GovCo: Are You Ready to Join?
Our Northeast Village Governing Council (“GovCo”) is actively looking for new members and volunteers to join this board in September. Because several “original leaders” are term-limited and may be leaving soon, we will have 8-10 seats open for new people.
The process is simple.
GovCo assembles a slate of people who are willing to join. At our September Annual Meeting, nominations will also be accepted from the floor.
When you are ready and willing to add your name to the slate or want more information, contact Todd Coward, NEV Chair, by phone at 503-997-5788 or email at tlcoward99@gmail.com), or contact the NEV Office (503-895-2750).
What does GovCo actually do, and what would be my responsibilities?
GovCo is responsible for setting the basic policies and procedures for how our Village should be governed and run. Policies cover a wide assortment of issues, such as:
● How do we organize our own Village to deliver services, produce programs & events, and develop a community spirit where all of our members feel a responsibility to participate in the “Village life"?
● How do we engage with each other? Social connections? Particular services? Volunteering? Ad-hoc tasks & assignments? Exploration & involvement in the broader community? Setting up an event on an important issue?
● What are our Village responses to initiatives from the hub (Villages NW) or from the “Circle of Reps,” a standing committee with representatives from all Villages in our metro network.
GovCo meets monthly, and we encourage members to also participate on a NEV committee or in other ways.
Please give this your serious consideration, deciding if this is the time for you to make your contribution and offer your experience and wisdom, by joining your Governing Council.
--Todd Coward
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Spotlight: Volunteer Michelle Ferroggiaro |
Michelle and her team: Craig, Susan, Alice
Michelle is an active volunteer in NE Village PDX. She has three children, two in college and one completing high school. She and her husband have recently moved from our Irvington neighborhood to become “hobby farmers” with four goats. They are remodeling their house and figuring out what to plant on the property, as she states it, “We are having a good time.”
Having a good time is Michelle’s belief about yard work. She started NE Village “yard parties.”
You will often find her in the garden at a Village member’s home. A collection of volunteers works alongside Michelle and the Village member, cleaning up the yard and creating a lovely garden area.
She began her volunteer work soon after NE Village opened, and that long-term effort provides a view of lovely changes in gardens and yards over the past five years. Michelle believes that having people working together and keeping members active is an important part of being healthy. She loves the volunteer work and appreciates how it has evolved and grown.
Michelle notes that members are very appreciative of the yard parties and how quickly the time spent creates a great impact. She loves sharing ideas with Village members and volunteers about their work.
They enjoy reminiscing about what a yard looked like, its evolution, and development into a lovely garden.
She is hopeful to continue this service for members; she encourages people, young and older, to be active and volunteer to join the fun.
--Vonnie Condon
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Engaging More New Volunteers
Do you have a friend or family member who you think would make a great NE Village volunteer? If so, we'd love to hear from them! We're always looking to grow our community of engaged volunteers and especially love the opportunity to bring in folks with existing connections to the Village.
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Newsletter Submission
Next issue of our bimonthly Newsletter: September/October 2021
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Submit news, reviews, articles, photos by August 15. Or enquire with early-stage ideas.
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Summer Celebration In-Person |
NEV finally found a not-too-hot day on July 7 for our summer celebration to reconnect, and the smiling, enthusiastic faces attested to a good time had by all!
We met under the big canopy at Grant Park. Besides milling at the beginning and end of the event, for most of the time we moved around our chairs into two waves of structured small groups for guided conversations.
Much of the conversation focused on how we want to transition our own personal and Village activities after being more closed for the pandemic. Now that we’ve opened the community to physical presence, our social energy was bubbling up all over. Although we planned for attendees to bring food and drink, most people were so eager to simply talk that the couple of hours seemed like time to greet and not eat!
