What’s better than playing miniature golf on the rooftop of a downtown PDX building? How about playing mini golf on a Portland rooftop to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation? Thursday night is the Wishful Putting event presented by the MAW Junior Board (a group of 20 and 30-something’s with a history of working with the Foundation . . . look for more on this group in an upcoming post). Under skies forecasted at basically perfect golf weather (clear and warm . . . about seventy degrees), local duffers can test their skill in the rooftop golf game . . . or simply sip cocktails, dine on elegant cuisine and enjoy the view. On top of the games and food, the event boasts music AND prizes. Proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation . . . . you can get more info on this event as well as future plans from the Junior Board online at www.orwish.org 

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Parking at the Portland International Airport (recently voted the country’s TOP hub) can be a bit challenging, especially as construction on a new parking garage swallows HUNDREDS of spaces for the next several months. However, for travelers in a hurry, a new option will be unveiled Monday . . . .Gold Key VALET. That’s right, for thirty bucks a day, you can leave your keys with an attendant (it’s twenty-four bucks a day in the garage) . . . tell him when you’re returning . . . and they’ll handle the rest. They’ll even have it waiting for you at the terminal when you land. No word yet on whether the valet’s will be standing next to a sandwich board sporting red jackets and bow-ties a la the car guys in Beverly Hills *side note . . . . this announcement comes just a WEEK after PDX announced that Northwest Air will be offering a non-stop flight from PDX to the Netherlands . . . so, if one day you wake up with the urge to roll to Amsterdam but don’t want to deal with the hassle of a layover in New York . . . there ya go . . .

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Not only is the downtown area getting a much needed face lift in the bus mall . . . apparently, it’s a lot safer these days. The Downtown Business Improvement District says crime is DOWN 20% since the same time last year making it the SAFEST neighborhood in the Portland metro area. Officials credit a collaborative effort by the Portland Alliance and the Police. Back in 2005, the Clean and Safe security program (from the Portland Alliance) had it’s funding bumped UP by 30% in an effort to clean up downtown, China Town and Old Town. Looks like it’s working.

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For this story we venture north of the Portland city limits to the great land known as America’s Vancouver (at least that’s what Mayor Royce Pollard calls it ) If you visit Curt Warner Chevy you may not see just your average car lot. But that’s not the case. Sales manager Korry Holtzander is quietly helping people in need, one at a time. Recently, he wandered out on the lot only to find an indigent man sleeping in one of the cars. Instead of throwing the man out or calling the police . . . Holtzander talked with him . . . got him a cup of coffee . . . and after two hours of conversation helped the man sign up for assistance and land an apartment. This story isn’t a first for the sales manager . . . Three of his current employees (and some of his top sellers) were found while suffering hard times . . . a fourth employee would STILL be working at Curt Warner Chevy but apparently landed a job at another dealership.

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Even if you aren’t an NBA fan, this is HUGE news for the city at large. Season ticket sales SKYROCKETED after the announcement earlier this week that the Blazers get first pick in the NBA draft. Pundits say the young core of community-minded, positive-role-model, talented players who call the Rose Garden home may finally get that one missing piece to catapult the squad into the upper echelon of teams. The jump in sales means a boom for the economy at large, ESPECIALLY those businesses near the Rose Quarter. Managers are already planning how to best serve the predicted influx of fans come October. Rip City may very well return to Portland in just a few months. Go Blazers!!!

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By breaking out the platform shoes, polyester suits, gold chains and big hair, local people made a huge difference for the Clark County YWCA. Their recent disco-themed auction at the Vancouver Hilton brought in $445,000. If you’d like to participate in an upcoming fundraiser, the YWCA is holding the Home and Garden Tour out at Salmon Creek in late June . . . and in October, NBC’s Chris Hansen (famous for the “To Catch a Predator” series) will be speaking at one of their luncheon’s. The “Y” supports victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and homelessness.

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As if things at PGE Park weren’t busy ENOUGH these days (given the recent grand reopening, debate about possibly changing the name of the Portland Beavers and the myriad summertime events scheduled in and around baseball games) . . . the team at 18th and Morrison just announced this week that Portland will be home to the 2009 Triple A ALL STAR game. Just like the Majors, the All Star game is more of a celebration including fan fest, home run derby in addition to the actuall nine-innings of play. Games typically draw tens-of-thousands of fans which will fill up quite a few local hotel rooms and

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And who says a walk in the park never yielded positive results? Volunteers, sponsored by friends family and community members, brought in $124,000 this week during a one day benefit at Oaks park. All proceeds benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

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If you’re walking in southwest Portland past first Presbyterian Church, you may not notice the small storefront across the street. It’s a blank gray wall with a door and a small sign hanging above the door frame. That unassuming door leads to Julia West house . . . and for some, a better life. Efforts to help the homeless at First Presbyterian began years ago, handing out food boxes in the basement. But over the years, the operation has expanded . . . eventually moving into that small gray building one street over. “We try to do the things the shelters don’t do,” says Marvin Mitchell with West House. The cramped three story building doesn’t offer three square meals a day nor does it offer beds on which to spend the night. Instead, Mitchell describes it more as a living room for the city. Chairs and tables to sit and hang out . . . . space for classes and work shops and other daily activities. But it’s more than a living room . . . one of the biggest complaints I’ve heard in my experience covering issues with the homeless is that many WANT to work . . . but without a permanent address, a place to clean up or even a place to write out a simple resume the job hunt is next to impossible. Julia West House provides ALL those things to its visitors. In the front door and out on the ground floor patio, dozens of people sit and swap stories, grab a cup of free coffee, and generally have a place to go during the day if they don’t have a home. The ground floor is ALSO home to one of the building’s two showers and a brand new water heater (thanks to a donation by the city, the facility replaced its OLD heater that would usually provide enough hot water for three showers in the morning with a NEW heater that lasts all day). In order to land one of the prime shower times, guests pitch in around the facility cleaning or doing other odd jobs. Climb up the first tight staircase and you come to the computer lab and classrooms. Visitors can take workshops in general life skills including tips on how to find a job. There is ALWAYS a line for one of the few laptop computers available for visitor use . . . Mitchell tells me it’s a regular thing for guests to find a job on Craigslist.com with their time in the cramped lab. His guests are NOT looking for a handout . . . they WANT to work . . . it is just a struggle finding it in their situation. Cut through the computer lab and you’ll find the second house shower . . . then climb another tight staircase to the third floor which holds some administrative office space and store rooms PACKED with clothing donated to the facility (also sleeping bags and blankets for when winter time rolls around). Mitchell says the house is open to anyone who wants to come for the day-time drop in or evening hours . . . there are only two rules: 1. No one visibly intoxicated 2. Everyone must be respectful of everyone else It’s a small, unassuming, tight space that many of us might completely ignore on our daily commute through the city . . . but inside, lives change for the better everyday.

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