On February 21st, the department served up a fabulous Spaghetti dinner which was donated from the Olive Garden. The staff and volunteers served over 100 people. The dinner included spaghetti, salad, bread sticks, and beverages. After dinner, community members headed upstairs to play several rounds of Bingo. Prizes were donated from various local businesses. The fundraiser raised over $700.00 which will go toward scholarships for youth to participate in recreation programs. Thank you to all our volunteers who helped set up for the event, serve meals, bus tables, and clean up. A special thank you to Carol Cohen for working hard to get the donations and Carol Ann Kosbau for calling Bingo this evening.

Senior Services

In August, we begin the process of applying for the the SAGE
(Senior advocated for Generational Equity) Seniors for EVs Project. We pleased to share the good news that our Senior Center has been selected as a key partner in ​the this project. ​This project is funded by PGE in conjunction with their efforts to introduce electric vehicles (EVs) to a wide range of communities. SAGE is a nonprofit organization that promotes civic service and community engagement in Northern Oregon. SAGE recently received a three-year grant to lease an electric vehicle and to install a charging station for the City of Sandy Senior Center as well as another facility that serves seniors in Portland. In addition to the vehicle and charging station, SAGE will offer an EV 101 workshop and a ride-and-drive event for community members to try out different vehicles, and SAGE will support a car share program to serve seniors in our region. We are excited to partner with SAGE to support the use of electric vehicles while also breaking down barriers to transportation so seniors can stay connected and engaged in community. This project has been made possible by DEQ’s Oregon Clean Fuels Program via the PGE Drive Change Fund.

During the month of February the seniors enjoyed several new recreational outings throughout the region. They were treated to a private showing of a film on the National Parks at OMSI, visited the Oregon Territory Museum in Oregon City, Powell’s Bookstore in Portland, and a drive Multnomah Falls. As part of our continuing Local Flair trips, the seniors visited the new Bigfoot Museum in Boring and then headed down to the Not so Boring Grill for Lunch.

There continues to be rise in anxiety among the seniors with changing of times. Kim Whitely from Clackamas County Behavioral Health came and made a presentation to a group of 10-15 seniors. From Worry to Panic: Let’s talk about anxiety gave seniors a broader understanding of anxiety vs. fear & panic attacks, types of anxiety, and suggestions for coping with anxiety.

Recreation

During the winter/spring session in addition to long running programs like Pee Wee Soccer and Kinderdance,  new recreation programming has been introduced. These include new acting workshops, stem programs, skate programs, and fitness programs.Mountain Storm had a full schedule with nearly 200 kids playing basketball and refereeing. Overall there were 411 participants in recreation programs in the month of February. Most of these participants visited a recreation program once a week for the month of February, and many multiple times a week. Summer programming was firmed up in February and there are exciting options for summer 2020. These include Tracker’s Earth, We Are Camp, Skyhawks and Camp Namanu. 

Parks Master Plan

On February 27th the first public meeting was held at the Sandy Community Center. We had approximately 30 – 40 community members attend. There was great feedback and interactive exhibits.

• The Spanish language public meeting at Sandy Vista was on March 11th.
• Meetings are planned to continue to refine the planned approach on the unclassified city open space parcels on the park inventory map.  Input will be confirmed and incorporated into the inventory map, and park acreage.
• Both English and Spanish surveys are online until March 15. After it closes, JLA will process the data and summarize the input for discussion at the next TAC scheduled for the beginning of April.
• The ESA team will conduct a quick site analysis on the Champion Way and Deer Point parks in March in order to present findings and discuss what to include for the preliminary park concepts at the next TAC.
• After receiving concept input from the TAC, ESA will put together preliminary park design concepts for review by TAC and City staff, prior to presentation at the Longest Day Parkway.

Reminders for February!

Family Bingo & Spaghetti Feed Fundraiser for Scholarships for Recreation activities. Dinner is from 5:30pm – 7:00pm and Bingo is from 6:30pm – 8:30pm at the Community Center. Bring the kids and grandkids for this fun-filled family event.

