The Lobster Feed and Charity Auction: What Do 600 People Know That You Don’t?

Posted on June 9, 2013 by lovelakeoswego
If you haven't attended the Lobster Feed and Charity Auction, you're missing out so order your tickets online for this year's event held this Saturday, June 15, beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the Lakewood Center at 368 S. State Street. Tickets are $125 for regular seating ($95 tax deductible) and $150 for patrons ($120 tax deductible). Click on the link in the article.

If you haven’t attended the Lobster Feed and Charity Auction, you’re missing out so order your tickets online for this year’s event held this Saturday, June 15, beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the Lakewood Center at 368 S. State Street. Tickets are $125 for regular seating ($95 tax deductible) and $150 for patrons ($120 tax deductible). Click on the link in the article.

Success bears repeating. That’s why the Lobster Feed and Charity Auction hosted by the Lake Oswego Rotary Club and Lakewood Center for the Arts is in its 29th year, kicking off at 5:00 p.m. this Saturday, June 15 under the big tent at the Lakewood Center, 365 S. State Street.

What keeps 600 people coming back each year? I decided to find out by asking some repeat supporters. Here’s what they had to say:

blockquotes-1Imagine a giant clambake with a few hundred of your favorite people, all dripping butter and drinking wine and cracking-slurping-sucking lobsters while laughing together to raise money for wonderful good causes. That’s the Lobster Feed! – Linda Brown, attending since 1987.

blockquotes-1The Lake Oswego Rotary Lobster Feed is the biggest, best party in Lake Oswego each summer.  I love it because it’s different (lobster and clam bakes are no big deal in New England but this is a one-of-a-kind event in Oregon), it raises money for great causes, looking for bargains in the silent and oral auctions is fun, and it’s a great place to see friends and be seen. – Peter Glazer, attending his estimated 27th Rotary auction.

blockquotes-1The Lobster Feed and Charity Auction is a great event because it epitomizes  the qualities that Lake Oswego Rotary stands for: a wonderful sense of spirit and camaraderie, blended with service to our community.- Don Irving, attending his seventh Rotary auction.

blockquotes-1The Annual Lobster Feed and Auction is truly amazing!  At the Rotary club level I see generosity and teamwork.  At the community level I see support.  The non-profit organizations that offer services to our community are often stretched thin as they meet their client needs, recruit volunteers, and raise financial support.  The proceeds from the auction are given to these life-encouraging non profits to assist them financially.  Personally, I see my eyes opened to areas of service in the Lake Oswego community that I didn’t know existed.  When I team up my efforts with others, the effects are multiplied throughout the community. –Terri Childress, attending her fourth Rotary auction.

blockquotes-1The great thing about the Lobster Feed is that it’s always on the same day–the third Saturday in June–and you get to see all of your friends in one place, at an event that’s lots of fun! – Peter Jurney, attending his 27th Rotary auction.

Order your tickets online and discover what you’ve been missing.

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Why Michelle Obama Would Love Luscher Farm Family Dinners

Posted on June 2, 2013 by lovelakeoswego

compfight luscher farm family dinners photoMichelle Obama is on a mission to raise a generation of healthier kids.

She would agree that Luscher Farm Family Dinners offered through the Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation Department are one important step towards that goal. Here’s why:

  1. The food is FRESH. Chef teacher Laura Content develops the menus based on what can be harvested from the Luscher Farm Children’s Garden that season from kale and rhubarb to blackberries and edible flowers!
  2. The food is YUMMY. This is not glorified kid food but meals even moms and dads will like. Past menus have included a risotto with fresh snap peas and blackberry gelato to a frittata with spring greens and strawberry rhubarb pie.
  3. The food is prepared by KIDS and PARENTS. Each class is limited to five families with one adult and one child (at least six years of age) per family. This makes for an intimate experience and lots of hands-on opportunity. Content sets up a separate station for each parent and child where they can wash, chop and cook.
  4. The food is EATEN by the chefs as well as their families. The rest of the chef’s family can join the class for dinner at 4:00 p.m. In winter, dinner is served in the parlor. In summertime, families gather around picnic tables under a shady maple tree.
  5. The process ENTICES kids to try new things. “When they see the food coming from the garden into the kitchen, they want to try it,” explains Content. “They trust that it is going to taste good and they’re willing to give it at least one bite because they participated in it.” She recalls a seven year old who had refused to eat red bell peppers until they found their way into the sandwiches his class was preparing as part of a Red, White and Blue picnic theme. “His mom was so excited,” she adds, “because he had never done that at home.”

