Bite of Buckman on Tuesday, June 11th; $10 off for Buckmanites!

You may remember when we posted last month about an organization called Dishcrawl, which leads culinary adventurers on walking tours of Portland eateries. Well, they’re at it again, this time in our very own Buckman neighborhood. And, as a special offer, they’re offering $10 off to Buckman residents! To take advantage, just e-mail Sara at saraf@dishcrawl.com before you buy your ticket, and she will give you a promo code to use.

Read on for details…

Bite Of Buckman

http://dishcrawl.com/biteofbuckman

From breweries to foodcarts, farm to table restaurant to ethnic offerings, and everything in between, Buckman offers you a culinary playground with something delicious for everyone.

On Tuesday, June 11th, join us as we take you to four Buckman eateries to enjoy specialties of this vibrant neighborhood. Enjoy a bite of Buckman – Don’t wait, get your ticket now!

It’s a guessing game! We’re keeping the names of the restaurants we will be visiting a secret for now, but here and there we’ll give you some hints. Follow us on Twitter @DishcrawlPDX and be the first to know!

Where to Meet Us: All ticket holders will be notified of meeting location via email, 48 hours prior to the event.

I’m a Vegetarian: Vegetarian options are available, however we may not be able to accommodate other dietary restrictions. If you have any particular requests or have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Beverage Policy: Drinks are not included in the ticket price. Drink specials and pairings may be available at discretion of the participating restaurant.

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations are taken only if given 48 hours advance notice. All Dishcrawl events are held rain or shine.

Questions?: Contact me! I’m Sara, your Portland Dishcrawl Ambassador! My email is saraf@dishcrawl.com.

About Dishcrawl: Food, Fun, and Exploration! We here at Dishcrawl aim to provide you with a premier culinary social experience by bringing together neighborhood restaurants, local chefs, regional food producers and fellow food enthusiasts.

Join us if you’d like to embark on a one-of-a-kind gastronomic adventure!

10th Annual Buddhist Festival in the Park, June 1st

We were recently contacted by the Buddhist Peace Fellowship of Portland, who wanted to tell us about their 10th annual Buddhist Festival, taking place in Colonel Summers park on Saturday, June 1st. Read on for details.

You Are Here
Navigating the Way
10th Annual Buddhist Festival in the Park
Saturday, June 1, 2013
11:00 a.m. – 4:30 pm
Colonel Summers Park
SE 17th and Taylor, Portland, Oregon

CONTACT: Heidi Enji Hoogstra
503-236-5741
bpfportland@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.PortlandBuddhistFestival.com

Dharma Talk and Panel Discussion on the Theme of
You Are Here
Washing the Baby Buddha Ceremony
Activities for Children
Tabling by Buddhist Communities
Workshops
Food carts
Sales of Buddhist meditation supplies and imports

The place to be on June 1st is right here, the 10th Annual Buddhist Festival in the Park in Portland. You are Here. You could be nowhere but Here. Awareness of being just here, however, takes some practice, and Buddhists of many stripes are ready to share the way they navigate to this place right here.

Buddhism provides a refuge, a shelter that allows practitioners to sustain joy in the midst of suffering. It provides a way to navigate confusing and twisty paths, and helps people move from ways riddled with anger and fear to calm centeredness.

This tenth year of a Buddhist festival in the park is cause for celebration. The event gives the opportunity to introduce Buddhism to the curious, and it also gives people of many different communities a chance to meet and compare rituals and teachings, and share smiles. The festival organizers are especially happy to welcome food cart vendors Koi Fusion, Taco Pedaler, and Momo Cart. Karuna Meditation Supplies and Tibet-A-Gift (TibetanPrayerFlag.com) will sell Buddhist meditation supplies and related imports.

Dan Rubin, professor at Maitripa College, and member of Portland Shambhala Meditation Center, will be the keynote speaker. He plans to speak of insomnia as it relates to his Buddhist practice.