Come to the Parks Master Plan Open House on Thursday, February 27th from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm at the Community Center. Spread the word to the community to attend and give their input on the Sandy Parks & Trails.

Seniors Services

Sharon Wood Wortman, author of “The Bridge Book”, led a discussion and presentation about surprising and one-of-a-kind bridges from all over the world. The discussion included the potential billion-dollar rehab or replacement of the Burnside Bridge.

The seniors also enjoyed various trips include the Clark County Historical Museum, Movies at the Hilltop Cinema in Oregon City, shopping at the Red, White, & Blue Thrift Store and a dine out at a polish restaurant, Dolores. We have added a new trip called Local Flair to highlight the various scenes and businesses we have in this area. This month the seniors went on a tour at the Sandy Historical Society and Lunch at Brady’s Brats and Burgers. Additionally, we attend the play “Making God Laugh” at Sandy’s Actor’s Theater.

The functional fitness class that is offered twice a week reached its highest numbers last week with 32 seniors attending.

Recreation

The Winter Recreation activities are in full swing. The Acting for Kids and Teens Workshops have been very successful and interest continues to build. The PlayWell Stem programs are also getting increased participation with Bash’em Bots held at the beginning of February. The Teen Skate program has had a group of kids transported to Windell’s for Skateboarding. This program is a great beginning to this partnership with Windell’s and we plan to continue to increase our programming with them. Pink Gloves Boxing started up in January and already has a following. Our two evening classes held in the auditorium are growing and we hope to continue this trend.

Summer program and camp planning is underway with offerings open for online registration beginning Mid-March. Campu Namanu, Skyhawks sports camps, and Outdoor camps are some which are going to be offered.

Special Events

The deadline for the Oregon Mt. Hood Territory Community Partnership Program is due Feb 20th. Carol has been checking in with businesses to see who would like to participate in a Corn Hole competition. She has received a great amount of positive feedback and has approximately 22 businesses committed. She hopes to reach a goal of 32 teams. She has applied for the grant to cover the corn hole boards, bags, and score towers. The best part of this event is that the businesses will be all together at a Bornstedt Park playing against each other. At the end of the tournament, each business will walk away with their own cornhole set that includes bags and tower score with their logo on it! This is a great way to have them represent themselves and to get to know each other.

Parks

On Jan 28th, Stakeholder meetings were held throughout the day with ESA for the Parks Master Plan. The Technical Advisory Committee met on Thurs. Jan 30th to discuss input from the Stakeholders and the next steps for the process. The date of Thursday, Feb, 27th is set for the Parks Master Plan Open House which will include a community survey.

On Saturday, December 7th the Community Center hosted our annual fundraiser for the Meals on Wheels program. The “Breakfast with Santa” event was another great success! Over 350 people enjoyed a full course breakfast, made Holiday cards, shopped the Holiday Bazaar, and had photos with Santa. We appreciate the multiple volunteers who along with staff make this event happen. We also appreciate the donations from numerous local businesses for raffle prizes, food donation from Timberline Meats, and cash donations from the Golden Age Club, Clackamas County Bank, Sandy Decor, and Lady Bug Heaven. We were able to raise $2000 for the meals on wheels program. Thank you to everyone who attended.

Senior Services

The holidays can be very difficult for many who live in isolation, are without family, and who have suffered many challenges and great loss. The Older Adult Loneliness Project is a workshop about the impacts of loneliness and learning to “be the connection” for someone who is feeling lonely. A representative from the Older Adult Behavioral Health led this beneficial workshop at the Community center this month.

The senior’s collected gifts for the annual Toys for Tots drive this year and delivered their donations to Les Schwab. In addition, the senior’s really enjoyed seeing the Christmas Ships parade on trips to the Spaghetti Factory and Jantzen Beach Grill. There was plenty of viewing of Christmas lights on trips to the Christmas Fantasy Trail at Wenzel Farms, Festival of Lights at the International Raceway, and Pittock Mansion.

