St. Johns Pocket Park project will beautify a nearly barren patch of land adjacent to the St. Johns Plaza and provide a natural area using native plants for all to enjoy.
For the past year, the Boosters have been working with 1855 Plants, Resilience Design, and Sauvie Island Natives to re-landscape the space at the entrance to the downtown business corridor in St Johns!
Thank you to these businesses and community organizations!
Location and Volunteer Opportunities
The Pocket Park location is on N Ivanhoe & N Philadelphia in St Johns, next to Burgerville. Come out and volunteer at our work party on Saturday, May 14th. Let us know that you can help with an email to info@stjohnsboosters.org.
Nature-Based Solutions
Reinvigorating the pocket park at the foot of the St. Johns Bridge with a Native Plant Park Project is part of what the United Nations,World Bank, and European Union are promoting as “Nature-Based Solutions” to confront climate change, natural disasters, and other climate change-related challenges. In addition to helping native pollinators, Native Plant gardens help protect us at a lower cost and require fewer chemicals, less water, and less maintenance than nonnative plants or grey infrastructure.
According to the Native Plant Conservation Campaign, by filling our parks, gardens, roadsides, and open spaces with natives, our communities will become more ecologically resilient, comfortable, safe, and low maintenance. It is also cost-effective.
With a grant from Venture Portland, the St. Johns Boosters are beginning the work of transforming the nearly barren patch of land next to the plaza to create a vibrant oasis that resonates with the historical and cultural diversity of our area. The pocket park renovation has broad and enthusiastic support from the community. The Boosters are partnering with several community organizations to design, build and maintain the park and its amenities. We are developing a partnership with the Native American organizations and local community history organizations to ensure that all communities are represented.
Pocket Park design by Resilience Design
Signage will add educational, cultural, and way-finding components. Plants and their connection to the area’s native Multnomah peoples’ culture and history will be identified. At some future date, we would like to create a signpost indicating the name and distance to other close-by natural parks such as Baltimore Woods, Smith and Bybee Natural Wetlands, Kelley Point Park, Cathedral Park, and Sauvie Island to give visitors an idea of additional attractions in the area. Signage will be in English, Spanish, and Wasco-Wishram, the dialect of the Native American Multnomah tribe that first inhabited the area. The multilingual custom plant signs will be made by a local merchant, A Nice Lady in St. Johns, constructed of durable outdoor materials of photosensitive aluminum.
Adopt a Native Plant
Neighbors, local organizations, and businesses are invited to partner with this project. By “adopting” a plant, with a donation of $100 or $150 depending on the size of the plant. An “adoption certificate” will be provided with a weather-resistant plant tag that will identify the plant as being “adopted” and include the donor’s name.
“Adoptions” may be renewed annually, creating a dependable income stream for maintenance of the park, plant replacement, and clean-ups.
Native plants that will be included in the St. Johns Pocket Park
St. Johns Pocket Park: Part of the St. Johns Revitalization
This project is critical for the revitalization of the Business District. It will create an aesthetically and climate-resilient “Welcome!” to people driving across the St. Johns Bridge, pedestrians, and the community at large.
In addition to the businesses mentioned above, we would like to thank all of our wonderful volunteers!
The bag features a vintage “I Dig St. Johns” design, extra long shoulder straps, plenty of room, and a nice thick cotton. Perfect for shopping in the district, picking up takeout for a picnic, and carrying your farmer’s market feasts and treasures.
Product specs:
22″ straps
15.5″ high by 14.5″ wide and 7″ deep
Show your support for St. Johns!
I Dig St Johns Tote
100% cotton twill canvas shopping bag with vintage “I Dig St Johns” graphic design. Extra-long shoulder straps and plenty of room in this nice thick Canvas Tote. Everything you need for carrying your farmer’s market feasts and treasures!
Product specs: 22-inch straps and 15.5” High x 14.5” Wide x 7” Deep
Pay now and pick up at 45th Parallel Wines, 8527 N Lombard Street, during their business hours.
Buy now and pick up the tote at 45th Parallel Wines
Pay online and pick up at 45th Parallel Wines, 8527 N Lombard Street, during their business hours (Monday – Friday, 12 – 8 pm, Saturday – Sunday, 12 – 6 pm).
Thank you for the design
The design comes from a graphic from St Johns in the 1970’s. A big thank you to A Nice Lady in St. Johns who helped us execute this modern version of the original design!
There’s a chill in the air, and the St. Johns Boo-sters are ready to help you (safely) celebrate Halloween in the business district!
St. Johns Boo-sters Halloween Events
Scavenger Hunt
Some of you may remember our Halloween Scavenger Hunt that we introduced in 2020, and we’re bringing it back this year!
St Johns Boo-sters Halloween Scavenger Hunt Poster
The scavenger hunt begins at the start of business on Thursday 10/29 and goes through 10/31, or until we run out of candy!
Pick up a scavenger hunt sheet at one of the participating businesses.
