SNA Community Care (SNACC) Committee Update

Volunteers Needed

Come join a fantastic group of Sunnyside volunteers at the Shower Project at the Sunnyside Methodist Church! Because two of our regular volunteers are moving—one to Taiwan and one to Montavilla—we could use a volunteer every other Thursday (from 1-3 p.m.) and every other Saturday (either shift). Shifts are two hours long and mostly involve chatting with your fellow volunteers as you wait for folks to finish their showers. It’s a great way to get to know your houseless neighbors! Please contact Hannah Wallace at [email protected] if you are interested. Thanks!

Sunnyside Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Committee

The DEIA Committee is running a campaign to promote the upcoming July Board elections while applying a DEIA lens through our outreach process. The committee is looking to build a future Board that represents the diversity of the neighborhood and restructure a more inclusive neighborhood association that folks feel inspired to join and be a part of. The DEIA Committee is partnering with the Hawthorne Business Association (HBA) to create a culture values statement and host more cultural events throughout the year. More details on calendar access to culture events will be shared in the August newsletter. The next committee meeting will be Tuesday, July 6th at 6:30 p.m. Virtual meeting details will be posted on the SNA website on July 5th.

Emergency Preparedness and the SNA Board Meeting

Summer emergency preparedness tips

Last summer, the fires got pretty close to us and we all remember the days spent inside due to very poor air quality and wildfire smoke from Oregon, Washington and California. The forecast for this summer in Oregon is talking about a robust wildfire season. There are common sense guidelines for camping, barbecues and fire pits that most of us are familiar with. Please remember these guidelines to keep our Sunnyside neighborhood safe this summer. 

Here are a few tips:

– Check the air quality index (AQI) in Oregon daily. My husband and I check this index every morning to decide whether or not to open up our windows around the house. You don’t need to download an app, although the free recommended one is OregonAir. Since the wildfires and smoke last year, it’s a good idea to check air quality before heading out for the day. 

– Sign up for Public Alerts.  https://www.publicalerts.org/  This is essential and covers alerts for the Portland-Vancouver area. Please consider signing up for each cell phone in your family. Spend some time on this site where there is great info and lots to learn. Under the ‘Hazards’ section you can learn about ‘Wildfire and Smoke’ and ‘Wildfire 2021’.

Learn about FirewiseUSA. https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education from the National Fire Protection Association. Great tips for preparing your home and our community during this wildfire season.

Once again, a BIG THANK YOU to all the community-oriented Sunnysiders who step up each and every day to keep our neighborhoods clean and safe and liveable. I am grateful for all that you do.

SNA June Notes and July Plans

Childswork, Rotary, Endorsement Policy

Several neighbors who live close to St. Stephen Catholic Church discussed the church’s decision to evict Childswork Learning Center, which was announced via a flyer. Expressing their high regard for Childswork, these neighbors sought assistance from SNA in contacting the church leadership. Several Board members will follow up. Outreach to churches and other neighborhood organizations is an important aspect of the SNA mission.

Christie Quinn, from the Southeast Portland Rotary Club, talked about opportunities to partner with SNA. The Rotary has a great tradition, especially in furthering education. I hope that we can cook something up.

The Board discussed creating a more formal policy regarding how and what to endorse. Various neighbors and organizations often ask the SNA to endorse a policy or action. Sometimes it involves a complex issue and/or a controversial position. SNA has no legal authority but we would like our endorsements to be both thoughtful and credible. There seemed to be agreement that the SNA should only consider issues directly relevant to the neighborhood, proposals should be in writing, and discussion should span at least two general meetings. There is some disagreement regarding the extent to which endorsements should reflect general neighborhood opinion and controversial topics. We would love to hear your thoughts.

Reminder: The July 8th Board meeting will largely be taken up with the annual Board Election. We will meet at 7 p.m. outside SE Uplift (3534 SE Main) both masked and physically distanced. Our Zoom meetings will resume in August.

SNA Annual Board Election July 8th [Reminder]

The Annual Election for SNA Board members will be held July 8, 2021 at 7 p.m. Like last year, we will be outside SE Uplift (3534 SE Main St.), both masked and physically distanced. Board terms are 2 years, with about half the seats open each year. Five of the nine Board seats are open and at least one current Board member is not pursuing reelection.

Membership is open to anyone 18 years of age or older who is either: 1) a legal resident of Sunnyside, 2) an owner of real property within Sunnyside, or 3) the designated representative of a business, school, church, or non-profit in Sunnyside. All members can vote and serve as Board members. Members may declare their own candidacy or be nominated by another member. Those that declare or accept nomination by June 10ththe meeting prior to the annual meetingwill be announced to the membership by the Board of Directors. Nominations can be made from the floor at the Annual meeting provided that the nominee is a member and is willing to serve if elected. You have to be present at the Annual meeting to vote (secret paper ballot) but need not be present to be elected. Candidates will briefly introduce themselves before the vote.