Transporation continues to see an increase in daily pickups, drop-offs, and the shopping shuttle. The meals on wheels delivery continue to grow with four routes M-W & F and serving over 90 meals on those days. We are always in need of additional volunteers to help deliver these meals.

Recreation

The Winter/Spring Community and Recreation Guide is out and online. The electronic version of the guide continues to save a significant amount of money. It is launched online and sent to email addresses in Sportsman and Constant Contact Databases. It is also available on the cities website and prominently posted on Facebook. Over the last few years, we have increased the use of social media both posting and creating events. We also use the electronic reader board, flyers, and occasionally Peachjar to distribute flyers to schools within the Oregon Trail School District.

19 teams of 3rd-6th graders are in the midst of the Mountain Storm Youth Basketball season. Games begin in January and practices have been underway in Oregon Trail School District gyms. Thank you to OTSD for working closely with local programs to make this possible.

A brand new program featuring Acting Workshops beginning in January was sold out the first Saturday following the launch of the guide. Thanks to Carol Cohen for her help in sharing the program with her vast social media network. Acting for Kids and Teens is a Portland-based program that has connected with many Sandy families who travel to Portland to take the classes. The owner of Acting for Kids and Teens has a home on the mountain and has been interested in building a business in Sandy. We are excited to be able to offer this unique collection of classes locally while assisting small businesses.

Summer programs are in development and two new specialty summer camps are in the works. Camp Namanu will be back and together we have created a day camp option that serves the local community and is especially useful for working parents. Also in the works is a camp offering specialty outdoor programs not currently available in Sandy. 

Pickleball continues to be a growing interest in Sandy. A meeting with OTSD staff generated ideas and ways to collaborate. The group is looking into using the old tennis courts to convert into possibly 4 pickleball courts. An estimate of costs and possible fundraising were also discussed. The school district can look at possible grant options and then be able to offer pickleball to the students.  Discussion is continuing with the hope to get something started as early as this summer.

Special Events

Planning has started for a Recreation Scholarship fundraiser. The Spaghetti Feed and Bingo will take place on Feb 21^st from 5:30p-8:30pm at the Community Center. Confirmation from Gresham Olive Garden is they will be donating 10 pounds of spaghetti, sauce, breadsticks, and salad for this event. We are also working with local businesses to have bingo prizes.

Parks

The Parks Master plan process is going. Staff met with the project team from Environmental Science Associates and Project Manager, Nancy Enabnit for the kick-off meeting on Dec. 3rd. The First Technical Advisory Committee meeting on the same evening.

The Stakeholder meetings are set for Jan. 28th & 30th. The second TAC meeting is scheduled for Jan. 29th.

Clackamas County Tax Assessor Annual meeting was held in November. This presentation included information on property values, veteran’s exemptions, and senior citizen tax deferral programs. Medicare enrollment workshop was also held which provided individual counseling appointments for anyone. We enjoyed a visit from a group of seniors from the Mollala senior center who had lunch with us and learned about the programs we offer.

Seniors

With winter approaching and the holidays upon us, opportunities to attend holiday events and local trips were the focus for the seniors. A group went to dinner at Paola and then saw a theatre performance of the “Wizard of Oz” by Sandy High School students. Several also went to the movies at Sandy Cinema and had dinner at Smoky Hearth. Monthly, a group of seniors also visit local restaurants to enjoy breakfast. Other trips included shopping at the Canby Christmas Bazaar, Movies at Regal Cinema in Gresham, and a dine out at Clyde’s

This month we took a group of our Respite Care participants on a trip to the mountain to enjoy breakfast at Government Camp and the beautiful views of the mountains. The caregivers greatly appreciated this full day break in addition to the weekly program. We continue to see an increase in participation in our weekly program and the need for possible adding an additional day per week.

