Let it Roll at Bike MS 2016

June 21, 2016 by Marketing

Bike MS Willamette Valley 2016
Friday, August 5 – Sunday, August 7
Western Oregon University
Monmouth, Oregon

At Bike MS, the ride is just icing on the cake. You’ll also kick back and relax with old friends while you eat mouth-watering BBQ, down ice cold brews, watch a classic movie on our big outdoor screen, and share your adventures from the road.

Our weekend escape in gorgeous Monmouth, Oregon is for every kind of rider. From the “I haven’t been on a bike since uncle Merton repossessed my Schwinn” to “Sure, I can ride 100x faster than the speed of light, can’t you?”

Don’t feel like riding? No problem. You can volunteer, make a donation, or even sponsor the event.

And here’s the best part: The dollars you raise for Bike MS fund critical research, programs, and services that help people who live with multiple sclerosis right here in our neighborhood. How sweet is that?

Bike MS is more than an escape–it’s something you believe in.

People who love Portland Pedal Power love Bike MS. You will, too. So register, volunteer or make a donation today.

Or contact [email protected] or 503.445.8361 for more info.

This is a guest blogpost submitted by Bike MS Willamette Valley 2016 with the full support of Portland Pedal Power!

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Next Week is Girl Scout Cookie Week!

February 18, 2016 by Marketing

CookiesPlate-Small1-300x233 We are partnering with the Girl Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington (GSOSW) next week for cookie week! The first 25 orders of $100 or more will receive free boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. So get em’ quick!

As much as we all love those cookies, the Girl Scouts are about so much more — working to encourage and empower young girls to be all that they can be, to learn more and do more. We encourage you to get involved, volunteer, or enroll your kids. Lets support these scouts in pursuing the adventure and experiences that will shape their lives!

If you’re looking to volunteer, GSOSW is proud to offer world class training programs to help volunteers gain the confidence, skills, and information they need to be successful in their role. Whether you have a day, a week or a year, you CAN make a difference in the life of a girl. Learn more about volunteering.

Here are some of the awesome upcoming things the Girl Scouts are doing:

Outdoor education: One of the best ways for Girl Scouts to experience the outdoors is through day camp and resident camp programs. Families can learn all about resident camp programs by watching this AMAZING video showing these programs in action.

STEM education (Science Technology, Engineering and Math): The Girl Scouts council has put a strong focus on helping girls learn and grow through STEM programming.
Examples are the upcoming Space Exploration Night at the University of Portland (Saturday, March 19 – registration will open 2/22 at girlscoutsosw.org); Girl Scout participation in robotics programs; digital literacy programs in the Digital Media Studio (new programs open 2/22 – details at girlscoutsosw.org); and our council’s participation in the Digital Cookie program, helping girls develop and practice online marketing, budgeting, resource allocation and ecommerce skills through the Girl Scout Cookie Program. I wish I’d had this when I was in Girl Scouts! So cool!

Travel adventures: Girl Scouts is offering three amazing travel opportunities for high-school age girls to San Francisco, Arizona, and Mexico. Girls will help plan the trip, can fundraise to subsidize the cost of travel, and will receive support (safety, packing, budgeting, etc.) in preparing for these trips. For more information about these opportunities and how to qualify, contact Jennifer Akins at [email protected].

Gold Award: Girl Scouts is celebrating 100 years of the Girl Scout Gold Award, and they’re looking to reconnect with award recipients in the area. If you earned the Girl Scout Gold Award or its equivalents (The Golden Eagle of Merit, The Golden Eaglet, Curved Bar, or First Class), go online to share how your project made the world a better place.

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Seeking: Friends of Trees

October 22, 2015 by Jenn

Photo from Matt Pizzuti and FriendsofTree.org

Portland Pedal Power was happy to partner recently with the awesome organization Friends of Trees, currently seeking crew leaders for their fall plantings. More information is included below:

The Northwest is covered with outdoor spaces where, although they are open space, the impact of human encroachment is still all too apparent. They are corners of parks and greenbelts where vegetation is trampled or disturbed, or riparian zones where invasive species have choked out native plants. As more and more local land is taken up by development, these protected green areas in and around the city are extremely important habitat for wildlife as well as flood and pollution control.

With an ever-improving understanding of these urban-boundary ecosystems, Friends of Trees is one organization restoring local watersheds by planting native shrubs and trees. As a Crew Leader, you’ll get special training in plant identification, planting techniques and troubleshooting. You’ll lead crews that plant hundreds of baby trees, beautifying these spaces and offering them back to the wilderness.

Friends of Trees’ most visible work in urban areas is promoting and planting the yard and street side trees that you’ve probably noticed in your area with Friends of Trees tags on them. Urban trees bring numerous benefits you can enjoy directly when they’re growing in your home or neighborhood, and this, too, is done through the leadership and support of Crew Leaders who can provide volunteers with direction and teach planting techniques. You’ll learn a lot about identifying and caring for trees and interact directly with communities.

