Posts Tagged ‘summer’
Summer Newsletter 2010
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
Oral Hull Foundation for the Blind
Summer, 2010
We Hit a Home Run!
From the Desk of Exective Director Jeff Lann
We just finished tabulating the evaluations from our 4th annual NW Regional Retreat over Memorial Day Weekend and according to the statistics……we hit a home run!
Participants from Oregon, Washington, California and Vancouver B.C. enthusiastically enjoyed the activities, food and of course – each other.
Highlights of the weekend included the opening of our swimming pool, seeing the Pulitzer Prize winning play Crimes of the Heart including a back stage tour with the director and actors, workshops with Jane McIver, Michael Orlove and Margie Booker and the free flowing tunes from DJ Mike from Berkeley, CA.
We now move onwards from our NW Regional Retreat upwards to our next major event, our 2010 summer camps. Our vacation camps provide an experience like none-other. Camps do the greatest good through the people they bring together to live and learn and to enjoy for a lifetime. We still have limited space in our family camp and three of our adult sessions of camp.
I have been asked by many people about Oral Hull’s need to fundraise. Fundraising has be-come a necessary part of our organization simply to provide high quality experiences while maintaining affordability. We cannot continue to raise our fees for services at the same rate our costs are increasing or we would dramatically reduce the number of people whom are able to attend.
Having “foundation” in our name has misled many to believe that we have a substantial endowment behind us. The fact is we do not.
We rely on donations and support from the community to keep our agency viable. We have a small amount of money invested with a respected, cost conscious financial institution, as a cushion to help us through the proverbial economic “difficult days.”
Our thanks to those who has assisted us with generous gifts for camperships and programming. With your continued partnership, we will be able to sustain our mission of providing quality experiences for the blind and low vision communities.
1000 Friends of the Oral Hull Foundation for the Blind
Let’s face it… it’s a tough world out there and there are so many deserving non-profits who change lives for the better each day. All of these non-profits depend on the generosity of “hearts full of love” for the causes they support. And that’s what we, at Oral Hull, are looking for, “hearts full of love”. For a $20.00 donation you can be-come a FRIEND OF ORAL HULL and give those with vision loss a special place to go; designed to positively motivate, challenge and offer a respite
among friends with similar needs. Your donation will help ensure that people with vision loss receive a positive camp experience. This new fund raising campaign has been approved by the Oral Hull Board of Director’s. The 1000 Friends of the Oral Hull Foundation was officially launched in Mid-May to provide an opportunity for the community to support our mission of giving people with vision loss an exceptional experience and a place of their own. Our goal is to find 1,000 friends that are able to donate $20 or more. Can we count on you to make a difference? If interested, please sign up on the application form in this newsletter , write to us at Oralhull@teleport.com or call 503-668-6195 for information.
Family Fun Day and Lions Chicken Barbeque – August 29 – Open to all! You and your family are cordially invited to attend our biggest event of the year. Oral Hull’s Family Fund Day and Lions Chicken Barbeque will be held on Sunday, August 29 from noon to 4:00p.m. Visit with friends, feast on a delicious barbeque chicken
meal prepared by the Lions Club, take a dip in our pool, tour our award winning Garden of Enchantment, enjoy family games and listen to the great music of Ron Ruedi and the Hurricanes. The cost for a complete meal is only $10 for adults and $5 for children. Call for tickets! All Lion members are invited as well as their guests!
If Wishes Were Horses Then Beggars Would Ride
Our wish list of “things” that are important to complete the Oral Hull tradition of provid-ing a positive experience for all continues in this issue with the following needs:
Don’t miss the August 29th Family Fun Day and Lions Chicken BBQ
1. Copy Machine—used
2. Commercial patio furni-ture
3. Motorized golf cart—used
4. Lounge furniture
5. Mini van or car—reliable
6. 6 Fishing poles, reels and tackle
June Special Events – June 26-27 Overnight and Field Day
Special June overnight and Field Day – All Rolled into one Week-end! It all takes place at Oral Hull Park over the weekend of June 26-27.