Recreation

Mountain Storm Youth Basketball for grades 3-6 kicked off the year with early-season open gyms and skill assessments. Close to 20 teams will begin practicing and playing games in January. The popular K-2 program for building FUNdamentals was very successful in November with two full groups meeting at Firwood Elementary on Mondays.

Planning and scheduling Winter/Spring programs was a big focus in November and new programs will be launched for Winter/Spring and Summer 2020. 
Maestro Music continues to grow its program in Sandy and offers music classes for all ages.

Special Events

Planning for one of our biggest fundraising efforts for the Meals on Wheels program is in full swing. The Breakfast with Santa event is a great community event held on Saturday, Dec. 7th from 7:00 am – 12:00 pm. It includes a full breakfast including pancakes, sausage, eggs, juice, and coffee. Photos with Santa are available, Christmas card making for Meals on Wheels participants, and a Christmas bazaar. Staff spent time seeking out sponsorships and raffle prizes from local businesses.

Carol is also looking into a grant for another new innovative event. She is working with Mt. Hood Athletic Center and some local breweries to set up a cornhole competition in the summer.

Additional planning efforts are in the works for a fundraising event to contribute to a scholarship fund for youth recreation activities.

Parks

ESA will hold two kickoff meeting for the Parks Master Plan at the Community Center on Tuesday, December 3rd. One will be with the city staff and the other is with the Technical Advisory Committee.

The Community Services staff attend a staff retreat in October at the Collins Retreat Center. Cole Chatterain with Paradigm Shift led staff through various practical exercises that focused on conflict resolution, communication strategies, purpose-driven motivation, and goal setting. It was extremely valuable and gave our team tools to create continuity and perspective.

Senior Services

October was a very busy month for Senior Services as we continue to see increases in the Meals on Wheels deliveries. Seniors also enjoyed trips to B17 Museum, Hoyt Arboretum, MHCC Planetarium, and trips to Hood River for apples, along with a hike at Graham Oaks Nature Reserve. We have also added some local trips to increase our understanding of local agencies and experience local restaurants. This month we took a tour of the Guide Dogs for the Blind with lunch at the No Place Saloon.

• Served 274 congregate meals
• Delivered 1921  meals to homebound individuals
• Provided 13 hours of Case Management services
• Provided 17 units of reassurance 
• Provided 234 referrals to resources outside of the center
• Held 8 Tai Chi classes (average attendance 12 individuals)
• Provided 48 hours of respite care (5 days of 4 hours; average attendance 4)
• Aging and Disability Resource Connection meeting
• 11 new riders for transportation (shopping, activities/outings, to and from center)
• coordinated 13 medical/other rides through TRP
• We have 2 volunteers for this program, at this time.
• Melissa Thompson was certified in Mental Health First Aid for Veterans.
• Amy Seabrooke attended Pre-Service Dementia Care Training.
• Olga Gerberg was certified in a Bilingual/Bicultural Emergency Preparedness Program

Recreation

Mountain Storm basketball for grades K-6 is underway with fundamental classes for K-2 and pre-season activities for grades 3-6. As a recreational league Mountain Storm encourages an active and healthy lifestyle, builds fundamental athletic skills, and through the team sport experience life skills that will be valuable on and off the court.  The Recreation Department collaborates with the school district to reserve gyms and appreciates the support the district provides. Without the use of the school gyms, Mountain Storm would not be possible. Keeping the program local and the scheduled family-friendly is a priority.

Indoor Playgroup started in September and will run through May. Providing a warm and safe indoor space for parents to gather with their preschool-aged children helps create community connections and support. We appreciate the volunteers who lead the program and its success is entirely due to their dedication and commitment.

Planning and programming for Winter/Spring are underway with new opportunities for the arts and outdoor education. Playwell will be back with Lego-inspired after school STEM programs. 