Members of the panel for discussion were chosen for their diversity of representation of Buddhist sects as well as their varying lives and stages on their particular Buddhist paths. Rayna Jacobson of Portland Shambhala Center, Amanda Risser of Dharma Rain Zen Center, and Charles Reneau of Oregon Buddhist Temple are currently scheduled. Rayna is a licensed acupuncturist, RN, and a meditation teacher at Shambhala. Amanda is a busy doctor, mom, and rooky roller derby competitor, as well as dedicated lay Buddhist practitioner. Charlie is a younger member of Oregon Buddhist Temple, in the beginning years of his Buddhist path.

While the Dharma talk and panel discussion occur in the park’s main shelter, the children’s pavilion will be busy with story times, crafts, and other activities.

Activities for children and adults come together in two ceremonies. The schedule begins with a Washing the Baby Buddha Ceremony. Participants may offer flowers and pour sweet tea over the Baby Buddha. Legend says when the Buddha was born, flowers and sparkling water rained from the sky, and he took seven steps and declared, “I alone am the World Honored one.” Many Buddhists celebrate the Buddha’s birthday in the spring with this ceremony.

Later, another ceremony will celebrate the diversity of Buddhism to be found in the Portland area. Participants may offer incense, and can chant a mantra or verse from their own or one of the many traditions present. All chants will happen at once, a cacophony of voices practicing the art of being present.

Many different Portland area communities will be represented at the booths.  Pure Land, Zen, Vajrayana, Vipassana, and non-sectarian groups will share news and information about their communities.

The festival is free, and all are welcome.  Organizers ask for mindfulness regarding waste.

Schedule
11 am: Tabling by participating groups, also throughout the day
11:50 am: 108 opening bells
12 noon: Washing the Baby Buddha Ceremony
12:30: Workshops: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a way to incorporate the tools of Buddhism into your daily life, offered by Laura Jomon Martin; Short Intro to Buddhism, history and concepts, offered by Brenda Fugate, Oregon Buddhist Temple (see also Children’s Pavilion)
1:30 pm: Keynote speaker: Dan Rubin, Portland Shambhala Center, and Maitripa College
2:15 pm: Dharma song sing-along
2:30 pm: You Are Here Ceremony
3:00 pm: Panel Discussion: Rayna Jacobson, Portland Shambhala Center; Amanda Risser, Dharma Rain Zen Center; Charles Reneau, Oregon Buddhist Temple
4:00 pm: Raffle drawing (opportunity for one free ticket)
4:10 pm: Entertainment TBD

Children’s Pavilion Schedule
12 noon: Washing the Baby Buddha Ceremony
12:30 pm: Workshop: Chanting and Drumming by Jason Litts
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm: Geocache Treasure Hunt
(more of this schedule TBD)
2:15 pm: Dharma song sing-along
2:30 pm: You Are Here Ceremony
4:00 pm: Raffle Drawing and Closing

Participating groups so far include:
·        Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Portland (main sponsor)
·        Oregon Buddhist Temple
·        Dharma Rain Zen Center
·        Zen Community of Oregon (Heart of Wisdom and Great Vow Monastery)
·        Bright Way Zen
·        Maitripa College
·        Dance Mandal
·        Zen Center of Portland
·        Shambhala Meditation Center of Portland
·        Amitabha Buddhist Society of Oregon
·        TibetanPrayerFlag
·        Kagyu Changchub Chuling
·        Samden Ling

This Saturday (4/20)! Two Neighborhood Cleanup Events!

This Saturday is the annual Kerns/Buckman neighborhood cleanup event. If you’re not familiar with the event, it’s a great way to get rid of bulky waste, yard debris, or recyclables in quantities that are normally too large to leave on the curb on trash day. This year, the event has a new location: the parking lot of Hinson Baptist Church, at SE 20th Avenue & Salmon. For more information on the event, including lists of items that we can and cannot accept, visit the Kerns Neighborhood Association website at http://www.southeastuplift.org/neighborhood/kerns.

