Let’s finish the job! Earth Day planting at King Facility

We are nearing the successful completion of the invasive species removal and replanting project at the King Neighborhood Facility. Thank to the tireless advocacy of neighbor Diego Gioseffi, this Earth Day will be another opportunity for the community to come together and plant the slope by the site of the farmers market with native plantings. Spread the word to all your friends!

King School PTA News

Next PTA meeting: Thursday, April 12th, 5:00pm in the school library. Dinner, childcare, and Spanish interpretation included.

Hello everyone! A lot is going on at King and the pace is picking up. Here’s a glimpse of what we’re up to:

Courtyard Garden

A volunteer youth group led by kindergarten parents Duke and Caroline Revard gave the garden program a big boost by building planter boxes in the courtyard by the cafeteria. If you haven’t seen the progress, check it out. As spring gets going, the kids will soon be planting. Do you have gardening skills, expertise, or supplies to donate? If so, contact us at: info@kingpta.org.

Whole Foods Tasting Fair—April 4th

Support the King School garden program and sample each course of a full meal for only $5 at the Whole Foods at 15th/Fremont starting at 5:00pm.

Papa Murphy’s Fundraiser—April 11th

Our monthly fundraiser at Papa Murphy’s at 15th/Fremont runs from 4:00-8:00pm

¿Por Que No? Profit Share—April 18th

To fund the costs associated with putting on the Mother’s Day event ¿Por Que No? taqueria at 3524 N Mississippi Ave. will be donated a portion of proceeds from all King supporters on this night. The 18th is a no-school Wednesday.

Enzo’s Profit Share—April 19th

Support our King Parents Linh and Enzo Lanzadoro and the PTA at the same time by enjoying great hand-made Italian food in a comfortable atmosphere. This final profit share of the year begins at 5:00 pm at Enzo’s Caffe Italiano, 2529 NE Alberta next to Halibut’s.

First Annual King School 5K Fun Run and Health Fair—April 28th

Join us for the 5K (3.1 mile) fun run/walk through the neighborhood and/or the health fair in the King Facility parking lot.  There will be a lot of good information about healthy food, gardening, cooking, child safety, and more.  Registration forms for the run/walk will be coming home soon.

First Annual King School Auction—May 4th

Tickets are on sale now for the first King School Auction. Individual tickets are $35 and a table for seven is $300. Get your tickets at www.kingpta.org or drop by the PTA office. The scramble to have everything all lined up is beginning and we need to find volunteers to work the night of the event to handle all of the logistics from taking coats and giving directions to collecting the bids and getting the items to the purchasers to cleaning out the hall after it is all over. Drop by the PTA office/parent room or email info@kingpta.org.

To keep up with all these events, check the King School Calendar regularly at: www.kingpta.org/calendar

Volunteer with your Truck…

. . . and help plant trees in our neighborhood!
Can you volunteer at your Neighborhood Tree Planting?
King planting February 11, 2012 8:30 am-12:30pm

Yes, great! Contact your Neighborhood Coordinator:

Irek Wielgosz (503) 828 6943
king@plantitportland.org
Breafast and lunch are included with this morning volunteer opportunity!
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Urban Growth Bounty Classes

It’s a new year, and the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability is gearing up for its 2012 series of Urban Growth Bounty classes. We hope that you can help spread the word in your neighborhood — it’s a terrific lineup of courses, with plenty of old favorites to go along with some fresh new subjects.

  • Learn everything you need to know about vegetable gardening with Oregon Tilth and Josh Volk. • Find out the secrets of delicious, home-made cheeses with Claudia Lucero.
  • Join Glen Andresen for his unique insights into backyard beekeeping or fruit production.
  • Maximize your garden bounty with Will Newman’s insights into soils and tools.
  • Start your own backyard flock with help from Naomi Montacre’s chicken, goat, and mixed herd classes.
  • Dive into edible landscaping with Jen Aron.
  • Explore the world of food preservation (canning, freezing, fermentation, etc.) with OSU Extension Service and the folks at Living City.

You should register now to ensure a place in these limited-size classes. They’re the perfect way to explore urban homesteading and connect with the community. Feel free to email food@portlandoregon.gov with any questions, or by telephone at 503-823-6947.

http://www.portlandonline.com/bps/index.cfm?c=50648

Neighbors, PTA Pitch In on MLK Day of Service

The community turned out on Monday, January 16th on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service to make a dent in the weeds and trash at King School Park. English ivy had taken over the south side of the parking lot at the King Neighborhood Facility and was hiding all manner of things thereunder. A robust group of neighbors, King School PTA members, and invasive species foes dug, hacked snipped and pulled all day. The result is that the strip of land is now nearly completely cleared and several truck loads were hauled away.

Thanks to a grant from NECN and the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, the area will be re-landscaped with native plants that are not invasive and that will thrive in the location while providing an easily maintained habitat. There are tentative plans to finish the clearing on President’s Day, February 20th.

Special thanks go to all the volunteers, Portland Farmers Market, Whole Foods, Starbucks, and Metro.