Special Events

On Halloween Day the Community Center put on a carnival for the seniors.  The majority of the seniors dressed up in costumes along with all the staff.  We had 10 different stations for the seniors to participate in like pumpkin carving, corn hole, ring toss, bowling, selfie station, pin the eyes on the monster,  walk the beam, toss the ping pong ball in the commode, cake walk, and even a pinata.  It was the first year to offer this and the seniors had such a blast and some of them mentioned it was their first time ever decorating a pumpkin and hitting a pinata.  It was so fun to see them doing kid’s activities.  It kept them active and put a smile on everyone’s face.

Parks

Nancy Enabnit and Kathleen Walker spent a large amount of time transferring preliminary information to ESA (Environmental Science Associates) to prepare for the Kick off Meeting for the Parks Master Plan. Additionally, letters will be sent out to invite specific members of the community to serve on the Technical Advisory Committee. The goal is to attain a good cross-section of representatives from the school district, youth sports, development community, Latino community, and other underserved populations.

Senior Services

Living Well with Chronic Conditions class began this month and offered to any interested in learning self-management skills to deal with pain, fatigue, eating better, and exercise. This course is continuing into October. An Elder Law attorney offered a Medicaid Presentation to assist community members with eligibility requirements and program benefits.

A scholarship fund is now available for seniors interested in applying for assistance to register for recreational trips. This fund from the Aaron Nigel concert and Taco Bar.

Seniors enjoyed trips to Tad’s Chicken & Dumplings, Mt. Angel Oktoberfest, The Portland Polish Festival, Mt. Hood Community College Planetarium show, Columbia River Renaissance Trail, and a hike to Mary S. Young Park.

Special Events

September 14^th was the 7^th year for Corn Cross at Liepold Farms.  This year we partnered with another promoter as part of a series of five races.  Corn Cross was the second race of the five races. By being part of the series, this event brings in more racers since a large majority of the racers sign up for the entire series so they accumulate points. After the fifth race, there is a large awards ceremony at Sellwood Cycle who partners with the city and Liepold Farms for this event.

Over 400 racers competing and over 1000 people were at the farm either supporting the racers and supporting the doggie cross.  This race brought in people from Bend, Eugene, Corvallis, and as far as Ashland.  In addition, five rooms booked at the Sandy Best Western and many people visited Sandy. This event was a huge success with the partnerships from local businesses like CCB, Otto’s, Everfresh Fruit Co, Timberline, Sandy Best Western, Next Adventure, and Boring Brewing. Every year the outside sponsorships have grown from businesses such as Tony’s Garden Center, Dave’s Killer Bread, Hydroflask, Cliff Bar, and Kona.

Carol Cohen received a Senior Fitness Specialist certification.  We hope to offer an additional variety of fitness classes, possible fitness tests, and other options in the future.

Alex Zoesch joined the Community Services staff as a building monitor this month and we are excited to have him aboard. As summer begins to wrap up, staff are certainly ready for a break in the activity and look forward to planning for the upcoming fall. A fall retreat is planned in October to give the opportunity to spend time developing goals, vision, and teambuilding activities.

Senior Services

The seniors enjoyed several great trips including the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River along with stopping at the cherry stands. They also went on a tour of Bob’s Red Mill, visited the North Plains Garlic Festival, had a hike at Lost Lake, shopped at Cully’s Farmers Market and Albertina Kerr, and had a tour of Moon Brine pickles. They really enjoy seeing new areas, learning new things, and socializing with their friends.

A need for additional services and community members in need of those services continues to rise. Amy Seabrooke, Respite Care Coordinator, is taking on additional hours as a driver to help meet this need. We continue to struggle to find volunteers to help deliver meals on wheels and to take seniors to medical appointments.

Recreation

Missoula Children’s Theatre came to town in August. In one week a full-blown musical of Gulliver’s Travels featuring local kids was showcased on the stage at Oregon Trail Academy. The Missoula Children’s Theatre travels throughout the country bringing this unique experience to 100’s of communities. The kids had a great time learning their parts and songs, making new friends, and learning new skills which they will use both on and off the stage.

