Booster News (Volume 74, February 2010)

In This Issue  
[This is a test e-newsletter as we prepare for March release.] 
• Hollywood gets good marks in elder friendliness
• From the Booster President
• Is your e-mail address up to date?
• Committees name chairs, seek more members
• Hollywood Happenings
• Sharing Tree reaps 88 gifts
• Have you paid your dues?
• New member opens
• Download the Full Newsletter as a PDF

Hollywood gets good marks in elder friendliness

PSU Student Team
PSU Student Team
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The Hollywood District accommodates its aging population very well, according to "Creating Livable Communities for an Aging Society," a report by a team of Portland State University students. It also said there's room for improvement.
Why should Hollywood businesses cater to the aging population? The report cited the 2000 census, which said 27 percent of this area's population was 65 years or older, compared to 11.6 percent across Portland.
Affordability and convenience of services in the district drew positive comments from elders interviewed by the PSU team. They commented specifically on the Hollywood Farmers Market, Grocery Outlet, Hollywood/Northeast 42nd Avenue Transit Center, the Hollywood Senior Center, Hollywood Theatre's senior discounts, the Fooklok-Hollywood Loaves & Fishes Center and the Northeast Community Center.
"Barriers included a lack of relevant services, such a sewing store, and a proliferation of antique stores that were not seen [by focus group members] as an important destination," the team reported. Although accessibility on sidewalks is good, it could be improved.
Among the team's recommendations are:
  • Businesses - Work with Elders in Action (www.eldersinaction .org) to conduct Elder Friendly Business Certification audits to become more user friendly to older adults and people with disabilities.
  • Hollywood Neighborhood Association - Continue to explore the possibility of an urban park and permanent location for the farmers market.
• City of Portland - Consider focusing city resources - such as planning, sustainability and housing - on a pilot program for improving environments for those of all ages and abilities in and around Hollywood.
Visit the home page of hollywoodseniorcenter.com/ to read or print the 13-page report
Caption: PSU students, ages 21 through 70, spent time in the Hollywood District last summer to assess how well the needs of aging seniors are met.

My Turn

Greg Mistel
Greg Mistel
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Sometimes it seems like a few people do all the work.
Maybe it's a few board members who keep an organization afloat year after year. Maybe it's some conscientious people from the community who are always out there making things better for the rest of us while we watch. Or ignore.
I realize the Boosters consists of community members who have full-time jobs, raise children, and have myriad other responsibilities. But it isn't possible to build a strong business district without help from every one. We don't need a lot of help from a few - we need a little help from everybody. We need the special skills that you possess applied to the Boosters to ensure our continued success. We need quality over quantity.
The Boosters have a system of permanent and ad hoc committees that administer the organization and allow us to attain our goals. Serving on a committee is a fun way to be involved in the community and a direct path to helping our business district prosper.
Accompanying this column is a list of committees that help us make decisions or provide direction as we pursue our goals.
The planning committee is in charge of the monthly membership meetings. This committee could especially use your help. Do you have ideas that will make our monthly meetings more valuable to the attendees? Can you help us attain enlightened monthly speakers who bring value to our members?
Are you an expert on a topic that is relevant and interesting? Can you speak in front of a group? We need your help. The Hollywood district doesn't have a master plan. Often, developers coming into the district do.
The Boosters are beginning a dialog that hopefully will eventually entitle us to a say in our own future.

Is your e-mail address up to date?

BoosterNews will soon become an electronic newsletter. Stay tuned for details.
In the meantime, please review the information that appears about your business on hollywoodboosters.org. The e-mail address that appears in your business listing is where the newsletter will be sent - and where current announcements are going.
If you have misplaced your Web site password - or have difficulty updating your business page - there's help only an e-mail away. Contact hollywoodboosters@gmail.com.

