People Get Ready

This year we are focusing on Emergency Preparedness. We intend to introduce each other to the resources that local institutions such as the City of Portland, Multnomah County, The Red Cross, and others have available, and work toward concrete actions that would increase our chances of responding well to earthquakes, floods, fires, etc.

Assembling an emergency kit and conducting drills are just two of the actions we will be focusing on in the coming months. We also intend to bridge the gap between preparing for short term disasters and longer term emergencies we anticipate arising with climate change and the ongoing arrival of Peak Oil. Some of the challenges in the two kinds of emergencies are expected to be similar (know your neighbors, be prepared/plan for things to  be different) while others are probably not (source food locally, learn to get around without heavy reliance on a car, heat house without fossil fuels, etc.).

Transition Sunnyside

Transition Sunnyside is an effort by the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association dedicated to transforming our neighborhood into one that relies more on people than on machines, more on community than on the electricity grid, more on creative local solutions than on imported products, more on the slower pace of human locomotion than on speedy fossil fuels. We are motivated by the combination of Peak Oil and Climate Change, and a desire to be better prepared for other kinds of emergencies as well.

For the past year we’ve organized a series of talks, films, and workshops around the subject of fossil fuels and how to use less of them at the local level; how to grow more of our food, meet a larger share of our transportation needs ourselves, and how to keep our houses comfortable using more insulation and creative approaches to heating. Many of you attended these events, and we enjoyed getting to know you a little better.

Transition Towns is an upbeat, grassroots model for transforming neighborhoods, towns, and cities into resilient communities, capable of thriving in a world where cheap oil and a stable climate are fast becoming things of the past. In July, 2009 our little SE Portland neighborhood became the first Neighborhood Transition Initiative, and the 37th initiative in the US (most of the others are towns or cities, including Transition PDX (Portland).

SNA, particularly through the sustainability committee, aims to prepare for short and long term emergencies, to build community resilience in the face of uncertainty, whether due to climate change, peak oil, or economic instability. We welcome your input and participation as we try to increase the visibility of these issues and improve our collective preparedness.

The point of Transition is to encourage the community to take these issues seriously and to begin grappling with the implications of our fossil fuel dependence. Weaning ourselves from gasoline, natural gas, and electricity generated from coal isn’t going to happen overnight, and some of it is not easy. A lot of it, though, is easier once you get to know someone who’s figured out how to do it.

PARKing Day in Sunnyside

Celebrate PARK(ing) Day and The Intertwine!

Parking spaces transform into mini-parks on September 17

Parking Day park in 2009

Get ready for a green invasion on Friday, September 17 as PARK(ing) Day takes to the streets in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area — and around the world! PARK(ing) Day demonstrates the need for urban green space and while it does get people’s attention for the day, all around our region many other green spaces and trails that make up The Intertwine can bring joy every day.

Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, created PARK(ing) Day in 2005. Since then, it has become an ongoing, worldwide, open-source experiment in reclaiming public space. Learn how Rebar combines design and activism at www.rebargroup.org.

Sunnyside will enjoy its park adjacent to the SE 33rd & Belmont bike corral. Thanks to the businesses Utopia and Dick’s Kitchen for being on board. And a big shout out to SNA’s Bill Stites for actively coordinating this yet again this year.

August Board of Directors Minutes

Sunnyside Neighborhood Association Board Meeting Thursday, August 12, 2010

Southeast Uplift, 3534 SE Main St. Portland OR 97214

Board Members Present: Reuben Deumling, Paul Loney, Jane Pullman, Michele Gila,

Tim Brooks, Chuck Lawrence, Bill Stites, Heather Wilson, Gina Binole

Guests: Allen Field, Mary Ann Schwab

Paul moved approve agenda. Approved.

Michele asks Were Board meeting agenda approved last month? No one thinks they were officially, however it did follow that order.

1. Allen from RNA. Decision needed for SNA $187 contribution. Jane moves we support. Bill asks question. Michele 2nds motion. Motion passes. What can we do? GET THE WORD OUT. Reminds us of their promise to host annual fundraiser. Reuben discusses cost of color printing. Newsletter insertion? Side bar preferred. Promote at Belmont street Fair. Heather suggests at the produce booth. We table printing costs until after item #3. RNA has account at UPS store and hopes to tap that. Jane asks about Bagdad advertising. Alan talks about Press Release for it to WW. When does RNA need check from Treasurer. Reuben will coordinate that with Jane.

2. Put this whole communications topic on next board agenda. ASK TONY to join. An overview: Agenda will be on dry erase board. Minutes distributed via email prior to meetings to cut down on print waste. Michele will bring hard copy of all to each meeting just in case. Also discussed developing an email list of all neighbors who attend so as Bud suggested we can reach out and Welcome each new attendee and give them info on neighborhood meetings etc…Facebook logo in newsletter? Working on the new website. Renew domain name. $14.97 per year on WordPress. Cost savings from current site. Jane asked for People Get Ready to be a committee category, as well as SEUL. Talked about basically including all that is on current website. Michele reminds everyone there is a subscribe button to the web blog.

3. Budget. On back of function order for film project exists subcommittee report.

Paul points out it’s more than a subcommittee report. Doesn’t seem useful.

Long term balance of $4000 in account. Paul wants to see the technical of How We Do It? Paul is looking for procedure. MAS points out past donation to children’s club is still sitting in the basement. Jane thought the task was to develop budget. Reuben thinks the meat is criteria and dollar amount. Bill asks what our annual income is and no one seems to know. About $9000 in account. Tim wants to connect with Paul on the structure. We all don’t follow this report. Back to drawing board.

4. Chuck wants to give report. Jae’s Market before & after photos. 47/Belmont. Hooray!

5. Board focus 2010. Suggestion for theme or sustainability or something so we organize meetings around. Reuben finds we aren’t doing that due to obvious reasons. Should we rescue the theme? Do we want  agenda items for the theme? Jane suggests being proactive. Newsletters can organize around the theme. At what point do we manage things that aren’t that crucial, Jane asks. Be a bit more purposeful. To take more of a leadership role. Thinks we are primarily reactive. Paul brings up history of 2 hour General and 2 hour Board meetings. Heather suggests committee reports at beginning of the meetings while we have most people here to get them interested in joining committees.

6. Michele reminds all of our annual retreat outline for website & newsletter update. September is Back to school. Clean up. Milk jugs. Street Fair. Mural project. (Tim thinks we need to invite everyone to next meeting if we are going to take a position.) Paul asks if they have permission from FM yet? Doesn’t sound like it.

7. Since SNA & RNA both support tree planting on FM site we will put this in newsletter. Heather promises not to drop the ball. She still has the info.

8. Tim will get Gulliver’s article together.

9. 9:26 meeting adjourned.