The Fall Community & Recreation Guide was in production in August. Lots of fun events this fall including Dogs Day Out and Corn Cross Cyclocross Races coming in September. Dogs Day Out is a fundraiser for our local dog park and Fences for Fido. Money raised over the last 5 events will fund a new shade/cover structure at the dog park. Fences for Fido has unchained many dogs in the Sandy area and continue to help families in our area provide a more humane solution for their pets. It’s a fun family outing and we thank Liepold Farms for providing such a great venue.  The event includes pet-themed raffle baskets, a Doggie Cross race/walk through the corn maze, agility demonstrations, and training, bobbing for apples, fall-themed selfie station and fetch for a prize. Barlow Trail Veterinary Clinic is the Top Dog Sponsor and Burns Feed Store and Clackamas County Bank are Best Friends Sponsors. Without their participation, this event would not be possible and we thank them for their long-time support.

Special Events

The summer sounds series wrapped up on Wednesday, August 14th in conjunction with the city-wide Volunteer Picnic. Over 150 Volunteers were served Hot dogs, chips, potato salad, and ice cream by city staff and council members. We appreciate the time and dedication our volunteers have given to our community.

The Theatre Series concluded with a performance by the Nutz n Boltz theatre group. All the theatre performances were performed by local theatre groups for free. We had approximately 20 – 40 community members at each show.

Senior Services

Our annual fundraiser to support our meals on wheels program was a success with selling over 75 fresh fruit pies. A tremendous thank you to Everfresh Fruit for the donation of all the fruit for our pies. This fundraiser could not have occurred without this donation and the assistance of our volunteers. We raised over $1000.00.

The seniors enjoyed recreational trips to Clackamas Town Center, drive to Hood River for cherries and museum, a tour of Bob’s Red Mill, and a dine out at the Claim Jumper. They also enjoyed hiking the Cazadero in Boring and also to Latourelle Falls. To get out of the heat, movies were shown at the community center called Friday Flicks. They were a hit with the movies Crazy Rich Asians and Mary Poppins with popcorn and soda.

• Served 280 congregate meals
• Delivered 1,846 meals to home bound individuals
• Provided 16 hours of Case Management services
• Provided 8 units of reassurance (quick client check in-less than 15 minute conversation)
• Provided 279 referrals to resources outside of the center
• Held 9 Tai Chi classes (average attendance 8 individuals)
• Provided 60 hours of respite care (5 days of 4 hours; average attendance 3)
  • Some participants were on vacation throughout the month of July
• 2 new riders for transportation (shopping, activities/outings, to and from center)
• coordinated 10 medical/other rides through TRP. We were unable to coordinate 5 requested rides due to the volunteer’s schedule.
• A new volunteer has been cleared through Transportation Reaching People (TRP-transportation through Clackamas County). He will begin providing transportation in the month of August.
• Housing we coordinated successful housing arrangements for two different community members!

Recreation

Summer has been ablaze with programs hosted by Sandy Recreation. They include Camp Namanu Day Camps, Mini and Pee Wee Soccer, Kinderdance and Gym, music and adult softball.
The partnership with Campfire Columbia has been positive and we hope to bring new after school programs to Sandy, targeted to Middle School aged students, sometime during the 2019-20 school year.

Planning for fall programs and events is underway and Dogs Day Out is scheduled for September 14th. Funds raised at Dogs Day Out help support the Sandy Dog Parks. Current funds will help to add a shade/cover structure to the Sandy Bluff Dog Park. 

Special Events

July was a busy month starting with Mt. festival Kids events.  The pet show had over 30 different kinds of animals (even stuffed animals).  We had a variety of farm animals from goats, chickens, frogs, and even a hedgehog. Over 65 kids participated in the Bike Derby. This also included an adult race with the Mt. festival bear riding a bike. The kid’s parade included Presto the Magician.  He was very entertaining and involved some of the kids to participate in his magic tricks. Clackamas County Bank gave out free hotdogs and Safeway donated popsicles after the parade.  These events brought up many community members from outside Sandy. Grocery Outlet, and McDonald’s provided snacks and drinks for all three events.

