Americas Hub World Tours

Incredible picture taken in Sitka, AK

Hi all. I couldn’t resist sending this one along. The photo was taken at the entrance to Katlian Bay at the end of the road in Sitka. The whale is coming up to scoop up a mouthful of herring (the small fish seen at the surface around the kayak). The kayaker is a local Sitka Dentist. I haven’t talked to him yet, but haven’t heard of any injuries out of the experience.

Kayak Magazine article

From Steve: “Yep, that is me in the picture. Yep that is a whale that was just around the corner from the ferry terminal.”Paddle really fast” is the only thing I could think of at the time. Also thinking that I don’t look like a herring, don’t smell like a herring but with the same herring instinct of ‘get the hell out of the way of that big mouth!!’ Still living to tell yet another story.” Rich K (Sitka’s very own Dr. Richard Kraft during one of his routine oral examinations)

Conversational Portuguese: Learn how to talk to people using this beautiful Latin language. These ongoing classes are offered by Nana Nash, M.A., Mondays 6-7 p.m. Cost: $16 per class or five for $75. Books and CDs will be recommended during the class.

Conversational Spanish: Learn how to talk to people using this beautiful Latin language. These ongoing classes are offered by Nana Nash, M.A., Tuesdays 6-7 p.m. Cost: $16 per class, five for $75, partial trade negotiable. Books and CDs will be recommended during class.

Nana received her Master’s Degree in Conflict Resolution from PSU. She has taught Portuguese 101 at PSU, ESL to Hispanics at EducateYa during the summer of 2009 and in Winter, 2010, she translated and formatted the PowerPoint presentation’s supertitles for the Spanish-language play “Entre Villa Y Una Mujer Desnuda” at the Milagro Theatre in Portland, Oregon. Enroll and check out more classes from Our Community Learning Forum online@cgwc.org/classes. Nana Nash, M.A.’s telephone number is: (503) 239-6336 and her email is: nana_nash@hotmail.com. Feel free to email her directly with any of your questions. We welcome drop-in students but would appreciate an advance email if possible.

Classes are held at Common Ground Wellness Center-Garden Room (up the driveway to the right of the Flanders House, the small, tan bungalow in back behind the main institute) at: 2926NE Flanders Street, Portland, 97232. Parking: please respect our neighbors by parking between Everett and Glisan on 29th Ave or at Circle HealthCare between Everett and Flanders on 28th Ave. For questions, to teach a class, or for more info., contact our class coordinator, John Alex, at 503.719.1626 or by email: classescgwc@gmail.com. See all classes for Common Ground Wellness Center at http://cgwc.org/ or http://cgwc.org/classes/

Look what’s happening around Portland!

Opening streets, connecting our communities- without traffic!

Sunday Parkways are seven-eight mile “temporary parks” along city streets connecting neighborhoods and residents in Portland. Sunday Parkways started in 2008, modeled after the Ciclovias project in Bogota, Columbia which happens every Sunday to close 70 miles (!!) of streets for community activity. In 2008 there was just one event in Portland, but it was huge. So in 2009 we added two more events for a total of three Sunday Parkways. Again the response was overwhelming – and we’re excited to announce that this year there will be FIVE Sunday Parkways events!

New this year we’re adding events in East Portland and Northwest Portland – both of which have great routes and incredible community support. We can’t wait!

For more information about Sunday Parkways, see our website or call Janis McDonald at 503-823-5358.

PLAN FOR A FULL SUMMER OF FUN!
Plan to come to all five Sunday Parkways this summer – each one will have its own neighborhood flair with cultural groups, activities and restaurants fron the neighborhood. Sunday Parkways is a great way to get outside with your friends, neighbors and family to spend time in your own neighborhood – or explore other neighborhoods. If you’re reading this newsletter, chances are good that you’ve already been to a Sunday Parkways. So, this year, how about bringing someone along for a great day in Portland? Invite along a coworker, bring your neighbors, offer to chaperon kids from your neighborhood, invite your parents to town and hang out with friends.

Last year were were so impressed with the number of people who came out in groups to walk, stroll or roll along the open streets. What an exciting way to experience Portland!

