closet inventory February 8, 2010
Posted by heathereliza in In Their Words, Musings & Reflection.Tags: simplicity, consumerism, clothes, Door of Hope Church, shopping, inventory
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by Kristi Pratt
This weekend concludes the fourth week of school. It is also the first weekend of February, the date which I declared for myself that I could shop for clothes again—but only at thrift stores. Without deliberately going out to buy clothes, I somehow managed to buy a dress and a shirt this weekend while walking down Hawthorne with a friend. It amazes me how a coffee date turns into thrift-store shopping and trying on ten dresses that you justify as “teacher clothes.” (I am starting my second practicum on Monday.)
I think the problem with my motives for buying clothes is that they initiate a never-ending cycle. I will always justify buying clothes by saying to myself, “What if this opportunity doesn’t come again? You may not need this right now, but it may never come again.” Then once I buy that item of clothing, I have the feeling of “I need something else to go with what I just bought.” Then my shopping trips of eluding boredom will turn into this endless cycle of buying the “good bargains” and chasing after the feeling of “I need more.”
At Door of Hope, the church I currently attend, we have been learning about the 7 Deadly Sins. A couple weeks ago we went over greed. The pastor, Josh White, classified greed as taking more than we need. This six-month challenge has caused me to realize how greedy I really am. I consume for the wrong reasons, and I consume excessively. Not buying clothes over this past month has made me realize how much I don’t need to. It’s amazing how peaceful you feel when you are more comfortable with yourself and you are content with what you have! When you have the mentality of “I need more,” you are constantly a slave to an unattainable goal of satisfaction.
My supervisor, Heather, challenged me a couple weeks ago to do a closet inventory. I have been dragging my heels a little bit to do it just because I know that it will make me face the reality of how much I own.
So here is the closet inventory that I took:
-10 Cardigans (I LOVE cardigans)
-11 skirts (teacher clothes?)
-9 Sweaters
-5 Outterwear Jackets
-3 Cotton Jackets
-5 Hooded Sweatshirts
-3 Hoodless Sweatshirts
-8 Dresses
-3 Crazy Dresses (my 50’s dress, polka dot dress and 80’s dress)
-9 Pairs of Jeans
-5 Pairs of Slacks
-27 Tank Tops (ouch)
-7 Long-Sleeved Shirts
-14 Short Sleeved Shirts
-2 Pairs of Leggings
-4 Pairs of Tights
-13 Colored T-Shirts
-6 Long-sleeved T-Shirts
-6 Pairs of Sweatpants
-8 Pairs of PJ Pants
-12 Sports Shorts
-13 Work-out T-Shirts
For a very grand total of 183 articles of clothing.
First of all, I don’t know how all those clothes fit—considering that number. Second, multiplying that number by 10 (I figure that’s about the average cost of what I’ve paid for my clothes) is almost $2,000, most of which I have bought in the past 2-3 years. That is a lot of money to have been spent excessively. It is a crazy thought to know that I have spent that much, especially thinking about the people in this world who do not have clothes to change on a regular basis, or shoes that they can wear to protect their feet. I feel like the epitome of a “greedy American” after doing this.
And lastly, I still have clothes at home.
After this weekend’s shopping trip, I have now told myself that for every piece of clothing I buy, I must give 2 away. Now I definitely believe in that rule.
the six month challenge January 26, 2010
Posted by heathereliza in In Their Words, Musings & Reflection.Tags: clothes, consumerism, money, New Years resolution, simplicity
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by Kristi Pratt
I have come to terms with the fact that I have way too many clothes in my closet. Shoes and accessories, too. I love clothes shopping, and I don’t get rid of things, which is not a good combination.
I came to this realization over the summer as I was packing my bags after working at a summer camp. I was in a frantic hurry to get to the airport, the reason being that my mom had just experienced a near-fatal accident. In that moment of packing, I felt like there was a voice saying to me, “Why do you have all this stuff? You can’t take all of it with you, so why do you keep piling up treasures for yourself on this earth when there are so many more important things in life, like relationships and your faith?”
I have not forgotten that feeling of not being able to fit everything into my bags. Nor have I forgotten those words. And now, I am finally doing something about it.
As of January 1, 2010, I have decided to not buy any new clothes, shoes or accessories from retail for the next six months. I will not buy any clothes, shoes or accessories from anywhere but thrift stores (now that I’m thinking about it, I think that craft bazaars might be acceptable as I am planning one for my school). But the point is, I don’t want to buy anything that is brand new, and I want to limit the excess things that I buy the most (clothes, shoes and accessories).