Also, we were recently contacted by a group called Pick Me Up. They’re organizing monthly cleanup events in Southeast Portland. The first one is also this Saturday, April 20th, from 10am-noon.  The event will begin and end at The Madison House, located at 1932 SE Madison Street. For more information, click on the link below to see the event flier, and visit https://www.facebook.com/pdxpickmeup.

Pick Me Up Flier

 

Prescription Drug Turn-in: Saturday, April 27th

We recently received word about the following city-wide event:

Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinets!

Crime Prevention, the Portland Police Bureau and the DEA will partner on Saturday April 27, 2013 to provide free disposal of your unused and expired prescription medications. One location will be available for you to anonymously drop off your medications at the Portland Police Bureau’s Southeast Precinct, located at 4735 E. Burnside. The drop site will be open from 10:00AM-2:00PM. All medications will be incinerated and will not go into our water supply.

Date: Saturday April 27th, 2013

Time: 10:00AM-2:00PM

Place: Southeast Precinct, Portland Police Bureau 4735 E. Burnside Portland, Oregon

Acceptable items for deposit: Prescription medications and samples, all over the counter medications, vitamins, pet medications, medicated ointments, and liquid medication in leak proof containers.
Items not acceptable for deposit: Thermometers/Sharps/Syringes, IV bags, bloody or infectious waste, hydrogen peroxide, aerosol cans, inhalers, EpiPens. NO SHARPS

For questions, contact Jenni Pullen (formerly Bernheisel) at 503-823-4257 or jenni.bernheisel@portlandoregon.gov.

 

Upcoming forums on Portland’s 1st grassroots aging-in-place “village”

We were recently contact by an organization called Eastside Village. They’re a planning group of eastside residents who are attempting to develop the first grassroots aging-in-place “village” in the Portland metro area. You can learn more by visiting their website at http://eastsidevillage.org. They’re also hosting a series of informational forums. Read on for details.

Learn about Portland’s 1st grassroots aging-in-place “village”

At Belmont Library Community Room, 1038 S.E. César E. Chávez
Sunday, April 21 at 2pm

At SE Uplift Fireside Room, 3534 SE Main Street
Thursday, April 11th at 7pm
Sunday, May 5th at 2pm
Thursday, May 16th at 7pm

Join us for a free info session to learn more about Portland’s very 1st aging-in-place village.

Modeled after Beacon Hill Village in Boston, Eastside Village PDX is not a building or a real estate development or a retirement community. Instead, it is a group of like-minded people who live on Portland’s east side who have come together to develop the resources they will need to age comfortably in their own homes.

Village members live in their own homes and can be homeowners, renters, seniors sharing housing or living with relatives. The Eastside Village, PDX boundaries are Powell Blvd on the south; the Willamette River on the west; I-84/Banfield or Halsey (east of I-205) on the north; 122nd on the east (except between Stark and Division where the boundary extends to 130th).

There are currently over 90 of these Villages already in existence—including Villages in Bend, Ashland and Seattle—with more than 100 in development across the country.

Admission: FREE

RSVP:
info@eastsidevillage.org or call 503-489-8496

Contact:
Chana Andler, info@eastsidevillage.org, 503-489-8496

Eat Inner South East with Dishcrawl

We recently received the following information from an organization called Dishcrawl, that leads folks on restaurant tours of neighborhoods. They’re doing one in Buckman soon! Read on for details.

Inner South East Portland offers rich culinary destinations set against the backdrop of both its industrial area and the picturesque neighborhood tucked around its corners. Renowned for its culinary institutions as well as bold, new and fresh offerings, Inner South East is the perfect ingredient for delicious sensory experiences.

On Wednesday, April 17th, join us as we take you to four Inner South East establishments to enjoy the food adventures of this vibrant neighborhood. Don’t wait! Get tickets now! You can find them at this link: https://dishcrawl.com/purchase/event/1185.

It’s a guessing game! We’re keeping the names of the restaurants we will be visiting a secret for now, but here and there we’ll give you some hints. Follow us on Twitter at @DishcrawlPDX and be the first to know!

Where to Meet Us: All ticket holders will be notified of the meeting location via email, 48 hours prior to the event.