INTRODUCING OUR VOLUNTEER MANAGERS: GOOD SPORT PROMOTION
Sunday Parkways has grown so much over the years and relies on the support of 300 volunteers per event. That’s why this year we’ve brought on the volunteer management experts Good Sport Promotion. Good Sport Promotion is a local event coordination company that specializes in organizing fundraising events for non-profit organizations. They’re most famous for their bicycle rides such as the Worst Day of the Year Ride, Reach the Beach and the Portland Century.

The staff at Good Sport Promotion are volunteer management specialists who love working with community members who volunteer their time. The company oversees events with 30,000+ participants annually, they work with a team of 1,200 volunteers throughout the year and raise $500,000 for non-profits through their events. Good Sport Promotion has been helping Sunday Parkways since year one – and we’re excited to have them fully on board for this year!

BE A SUNDAY PARKWAYS “SUPERHERO”
Volunteers are the life-blood of Portland Sunday Parkways. They do everything from mailings, distributing door hangers and lawn signs, stuffing packets, sweeping the routes, and much more. But we reserve our “Superheroes” title for those Sunday Parkways volunteers who help us monitor over 110 intersections along the route.

Superheroes (in addition to having a cool title) get a supply of chalk to decorate their own spot along the course, are lavished with snacks and water donated by some of our businesses sponsors, and make they sure that residents who live along the route can safely navigate to and from their homes.

Over the years we’ve seen our Superheroes do some pretty creative things, and they really enjoy their time volunteering with us. Volunteering on course is a unique way to get out and see the event, and be a part of something special. We hope you’ll join this year to see what all the fuss is rightly about. The world (and everyone who comes to Sunday Parkways) will thank you.

We welcome involvement from groups, clubs, churches, civic groups, student organizations and others who want to volunteer as a team. For more information, see the volunteer page or contact Neal Armstrong, Volunteer Coordinator: Neal @ GoodSportPromotion.com.

September 11-12, 2010 Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon USA

First annual Portland International Cultural Festival will take place on September 11-12, 2010. The Festival will be a celebration of Portland and surrounding areas rich and transcendent cultural diversity that allows all ethnic groups to come together under one roof. We are expecting 20,000 plus visitors made up with participation by local schools, colleges, churches, synagogues, temples, conference and convention groups, and local and international large and small businesses, destination planners and more.

As a valued member of this great community, we would love for you to participate in this special event. Participation opportunities are available in the form of financial sponsorship, equipment loans, material loans, booth/kiosque space rentals and in-kind donations such as media contribution and complimentary give-always.

A portion of the event proceeds will be donated to The Oregon Food Bank and the Royal Rosarian Foundation Field Trip Project (a Portland based program that helps disadvantaged youth). Companies will spotlight their products and services throughout the event and the festival will consist of food, music, dancing, special presentations and performances, language and cultural learning workshops. I hope you will choose to support our efforts to educate people on the beauty, colors, culture and creative spirit of Portland, Oregon. We cannot do it without you!

If you need additional information, visit our website at: www.PortlandInternationalCulturalFestival.com or call/e-mail:

Carolyn B. Wence, CMP
Plans & Action
wence@spiritech.com

Or

David Penilton, President
America’s Hub World Tours
david.penilton@hubworldtravel.com

Your gracious contribution to this important city event is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Carolyn and David

Lisa Shannon,
Founder of Run for Congo Women and the grassroots movement calling for response to the humanitarian crisis in
DR Congo,
as she celebrates the release of her 1st book

A Thousand Sisters:
My Journey to the Worst Place on Earth to be a Woman

Powells City of Books, Reading and Book Signing,
Monday, April 19th, 7:30 pm
1005 W. Burnside, Portland

Lisa has appeared on Oprah, and in Nicholas Kristof’s NY Times column on Feb. 4, 2010. A Thousand Sisters has received stunning endorsements by no less than Alice Walker, journalist Lisa Ling, the Presidents of Save Darfur and The Enough Project, and pre-eminent Congo author Adam Hochschild (King Leopold’s Ghost).
See www.athousandsisters.com and “An American in Congo” on www.youtube.com

We can all help in some way!

The MET Youth Ambassadors Club is working together with Neighborhood House to meet the needs of hungry
people in Southwest Portland. The number of families seeking food assistance in Southwest Portland has greatly increased this past year.

