Addressing Transportation Issues at Washington Park

As parking becomes scarcer and traffic increases, a proactive approach is needed to keep Washington Park a fun and inviting place for all visitors.  Portland State University graduate students are currently conducting a study on transportation issues in the park. The final product of the study will be an Access & Circulation Plan to guide transportation decisions made by the Washington Park Alliance, a partnership among the park’s many organizations and agencies.
If you are concerned about transportation issues at Washington Park, have had trouble getting there or getting around, or would just like to provide your thoughts, we invite you to participate.
The public is invited to give input and help generate ideas at an upcoming Open House to be held from 6:30 – 8:30 PM on April 21, 2009 at the Skyline Room at the Oregon Zoo. Interested parties are welcome to drop by at any time during the Open House. Directions to the Oregon Zoo can be found at http://www.oregonzoo.org/VisitorInfo/directions.htm.

Park users and neighbors are also encouraged to participate in an ongoing online survey, which can be accessed at http://tinyurl.com/WashingtonParkSurvey. The survey takes 10 minutes and your answers will remain confidential.

This study is a project of graduate students at Portland State University’s Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning in partnership with the Washington Park Alliance.  If you have questions or would like to participate, please contact Cathy Cibor at catherinecibor@gmail.com.

gDiapers wants your newborn babe's bottom!

gDiapers is looking for newborn babies for product fittings.
 
If have a newborn baby between 6 – 9 lbs and you are willing to have a gDiaper product designer come by your house to do a diaper fitting, please let us know!
 
We realize in those first few weeks, time is precious.  We will try to work around your and your baby’s schedule. 
 
If you have any questions, or if you would like to invite us over to ooh and ahh over how cute your baby looks in a newborn gDiaper email Karen at Karen@gDiapers.com.
 
Thanks…and Congratulations!

Looking for a certain "Je ne sais quoi" in your child's education?

We are a group of parents who are intent on  starting a public French Immersion School in Portland.  We would like to find out who else out there is interested.  We have a website at http://mysite.verizon.net/public_french_immersion_pdx.  You can find out more information, contact us, and add your input via our survey.  Vive PDX urbanmamas!

What are your favorite weekend activities?

I am a Portland Mama who moonlights as the director of a small arts nonprofit for youth called My Story www.mystoryworkshops.org. We are in the process of planning the perfect  fundraiser/ fun thing for  families to do on the weekend and I would love your ideas! What kind of activities do you wish you could find all in one place on a rainy day? Paint a plate? Pony rides? Music? If you could create a perfect weekend outing that would also help put cameras in the hands of some great Portland young people, what would it look like? How much would you be willing to pay for such a thing? Would you hope for free activities? A raffle? Portraits?

Thank you so much for lending your great ideas to this project. We are also looking for mamas with a passion for event planning to join us on this journey. If you are interested in coming aboard drop me an email at chriscearnal@mystoryworkshops.org Thank you for your insight!!!

Cracked Pots: Now funding reuse/recycle projects

Cracked Pots, an environmental non-profit organization, seeks new, innovative projects in the reuse and recycling field for funding.

The Scope:

• Projects may be small or large-one time or ongoing.
• Projects must center on waste reduction, recycling or reuse.
• Projects should have educational components.
• Projects should focus on the Portland metro area.
• Projects may be created by an individual, group or business.

Our Purpose:
We seek to seed or encourage bright new ideas, in any stage of development, which open up the recycling "box" and which provide clever ways to deepen creative reuse and waste reduction.

Our Belief:
We live in a vibrant community committed to recycling....yet we know we can do even more to reduce waste here. We know there are "fab" ideas out there which haven't seen the light of day and we want to
shine that light. We need you.

The Money:
We are open to proposals for funding ranges anywhere from $500 to $10,000. We are interested in projects occurring in 2009.

Contact Us:
www.crackedpots.org
Tess: 503-257-2042.

* Letter of interest is due by 12/15.*

What are your Community Health Priorities?

Community Health Priorities would not be the same without your comments. So we're launching a program this December to reward those who post a comment about any of the "conversation" items, news stories, or polls on this website (http://communityhealthpriorities.org/)

Here's how it works:

• Make a comment anywhere on the site during **December 2008**, and you will be eligible to win $500 for a nonprofit community group of your choice anywhere in Oregon or southwest Washington.
• One person will be randomly selected to win each week for a total of four winners for the month of December.
• You're welcome to post as often as you like, but we will only enter you once for each for week you post. To be eligible for each week, you'll need to comment at least once each week.
• Winners will be posted on the website. If you win, a donation will be made in your name to the tax-exempt organization of your choice.

Each person can only win once. There is no limit to how many times an organization can be named the beneficiary.

This is a fun and easy way to raise $500 (or more) for your group, and to add your voice to the conversation.

Join the Conversation:  http://www.communityhealthpriorities.org/index.php?/conversation/

Survey of Mother's Sleep & Fatigue

Participate in a study on sleep and breastfeeding mothers. This study is open to all mothers with babies 0-12 months old. We would like to include breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women, and women of all ethnicities and income levels.

We hope to document:

• Where & how much babies sleep
• Are mothers who breastfeed and co-sleep less tired than mothers who don't?
• Are mothers telling their friends, relatives, and health care providers where their babies sleep?
• Are there ethnic group differences in where babies sleep?
• What is the role of depression, psychological trauma and difficult birth in mothers' ongoing daytime fatigue?

The questionnaire takes 20 to 30 minutes to complete and is confidential. It has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, Texas. The link for the survey is: http://neonatal.ttuhsc.edu/lact

Advice about my business...

Hey there fellow mamas!  Posted a few weeks ago about my childbirth education workshops with little response.  Any great ideas from other mamas out there as to how to get the word out?  Am highly qualified and offering a great service!  Check out my website www.babyloveworkshop.com and give me some feedback...thanks! Dena

Drive Less - Save More: September Giveaways!

Drive Less/Save More is partnering with REI and Metro this month to promote bicycling. We'll be raffling off an REI Quantum Computer messenger bag valued at $60 to one lucky winner. Plus, 10 additional winners will receive Bike There! maps produced by Metro.

The REI Quantum Computer messenger bag is designed for the mobile lifestyle. Foam padding provides protection for up to 17 inch laptops, and there is plenty of room for textbooks, lunch and a water bottle.

Bike There! has guided cyclists through the region's streets, paths and bike lanes for 25 years. Whether you are an avid bike commuter or recreational biker, Metro's bike map will help you find the best and safest way to travel around the region. Bike There! is water and tear resistant.

To enter, e-mail contact@DriveLessSaveMore.com with "Messenger Bag Giveaway" in the subject line and share one tip or trick that you use to drive less and save more. Offer ends September 30.

Drive Less - Save More: win a monthly TriMet pass!

What better way to reduce car trips and save money than to take advantage of Portland's world-class public transit system? Drive Less/Save More is partnering with TriMet in August to offer four lucky winners a monthly pass (valued at $86) to be used in the month of their choice.

Local transit offers easy and affordable ways for Portland residents to get around for work and play. And with gas prices hovering above $4 a gallon, using the bus, MAX and/or streetcar can translate into big savings. Check out TriMet's online Trip Planner to find out how you can take advantage of transit.

To enter the prize giveaway, e-mail contact@DriveLessSaveMore.com with "Giveaway" in the subject line and in the body of the e-mail provide us with one tip or trick you use to drive less (these will be used anonymously in the campaign's outreach).

Offer ends August 31.