I thought this resolution wouldn’t be too hard since I love shopping at thrift stores, but within these first few weeks of my mission, I have been tempted to go back on my resolution. The first time was when I found a $6 jacket at Target… I almost used a gift card to buy it, finding a loop hole in my own rules, but thankfully I resisted. The second time was when my sister went dress shopping for her Winter Formal dress. I was going to go along and possibly look for a dress to buy for our Spring Banquet, without even realizing at first that would break my resolution. Thankfully I had too much homework to do, keeping me from caving in.
The most recent “almost-stumble” occurred the other day when a friend was wearing a similar pair of flats that I own. They are my favorite flats but now water leaks into them whenever I walk outside, making my feet soppy wet even if I just walk across campus. My friend told me that the very same shoes are now at Target (once again!) for $5! I was torn. At this point I hadn’t decided if shoes fit into my “thrift-store-only” list. After a little consideration, I decided that I would not buy the shoes and that shoes should be included in my resolution because my buying shoes is similar to my clothes—both are spending money on things that I do not need to spend that much money on.
I know that buying from thrift stores isn’t as good as giving up clothing purchases altogether for 6 months. However I feel better about buying from a thrift store rather than department stores because it’s like getting 2 for 1 (1 thing is used by 2 or more people). This six month mission isn’t just about seeing if I can resist deals at Target. I want to learn a little bit more about living simply. Hopefully by limiting myself to thrift stores, I will limit my consumption of clothes, shoes and accessories. I know that I do not need all the things I buy, and this resolution will hopefully be the action of my belief.
to live. simply. January 25, 2010
Posted by heathereliza in Musings & Reflection.Tags: challenge, college students, consumerism, Henry D. Thoreau, simplicity
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At the beginning of this semester, Kristi Pratt—a sophomore at WP—told me that she wanted to live more simply. Kristi realized that she owned too many clothes, spent too much discretionary income on unnecessary items, and wound up tangled in the alluring web of consumerism. Those are my words, not hers. Yet her personal challenge to live more simply caught my attention.
I pride myself in living with simplicity. I choose not to purchase the latest fashions when they hit the stores. I have cut back on my coffee outings. I try to purchase organic, fair trade, and local whenever I can for a simpler, cleaner diet. I find extraordinary thrill in planning creative and thrifty dates.
Yet as I thought more about it this weekend, simplicity is not merely financial. Money plays a big role, yes, especially in our consumer-driven society. But there is more to simplicity. It is, as Charles Wagner stated, a state of mind.
What does it mean to live simply? Laura Ingalls Wilder said the simple things were the real ones. Painter and inventor, Leonardo da Vinci, called simplicity “the ultimate sophistication.” Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe connected simplicity to truth. And E.F. Schumacher called simplicity a courageous act, and one that demands a touch of genius.
The man who hung out by Walden Pond—Henry David Thoreau—reflected upon Simplicity and wrote quite emphatically, “Our life is frittered away by detail…Simplify, simplify, simplify! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail.”
My affairs on my thumbnail? Not very likely. Particularly as I have unusually small fingers to begin with. Still, what would Thoreau say if he saw our daily schedules or the stacks of DVDs next to our televisions? How might Wagner perceive our culture’s ever-frenzied desire to own the newest and best? Or our constant need to be productive?
Over the course of this semester, check back here to read about Kristi’s quest to reexamine the simple side of life. What does this really look like in our 21st century, Western world? I invite you to travel with her. Join Kristi on her challenges, if you feel so prompted. Or just read Kristi’s entries as she tackles the formidable endeavor of living simply.
highlighted service opportunities November 5, 2009
Posted by heathereliza in Service Opportunities.Tags: adoption, Christmas, golf, homeless, mentoring, opportunities, service
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Hot Chocolate Outreach
Wednesday & Thursday nights, 6:30pm
It’s that time of year again! Join Warner students and staff and serve hot cocoa to the homeless in downtown Portland. Meet at the Coffee Shop between 6:15 and 6:30pm. The group returns around 8:30pm. Contact Kristi Pratt (kpratt@warnerpacific.edu) or Sarah Wood (swood@ warnerpacific.edu) for more info or questions.
1st Tee of Portland & Portland Youth Golf Association
1st Tee is open to all kids from 8 through 22, but targets economically disadvantaged youth who would otherwise never find themselves on a golf course. The mission of The 1st Tee is more than just teaching golf; it is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational and mentoring programs that incorporate life skills, character development, family values, and personal growth through the game of golf.
Volunteer roles outside of golf coaching are available. WPC students have an immediate opportunity to volunteer with this organization in the following areas: Administrative (newsletter editing, project research, marketing, and more); Assistant Coaches (this position assists coaches and you do not have to be a golfer); Coaches (not only coaches golf but some coaches do only life skills); and Events Management (administration, registration, set-up and breakdown, etc).
