked with Spoke and wheel to create all the signage and then worked with Timbercreek Construction to get all the signs installed.

We hosted another great Senior Thanksgiving at the Center. It’s events like these that make being the Senior Center manager so great and heartfelt.

Parks & Facilities:

Upcoming Events:

Winterfest events continue!

December 16th- Senior Holiday Gathering at the Center.

December 25th- Center closed for the holiday.

January 1st- Center closed for the holiday.

Carol:

Mt Storm has been open for a month for registration.

The Winter Recreation Guide is being worked on and will have new classes for teens and youth like science and art classes. The goal is to pass out the 2025 Winter Guide before the end of December.

Sandy Library and the Recreation Dept partnered together for the Halloween Hunt in Meinig. It was a little cold but over 100 kids still showed up. Lots of candy was given out. Dutch Bros gift cards were given out to the winners who found the golden pumpkins.

A total of $12,250 has been raised from Winterfest sponsors- that is gold, silver, and friends of the lights.
The team is working on talking to businesses to be part of the merry makeover. The businesses are very excited about doing it again for Winterfest. More details next month.

Amy:

– Mt Storm Instructional League Finished! About 45 children in grades K-2 spent 6 weeks learning the basics of basketball while having fun 🙂
– Wildfire and Pollinator Presentation – Dr. Graham Frank discussed the effects of forest fires on our local ecosystem. Graham is a forest ecologist at OSU studying how the biodiversity in our forests respond to disturbances in the environment. 
– Mt Storm Registration Completed – 260 children are fully registered to play Mt Storm Basketball.

-Full Moon Hike on October 17th – OSU Naturalist Lecia and Parks and Rec employee Amy lead a full moon hike and hunt for bats at Sandy Bluff Park. 

-Insect Presentation on October 18th – We had a creepy crawly educational presentation at the Sandy Community Center! Folks got up close and personal with fascinating critters (like roaches, crickets, worms, flies, and more!!), while learning about their incredible roles in our ecosystem, and getting tips if you want to raise them in your own home!

-ORPA Conference – Amy learned a lot at the three day ORPA conference in Sunriver, OR. 

Caroleana:

October was a rush of meetings and it went by way too quickly.   

Caroleana had over 396 senior related calls.   This month the center had 7 new MOW clients; which involved home visits with each client and a completed NAPIS form for Clackamas County.   Caroleana further offered and assisted each household with other available resources. 

Caroleana helped support our team by packing coolers and delivering several routes for meals on wheels.  

Caroleana had an Energy Assistance meeting with Marcos and Anfisa.  She learned about funding available and where grant funds are coming from.  Learned about new requirements for the Clackamas County EA program.  As well as the electricity scam going on right now and to advise seniors to be aware.  

She scored very well on the program feedback for the last fiscal year.  Submitted approximately 140 applications with only 6 corrections and 1 denial.  That is a 95.5% score; which was notated as Superior.  

It was noted “ Sandy Community/ Senior Center had provided the necessary information to assure the intake process is effective, efficient and reduce the burden to low-income seniors in your community”  

The Energy Assistance (winter heating) program started this month, with priority going to seniors 62+.  Caroleana started making calls to prior clients and scheduling appts.  She also distributed info flyers with the income guidelines at AntFarm, Sandy health Clinic, and Sandy Vista Apartments- giving them a spanish version of flier.

For the month of October Caroleana completed and submitted 28 applications for local senior households, and has 9 applications pending. 

Sent out Letters to 3 local lawyers requesting their involvement in the Legal Aid clinics that she is striving to start back up.  One Lawyer has responded to the letter and said yes he would most definitely help out again. 

Continued to plan and meet with Jolie at Mt Hood Hospice for Veterans event in November.   Had one meeting with Bert and Jackie Key, who offered their knowledge, and connections. Advertised for Veterans event publishing on social media and throughout town at local businesses. 