This season’s first Family Dinner is scheduled for this Saturday, June 8 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (dinner is served at 4:00 p.m.) at Luscher Farm , 125 Rosemont Rd. The theme is “Backcountry Cooking.” Future classes include “Berry Delicious Menu” on July 13 and “Garden Pizza and Peach Ice Cream,” on August 10. The fee is $46 for residents/$53 for non-residents. Register through the Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation Department.

Photo credit: woodleywonderworks via Compfight cc

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Reading Reaps Rewards in Lake Oswego’s Summer Reading Programs for Adults, Kids and Teens

Posted on May 26, 2013 by lovelakeoswego

booksThe gauntlet has been dropped.

I am entering the Lake Oswego Library’s summer reading program for Adults, LAZINFEST, and challenge you to do the same (signups begin June 1).

For each book you read or listen to, you can fill out a form for a prize drawing. Gift certificates to a local bookshop and coffee shop will be awarded weekly and bi-monthly (you can only win one of each) and all entries will be eligible for the Grand Prize drawing for a stay at the Oregon Coast.

While I love to read, I’m not quite up to the speed of Oregonian columnist Steve Duin’s annual reading contest where last year’s winner blew through 232,357 pages in 845 books (she was only 16 I might add!). But I do take pride in helping transform my once “hate to read” son into a book-lover who just finished Winds of War and War and Remembrance upon my recommendation. The love of reading didn’t kick in until he was about 16 so hang in there parents!

 The Library is providing incentives for your kids to read too.

CHILDREN

Dig Into Reading is the summer reading program for kids from birth to sixth grade. Club members receive a summer reading club bag, sticker, bookmark and a reading record to keep track of their books. When individual reading goals are met, participants may select a new paperback book prize, courtesy of the Friends of the Library along with coupons from local businesses.

TEENS

Teens in grades 7-12 can win prizes for reading this summer too. They’re guaranteed to win something for the first four books they finish.

Book 1: A new paperback book

Book 2: Oaks Park $5 admission coupon

Book 3: Pizza Schmizza coupon for a free slice

Book 4: Redeemable coupon for Portland Trail Blazer ticket and a coupon for free UU Yogurt.

Teens can also earn one raffle ticket for every 100 pages read for additional prizes. Two $20 Bridgeport Village gift cards will be awarded each week beginning June 17 through August 31.

Make it a family affair this summer and sign up for these programs offered by Lake Oswego’s award-winning library.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Here are a few recommendations to get you started if you need them:

The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman–the story of two lovers in pre-war Prague separated by the Nazi invasion.

Defending Jacob by William Landay–a district attorney is torn apart when his son is accused of murdering a fellow student.

Got some good books to recommend? Leave them here to share with readers.

Photo credit:kshelton at pixabay.com

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What Everybody Ought To Know About the Lake Oswego Farmer’s Market

Posted on May 19, 2013 by lovelakeoswego

The Lake Oswego Farmer’s Market is underway! Here’s why you should check it out:

surprise 2 reducedMarket hours are 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Saturday from now through October 12. Catch live music from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Located at Millennium Plaza Park, First and Evergreen. See you there!

Photo credit:  pixabay.com

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Walls Will Talk During Oswego Heritage Council’s Historic Home Tour This Saturday

Posted on May 12, 2013 by lovelakeoswego

hometourposter-page-0If you’ve ever wished walls could talk, consider your wish granted.

This Saturday, May 18, docents will be on hand at five historic homes in Lake Oswego as part of Oswego Heritage Council’s Historic Home Tour, answering your questions about each home’s architectural past. Here are some of the things you’ll discover:

●The Trueblood House was built in 1917 as a wedding gift by Samuel Owen to his daughter Angie. (Hopefully this doesn’t give my daughters any ideas…I was thinking more along the lines of some cooking lessons?).

●Parents were behind The Gilbert House too. Clara and Conrad Gilbert built this house for their son, Ralph and his wife Frances in 1960. A stone pathway linked it to the parents’ home located on an adjacent lot.

●The same architect who designed the Gilbert House also designed the Black Butte Ranch.

 ●Speaking of famous architects, Richard Sundeleaf designed the house remodel in 1956 of the Draper House on Oswego Lake and Pietro Belluschi designed the Griffith House being reconstructed on the Marylhurst campus.