Committees name chairs, seek more members

Standing committees of the Hollywood Boosters Board of Directors are listed below. Three of the committees are in need of more members; however, each committee welcomes additional members from the ranks of all Boosters.
  • Executive Committee determines board meeting agendas; meets between board meetings, as needed, to deal with timely issues. Members: Greg Mistell, president; Brett Kucera, vice president; Ellen Bergstone, secretary; Mary Wohler, treasurer; John Perkins, district liaison.
  • Editorial Committee determines BoosterNews content; supervises writer; reviews draft newsletters for messages, facts and typos. Members: Linda Anderson, Kim Cottrell, Greg Mistell, Jan Tolman.
  • Membership Committee works to maintain and increase Boosters membership. Members: Jeff Baird, Paul Clark, Jeff Hurder, Patrick Donaldson.
  • Web Site Committee Updates and maintains www.hollywoodboosters.com. Members: Linda Anderson, Jeff Baird, Greg Mistell. Welcoming Committee greets new businesses, invites
them to attend Boosters meetings, encourages them to join. Members: Paul Clark, Mark Halvorsen
  • Marketing Committee advances Boosters mission by communicating positions on compelling issues; maintains membership directory; collaborates with other committees to ensure clear, consistent public messages. Members: Brett Kucera, John Perkins.
  • Finance Committee oversees budget, recommends appropriations, proposes any changes to spending-related bylaws. Members: Mark Halvorsen, Amber Kern Johnson, Mary Wohler.
  • Planning Committee formulates long-range goals, projects; plans membership meetings, fundraising events, other forums. Members: Ellen Bergstone, Amber Kern Johnson, Greg Mistell, John Perkins.

Hollywood Happenings

Year of the Tiger Lunar New Year Celebration, Monday, Feb. 8, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Fooklok/ Hollywood Loaves & Fishes/Meals-On-Wheels, eight-course lunch and entertainment, 1907 N.E. 45th Ave. (inside Rose City Park Presbyterian Church), seating limited, RSVP Yen or Mary, 503-281-8109, $2.75 for 60 years old, $5.50 for younger.
OLCC meets, Feb. 18-19, to consider the Mynt Gentleman's Club (aka Fat Jack's) liquor license, opposed by Hollywood Boosters, Laurelhurst Neighborhood Association, Portland Police Bureau and others.
Hollywood Senior Center Pancake Breakfast, Saturday, Feb. 20, 8:30-11:30 a.m., 1820 N.E. 40th Ave., $3.50 adults, $2.25 children.
Beverly Cleary PTA needs 10 reams of computer paper every week due to budget shortfalls. If you can spare a ream, please drop it off at the Fleur de Lis.
Save the second Sunday of each month, April - October, for Hollywood Clean-Ups. Check for more details in the March BoosterNews and/or e-mail Kim Cottrell, kim@kimcottrell.com

Sharing Tree reaps 88 gifts

The holidays were merrier for 75 children and 13 senior citizens, thanks to the Hollywood Boosters Sharing Tree. For the ninth consecutive year, Boosters and local residents selected gift tags from a tree at 42nd Street Station to fill the wishes of Albertina Kerr children and clients of Hollywood Senior Center.
 
“The smiles and comments from the staff at Albertina Kerr — and knowing these may have been the only gifts for our seniors — lets us know why we want to continue this annual eve.

Have you paid your dues?

The Hollywood Boosters needs you, your dues and your help to identify new members.
If you haven't renewed your dues yet - or if you can help bring in a new member - contact Patrick Donaldson, membership committee chair, pfdforbes@aol.com.

New member opens

Whole Foods Opens Doors
Whole Foods Opens Doors
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Donations to the Hollywood Theatre of more than $4,000 by more than 2,000 guests at Hollywood Whole Foods' red carpet event Jan. 10 was matched by $5,000 from the store. Brett Kucera, aka Tony Starlight, entertained guests that day. And Hollywood Senior Center is one of three charities that, for the next two months, customers may choose to receive 10 cents for every grocery bag they bring in for re-use.