October in review
Dear WaterStrong friends, Have you seen the water news? After 100 years, salmon have finally returned to the Klamath River. For the first time, regular water quality testing in the Willamette River at Ross Island Lagoon will soon be underway. Like in eastern Oregon, the issue of nitrate contamination in groundwater is gaining national attention. Cold water swimming in Portland is underway with water temps dropping and, drumroll please….it’s almost time for shore support!
What I’m excited to share with you today:
1. October EcoSwim clinics with Pacific Refugee Support Group & Bienestar
2. International Water Rescue Instructor Academy, congratulations to Naomi & Kenzi!
3. Portland Parks & Recreation reduced fee and open access programs
What’s next:
1. EcoSwim Clinics at FGAC with Bienestar, 11/17 & 12/8 from 3-6p. Volunteers needed! Please ping me if you can make it
2. Red Cross First Aid-CPR-AED training program. Welcome Nana and Shelby, Training Coordinators! (proper intros coming soon)
3. Profiles in awesomeness: Women’s Foundation of Oregon grant report
4. WaterStrong board is growing (intros coming soon)
5. 2025 calendar: EcoSwim clinics, CPR trainings, Rainy Days book club: Blue Mind
ECO-SWIM w BIENESTAR @ FGAC
October was another formative month for WaterStrong. With care, humor, and patience at Forest Grove Aquatic Center you guided 19 Bienestar family children through the essentials of water safety and beginning stroke development, taking a few spins on the diving board and slide. One ebullient birthday girl (sharing her Oct 20 birthday with a presidential candidate) hit a high note “I floated on my back by myself!” Thank you to Sandra, Milka, Andy, Shelby, Juan, Laura, Nate, Don, John, Glenda, Cassy, Capone, Sheila, Marlys, Dan, and Brooke!
ECOSWIM w PRSG @ NECC
Also in October, our courageous Afghan ladies of Pacific Refugee Support Group topped off their final in-water session at Northeast Community Center with a stronger sense of comfort and confidence in the water, beginning to master the technique of turning from face down to face up, back floats, and venturing into deeper water. For some, this hour in the water once each month, is the only time they have just for themselves. Feeling blessed to be invited in as part of a healing process, together in the water. At the conclusion of the in-water session in the pool, 5 of 7 PRSG ladies joined 3 more WaterStrong volunteers and master trainer Kelley Rogers in the classroom for a 6-hour certification course, earning their Red Cross CPR Instructor certification. That day, October 26, was long and tiring, but hands down a highlight of my WaterStrong experience. Thank you Naomi, Glenda, Shelby, Beth, Bea, Habiba for making the magic happen here in the water. And congratulations to new CPR Instructors Grey, Brooke, Jazanna, Habiba, Nargis, Samia, Marzia and Basira!
INTERNATIONAL WATER RESCUE ACADEMY - NAOMI & KENZI
In tune with clicking off milestones, please share my hearty congratulations to the tremendous Naomi Campos, total rockstar member of our WaterStrong community (who you’ll learn more about in an upcoming note), and Kenzi Merill-Ollson, Wilderness First Responder and Wild Diversity / Opal Creek Outdoor School outdoor educator extraordinaire. Naomi and Kenzi traveled to Portland, Maine in September to participate in the annual International Water Rescue Instructor Academy. This is an intensive 5-day training program designed for firefighters and first responders to become instructors in their home communities for pool, river, lake and ocean rescues. In 2022, I completed the IWRA program with Cassy Peterson and Rachel Perrin, earning our stripes with the rest of them. It’s a tough program and WaterStrong is honored to be able to support community members to join first responders in training. Thank you Jerry Dworkin & IWRA team for welcoming WaterStrong!
PARTNERSHIP WITH PORTLAND PARKS & RECREATION
WaterStrong is proud to join PP&R as a community partner through the Project Connect program, helping to get the word out about PP&R’s great programs, discounts, and employment opportunities for Portlanders thanks to the Parks levy voters passed in 2020. Now let’s help PP&R fulfill its mission! Please check out the opportunities here and reach out with any questions. Thank you Jamie and Andy for bringing WaterStrong on board!
Portland Parks & Recreation reduced fee and open access programs
Portland Parks & Recreation has a few great opportunities for connecting community to recreation activities, including swimming, fitness, arts and more! We appreciate this opportunity to provide this information and hope that you will share it with those in your community that might benefit (including you!). PPR Project Connect page provides a variety of options for bringing community and services together. Here are a few highlights:
Access Discount Program reduces cost as a barrier: The 2020 Parks Local Option Levy created an opportunity for Portland residents to sign up for a 25%, 50%, 75%, or 90% discount that is applied at the time of purchase for all registrations, passes, and drop-in admissions. This includes swim lesson classes and use of PP&R pools. Portland residents can sign up online and select the percentage discount that reduces cost as a barrier for them. No documentation or verification is needed. Visit our Access Discount page for more information and instructions for registration.
Recreation Services Community Network keeps community organizations and leaders informed: Over 90 organizations are part of the network and receive regular email updates about services, employment, outreach and grant opportunities, free use of space applications, engagement and networking events, and more. Sign up to join the Recreation Services Community Network.
Accommodation options are available for ADA and language access:
Community members that need assistance with registering for a PP&R service or activity can request an ADA accommodation or call 3-1-1 (or 503-823-4000).
Community members that need assistance with participation in a PP&R activity can complete an inclusion request form or call 503-307-4131.
HERE’S WHAT’S NEXT
1. Our next EcoSwim clinics with Bienestar will be Sunday, November 17th 3-6p and Sunday, December 8th 3-6p. We need 15 volunteer swim instructors for each clinic! Please ping me if you can make it. Volunteers receive a WaterStrong swim cap, t-shirt, stickers, light meal and gift card of appreciation.
2. November will launch the WaterStrong Red Cross First Aid-CPR-AED training program, with stellar training coordinators Nana Hoerth and Shelby Sugierski. WELCOME CPR instructors Denise, Teresa-Marie, Jazanna-Marie, Naomi, Andy, Shelby, Nana, Brooke, Grey, Habiba, Marzia, Samia, Nargis, Basira, Dena. We are grateful to lead trainers Cassy, Chelsea, Kelley, and Jeff for your support and mentorship as team WaterStrong launches!
3. Profiles in awesomeness: I will share a review of how WaterStrong leveraged a $20,000 grant in 2024 from Women’s Foundation of Oregon to empower nearly 80 women and girls in the Portland area to develop professional skills in lifesaving, water safety, and environmental education, with special focus on Naomi, Denise, Nana, Kenzi and Ala.
4. WaterStrong board. Please welcome the new WaterStrong board and Advisory Circle members.
5. 2025 calendar: EcoSwim clinics, CPR trainings, Rainy Days book club: Blue Mind with a discussion on March 22nd, World Water Day
Swim! Learn! Thrive!
Dena