Please contact Coach Robertson for more information: jrobertson@warnerpacific.edu
North Clackamas Lunch Buddy Program
Lunch Buddies can help a child feel more confident and comfortable around others. Most Lunch Buddies are in need of someone to be their friend, listen to them and watch them play. The Lunch Buddy Program focuses on helping children who: have low self-esteem, struggle with friendships, lack social skills, have trouble in school, and come from a distressed family.
The North Clackamas School District Lunch Buddy Program is looking for people to volunteer to spend one hour a week having lunch and interacting with students in their schools. This can include sharing lunch, playing indoor games or recess, helping with schoolwork, sharing interests, or bringing activities to share from home.
Interested? Contact: Kay Loeffl, 503.353.5663, lunchbuddyncsd@yahoo.com
You can also pick up a brochure at Heather’s office in Schlatter.
Adoption Mosaic
Adoption Mosaic is a non-profit organization providing educational resources and ongoing support to all those whose lives are influenced by adoption. Our mission is to connect, honor and serve the adoption community through innovative education, practices and support services. We serve all members of the adoption constellation. This includes adoptees, adoptive parents, birth parents, extended family and friends, adoption professionals, and other members of our community. Adoption Mosaic is not an adoption agency, nor are we associated with any agency. We are dedicated to finding creative and new ways to support the adoption community and to raise awareness about adoption issues.
There will soon be opportunities to volunteer with Adoption Mosaic, whose office is a stone’s throw away from the WPC campus. If you’re interested in getting involved with this organization, please let Heather know at hmclendon@warnerpacific.edu.
Café au Play
The mission of Café au Play is to create a nonprofit coffeehouse designed to meet the needs of diverse families for a comfortable, accessible space that encourages social interaction, genuine and sustainable support, creative stimulation, and community inclusion.
Warner Pacific is in the process of developing a relationship with Café au Play, down Division St. (across the road from Franklin High). The café plans to open in 2010, and one of the ways they are raising the money to open their doors is a Christmas Tree Sale. Warner students have the opportunity to help set up for the event.
The work party for set up at the site will be on Saturday, November 14, from 10am-4pm.
Tasks will include painting signs, hanging Christmas lights, building wooden tree supports, placing fliers in the neighborhood, and cleaning the inside and outside of our site. This is a great opportunity for a group who doesn’t mind getting their hands a little dirty!
There are more opportunities to volunteer at the Tree Sale:
Sat/Sun 10am-7pm: November 28-29, December 5-6
If you’re interested, please contact Heather at hmclendon@warnerpacific.edu
Breakfast at O’Bryant Park
Every Sunday, 7am
On Sunday mornings, you can join a team of volunteers to serve breakfast to the homeless. The location is O’Bryant Square in downtown Portland, just off the Morrison Bridge. The group meets around 7am and sets up to serve a warm breakfast to those living on the street. For more information contact Eric Michaelson at emichaelson@warnerpacific.edu
As always, if you have questions or ideas, shoot me an email or stop by my office in Schlatter. And let me know of other service opportunities you know of or involved with.
“If you don’t like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time.”
Marian Wright Edelman
highlighted service opportunities October 20, 2009
Posted by heathereliza in Service Opportunities.Tags: conference, homeless, Mercy Corps, opportunities, outreach, service
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Work Party at Atkinson Elementary
Saturday, October 24th from 10am-3pm
Come and help with a garden clean up. If you like to move soil, spread mulch and clear out garden beds, then this is the day for you. Pastries and Coffee will be there for everyone. School’s address: 5800 Division St.
Contact Jennifer M. Pultz if you have any questions: 971-409-0233.
Portland Rescue Mission
Friday, October 23 & Friday, October 30
The Community of Adsideo – a start-up ministry integrating college students, the Sellwood community, and the homeless – will be helping out at the Portland Rescue Mission this Friday (Oct. 23) and next Friday (Oct. 30). Dr. Williams is willing to take any students who want to meet at 5:15pm on Friday, in front of Mt. Tabor Grind coffee shop. Please let Dr. Williams know if you would like to help. Orientation to homeless ministry available.
Café au Play
Thursday, October 22 from 9:30-1:00pm
The mission of Café au Play is to create a nonprofit coffeehouse designed to meet the needs of diverse families for a comfortable, accessible space that encourages social interaction, genuine and sustainable support, creative stimulation, and community inclusion.