Being Crew Leader is an easy way to quickly get some knowledge and experience with trees and plants, as well as some basic leadership experience with a lot of support from Friends of Trees staff. After a one-day training you’re ready to show up on planting days to greet your fellow crew leaders, enjoy free food, get your assigned plot and lead your volunteers as they arrive. Crew leading is also a great way to get some regular light exercise and take some photos to spread awareness of trees. For your first season (November-April), you’ll co-lead your crews with an experienced mentor while you learn the ropes.

Register today to save your spot! If you have any questions or need more information about this role, please don’t hesitate to contact Jenny & Randi in the Volunteer & Outreach Program at 503-595-0213 or by emailing [email protected].

[Post submitted by Friends of Trees: friendsoftrees.org. Material from Matt Pizzuti]

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Let it Roll at Bike MS Willamette Valley 2015: July 31-August 2

June 16, 2015 by Jon Elias

Portland Pedal Power is proud to be partnered with Bike MS, a great program dedicated to creating a world free of Multiple Sclerosis. It’s a great ride for a great cause, and we’re telling everyone about it. Read on to learn more:

At Bike MS, the ride is just icing on the cake. You’ll also kick back and relax with old friends while you eat mouth-watering BBQ, down ice cold brews, watch a classic movie on our big outdoor screen, and share your adventures from the road.

Our weekend escape in gorgeous Monmouth, Oregon is for every kind of rider. From the “I haven’t been on a bike since uncle Merton repossessed my Schwinn” to “Sure, I can ride 100x faster than the speed of light, can’t you?”

Don’t feel like riding? No problem. You can volunteer, make a donation, or even sponsor the event.

And here’s the best part: The dollars you raise for Bike MS fund critical research, programs, and services that help people who live with multiple sclerosis right here in our neighborhood. How sweet is that?

Bike MS is more than an escape–it’s something you believe in.

People who love Portland Pedal Power love Bike MS. You will, too. So register, volunteer or make a donation today.

Bike MS Willamette Valley 2015
Friday, July 31 – Sunday, August 2
Western Oregon University
Monmouth, Oregon

Or contact [email protected] or 503.445.8361 for more info.

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Join us at the 2015 People’s Coast Arthritis Bike Classic!

April 16, 2015 by Jon Elias

There’s nothing better than a benefit cycle ride. You get to take a ride on your bicycle, enjoy the sights, and best of all, you’re contributing to a worthwhile cause.

We are very excited to announce that we are partnering with The Arthritis Foundation, and will be spreading the word about how you can help contribute to the prevention, control and cure of arthritis.

Who is the Arthritis Foundation?

The Arthritis Foundation is the leading health organization addressing the needs of more than 50 million Americans living with arthritis, the nation’s leading cause of disability. As a national voluntary health agency, the Arthritis Foundation seeks to improve life through leadership in the prevention, control, and cure of arthritis and related diseases.

Since 1948, the Foundation has spent in excess of $200 million to support more than 1,700 scientists and physicians in arthritis research programs specifically for the study of pediatric and adult rheumatic diseases.

The Arthritis Foundation also provides educational research to help adults, parents and children manage their arthritis by providing a large number of community-based services nationwide to make life with arthritis easier.

Take a look at what the Arthritis Foundation is doing today:

What is the People’s Coast Arthritis Bike Classic?

The People’s Coast Arthritis Bike Classic presented by Amgen is a spectacular 363-mile, 6-days of cycling, bicycle tour from Astoria to Brookings, OR. Scenic coasts, secluded beaches, wildlife, lighthouses, amazing viewpoints, quaint towns and the natural beauty of the Oregon Coast are all part of your daily travel experiences.

The People’s Coast Arthritis Bike Classic offers a fully supported bicycle tour to all registered riders, including breakfasts, dinners, mechanical support, and overnight camping. The entire event will take place in September, from the 12th to the 19th.

For a day-by-day breakdown of what you can expect on the trip, take a look at the People’s Coast Classic website.

This event benefits the Arthritis Foundation by raising vital funds that enables us to improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control, and cure of arthritis and related diseases. The mission of the ride is to fund educational programs, critical research, community services, and free public resources. The People’s Coast Classic has a goal of reaching $250,000 by the event. At the time of this blog, they have currently raised $83,000!

Ready to help find a cure for Arthritis, improve lives, and enjoy the beauty of the Oregon Coast at the same time? Sign up for the bike ride!

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Help USAgencies Credit Union Reach Their Goal!

March 17, 2015 by Jon Elias

USAgencies has been raising money for the month of April and March for SMART, a great program dedicated to getting books to kids. Take a look at how USAgencies is doing so far, and how you can help them reach their goal of $1000 by April 30th!

Since March 1st, we’ve been spreading the word about SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) as a part of our Drive Into Reading Spring Car Sale with Enterprise Car Sales. To date, we’ve raised $100 for SMART – that’s 10% of our goal of $1,000.

What will this $100 do? It will provide about 33 books for SMART students.

Why SMART?

Some of you may be wondering why SMART? Why is the credit union partnering with this organization?

