(from the July 2009 Newsletter)
As the thrill of an Oregon summer sets in, we hope you’re spending some time giving back as well. Whether it’s with your partner, your kids, colleagues, friends, neighbors or yourself, we at SVPP find it’s the perfect rush all year round. I hope you’ll get a rush as we did from beautiful thank you notes written by our new Venture Scholars graduating from Cleveland High School. Our SVPP Family group also got a rush (and backaches) from bagging potatoes for the Oregon Food Bank in June. May these stories and others you can read in Our Impact inspire you to really give back as well.
Mark Holloway
Executive Director
Venture Scholars Awards 2009 Scholarships
(from the July 2009 Newsletter)
As the 2009 school year came to a close, SVPP Investee Venture Scholars, was honored to present scholarships to yet another group of deserving students. With 15 scholarships awarded this year (and more than 50 scholarships awarded since 2004), Venture Scholars sets itself apart by supporting students seeking career-focused preparation at a community college or training institute rather than four-year degrees. For more information on Venture Scholars and how to get involved, visit www.svpportland.org/impact/current-investments/venture-scholars.
Read on for a selection of the thank yous Venture Scholars received from some of this year's recipients:
2009 Venture Scholars from Cleveland High School.
Dear Venture Scholars,
It’s my pleasure to thank you for your assistance and dedication for allowi
ng me to enroll in college. Our family came to the U.S. in 2004. We were first settled in Chicago where I began my struggle for education. We moved to Oregon in 2005, and I resumed my studies and then joined the Cleveland High School community.
From 2005 to date I have been struggling to make this day happen. I will be graduating with the support of my family and the community at large. My first appreciation goes to all Cleveland teachers, staff and my parents who tirelessly put their effort to support me and get me through my high school graduation. I would also like to appreciate the Venture Scholars who are supporting me in my first year in college.
I am going to attend Portland Community College [...] in nursing school. My hope is to become the first in my community to graduate from nursing school. Getting this scholarship from Venture Scholars is a great help for my family and me. It happens in a time when my parents can’t provide my first tuition in college. Our gratitude and appreciation will always stay with Venture Scholars since they opened the gateway to college for me.
Thank you again for the great help. My family and I really appreciate this moment and acknowledge your assistance to be there for us when your help was most needed.
Thanks.
It’s my pleasure to thank you for your assistance and dedication for allowi
ng me to enroll in college. Our family came to the U.S. in 2004. We were first settled in Chicago where I began my struggle for education. We moved to Oregon in 2005, and I resumed my studies and then joined the Cleveland High School community.From 2005 to date I have been struggling to make this day happen. I will be graduating with the support of my family and the community at large. My first appreciation goes to all Cleveland teachers, staff and my parents who tirelessly put their effort to support me and get me through my high school graduation. I would also like to appreciate the Venture Scholars who are supporting me in my first year in college.
I am going to attend Portland Community College [...] in nursing school. My hope is to become the first in my community to graduate from nursing school. Getting this scholarship from Venture Scholars is a great help for my family and me. It happens in a time when my parents can’t provide my first tuition in college. Our gratitude and appreciation will always stay with Venture Scholars since they opened the gateway to college for me.
Thank you again for the great help. My family and I really appreciate this moment and acknowledge your assistance to be there for us when your help was most needed.
Thanks.
2009 Venture Scholars from Benson High School.Dear Venture Scholars Program, I would like to thank you for giving me the scholarship that you gave me for PCC to become a mechanic. This scholarship will help me and my family calm down about the stress for paying for all my books and schooling. It makes me even happier about graduating from high school. My plan is to start this fall at PCC.
2009 Venture Scholars from Franklin High School and their counselor.Hello Venture Scholars. I consider myself to be a very outgoing and friendly person. I enjoy playing soccer and working out. I love to sit down and read a good novel. I love working with kids. That’s one of the reasons I was a STARS leader for 3 years. Next year I plan to find a volunteer program to get involved with.
I am in the graduating class of 2009 at my high school. In the fall I plan to attend Mt. Hood Community College. I’m way excited! When I am at Mt. Hood I plan to become a Dental Hygienist, and get my degree in Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene.