I’m a Vegetarian: Vegetarian options are available; however we may not be able to accommodate other dietary restrictions. If you have any particular requests or have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations are taken only if given 48 hours advance notice. All Dishcrawl events are held rain or shine.

Questions? Contact me! I’m Sara, your PDX Dishcrawl Ambassador! My email is SaraF@dishcrawl.com.

About Dishcrawl: Food, Fun, and Exploration! We here at Dishcrawl aim to provide you with a premier culinary social experience by bringing together neighborhood restaurants, local chefs, regional food producers and fellow food enthusiasts. Join us if you’d like to embark on a one-of-a-kind gastronomic adventure!

Green Dragon/Buckman Botanical Brewery Garage Sale, March 15-18

Our neighbors at the Green Dragon, a Rogue Brewery establishment, recently contacted us about an event taking place at their location soon. It’s a garage sale where you’ll be able to purchase discounted beer and merchandise. Appropriately enough, it takes place St. Patrick’s Day weekend, March 15-18. More info from their flier:

SE Uplift Sustainability Workshop – Space available!

SE Uplift is holding their second Quarterly Sustainability Workshop this coming Saturday, February 16th. The event will focus on working with the city to create neighborhood green spaces. There is still space available, and they would love to invite more Buckman residents to the workshop. Read on for details!

Greenspace & Working with the City Workshop
Saturday, February 16th, 2013 // 10am -12:30pm
3534 SE Main St
Portland, OR 97214

Could your neighborhood use more greenery? What if that gravel parking lot was a pocket park or that troublesome alleyway an orchard?

If you are at all interested in creating new community green space or improving existing spaces in your neighborhood – we have the workshop for you!

Please join Southeast Uplift for our second Quarterly Sustainability Workshop, highlighting green spaces and working with the city, including pocket parks, urban orchards and alley gardens on Saturday, February 16th, 2013.

With project presentations, networking opportunities and useful tips, this free workshop will provide participants with the inspiration and practical tools they need to create alternative green spaces in their own neighborhoods!

For more information and to register, please visit: http://www.southeastuplift.org/content/quarterly-sustainability-workshops

*Space is limited, so register soon!

 

Buckman Community Association Land Use Meeting, October 18th

This Thursday, October 18th, a Buckman Community Association Land Use Meeting will be held to discuss proposed development at 2607/2625 SE Hawthorne Blvd.  The meeting will be in the Multnomah County Board Room, 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 7-8:30pm.

These two magnificent and grand 106 year-old historic houses were purchased at the end of last month.  The new owners plan to build a 4-story, 77-unit apartment building where these homes (currently full of commercial tenants) now lie.  Here is what they currently look like.

The tenants were unaware the property was being sold and were all given immediate 30-day eviction notices.  The former owner, who has held these properties for decades, has said he feels sick about the plans to tear them down and did not know this was planned.  These properties are now in real danger of being demolished imminently to make way for this new, large development..

The developer, Aaron Jones, and SERA Principle Architect Kurt Schultz have been invited to the meeting so they can hear concerns about this proposal, and give information to community members.  Concerned members of the community are asked to attend.  Ideas, suggestions and proposed solutions to save these important properties are welcome and wanted!

For more information on the proposal: http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/10/developers_are_planning_a_77-u.html

If you are unable to attend, but are interested in saving the buildings, please contact myself and/or Tim Askin, BCA Secretary and Co-Land Use Chair (tim.askin@gmail.com).  You can also contact the entire BCA Board anytime at buckmanboard@googlegroups.com.