The other exciting news during the week of Mt. Festival was the kick-off for the City-Wide Bingo event. 300 City Wide Bingo cards were handed out through the weekend. In addition, each business (32) received 20 cards. A total of 940 cards.

Summer Sounds kicked off on July 17th with a Fiery Award -Winning Blues Band of Rose City Kings. The rain may have affected attendance but the 85 people who showed up had a great time. On July 24th Dina y Rumberos put on high energy Cuban music for 125 people. We also had Street Rush, LLC selling hot dogs and other items for the concert. This year these events are co-sponsored with the Library.

Parks

An RFP for shade/cover structures is out to bid for Bornstedt Park and the Sandy Bluff Dog Park. Proposals are due by September 4th.

Four Proposals for the Parks Master Plan were reviewed by the committee with a recommendation to the Council to hire ESA.

No August meeting of the Parks & Trails Advisory Board 

Senior Services

Several informational presentations were given at the community center this month. A representative with Aging & Disability Resources Connection presented information about services and programs that are available for older adults, people with disabilities and veterans. Elders in Action presented information to raise awareness of Elder Abuse and neglect in our community. Additionally, Ride Connection presented information about how to use TriMet’s new HopFastPass. during the month.

• Continued participation in the Transportation Reaching People (TRP) pilot program which accesses medical transportation through a taxi service. We were able to coordinate over 5 rides through the program. Completed applications for three potential TRP volunteers.
• There was an increase in Meals on Wheels participants this month as well as an increase in energy assistance for the cooling program.

Seniors enjoyed various recreational trips to Ft. Dalles Museum in Hood River, Lan Su Chinese Gardens, Spirit Mountain Casino, a hike to Kelly Point and a Dine Out at The Cazadero. Staff accompanied seniors rode the transit system to Edgefield to have lunch and walk their trails. We continue to see many new faces on our popular recreation trips.

Recreation Summer programming kicked off in June. The Recreation Department is offering more than 50 programs including multi-day camps, classes, and events for summer 2019. Everything from day camps and field trips, festival events and soccer, to music programs and modding. Kids can travel the world through music, paddle on Trillium Lake, create a Minecraft game, learn to play the piano, develop soccer skills and more!

New this summer is a week-long residency program that produces a full scale musical starring up to 60 kids in grades 1-12. The Missoula Children’s Theatre travels the country bringing this wonderful opportunity to local communities. They provide the staff, props, direction and staging. Ticket sales remain in the community to support more local programming. Currently nearly 40 children are registered to participate. Come and enjoy the production of Gulliver’s Travels scheduled for August 17th. 
The first games of the summer adult softball league took place on June 25th. 139 softball enthusiasts are taking the field weekly to stay active and enjoy some family friendly competition. The season ends with a tournament and bragging rights on August 10th. 

Planning for the annual Dogs Day Out is underway. This year’s event takes place on September 8th as part of the Sandy/Boring Corn Cross Cycling Event. Funds raised from this event in the past will pay for a new shade structure at the Sandy Bluff Dog Park.

Special Events

The 4th Annual Longest Day Parkway was held on Thursday, June 21st in the neighborhood near Timberline Trails Park. City Staff and the Fire Dept. set up informational tables, provided giveaways, answered questions of patrons as they walked, rode bicycles, skates, and scooters on a one-mile route. Approximately 250 people visited and finished the route by enjoying a hot dog and ice cream at the park. It was a great day and thanks to all who participated.

Noah’s Quest was developed when Carol Cohen lost her firstborn on Sept. 28, 2005. He was stillborn and was a very emotional time and hard for Carol to come back to work at the city. She decided to have an event for other families that have experienced the loss of a child. The event is a 5k/10k run/walk and named after her son Noah. This event is a fundraiser for Brief Encounters support group and is self-sustaining. This year marked the 14th year for the event. Fourteen doves were released this year and each child’s name was announced at the event. The event had over 100 participants who receive a colorful pair of socks. Memorial bricks are sold for the walkway at Bluff Park, and many volunteers help with this event. This event is supported by donations from local businesses which include Everfresh Fruit Co., Clackamas County Bank, Hoodview Disposal, Safeway, Starbucks, and Grocery Outlet.