Do you like to paint? As the café nears completion, they need some help with painting. Kristen Heying, director of the project, has expressed the desire to have Warner students involved with the café. Show up at Café au Play (located at 5633 SE Division, next to Dairy Queen and Franklin High) this Thursday anytime during the 3 1/2 hour period. No prior phone call is necessary.
Breakfast at O’Bryant Park
Sunday, October 25, 7am
Every Sunday morning, you can join a team of volunteers to serve breakfast to the homeless. The location is O’Bryant Square in downtown Portland, just off the Morrison Bridge. The group meets around 7am and sets up to serve a warm breakfast to those living on the street. For more information contact Eric Michaelson at emichaelson@warnerpacific.edu
::Two exciting, upcoming events::
New Abolitionist Conference
The New Abolitionists is a joint conference of NWYM and George Fox University to abolish sex trafficking and forced prostitution in the Portland area.
WHY: Today in the United States, it is estimated that 300,000 minors are being trafficked for sexual exploitation. Ninety percent of the victims are American citizens. The most recent FBI Operation Cross Country sting found Portland has the second highest standing in the country for sex trafficking with over 50 percent of those victims being children. Oregon police say they are encountering three to five people per week who are victims of trafficking.
Featuring James Pond of Transitions Global and musical artist, Jeff Greer, The New Abolitionists will move you from awareness to action. There will be other Portland-area activist organizations joining the conversation to stop slavery in Our Town.
Join George Fox University and the Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m on the Newberg campus and be part of the movement.
For more information visit: www.georgefox.edu/NewAbolitionists
RSVP and questions? Email newabolition@gmail.com.
Views from the Front Lines: Panel Discussion with Mercy Corps Field Workers Working to Alleviate Poverty
WHAT: Three of Mercy Corps’ most experienced field workers from around the globe will share their first-hand perspectives in a public event at the new Mercy Corps global headquarters. Moderated by Mercy Corps CEO Neal Keny-Guyer, the panelists – working in some of the world’s toughest places including Iraq and Guatemala – will discuss how crises like war and natural disasters can turn into opportunities for long-term progress. Presented by the Mercy Corps Action Center, the discussion will be followed by a Q&A with the audience.
WHEN:
Thursday, October 22nd
Doors at 6:15pm, panel begins at 7pm
WHERE:
Mercy Corps global headquarters
45 SW Ankeny Street
Portland, OR 97204
(Enter through the Mercy Corps Action Center at 28 SW 1st Ave)
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
spotlight on hunger October 12, 2009
Posted by heathereliza in Ed/Op.Tags: autumn, awareness, hunger, neighbor, poverty
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It’s that scrumptious time of year again. Red and gold leaves decorate the sidewalks. The air bites with crispness. I’m pulling out scarves from the deep recesses of my closet. Pumpkin muffins and apple pies waft their tantalizing aromas throughout Portland’s bakeries and—when I feel the compulsive urge to bake—my own kitchen.
Autumn. How I do love this season.
Yet as I sit in my office and stare through the window at the changing leaves and heavy clouds, I am reminded that fall does not bring delight to everyone. Amidst those shopping for a new cable-knit sweater and the search for the perfect pumpkin, there are mounting concerns within the city about warmth and food. Colder weather means higher energy bills for heat—if you can afford it. Many brace themselves for a colder home since a toasty bedroom is a luxury not to be had. Life on the street gets rough as temperatures shiver downward. Food becomes more important during these colder days—to sustain energy for work (or the job hunt) and healthy immune systems. And just when food becomes more vital for success, hunger spreads its ugly, stomach-gripping talons even more than before.
It is not an accident that October at Warner Pacific is Hunger Awareness Month. Those of us trading in our tank tops for coats should pause and recognize that not all of our neighbors are as fortunate. Not all of us have warm, filling meals to boost energy and satisfy stomachs. For many, the most prominent, current concern is not figuring out a Halloween costume. It is staying warm and staying fed. Sometimes, it’s choosing one over the other.
Over the next three weeks, Warner will be exposed to the various facets—and faces—of hunger, on both a local and global scale. I am not asking you to forego your morning muffin and latte out of guilt. Rather, allow yourselves to be open and challenged by the information and stories you encounter. Ask: what does it mean to be a neighbor in this season? How am I able to respond? What individual action is appropriate amidst the sharpening pinch of hunger and poverty?
I invite you to take part in this month’s Hunger Awareness. Every year, this month presents the opportunity to reflect upon the world a little differently and to examine how the issue of hunger calls us out of ourselves, for this season and beyond.
in their words… September 29, 2009
Posted by heathereliza in In Their Words.Tags: Pioneer School, thanks, volunteering, Warner Pacific
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Here are a few letters the college received from Pioneer School, in regard to our work on the Common Day of Service:
Thank you for helping beautify our school grounds. The flowers, our garden, the paint jobs, signs, and cleaning really makes a difference. It was nice to have you help keep this school tip top. It makes the campus so much more inviting. The paint job on the walls and the weeding is a great improvement.