Thank you,
Susan Lindsay
Chair, BCA

BCA Mayoral & City Commissioner Candidate Forum, Thursday, October 11th

Still having trouble deciding who you should vote for in the upcoming Mayoral and City Commissioner elections? Come bring your ballot and figure it out at the Candidate’s Forum on Thursday, October 11th, sponsored by the Buckman Community Association. We’ll be asking Charlie Hales, Jefferson Smith, Amanda Fritz, and Mary Nolan where they stand on such topics as:

• The Coal Train
• Parking requirements (or lack thereof) for new apartment buildings
• Fees associated with building permits and historic reviews
• Access (or lack thereof) to the Public Involvement Process
• Funding and support for neighborhood associations

There will also be an opportunity for attendees to submit their own question to the candidates. Here are the details:

What: The Candidate’s Forum
When: October 11th, 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Where: Multnomah County Headquarters Building, 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Commissioners Board Room 100

Position 1 Commissioner’s Forum
Amanda Fritz and Mary Nolan
7:15 – 8:00

Mayor’s Forum
Charlie Hales and Jefferson Smith
8:15 – 9:00

Pizza and light refreshments will be provided.

Independent Living Resources Block Party, Friday, September 21st

We were recently contact by a non-profit agency called Independent Living Resources, located at 1839 NE Couch, between 18th and 19th Avenues. ILR promotes the philosophy of independent living by creating opportunities, encouraging choices, advancing equal access, and furthering the level of independence for all people with disabilities.

Next Friday, September 21st, from 11am-2pm, ILR will be hosting a block party on NE Couch Street between 18th and 19th Avenues. The block party is an annual celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). ILR be joined by 15 other community organizations and agencies that work towards empowering the disabilities community. There will be arts and crafts, performances, entertainment, and food throughout the day.  Several of the local Burnside restaurants have donated food for the event, and local businesses have generously donated gift certificates for door prizes.

You can learn more about ILR at their website or Facebook page.

Build It Green! Home Tour – Saturday, September 22nd

The Build It Green! Home Tour and Information Fair is coming up on Saturday, September 22nd. Word is it’ll feature a home in the Buckman neighborhood!

http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/41893

The 11th annual Build It Green! Home Tour and Information Fair is a self-guided tour of green remodels and new homes around the Portland metropolitan area. Tour-goers pick up great ideas for their own projects by visiting with homeowners, designers, do-it-yourselfers and contractors about accessory dwelling units, solar panels, ecoroofs (green roofs), rainwater harvesting, natural landscaping, affordable housing, water and energy conservation, natural building materials, alternative construction techniques and much more.

Volunteers are also needed for the tour; free admission!

http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/260098

 

The Great American Nano Festival, August 25th & 26th

We were recently contacted by a Buckman business neighbor – the Rogue brewery and their Green Dragon brewpub – about an upcoming event that benefits Buckman Elementary School. Read on for details:

—

The 5th Annual Great American Nano Festival

August 25-26, 2012
Sat Noon – 9pm, Sun Noon – 7pm

Cost: $10 at the door; includes 5 taster tickets (additional taster tickets are $1 each)

Location: Buckman Botanical Brewery
SE 9th & Belmont
Portland, OR 97214

Taste over 25 different Nano Breweries. Enjoy Koi Fushion and Voodoo Doughnuts. Sample local artisan cheese, meats, and chocolate. Enjoy Bung Hole, Corn Hole, Buckman Brewery tours, street basketball, and dog washes.

This is a family friendly festival with proceeds benefiting Buckman Elementary School for the Arts.

http://rogue.com/events/nano_fest.php

 

Pedalpalooza Bike Tour!

A group of neighbors is organizing a bike tour of inner-Southeast Village Building Convergence sites this weekend. Read on for details.

 

I’m writing to invite you to the Pedalpalooza bike tour of inner-Southeast Village Building Convergence sites this coming Saturday, June 30th. This will be a potluck-style three-course meal bike-ride, so feel free to bring something easily transportable to share! We also encourage you to bring your own eating utensils.

We will meet at St. David of Wales Church (2800 SE Harrison St.), which was the main VBC venue, at 5 pm to see their placemaking project and enjoy some salad as the first course of our potluck. Around 6 pm we’ll arrive at our second potluck destination, the intersection painting at 16th & Brooklyn, where we will have our main-course dinner items. We will finish the site tour at the Buckman intersection, 15th & Alder, at around 7 pm. We will share dessert and compost any food waste accumulated over the course of the potluck-ride in the community compost. We also plan to bike by the Brooklyn Community Gardens and Communitecture sites en route to our potluck destinations.