Mountainview Christian Church Revitalizes our Facility
Since the beginning of the Oral Hull Foundation in 1962, volunteers have played a key role and continue to be important to what happens in the shaping of our lives. In June, 2009 volunteers from Mountainview Christian Church in Gresham revitalized our
facility with 1,200 hours of labor and a spirit of giving to improve and restore Oral Hull Park’s “sparkle”. On Saturday, June 26, they will return once again with some major work and beautification projects. You are invited to meet our friends from Mountain-view Church, get involved with a work party, enjoy a barbecue lunch, take a swim in our heated pool and even stay the night. Transportation will be provided from Portland on Saturday with a return trip on Sunday. Call to re-
serve your spot today!
There’s a little bit of “Ham” in all of us!
The Oral Hull Ham Amateur Radio Club, OHARC, will be taking part in Field Day, the largest on-the-air operating event in Amateur Radio. Scheduled, for June 26 and 27th, Field Day draws tens of thousands to the airwaves each year bringing new and experienced “hams” together for a weekend of fun. If you would like more infor-mation about Ham radio or would like to see OHARC in action, come out to the Park for the day or spend the night with us.
July Special Events at the Oral Hull Park
Oral Hull Park will be open for an informal weekender over the July 4th weekend. Come on Friday and stay the weekend. We will have a barbeque on Saturday. Cost $10/person/night for lodg-ing. Saturday barbecue additional $8. Minimum 15 people & reservations required.
The Oral Hull Foundation at the Sandy Mountain Festival
Come visit the Oral Hull booth at the Sandy Mountain Festival on Saturday, July 10 and 11. This is the city of Sandy’s largest community-wide event. Great food, artists, music and more. We are seeking sponsors for our “baked potato” booth. Help us generate more income and defray our expenses by purchasing pota-toes, sour cream, cheese, etc. Call Becky for additional information. 503-668-6195.
Register for our Summer 2010 Camps
We are still accepting registrations for our 27th annual summer camps for blind and low vision persons. If you enjoy friendship, fun, field trips, new experiences, great food and wonderful weather you will want to join us for 2010 – A Summer of Celebration.
Session 1: Adult Adventure I (recommended for outdoor nov-ices and above). Includes a challenging white water raft trip with continuous class 3+ rap-ids, extended hiking options, rock climbing, etc) Includes options for skydiving and wind sailing at additional fee. Camp dates are July 24-30. $400 per
person. A limited amount of
financial assistance is available for Oregon residents on a needs basis.
Session 2: Adult Adventure 11
Adult Adventure II (recommended for newcomers to Oral Hull Park) Includes white water rafting, hiking, beach trip, etc). Includes options for skydiving and glider flights at additional fee. Camp dates are August 1 – 7. $400 per person. A limited amount of financial assistance is
Session 3: Friends and Alumni Camp (Traditional camping at its best offering a variety of activities from archery to crafts and music. Camp dates are Au-gust 9 – 15 and $375 per person. A limited amount of financial assistance is available for Oregon residents on a needs basis.
Family Camp-August 26-29 – A Barrel of Fun and Adventure!
Family Camp – Spend quality time with your family and enjoy the action at Oral Hull Park with trout fishing, hay rides, s’mores, crafts, talent show and more! August 26 – 29. Adults $125 – Children ages 17 and under : $75.00
Commission for the Blind – Seniors New to Blindness Retreat
In every quarterly newsletter we feature a personal story or experience from an Oral Hull participant. Twice yearly, the Oregon Commission for the Blind operates a 5 day retreat for seniors new to blindness at Oral Hull Park. The following poem was written by one of their May 2010 graduates.
There was a time not long ago
I did not know the way I ought to go
Nothing was clear and bright as it used to be
Then OCB and Oral Hull came into my life
“Come to us and we will teach you to see”
So I came and who did I see?
James, Dennis, Kevin, Nathan, Robin, Mary Lee
And all the rest waiting for me!
So they handed me my cane and said
“Name it, it will be your best friend”.
So, I named it Pelo, after my
grandson
Who went early to his grave
Each time I take “Pelo” by the hand
I hear him say “Come Marme, this is the way”
My eyes still are not clear and bright as they used to be,
But I have “Pelo”, OCB, Oral Hull and all the rest to show me the way
“So you’re going blind-get over it’
Mission Statement
The mission of the Oral Hull Foundation for the Blind is to provide facilities, programs and services including social, educational and
recreational activities for
people that are blind, visually impaired or otherwise disabled.
Oral Hull Foundation for the Blind
We’re on the Web! Www.oralhull.org
Email: oralhull@teleport.com
Phone: 503.668.6195
43233 SE Oral Hull Road
PO Box 157
Sandy, Oregon 97055
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