Please join their effort to help neighbors in need by donating canned food and nonperishables or making monetary contributions. Please bring your donations to the MET Center at 10330 SW Scholls Ferry Road, Tigard OR 97223. Checks may be made out to: MET and brought in person or mailed to MET, P.O. Box 283, Portland OR 97207.

The following Items are urgently needed:
Oil
Canned Vegetables
Grains: flour, cornmeal etc.
Canned Fruit
Juice/Dairy/Beverages (unrefrigerated)
Macaroni & Cheese

Oregon: Mt. Hood will be on the first one issued!

New quarters coming; The U.S. Mint is rolling out a new set of quarters, and Oregon’s Mount Hood is the one of the first to roll off the metal presses. Click here!

The Portland Run for Congo Women date has changed to Saturday, June 26!
· Online registration for Portland and most other scheduled city runs is now available.
· To register at any of the large community Run for Congo Women events, go to:www.runforcongowomen.org. A “Register here” link appears on the same line as each individual city run date on the home page
A Thousand Sisters by Lisa Shannon is now available at bookstores and online and it’s getting 5 star reviews on Amazon.com!

Please mark you calendar and join Lisa at a book event near you: (Portland 4/19, Seattle 4/12, NY 4/14 & 4/15, Chicago 4/22 & 4/23; Oakland 4/25; San Francisco 4/26; Menlo Park CA 4/27; D.C. May 6. Others will develop). For current listings & details: www.athousandsisters.com/events.

Thank you for caring, for your ongoing support, and for passing our news along to your friends!

-The Portland Organizing Team

“I was researching Mount St. Helens for a lecture and came across your page at America’s Hub World Tours.
Since your page was a big help to me, I’d like to bring an additional resource link to your attention for you to share with your website visitors if you’d like to add it.” Elaine!

Mt. St. Helen erupted on May 18th of 1980, killing dozens of people, destroying a tremendous expanse of plant and wildlife, and sending ash across several states. The powerful eruption of Mt. St. Helens is one of the most destructive on record in the United States. The geological facts and history connected with this incredible volcano help to explain why Mt. St. Helens is the subject of so much serious attention today.

·The History of Mt. St. Helens: Features a detailed and informative explanation of the collection of eruptions in the history of Mt. St. Helens including the one in 1980.

·Background of Mt. St. Helens: A concise explanation of the different elements involved in the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980.

·A Description of the 1980 Eruption of Mt. St. Helens: The 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens is clearly explained with the added assistance of amazing photographs. Also includes a helpful glossary of terms used in the study of geology.

·A Profile of Mt. St. Helens: A quick overview of Mt. St. Helens and its characteristics.

·Geological History of Mt. St. Helens: A close look at the geologic elements of Mt. St. Helens along with its history.

·Mt. St. Helens’ Facts: Facts are offered about the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. The picture is made clearer with the inclusion of a few details about one man who refused to leave his nearby home.

· Mt. St. Helens: A look at the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens as well as the plant and animal life that have since returned to the area.

· A Look at Mt. St. Helens: Some information on the presence of wildlife and tree growth in the area of Mt. St. Helens.

· A Study of Volcanic Eruption: A detailed explanation of the aspects of volcanic eruption that includes Mt. St. Helens as an example.

· The Mt. St. Helens’ Eruption of 1980: A look at the technical aspects of the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens.

·Volcanoes of the Cascade Range: The U.S. Geological Survey offers an extensive list of the volcanoes in the Cascade range that includes Mt. St. Helens.

· Information on Mt. St. Helens: Find information on the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

· Stratovolcanoes: Mt. St. Helens is a stratovolcano. Learn the specifics about this type of volcano and its particular characteristics.

· Famous Stratovolcano Mt. St. Helens: Read the revealing facts about Mt. St. Helens and its volcanic activity.

· Common Questions about Mt. St. Helen: Discover the answers to a variety of intriguing questions concerning Mt. St. Helens.

· A Personal Look at Mt. St. Helens: Read a more personal perspective on the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens from a person who grew up within sight of the Cascade range.

· Facts and Details on Mt. St. Helens: Quick facts and statistics are offered about Mt. St. Helens.

· Discover Volcanoes: A collection of interesting facts on volcanoes including information on Mt. St. Helens.

· Views of Mt. St. Helens: Amazing photographs of Mt. St. Helens accompanied by description.