The Venture Scholarship means so much to me and my family. When I found out I received it I was thrilled. I am the first to attend college in my family, so this scholarship will truly help me out so much!
Thank you!!
New Board of Directors and Officers
(from the July 2009 Newsletter)
We are pleased to announce the results of the elections for our Board of Directors for 2009-2010. Congratulations to Bill Porter and Lauren Johnson on their election to the board. Bill will serve a three-year term and Lauren will serve a special one-year term, which was instituted this year to offer Partners the opportunity to gain nonprofit board experience. We want to express our appreciation for the contributions of Laurie Weiss, Rance Gregory and Joel Kaplan who have completed their board service. The SVPP officers for this coming year will be: President, Les Soltesz; Treasurer, Val Ilsley; and, Secretary, Megan Leftwich.
A great way to get involved and shape the future of SVPP is to contribute at the board level and it is open to all Partners. If you are interested in running for a board seat next year or simply want to learn more about it, please contact Les Soltesz at les.soltesz@comcast.net
Learn more about SVPP's Board of Directors online at www.svpportland.org.
No Small Potatoes: SVPP Family Project at Oregon Food Bank
(from the July 2009 Newsletter)
About 20 of our SVPP Partners and kids bagged over 4,000 pounds of potatoes for our hungry neighbors last Saturday at the Oregon Food Bank. To see more photos from the event, check out our Picasa album.
See Great Golf and Help an SVPP Investee
(from the July 2009 Newsletter)
The country’s top women’s golf tournament is teaming with SVPP Investee, The Shadow Project to help local kids with learning challenges succeed in school. Buy a pass to The Safeway Classic (August 24-30 at Pumpkin Ridge) through The Shadow Project and 100% of proceeds benefit their mission helping boys and girls with dyslexia, ADHD, autism and other disabilities. A weeklong pass is $25 and packet of 10 passes is $200. Visit The Shadow Project’s Web site to buy your tickets.
Partner Profile: Adam Light
(from the July 2009 Newsletter)
Adam and Melissa Light joined SVPP in April 2008. Adam says he was looking for an opportunity to use all of his skills – to volunteer in a fuller capacity than just providing labor at events now and then. He got busy right away, joining the IT Advisory Board at New Avenues for Youth and then volunteering again to help New Avenues with strategic planning. Later, he branched out to assist Friends of the Children with a technology upgrade and data conversion project. In early 2009, Adam brought his interest in SVPP to bear on a closer examination of our own investee and volunteer management functions and helped generate ideas for structuring our new Resource Teams. He helped convene a group of Partners to brainstorm ideas and we are currently on the cusp of rolling out our new plans. He sees himself continuing to work closely with investees and looks forward to playing a key role with the Resource Teams.
Adam is a self-employed management consultant who specializes in helping clients build the organizational capacity to succeed at challenging software development efforts. At present, he is happy to be working close to home on a large project with a local utility company. Adam studied geography and climate change at Dartmouth College and the University of Colorado before earning his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon in mapping and data graphics.
The past year has been a busy and joyful one for the Lights as they welcomed new son Isaac last October. Adam says 9-month-old Isaac is a happy baby who has learned to crawl and is beginning to stand up and meet the world. Isaac fills a big place in Adam and Melissa’s lives. When asked what has changed since Isaac was born, Adam notes that although they still pursue their active interests such as hiking, skiing, tennis and running, they definitely spend more time at home. In addition, as if work, SVPP involvement and a new baby were not enough, the Lights recently finished a complete remodel of their 1903 South Portland home. Adam is also currently learning to play the guitar and hopes to run his third marathon in 2010.
Regarding SVPP, Adam says, “I’m impressed by the wealth of skills and experience that partners bring to the organization and by the selfless nature of their efforts. The people I’ve met through SVPP are motivated by opportunities to make lasting improvements in the community rather than by garnering recognition or rewards for themselves—they really want to do something positive.”