●Don’t miss a bit of history passing you by when you enter the Draper House on the left. You’ll see what is thought to be a phone niche—remember those days—when land lines meant you had to stay put while talking?

●The Priestley House, only 54 feet wide, proves that good things come in small packages. It was honored as “Home of the Year” by Better Homes and Garden.

●The Griffith House also qualifies as a “small package” at 921 square feet. Built in 1951, it seems that sustainable living with small footprints was already on the radar in Lake Oswego.

The tour will be held Saturday, May 18, starting at 11:00 a.m. Tickets are $20 for Heritage Council members; $30 for non-members and are available online or at the Heritage House at 398 10th Street. Hurry as tickets are limited. For more information call 503.635.6373.

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5 Reasons to Make This the Year You Do the Lake Run

Posted on May 5, 2013 by lovelakeoswego

37th-Annual-Lake-Run-Logo reducedThe Lake Oswego Women’s Club is sponsoring the 37th annual Lake Run this Saturday, May 11, beginning and ending at Millennium Plaza Park. Here’s why you should be there when runners cross the starting line.

 It’s a new course! Race organizers are debuting a 10k course this year that features scenic neighborhoods, beautiful lake views, and….a flatter course. Gone are the McVey ascent and the Summit haven’t-we-already-climbed-enough hill of the 12k course.

Instead, runners will enjoy a kinder, friendlier route. Run organizer, Diana del Garbino, explains that the course redesign is an attempt to mix things up to attract new runners and save some money in race setup costs. “We are a charity first and foremost,” she explains, “and we want most of our funds to go to charity.”

Keep your money local. This is a local run organized for local charities. Your money isn’t going to any national organization but staying close to home, like the Children’s Center of Clackamas County, a resource for children who are victims of suspected abuse or neglect.

Tech t-shirts. Along with the new and improved course are new and improved t-shirts. Say good-bye to the moisture-grabbing cotton tees of years past and add this tech shirt to your running wardrobe.

Medals. Sure, there’s a sense of satisfaction that comes from crossing the finish line, but having a medal to hang around your neck helps the race afterglow last a little longer.

It’s a family affair. Depending on the makeup of your family, there is a run to suit you. Choose from the 10K, 5K, One Mile Walk or Kids Dash. And after everyone has crossed the finish line, enjoy the Family Fun Festival with information booths, arts and crafts, face painting, balloon animals, food and the Matt Brown Band.

Check out the race website for registration details. And see why other runners say this is a race to put on your bucket list!

 P.S. If you’re not a runner, come out anyway to cheer the entrants on. As a Lake Runner myself, I know how much crowd support adds to the experience.

Summertime is upon us with lots to do in Lake Oswego. Stay up-to-date on what’s happening by subscribing to my blog. Just click “Sign me up” in the upper right hand column.

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Get a Head Start on Summer Color with Hanging Basket Class at Luscher Farm

Posted on April 28, 2013 by lovelakeoswego

Flower basket 2Have you checked out the prices on those hanging baskets like the ones lining Lake Oswego’s city streets in the summer?

Chances are you’ll pay anything from $25 to $50 for one.

The negotiator in me says that the Lake Oswego Hanging Baskets class offered at Luscher Farms on Saturday, May 4 is a better deal. For $33 ($38 non-residents), you get all the supplies (flowers included) plus instructions in how to put one together and care for it yourself.

Combine that with tips from the Lake Oswego Village Flower Basket program  offered in last year’s blog post, and you should be the talk of your street.

You know what they say about giving a man a fish vs. teaching him how to fish. This means there can be many more hanging flower baskets in your future. (Note there are two sessions: one from 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and another from 1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.).

If sunnier days have given you the gardening bug, check out Luscher Farm’s class offerings in the Summer City of Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation Activities Guide. They include:

Tomato Tips from Master Gardeners. There is nothing like the taste of a homegrown tomato and nothing that can be as frustrating for an Oregon city farmer. So take notes from Master Gardeners on the best varieties, watering needs, how to transplant, fertilize, and stake. Saturday, May 11 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Decorating Your Entry or Patio. Learn how to make a good first impression with plants to greet your guests. Saturday, June 8 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. $15/residents; $17/non-resident.

Maintaining the Summer Garden. Deadheading and pruning—it ain’t glamorous but it’s necessary to summer-long color in your garden. Learn how to do it right. Saturday, July 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. $20/residents; $23/non-resident.