USAgencies is committed to investing in our community, not just in financially specific education programs, like BALANCE that we provide free to our members, or like our Feast&Forum sessions hosted throughout the year – we’ve committed to improving the financial lives of our community at the core, on a basic level, and one of those basics is reading.

According to this infographic from SMART, approximately 50 percent of the nation’s unemployed youth (ages 16 – 21) are functionally illiterate, with virtually no prospects for obtaining jobs. By investing in programming like SMART, who’s mission is to”engage community volunteers to read one-on-one with PreK through 3rd grade children who need reading support” we can impact the early literacy years of Oregon kids, one reader at a time, one story at a time.

Help us reach our goal:
By April 30th, we want to have our Facebook campaign page read “GOAL REACHED! $1,000 for SMART!” And, USAgencies is going to match that effort, $1 for $1 (up to $1,000). We encourage our members to support SMART with us.

Invest in SMART:

Visit the campaign on Facebook and give online.
Call (888) 452-0915 and give over the phone or visit our branch (95 SW Taylor Street | Portland, OR) in person.
Become a SMART volunteer.

Thank you for helping your credit union by #GivingBack – #ReadingMatters!

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Giving Back – Food Style

November 28, 2014 by Jon Elias

Sometimes, it’s the day to day activities that really matter. We always put a big emphasis on helping out the community during the holidays, but once the time of year comes and goes, community support gets little to no attention.

That’s why we are always happy to hear when local businesses go out of their way to make the community brighter in some way.

Puppet Labs, one of our long time partners, made an incredible donation of yesterday’s lunch leftovers to Portland Homeless Family Solutions and plans on continuing these donations into the future.

Portland Homeless Family Solutions, or PHFS, is a nonprofit whose mission is to provide temporary emergency shelter to homeless families with children. They also provide access to transitional resources to help families achieve self sufficiency, and advocate to help alleviate family homelessness on a large scale.

This time of the year can be the hardest for those who are living without. You can help make it a little less difficult. PHFS is a part of the Give Guide, put together by Willamette Weekly, allowing you to donate anywhere between $10-3000+. However, sometimes your time can be the best gift of all. PHFS invites you to take advantage of their volunteer opportunities that can fit the busiest of schedules.

This Thanksgiving, we are abundantly thankful for all of the amazing people we work with on a daily basis. Thanks to our friends at Puppet Labs for taking care of those in need here in our wonderful city.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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Take a Walk for MS!

March 13, 2014 by Jon Elias

It never hurts to go for a stroll around the block. Why not take a walk for a good cause? This April, the National MS Society is hosting a walk to raise money and awareness for those living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

In case you’re unfamiliar with the walk or the organization, Walk MS connects people living with MS and those who care about them. It is an experience unlike any other – a day to come together, to celebrate the progress we’ve made and to show the power of our connections. When you participate in Walk MS, the funds you raise give hope to the more than 7,700 people living with MS in our community. The dollars raised support life-changing programs and cutting-edge research. Every connection counts.

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The Shamrock Run is Around the Corner!

January 9, 2014 by Jon Elias

Grab your Green Suspenders, socks, and running shoes! The Shamrock Run is back in just two months!

…Ok, so two months may seem like a ways away, but time is going to start slipping by before you know it. Portland Pedal Power recognizes this, and that’s why we want to remind you to register ASAP!

In case you’re not aware, the Shamrock Run is an annual trek through Portland, sporting a track record of 36 years this upcoming March. The Shamrock Run is the largest running event in Oregon, and the second largest on the West Coast. 35,000 participants get to run, walk, or sidestep (if that’s your thing) in one of five different events, from the 5km Shamrock Stride to the 15km Shamrock Challenge. You can even get the 12 and under kids involved with the 1km Leprechaun Lap.

We’ll have a couple of PPP cargo bikes at the Shamrock Run, saying hi to everyone and possibly handing out some freebies. This is a great opportunity for local businesses to advertise on our bikes, which double as eye-catching, mobile billboards. Contact Jenn for more information on advertising, and check us out while you’re by the waterfront on the day of the run!

All of the events start off at SW Naito Parkway and Pine Street, adjacent to Waterfront Park, and end at SW Naito Parkway and Taylor Street at the south end of Waterfront Park near the Salmon Springs Fountain. A portion of the net proceeds will benefit Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

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The Worst Day of the Year? Perfect for a Ride!

December 31, 2013 by Jon Elias

Want to stick it to the weather? On February 9th, Portland is hosting “The Worst Day of the Year Ride,” a trek designed to show we can endure just about any of the elements thrown at us throughout the year. The ride will encompass a 15 mile Odyssey across Downtown Portland, or if you like a challenge, a 46 mile course exploring the west side. Cross the finish line at the Lucky Labrador Brew Pub and enjoy some hot chili and soup to fight off the cold and celebrate!

The ride is an all inclusive, which means that once you register, you get to enjoy a long list of benefits, including fresh coffee and donuts in the morning, the above-mentioned meal at the finish line, support vehicles along the trail (just in case you need a lift) and well-stocked rest stops every four miles along the course. (more…)

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