This will be a family-friendly event, so feel free to bring little ones and friends of all ages! It will also be a fantastic way to see some of the awesome placemaking visions our community has brought to fruition during this year’s VBC, while meeting others who are interested in building community creatively, joyfully, and by bike!

Let me know if you have any questions, and I hope to see you on Saturday!

Eva (bluenotecosmos@gmail.com)

BDS hearing on Conditional Use Master Plan (CUMP) for the Washington High Community Center

We recently received notice from the Bureau of Development Services that the hearing date for the Conditional Use Master Plan (CUMP) for the Washington High Community Center (WHCC) will be held on July 23rd at 9:30 am before the City’s Land Use Hearings Officer.  The hearing location is 1900 SW 4th Street, Suite 3000.  Residents who live within 400’ of the WHCC site will receive an individually-mailed notice of the hearing. There will be opportunity for the applicant and the neighborhood association to testify at the hearing.  Testimony from other interested parties also will be taken.  If you are unable to attend the hearing but want to submit comments, you can send an e-mail to the Senior Planner assigned to the case, Kathleen Stokes, at kathleen.stokes@portlandoregon.gov, up until July 22nd. She will then present all written communications to the Hearings Officer. You may also present written testimony at the hearing itself if you prefer that to testifying in public. Written testimony is given the same weight as oral testimony.

Once the public record is closed, typically at the end of the hearing, the Hearings Officer has 17 days to render his decision. Then follows a 14-day appeal period. Only people who have submitted written or oral testimony at the public hearing have “standing” to appeal. If no appeal is filed, the Hearings Officer’s decision will become final. If an appeal is filed, the City Council will schedule a hearing usually within one month. The appeal hearing at City Council is run in the same manner as the initial hearing before the Hearings Officer. The City Council’s decision is final at the local level, although opponents can carry their appeal further to the Land Use Board of Appeals.

Approval for the CUMP means that development of this project could move forward once funds are available.  This CUMP will be valid for 10 years.

Discussion to explain local property tax “compression”

Many community members find the subject of property tax “compression” confusing. Yet, understanding compression is important to understanding the potential impact of additional property tax measures that appear on the ballot.

Southwest Neighborhoods, Inc. (SWNI), a coalition of seventeen neighborhoods in southwest Portland, will host an hour-long conversation on property tax compression, using the library levy as an example. City Economist Josh Harwood and Michael Jaspin from Multnomah County Budget Office will describe how compression works.

The conversation will be held in Room 29 at the Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 SW Capitol Hwy, in the Senior Center on Thursday, June 14th from 10:30am to 11:30am. This will be an open discussion for anyone who would like to attend.

For more information, contact the SWNI office at 503-823-4592, or email: fitzgerald.marianne@gmail.com.

 

BCA seeking new board members!

Dear Buckman Neighbors,

We wanted to let everyone know that the Buckman Community Association will be holding board elections at the June 14th monthly meeting. The BCA is the registered neighborhood association for the area bounded by SE 28th, E Burnside, SE Hawthorne Blvd., and the Willamette River.

The BCA is involved in many ongoing projects, including our annual and always fun Picnic in the Park, to be held this year on Sunday, August 5th in Colonel Summers Park. We also are engaged in ongoing sustainability projects, land use reviews, transportation and safety issues, historic preservation, getting a community center built, and helping neighbors connect with and get results at City Hall.

The BCA Board is a nine person body with two-year electable terms. Terms are staggered, so each year half the positions are open for election. All persons who live, work or have a special interest in Buckman are welcome to become part of the Association and to serve on our Board.

Next month, we will hold elections for four 2-year and one 1-year terms. Please consider serving your neighborhood and running for the Board!  We welcome new volunteers!

The election will be 7-9pm, Thursday June 14th in the Central Catholic High School library. Refreshments will be available!