Flower Arranging Made Easy. Learn the art of creating beautiful floral arrangements from your Farmer’s Market purchases or out of your garden. Saturday, July 13 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. $18/resideint; $20/non-resident.

Scarecrow Sculpting. Get inspired to create a one-of-a-kind scarecrow to hold court in your garden. Hay and frame included. Bring items for personalizing. Saturday, July 20 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. $10/resident; $12/non-resident.

Don’t forget to check out the other offerings at Luscher Farm including the cooking series, family dinners, children’s programs and the Community Supported Agriculture program. The farm is located at 125 Rosemont Road in West Linn.

And sign up for Farm Coordinator, Karen Davis’ monthly newsletter. Although it’s geared for Luscher Farm Community gardeners, there is helpful advice for anyone yearning for a green thumb.

Need a bigger yard to grow those flowers and vegetables in? Let me show you homes for sale in Lake Oswego tailored to your needs. Just give me a call at 503.939.9801. I’d love to show you around.

VOTE FOR LAKERIDGE in the Vans Custom Culture Contest. Art students brought their Vans creations to my Rotary meeting today and they are terrific! Help Lakeridge win $50,000 by casting your vote by May 13 here.

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Why Zambia Is a Lot Closer Than 9,772 Miles to Lake Oswego, Oregon

Posted on April 21, 2013 by lovelakeoswego

W4W6_4bucketsquare reducedA map may tell you that Zambia is 9,772 miles from Lake Oswego. But people and events like this Saturday’s Walk4Water6 bring the two much closer together.

 Walk4Water is in its sixth year in Lake Oswego and features a stroller friendly two mile journey, beginning and ending at Foothills Park. Participants walk to the water source, fill their buckets and return, just like Zambian villagers must do everyday. Funds support World Vision’s Water Sanitation and Hygiene Program (ZWASH). So far over $1 million has been raised, improving the lives of over 20,000 Zambian villagers.

 Who and what else bridges this distance between Lake Oswego and Zambia?

Bill and Diane Savage. They are Lake Oswego residents who have been spending their retirement years working to raise awareness about the need for safe water and sanitation in developing countries through WaterAfrica, the sponsoring organization of Walk4Water. On a World Vision trip to Zambia in 2005 through the Lake Grove Presbyterian Church, Bill went for a walk with a rural village woman to collect water for her family. When she stopped at a mud hole and scooped up dirty brown water that was the best she could find, he realized he had to do something to help.

Education. Lake Oswego prides itself on an award winning school system that draws families to live here and increases property values. That value for education connects Lake Oswegans to Zambians where the lack of proper sanitation and clean water prevents young girls from getting the education they need. The United Nations reported that poor sanitation facilities in schools prevent girls in developing countries from attending school, especially during menstruation. In addition the time commitment it takes for many young girls to retrieve their families’ water everyday, presents another barrier to them completing their education.

Lake Oswego City Council. The City Council has showed their support for reaching out to Zambian villagers by proclaiming the day of the Walk4Water, “WaterAfrica Day.”

Youth. My son has never been to Zambia but 300 villagers in Matambo, Zambia now enjoy clean drinking water from a well he helped fund through a dodge ball tournament he sponsored while at Lakeridge High School. My daughter, Casey, raised money towards WaterAfrica’s efforts through cookie sales when she was a junior at Lakeridge as well. Currently Lake Oswego High School sophomores Colin Favero and Jack Kehoe have been trying to enlist student support for the Walk4Water6 at their high school.

You can bridge the distance too by registering for Walk4Water6 today. The Walk is scheduled for Saturday, April 27, at Foothills Park, 199 Foothills Drive. Registration is at 8:30 a.m., walk begins at 9:00 a.m. Fees are: $10/student,child; $35/Individual; $70/Family; $250/Family Sponsorship.

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Curtain Goes Up on Lakeridge Company Variety Show This Week

Posted on April 15, 2013 by lovelakeoswego

CurtainThe curtain goes up on the 2013 edition of the Lakeridge Company Variety Show this Thursday, at 7:30 p.m. in the Lakeridge auditorium. In the audience will be beaming parents, spirited friends, and you, if you’re lucky. It’s hard to find better entertainment for $12 and it’s right here in your hometown.

Last year I gave you five reasons to catch the show, but if you need more prodding, or if you just want to relive some of the Variety Show’s better moments, check out some of the past performances on YouTube. They will give you a feel for the energy, creativity and talent that will come bursting out on stage once that curtain goes up.