Thank you Warner Pacific College and volunteers.
Bradley
Thank you for volunteering your guys’ time to clean up our school. We really appreciate what you are doing for everyone at our school like composting the new flower beds, repainting our walls and raking/shoveling the leaves.
Sincerely,
Rose
Thank you for helping this school become the brilliant color that it is today. Thanks for your time and consideration in making this school feel more comfortable for the students and staff.
Thanks for your time,
Josh
I am writing this letter to thank you for volunteering your time to help out my school by making new flower beds, raking and shoveling leaves, composting, clipping bushes and painting walls. My school and I really appreciate you volunteering.
Anonymous
Thank you for cleaning up our campus. We all really appreciate your help. We love your work.
Kym
highlighted service opportunities September 22, 2009
Posted by heathereliza in Service Opportunities.Tags: after-school programming, community projects, mentor, planting, portland rescue mission, refugees
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- Café au Play—Work Party
Saturday, September 26
9:30am – 4pm (or anytime in between)
The mission of Café au Play is to create a nonprofit coffeehouse designed to meet the needs of diverse families for a comfortable, accessible space that encourages social interaction, genuine and sustainable support, creative stimulation, and community inclusion.
As the café near completion, they need some help with planting and landscaping. Kristen Heying, director of the project, has expressed the desire to have Warner students involved with the café. Show up at Café au Play (located at 5633 SE Division, next to Dairy Queen and Franklin High) this Saturday. No prior phone call is necessary.
Portland Rescue Mission
The Community of Adsideo serves dinner and provides a chapel service at the Portland Rescue Mission every 4th and 5th Friday of the month. Dr. Bryan Williams is taking a van this Friday to aid with supper, if you would like to join. Meet at 5:10pm in front of the Warner Coffee Shop. Those who participate will return to campus by 8:30pm.
Bridger Elementary
Bridger is starting an after-school homework club for its students. Currently, the school only has one person to help with the club, which assists grades 3-8. The club meets on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3:15 to 4:15pm. You can help once a week, or all three—whatever works with your schedule. The school does ask for at least a quarter-length commitment, so as to provide consistency in the lives of their students.
For more information, contact Heather McLendon at 503.517.1088 or hmclendon@warnerpacific.edu
IRCO (Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization)
Our mission is to promote the integration of refugees, immigrants, and the community at large into a self-sufficient, healthy, and inclusive multiethnic society.
IRCO is seeking volunteer academic tutors/mentors to work with African refugee youth, grades 8-11. Contact Heather if you are interested in this specific opportunity.
If you’re interested in serving at IRCO in other programs (you can check those out at irco.org/volunteer), the first step is to attend a bi-weekly volunteer orientation. The next one is Monday, September 28, 6-7pm. Orientation takes place at their main office: 10301 NE Glisan Street.
“If you don’t like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time.”
Marian Wright Edelman
the common day of service September 16, 2009
Posted by heathereliza in Service Opportunities.add a comment
It’s that day. 2009’s Common Day of Service is here. Grab a pair of work gloves and meet in McGuire at 9am. THEN check back here over the next few days and read stories from fellow students, faculty and staff about highlights from CDS.
the service & justice profiles: marian wright edelman September 14, 2009
Posted by heathereliza in Service & Justice Profiles.Tags: children, civil rights, gandhi, poverty, service, social activist
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“A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi to come back — but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you.”
So said Marian Wright Edelman—social activist and advocate for poor, minority and disabled children. Edelman was born in South Carolina a
nd worked on the Civil Rights Movement. When Edelman moved to Washington D.C. in 1968, she helped organize the Poor People’s Campaign that Martin Luther King Jr. had started and became interested in issues regarding poverty and children. So she founded the Children’s Defense Fund, which operates as a research institution and an advocacy for children in need.
{check it out: http://www.childrensdefense.org}
Activist Thumbprint
• Founded the Washington Research Project, a public interest law firm
• First black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar
• Received the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom
• Serves on the board for: the Robin Hood Foundation, Association to Benefit Children, and City Lights School
Selected Publications:
Lanterns: A Memoir of Mentors
The State of America’s Children
I’m Your Child, God: Prayers for Children and Teenagers
I Can Make a Difference: A Treasury to Inspire Our Children
The Sea Is so Wide and My Boat Is so Small
One of her most well-known statements:
“Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time.”
Service is our rent to Be.
…What do you think?
heathereliza