Adam and Melissa Light joined SVPP in April 2008. Adam says he was looking for an opportunity to use all of his skills – to volunteer in a fuller capacity than just providing labor at events now and then. He got busy right away, joining the IT Advisory Board at New Avenues for Youth and then volunteering again to help New Avenues with strategic planning. Later, he branched out to assist Friends of the Children with a technology upgrade and data conversion project. In early 2009, Adam brought his interest in SVPP to bear on a closer examination of our own investee and volunteer management functions and helped generate ideas for structuring our new Resource Teams. He helped convene a group of Partners to brainstorm ideas and we are currently on the cusp of rolling out our new plans. He sees himself continuing to work closely with investees and looks forward to playing a key role with the Resource Teams.Adam is a self-employed management consultant who specializes in helping clients build the organizational capacity to succeed at challenging software development efforts. At present, he is happy to be working close to home on a large project with a local utility company. Adam studied geography and climate change at Dartmouth College and the University of Colorado before earning his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon in mapping and data graphics.
The past year has been a busy and joyful one for the Lights as they welcomed new son Isaac last October. Adam says 9-month-old Isaac is a happy baby who has learned to crawl and is beginning to stand up and meet the world. Isaac fills a big place in Adam and Melissa’s lives. When asked what has changed since Isaac was born, Adam notes that although they still pursue their active interests such as hiking, skiing, tennis and running, they definitely spend more time at home. In addition, as if work, SVPP involvement and a new baby were not enough, the Lights recently finished a complete remodel of their 1903 South Portland home. Adam is also currently learning to play the guitar and hopes to run his third marathon in 2010.
Regarding SVPP, Adam says, “I’m impressed by the wealth of skills and experience that partners bring to the organization and by the selfless nature of their efforts. The people I’ve met through SVPP are motivated by opportunities to make lasting improvements in the community rather than by garnering recognition or rewards for themselves—they really want to do something positive.”
New Partners: Brett and Jessica Hamilton
(from the July 2009 Newsletter)
Brett and Jessica Hamilton have lived in Northeast Portland for the past seven years. However, Jessica grew up in Southwest Portland and graduated from Wilson High School. The two met in Washington, D.C. after they had both served in the U.S. Peace Corps.
Both Jessica and Brett received their graduate degrees from the University of Washington. Brett received a
Masters of Public Administration while Jessica earned her law degree. Jessica is an attorney at Perkins Coie where she focuses her practice on environmental compliance, remediation, due diligence and environmental litigation. Brett is the Managing Director of Public and Professional Education at the Oregon Dental Association where he advocates for improved health care.
Jessica and Brett enjoy traveling and trying out new restaurants. They both also enjoy running and spending time outdoors. Jessica and Brett have a dog, a cat and a baby on the way.
Brett and Jessica Hamilton have lived in Northeast Portland for the past seven years. However, Jessica grew up in Southwest Portland and graduated from Wilson High School. The two met in Washington, D.C. after they had both served in the U.S. Peace Corps.
Both Jessica and Brett received their graduate degrees from the University of Washington. Brett received a
Masters of Public Administration while Jessica earned her law degree. Jessica is an attorney at Perkins Coie where she focuses her practice on environmental compliance, remediation, due diligence and environmental litigation. Brett is the Managing Director of Public and Professional Education at the Oregon Dental Association where he advocates for improved health care.Jessica and Brett enjoy traveling and trying out new restaurants. They both also enjoy running and spending time outdoors. Jessica and Brett have a dog, a cat and a baby on the way.
Partner Ventures
(from the July 2009 Newsletter)
- Laura Finney has been serving as Interim Executive Director of Hoyt Arboretum since May.
- Joel Kaplan officially put his name of the door of his law firm, as Foster Pepper became Roberts Kaplan LLP i
n June. - Joe and Sharon Barthmaier became grandparent to twins, Austin and Brayden, in May. (see photo at right)
- Steve Rosenbaum was recently elected to the City Club of Portland Board of Governors.
- Martha Soltesz was elected to be on the Board of Directors of Cedar Sinai Park, one of the major assisted living and nursing home facilities in Portland.
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