Sellwood Moreland Improvement League

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October 2020 SMILE Newsletter

SMILE -- "The Neighbor"

No in-person meetings per “social distancing”; ZOOMing allowed

In accordance with the directives of the Governor of Oregon, Kate Brown, SMILE cancelled all of its in-person public meetings, including its General Meeting on the first Wednesday evening of each month, and the Board Meeting on the third Wednesday evening of each month from March 16 until further notice, to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. When these restrictions are eventually relaxed, SMILE will resume in-person meetings at SMILE Station, S.E. 13th at Tenino in Sellwood. In the meantime, Simon Fulford, SMILE President, leads Sellwood-Westmoreland community virtual “online” meetings, via “ZOOM”, within the rules governing the operations of 501c3 nonprofit organizations.

SMILE online meetings take place at the same time and on the same date as usual, are always open to all SMILE members – that is, everyone who lives in Sellwood or Westmoreland, or works there, or owns property there. To attend, simply e-mail your request to Simon Fulford at: MeetingRSVP@sellwood.org. He will reply with a link for you to click to enter the meeting at the listed time, on the scheduled date, using your computer.

The SMILE General Meeting in October will take place 7:30-9 p.m. on Wednesday evening, October 7; and the SMILE Board Meeting, also always open to the public, will be 7:30-9 p.m. on Wednesday evening, October 21.

Stay in touch with SMILE at its general website during this time – www.SellwoodMoreland.org – and, also, at its procedural and resources website, www.SMILErecords.org

Plan progresses to let businesses use streets

In support of local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, participating businesses are now offering restaurant seating in parking spaces along streets in the Ssllwood and Westmoreland business districts, and “side-street plazas” offer additional business-oriented events and activities for a half block westward of the first few cross streets north of Tacoma Street on S.E. 13th Avenue in Sellwood. As an additional enhancement, in support of local businesses, SMILE has appropriated a sum to help pay local musicians to present live musical entertainment on the Nehalem Street “side-street plaza” on Saturday afternoons in September, extending at least part way into October. A prominent local businessman matched that grant for these musical performances; he has asked to remain anonymous.

SMILE offers volunteer opportunities on committees

SMILE has a number of committees in service to a number of needs in the neighborhood, and all are open to any resident or SMILE member in Sellwood and Westmoreland. They are listed on the main SMILE website – www.sellwoodmoreland.org – and anyone is welcome to attend (currently, virtually, in ZOOM meetings) and to participate on any and all committees they are interested in. Scott Kelly, Chair of the SMILE Transportation Committee left that committee in mid-September providing the opportunity for another community member to step up and replace him. In addition, SMILE has been seeking a new representative to the meetings of Southeast Uplift, the city-authorized Neighborhood Coalition serving SMILE and close to a couple dozen other Southeast Portland neighborhoods.

Rent SMILE Station – or the historic church!

SMILE is the renting agent for the historic and picturesque Oaks Pioneer Church, on S.E. Spokane Street at Grand, just north of the Sellwood Bridge – overlooking the Willamette River. The church, nondenominational and operated entirely as a venue, is available at very attractive rates for weddings, memorials, christenings, and other events. View more online at – www.OaksPioneerChurch.org

In addition, SMILE owns its own building – SMILE Station, S.E. 13th and Tenino, at 8210 S.E. 13th – which is also for rent at very attractive rates for business meetings, parties, wedding receptions, and other special events; it will seat up to 100, and has tables, chairs, and an industrial kitchen facility. For information on renting either building for your event, call 503/234-3570, and leave a message for Lori Fyre; she will return your call.

Community volunteers serve on SMILE committees, too!

SMILE is also looking for neighbors to serve on one or more of SMILE’s committees, including:

Transportation Committee
Land-Use Committee
Stewardship of Natural Amenities Committee (“SNAC”)
Sundae in the Park Committee
History Committee
Emergency Preparedness Committee
Crime Prevention Committee
Historic Pioneer Church Committee
SMILE Station Committee
Finance Committee
Communications Committee
Various ad-hoc committees, as needed

Attend a SMILE meeting, and find out more about what we do!

Websites for Sellwood-Westmoreland

SMILE offers two complementary websites as a resource for the neighborhood. One is the neighborhood’s blog – www.SellwoodMoreland.org – posting neighborhood news, and regularly updated. A second website contains SMILE’s agendas, minutes, announcements, documents, resources, and much ongoing and regularly-updated neighborhood reference information at – www.SMILErecords.org. In addition, SMILE maintains an informational website for the Oaks Pioneer Church on Spokane Street at the east end of the Sellwood Bridge, for which it is the renting agent – www.OaksPioneerChurch.org. For information on the Sellwood Community House on the corner of S.E. 15th and Spokane Street in Sellwood, now operated as its own separate community nonprofit, “Friends of Sellwood Community House”, go online to: www.sellwoodcommunityhouse.net

Who SMILE members are

SMILE members are EVERYONE living in, working in, or owning property in, Sellwood and/or Westmoreland – unless they specifically exempt themselves. All SMILE members are welcome to volunteer for any of the SMILE committees of particular interest to them.

SMILE is a 501c3 nonprofit

Of the 95 recognized neighborhood associations in Portland, SMILE is one of the few to be authorized by the IRS as a nonprofit “501c3” organization. This means that donations made to SMILE are tax-deductible – and are very welcome!

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THE 2020-21 SMILE BOARD OFFICERS (1-year terms)

President -- Simon Fulford

Vice President -- Bob Burkholder

Treasurer -- Pat Hainley

Secretary -- Eric Norberg

AT-LARGE BOARD SEATS (2-year terms):

TERM EXPIRES 2022

Elaine O'Keefe

Elizabeth Milner

Jim Friscia

Alison Daniel

TERM EXPIRES 2021

Priyesh Krishnan

Rhea Smith