Look for decorations/clues in the business’s windows. They will be designated with a Boosters logo so you will know it is an official clue! (Note: since the clues will be in store windows, you can go anytime, not just during store hours!)
Answer the questions on the scavenger hunt sheet. Don’t forget to check the back for a fun puzzle!
Once you have completed the entire sheet, you can turn in your sheet to one of the businesses and receive a pre-packaged bag of candy.
Thank you to St. Johns Church for supplying and assembling the candy bags!
Pumpkin Giveaway & Decorating Contest
St Johns Boo-sters Pumpkin Giveaway and Decorating Contest Poster
The Pumpkin Giveaway and Decorating Contest are still going strong! We wanted to give the kids in the community the chance to get a pumpkin and show off their decorating skills.
Pick up a pumpkin at participating businesses between October 1 -October 31st (while supplies last!)
Decorate them at home – carve, paint, decorate however you like!
Post a public photo to Instagram using the hashtag #stjohnsboo and tag the business where you got the pumpkin.
On October 31st, winners will be selected and receive prizes!
Thank you to A Nice Lady in St. Johns for suppling the prizes, and to Plumper Pumpkin Patch for Donating the sugar pie pumpkins!
Picking up a pumpkin from Oregonians Credit UnionReggie and Lissa Guyton giving out pumpkins at Reggie Guyton State Farm
A special thanks to Venture Portland for their ongoing support. These events are made possible thanks to our participation in Venture’s Catalytic Investment Initiative program.
We hope you all have a frightfully good Halloween!
We launched our online version of St. Johns Bites last September and it had a great response with almost 100 entries, so we’re bringing it back for Spring as well as Fall.
Our small business owners experienced a year of unfathomable challenges – from a global pandemic, to toxic smoke, to civil unrest, to our houseless crisis – yet though it all, they faced it with resilience, creativity, and compassion. We could not wish for a better and more supportive community than St Johns. For all of the hardship this past year, there were moments of gratitude and joy that will not be forgotten, and we will carry this strength into the coming years as we rebuild and re-emerge stronger than ever.
The theme that kept us going was “St Johns Together” #stjohnstogether
As the Boosters, we were challenged to put on our creative hats as well. In March, we shifted our monthly membership meetings to Zoom and hosted guest speakers including Prosper Portland, OSHA, PBOT, The Talented X, IRCO, and Do Good Multnomah. We created a St Johns Business Owners Forum on Facebook, a private group where business owners ask each other questions and share resources. We created a “live listing” of all businesses updated with their hours, links and special services, and sent out a mailer with a list of open businesses to remind the community to support local. We created graphics that our retail businesses could post to communicate safety measures to customers as they navigated limited opening protocols.
Thank you to all of our volunteers this past year – we could not have done all of this without you!
Starting this Friday November 20, we are launching a new interview series “I Am A Small Business” on Instagram Live. Earlier this year, Venture Portland came up with the “I Am A Small Business” social media campaign to highlight local businesses, and we thought it would be great to turn that idea into interviews, reminding everyone that by supporting our small businesses, you are supporting the people that own them.
Our President Liz Smith will host a guest each week, representing different businesses in our district. The first guest will be Annalisa from RoM Shoes. It’ll be a casual conversation and a chance for you to spend time “in” the district from the safety of your home! Tune in each Friday on Instagram.
You can start the book Moon Rope (in Spanish and in English) Monday, December 7th and the pages will be up in the business windows until January 7th so no rush to get through it. Two Rivers Bookstore and Revolutions Bookshop both have copies of the book at their location so if you’d like to purchase it please check with those stores while on your walk! Spread the word to your friends in the area so they have something fun to do with their kids!
Abajo en español
Únete a nosotros en nuestro primer StoryWalk ®!
Puede comenzar el libro Moon Rope (en español e inglés) el lunes 7 de diciembre y las páginas estarán en las ventanas comerciales hasta el 7 de enero, por lo que no hay prisa. Two Rivers Books y Revolutions Bookshop tienen copias del libro en su ubicación, así que si quieres comprarlo, por favor, compruébalo con esas tiendas mientras estás de paseo! Pasa la voz a tus amigos en el área para que tengan algo divertido que hacer con sus hijos!
Some things change, some remain the same, and there is no year like this one to drive that home!
While we will NOT be having our traditional tree lighting ceremony and event this year, there are still ways that we are going to make the district feel warm, festive and inviting.
Tree lights in the downtown corridor of the district thanks to generous donations from Ace Hardware and JR Simplot, week of 11/16.
Instead of passing out our local donation cans for the tree lights, we would prefer that you spend your money in the district. The most important thing you can do this season is support your local stores and businesses. For many, it will make a difference in whether they are still with us in 2021. Many offer contactless, curbside pickup, delivery, shipping, gift cards, and other options in compliance with Governor Brown’s mandated statewide Two Week Freeze (November 18-Dec 2).
Click here for our live, updated local business listing with hours, special services and links.
Every year at our Tree Lighting Event, we offer booths to community organizations. Even though we are not having the event this year, you can still get your holiday decor and support our young people!