Thanks to our awesome vaccination efforts (which NEV volunteers helped many to arrange earlier in the year), 47 attendees could feel safe to see each other close-up in person. We had used Zoom conferencing and modified volunteer services so effectively all year that we were glad to reconnect with those we’d known before, plus finally meet people we’d never seen before, or only ever seen behind a video screen or mask. Clearly we have accomplished keeping a service and social community thriving through months of physical distancing.
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We each had 3 votes to post on an easel surveying our interests in a variety of potential activities such as coffee and happy hours, topical discussion groups, arts/crafts exhibits, seniors issues groups. Also mentioned were museum outings, dining out, singing group, memoir writing, and games.
To offer further help, votes, and clarifications, email to Lindsey Oldani at programs@nevillagepdx.org . Lindsey will study and develop these results further.
This gathering was planned by Todd Coward, Anne Linsdey, Joan Malling, Jane Braunger, Helen Richardson, Rebecca Saltonstall, and Connor Magee; Julie Granger, Anne Foley, and Vonnie Condon helped the others facilitate the group conversations. Rochelle Wasula handled name tags. Connor Magee handled logistics and announcements. Volunteer Sam Jones took many photos, a few shown here and more to use in our outreach.
The awesome energy and results of this gathering are quite a boost in expanding our opening. How much we have come to appreciate our community!
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Engaging with Our Village
Northeast Village is only as vibrant and engaged as its members and volunteers are. As we begin to “open up” from the pandemic restrictions, we all need to reassess our participation and engagement with our fellow Villagers.
What are our major needs?
Governance: We need newer members and volunteers to step forward to replace some of the original or long-time NEV leaders in many areas:
● Governing Council
● Membership Committee
● Volunteer Committee
● Programs & Activities Working Group
● Fundraising & Development Committee
● Office Workers -- service and information requests, ● Finance and Bookkeeping
● Ad-Hoc Exploratory/Study Groups
Engagement: We need more engagement among our fellow Village members and volunteers, via programs & events, “working groups,” and personal connections based on common interests.
We need new ideas looking forward to how our Village should evolve, particularly in light of what the pandemic has brought to our attention. What role should our Village play in the larger community? What issues relating to seniors should we be addressing? What are other Villages exploring ?
As you consider these questions, what’s the next step?
● Talk to the Office Manager, who will put you in touch with someone in your area of interest.
● Talk to fellow Villagers who are currently engaged or who know who to talk with.
● Send email to info@nevillagepdx.org expressing your interest, and the office staff will respond to you personally.
● Post a question on our website forum in the “Community” section, and you will get some responses.
Consider the questions, become more engaged, and enjoy the benefits and connections our Village provides.
--Todd Coward, Chair, NE Village PDX
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Spotlight: Volunteer Eileen Dennis, Member Donn Dennis |
Donn and Eileen love Portland. They started visiting the city years ago because of Eileen’s position as an accountant in the movie industry, which often required her working in locations around the world.
She got bit with the “movie bug” when they lived in Indiana and served as extras in a movie being made there, “A League of Their Own”, where Eileen discovered that every movie has its own accounting department. A move to California to assist Donn’s aging parents ended up in Eileen’s joining the movie industry, where she has spent over 25 years.
Once Donn retired from a career in human resources, and once his parents passed away, he and Eileen were able to relocate and, without hesitation, chose Portland, moving here in 2014.
Eileen was immediately attracted to volunteer opportunities because she had witnessed firsthand her mother-in-law’s struggles in long-term care facilities. Eileen found that NE Village provided what she needed to help people age at home. She has done gardening, pet sitting, walking with members, and recently driving them to get their COVID vaccinations.
Donn joined NE Village earlier this year, as Eileen’s job was expected to result in her traveling with her work. He wanted the assurance of transportation to appointments and help with projects around the house while Eileen was gone.
The Village was just what he needed. Additionally, he wanted to learn more about how the Village works and the role it plays in providing assistance in keeping those aging at home. He sees a crisis brewing in the care of the aging and believes that NE Village can play an important role in addressing it.
--Vonnie Condon
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