Senior Services
During the month of May, the seniors enjoyed trips this month to Westminster Church, Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, and English Tea Garden Cafe, Salmon Creek hike, Candy Basket tour, dine out to the Road House, and Red Ridge Farms/Archery Summit Winery in Dayton. A presentation was made by the Aging and Disability Resource Connection about the types of private and public resources available to individuals looking for assistance. An inflammatory lunch was hosted by staff which included some educational material and exercises for Arthritis Awareness Month.

Served 303 congregate meals Delivered 1913  meals to homebound individuals Provided 8 hours of Case Management services Provided 13 units of reassurance Provided 203 referrals to resources outside of the center Held 9 Tai Chi classes (average attendance 12 individuals) Provided 76 hours of respite care (5 days of 4 hours; average attendance 5) 4 new riders for transportation (shopping, activities/outings, to and from center) coordinated 15 medical/other rides through TRP (We currently have only 1 volunteer for this program at this time.

Recreation

The Summer Community and Recreation Guide launched in mid-May. Since converting to an electronic guide the design and publishing is done in house saving the city about $18,000-$20,000 per year. The online guide has live links, email addresses, websites and many ways to download and share the information. Previously, the guide was limited to 16 pages front and back which included the cover and registration page. With the conversion more space became available and the guide has expanded to include information about the Senior Center, a greater representation of Library programs, and special events are promoted with more lively pages.
The name was recently updated to reflect the additional programs represented in the guide. It is now known as the Community and Recreation Guide.   A limited number of printed copies are also available. 
The guide is distributed via an email newsletter/blast and is available on the cities website. Promotion of the guide, programs, and events is supported by school flyers, the reader board, social media, and targeted email newsletters and announcements. Design and format continue to evolve to reflect the new city branding and to update the presentation of city programs and events.
Summer programming highlights include a variety of music camps and a new day camp format, as well as the popular summer soccer program, kinderdance classes and more.  Camp Namanu has returned to provide a week-long program on-site at their property just outside of Sandy. This camp includes pick-up and drop off at the Community Center. Pick up after camp is now at 5:30 to better accommodate family schedules.
The number of Adult Coed Softball teams has nearly doubled over last summer, bringing it back in line with previous seasons. 

Special Events

A fundraiser was held at the Community Center on Friday, May 17th. The evening included a taco/burrito bar with all the fixings and a reggae concert by Aaron Nigel Smith. This fundraiser was done to support a scholarship program for seniors to assist them to participate in recreational trips and activities.

Carol Cohen was able to attain sponsorships from Johnson RV, Clackamas County Bank, Les Schwaab, and Vanport to cover the cost of the performer. All 125 tickets were sold which reached capacity for the auditorium. The ticket sales totaled $1230.00.

All food was donated by Timberline Meats, Grocery Outlet, La Milpa Tortilleria, La Cima Mexican store. Olga Gerberg did an amazing job and cooking all the food and volunteers assisted with serving and clean up. 112 people were served with a total of sales of $807.00.

It was a huge success largely due to Carol and Olga tremendous hard work.

Aquatic Center

The aquatic center closed its door on Friday, May 31st after open recreation in the evening. For the month of May, 583 visits for lap/open recreation swim, 116 participants in water exercise classes, 141 private and semi privates swim lessons were taught, 67 participants in American Red Cross swimming lessons, 19 birthday parties hosted were hosted on Friday nights and Saturdays, and 48 students from Job Corp were tested.

Several participants who did not utilize all punch passes and private lessons will be receiving a refund in June for any passes not used.

Aquatic staff were thanked for their hard work and service over the last year with a goodbye party held on Monday, June 3rd.