♫I’ll start off my recommendations with one of my daughter Casey’s performances, singing “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz in 2009.

♫Dancing in the Moonlight from the 2011 show.

♫Lucy Martin singing, “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” at the 2008 performance.

♫“I Feel Love” featuring Kent Jenkins on his homemade Blue Manesque percussion instrument in the 2009 show.

♫Fame performed by the entire 2008 Company cast.

♫A beautiful a cappella rendition of the Scottish folk song, “Loch Lomond” performed by eight kilt-wearing Lakeridge boys in 2009.

♫What talent–an entire number, “Lunch” using body percussion from the 2009 show. This is the most popular number I found, with over 81,000 YouTube views.

So go see the real thing LIVE this weekend. Performances are Thursday, April 18 through Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. and a 2:00 p.m. show on Saturday afternoon. Tickets are $12 for adults/$8 for children, seniors and students and can be purchased online, at the school, or at the box office before the show. 1235 Overlook Drive, 503.534.2319.

Share your favorite Company Variety Show moments. Provide the link here for readers to follow.

Photo credit: Taken by domdeen at freeditigalphotos.net

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Why Lake Oswego Oregon has a place in Lutie Stearns’ Heart

Posted on April 8, 2013 by lovelakeoswego
The Old Town Neighborhood Association's Little Free Library is located at the corner of Wilbur and Durham. Neighborhood association chair, Dick Reamer, says that the library does more than promote literacy--it promotes community too. Current titles include: books by Clive Cussler and John Grisham as well as The Berenstein Bears Go to Camp, Adventures of Danny and the Dinosaur and To Kill a Mockingbird.

The Old Town Neighborhood Association’s Little Free Library is located at the corner of Wilbur and Durham. Neighborhood association chair, Dick Reamer, says that the library does more than promote literacy–it promotes community too. Current titles include: books by Clive Cussler and John Grisham as well as The Berenstein Bears Go to Camp, Adventures of Danny and the Dinosaur and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Lutie Stearns was a Wisconsin library activist in the late 1800s who was so committed to everyone’s right to a free library that she spent almost twenty years delivering books to people living in rural communities.

Writer Stuart Stotts calls her the “Johnny Appleseed” of books. The Little Free Library movement calls her their heroine.

The Little Free Library is a worldwide book sharing movement designed to build both a love of reading and community out of DIY woodworking projects that come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

Originally the goal was to build 2,510 libraries around the world to surpass the number Andrew Carnegie built. As of January of this year, the goal had been surpassed with an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 Little Free Libraries open for business in 36 countries.

Lutie Stearns would be proud to know her work is being carried on in Lake Oswego which is home to four Little Free Libraries. Here’s where you can find them in case you’re looking for a good read (or are wanting to donate a book you think someone else would enjoy).

The Oswego Playschool Library is located at 517 8th Street in Lake Oswego with current holdings that appeal to the younger set including: The Cat in the Hat, I Spy, and Little House on the Prarie.

The Oswego Playschool Library is located at 517 8th Street in Lake Oswego and was installed this past February in celebration of the playschool’s 60th anniversary. “It’s hard to keep it stocked,” admits parent volunteer Teri Patapoff. It seems that most children, as they are leaving school, stop to either get a book or check to see if the book they donated is still there. Recent titles included The Cat in the Hat, I Spy, and Little House on the Prairie.

Riven Dell’s Little Free Library is located on Riven Dell Road about halfway between Rivendell Court and Tolkien. According to one of the project organizers, Ken Oisi, the original books have been taken, replaced by a range of self-help, novels, nonfiction, Oprah Winfrey picks and The Life of Pi. “That one was gone immediately,” Oisi explains.

Riven Dell’s Little Free Library is located on Riven Dell Road about halfway between Rivendell Court and Tolkien. According to one of the project organizers, Ken Oishi, the original books have been checked out, replaced by a range of self-help, novels, nonfiction, Oprah Winfrey picks and The Life of Pi. “That one was gone immediately,” Oishi explains.

The Carlson Court Little Free Library is located on Carlson Court in Lake Oswego and currently offers titles for old and young alike including, The Very Lazy Ladybug, Where the Wild Things Are, Siddhartha and The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks.

The Carlson Court Little Free Library is located on Carlson Court in Lake Oswego and currently offers titles for old and young alike including, The Very Lazy Ladybug, Where the Wild Things Are, Siddhartha and The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks.

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