Several online trainings that helped enhance my job skills and knowledge base on local community resources in Clackamas county

• Serving Older Adults with Limited English Proficiency – translators over the phone 
• Zoom Sandy Connect learned about Energy Trust in our community help service homes with improvements
• Mind and Music series- explores the power of music to reach those with dementia and other neurologic conditions

Coordinated and Hosted NAMI at the Center for staff to attend; Mental Health Matters.  

NAMI, Clackamas is a grassroots non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life for everyone by providing free mental health education, support, and advocacy. This was an excellent opportunity to expand our understanding of mental health and the resources available in our community. 

Event: 

Mt. Hood Hospice Class, Grief and The Holidays: 7 attended 

AARP Safe driving Class: 18 attended. 

Future Events: 

Veterans Event 

Marc:

SENIOR TRIPS

– Hike & Lunch – Lewis & Clark Discovery trail and Golden Corral in Vancouver – 10 people

– Hood River Harvest Festival with a stop at Packer Orchards and Bakery on the way back – Full bus with a waiting list

– Dine out at Black Bear Diner in Gresham -9 people with 4 meeting us there

– Hike & Lunch – Hawthorn & Douglas Fir trail loop at Powell Butte and lunch at Red Robin in Gresham – 10 people with Carol joining us and 2 people meeting us there

– Lunch at Olive Garden then End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Oregon City – Full Bus

– Dine out at Wan Lungs in Happy Valley – Full Bus with 1 person meeting us there

MOW

– 1108 meals served

John:

Continued work on our Kitchen updates to ensure that we can start serving congregate meals to our local senior population.  Stove was delivered and installed.  Next steps are to update the suppression system and recruit volunteers.

Attended the annual Oregon Recreation & Parks Association Conference.  Lead a one hour session about Special Events and Recreational Sports where we talked goals, needs and best practices in the industry.

Worked with contractor on the installation of the final wayfinding signs, map/legend and rules for Cedar Park.

Coordinated with Spoke N Wheel, the branding and marketing company for American Ramp Company (designers and builders of Basecamp, the skate park, pump track and jumpline at Cedar Park) to film, interview and take still shots to help us market our newest amenity.

Continued the coordination, planning and marketing of our 3rd annual Winterfest.

Chelsea:

• Processed invoices related to various park projects. 
• Attended meetings in regards to various ongoing park projects
• Took and recorded meeting notes for ARC’s work at Cedar Park 
• Shopped for refreshments for Meinig Park’s Open House #2 and worked the front desk for the event. 
• Drafted various signs and publications for upcoming Parks & recreation needs. 
• Did a lot of prep for the Cedar Park Grand Opening. I ordered VIP swag, made VIP tickets, put together VIP bags, created the program, and created lists for the day of. 
• Took a tour of Hidden Creek Park to view the Earthscapes custom playground. 
• Did a grant update for Cedar Park & submitted for our first reimbursement request for that project. 
• Completed the November and December newsletter and got it printed for distribution. A copy was also emailed out to those that elect to receive it via email. 
• Drafted letters to the neighbors of Cedar Park about the Scenic street closure due to paving. 
• Attended a NAMI presentation on mental health and suicide.

Parks & Facilities Report:

Upcoming and important dates/events:
Nov 5th/7th- Mt. Storm open gyms for grades 5/6.

November 6th- Final Bee City USA Action Group Meeting, 5:30-6:30

November 8th- Veteran’s event!

November 12th & 14th- Skills assessments for grades 5/6.
November 13th- Coaches meeting for grades ¾.

November 15th- Hoot and a Howl – Full Moon Hike from 5:00pm-7:30pm

November 19th- Coaches meeting for teams for grades 5/6 boys and girls.
November 22nd- Winterfest 2024 begins! Tree lighting is this night as well!

November 26th- Senior Thanksgiving at the Center

November 28th & 29th- Center closed for Thanksgiving weekend