Susan Lindsay
BCA Board Chair

New meeting location for July/August

A quick note about the BCA’s monthly meetings: because we lose access to Central Catholic High School during the summer months, our July and August meetings will be held in the Multnomah County Board Room, located at 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd. The dates of those meetings are July 12th and August 9th (both Thursdays). Starting in September, we’ll return to our usual location in the library at Central Catholic.

Hawthorne Civic Ecology Events

We wanted to let everyone know about two upcoming events from the Hawthorne Civic Ecology project:

Saturday, May 19th
10am to 2pm
Western Seminary, 5511 SE Hawthorne
Lunch will be provided

Thursday, June 7th
6 to 9pm
St. David of Wales Episcopal Church, 2800 SE Harrison
Dinner will be provided

For more Information and to RSVP: http://www.thinkhawthorne.com/events

These events will feature local business and neighborhood activists talking about their sustainability efforts.

For more information on the Hawthorne Civic Ecology project, check out an article from a recent edition of the Southeast Examiner:

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpid=667&show=archivedetails&ArchiveID=1466087&om=1

 

Transforming the Heart: 9th Annual Buddhist Festival in the Park

We recently received notice of an upcoming event in Colonel Summers Park. Read on for details.

Transforming the Heart
9th Annual Buddhist Festival in the Park
Saturday, June 2, 2012
11:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Colonel Summers Park
SE 17th and Taylor, Portland, Oregon
http://www.PortlandBuddhistFestival.com

• Dharma Talk and Panel Discussion on the Theme of Transforming the Heart
• Ceremony with Blessings for All Beings
• Activities for Children
• Tabling by Buddhist Communities
• Workshops
• Shared Food (Potluck from Buddhist groups)

On the theme: Together we discover the Buddhist tools to transform our hearts.

Domyo Burk of Bright Way Zen gives the keynote talk of the day. Domyo was ordained at Dharma Rain Zen Center, and continues the nurturing of the Dharma with a new community on Portland’s west side.

Four panelists from various traditions will discuss the theme of “Transforming the Heart” and respond to questions from the audience.

While the Dharma talk and panel discussion occur in the park’s main shelter, the children’s pavilion will be busy with story times, crafts, and other activities.

Activities for children and adults come together in a Ceremony for Transforming the Heart, with blessings for people and pets. Participants may offer incense and receive blessings from ordained Buddhists.

Many different Portland area communities will be represented at the booths. Pure Land, Zen, Vajrayana, Vipassana, and non-sectarian groups will share news and information about their communities.

The festival is free, and all are welcome. Organizers ask for mindfulness regarding waste.

Schedule

11 am: Tabling by participating groups, also throughout the day
12 noon: Bells, Opening Ceremony
12:15: Workshops: 1. Starting a Practicing with Sacred Space; 2. The Ethics of Buddhism, or, What Does it Mean to Be a Buddhist? (see also Children’s Pavilion)
1:00 pm: Keynote speaker: Domyo Burk, Bright Way Zen
2:00 pm: Transforming the Heart Ceremony with Blessings for all Beings
3:00 pm: Panel Discussion: Stan Shiigi, Oregon Buddhist Temple; Heidi Enji Hoogstra, Dharma Rain Zen Center, BPF Portland; Sakula Mary Reinard, Portland Friends of the Dhamma; Prajwal Vajracharya, Dance Mandal.
4:00 pm: Free prize drawing

Children’s Pavilion Schedule

12:15 pm: Workshop: Chanting and Drumming by Jason Litts
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm: Scavenger Hunt and Cooperative Games
1:00 pm Storytime with craft by Heidi Enji Hoogstra
2:00 pm: Transforming the Heart with Blessings for all Beings
3:00 pm: Storytime or Activity TBD
4:00 pm: Free Prize Drawing and Closing with Dance Mandal

Participating groups include:

• Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Portland (main sponsor)
• Oregon Buddhist Temple
• Dharma Rain Zen Center
• Vancouver Nichiren Sangha
• Zen Community of Oregon
• Bright Way Zen
• Dance Mandal
• Portland Friends of the Dhamma
• Portland Insight Meditation Community