Peninsula Optimist Club Tree Lot
Cub Scout Pack 52 Wreath Fundraiser
Roosevelt Supporter Club Gear
Lunch & Learn Series *NEW*
Navigating PUA Applications
Screen recording of the December 16th Lunch & Learn on Zoom
Thank you to member Carol Tricoche for a great presentation! There is a link to the slide deck in the YouTube video description. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to be notified when we have new content!
Learn more about Carol and her business Carol’s Escapes Travel here.
We would like to make this a monthly series! Let us know if you have a skill or topic to share with our business community by emailing info@stjohnsboosters.org with the subject “Lunch and Learn”.
Boo-sters Halloween in St. Johns
We always look forward to Halloween in the district, which is usually the time of year when we do our annual Trick or Treat Walk and thousands of trick-or-treaters walk through our streets and receive candy from our many street-facing businesses. Of course, drawing crowds is not what we want to do during a pandemic, but the businesses felt strongly that they still wanted to do something fun for the kids, so we came up with some interactive yet distanced activities spread over the weeks leading up to Halloween.
Pumpkin Giveaway & Decorating Contest:
Began October 19th, 2021
In the early 1990s, The Boosters used to give away pumpkins in conjunction with a carving contest put on by the Foot Patrol. We thought it would be great to bring this back, but in a new way:
Pick up a pumpkin at participating businesses between October 19-October 31st (while supplies last!)
Decorate them at home – carve, paint, decorate however you like!
Post a public photo to Instagram using the hashtag #stjohnsboo and tag the business where you got the pumpkin.
On October 31st, winners will be selected and receive prizes!
Thank you to our donors!
Topaz Farm on Sauvie Island generously donated 100 of their beautiful pumpkins to our district and we can’t thank them enough!
A Nice Lady in St. Johns created some custom prizes for the kids that we know they are going to love!
Pumpkin Pickup Locations
Oregonians Credit Union 7825 N. Lombard, hours: M-Th: 9:00a – 5:00p, Fridays: 9:00a – 6:00p Reggie Guyton State Farm Insurance 8180 N. Lombard, hours: M-F 9:00a – 5:00p IQ Credit Union 8191 N. Lombard #102, hours: M-F 9:30a – 5:30p A Nice Lady in St. Johns 7227 N. Philadelphia #102, hours: M-F 10:00a – to 6:00p, Sat 10:00a – 1:00pm
Scavenger Hunt: October 29th – November 1st
Our team of volunteers has been busy putting together a fun scavenger hunt game for the kids! It will be over 3 days to have time to get all of the clues and to visit the stores during different times to allow social distancing. Remember to wear your face masks in addition to your Halloween masks!
The contest begins at the start of business on Thursday 10/29 and goes until 11/1, or until we run out of candy! Print out as many sheets as you like, but try to limit prizes to one bag of candy per family so that everyone has a chance to participate.
Print out the scavenger hunt sheet, or pick it up at one of the participating businesses.
Look for decorations/clues in the business’s windows. They will be designated with a Boosters logo so you will know it is an official clue! (Note: since the clues will be in store windows, you can go anytime, not just during store hours!)
Answer the questions on the scavenger hunt sheet. Don’t forget to check the back for a fun puzzle!
Once you have completed the entire sheet, you can turn in your sheet to one of the businesses and receive a pre-packaged bag of candy.
We had over 90 entries and 12 winners who each got a $50 gift certificate to the business in their photo. Check our Instagram to see who won.
Shop small, support local and win gift cards! Support St. Johns businesses by participating in our 2nd Annual St. Johns Bites. Take a photo of your meal or drink from any local St. Johns restaurant, bar or café and post it to Instagram using #stjohnsbites – make sure your post is public!
Each week, 3 participants will win a $50 gift card to the business they posted a photo of. Winners will be announced every Tuesday, with the first winner announced on September 22nd.
Businesses are encouraged to promote the event by using the following marketing materials:
On Tuesday, August 25th, the St. Johns Boosters Business Association hosted a mixer for businesses to learn more about Google My Business. Click here to view the presentation slide deck.
Supporting Local Business During COVID-19
During COVID-19, it’s important for our community to support one another. The St. Johns Boosters Business Association has assembled a list of customer-facing businesses that are open in compliance with Governor Kate Brown’s Stay Home, Save Lives executive order. This list details special procedures and new options for customers (ie curbside pickup, takeout).
Click here to find out which St. Johns businesses are open. Are you a business owner taking special precautions and offering new options for customers? Email us at info@stjohnsboosters.org to get your information added to the list.
We also invite you to be a part of our #iamasmallbusiness campaign. Created by Venture Portland, this social media campaign reminds our community that by supporting our small businesses, you are supporting the people that own them. This campaign is open to all businesses within our boundaries. To have your business featured, email info@stjohnsboosters.org with a photo of yourself (preferably at your business), your business name, description, social media handles, and any special information that people should know.
Thank you to residents for supporting your business community during this time. We’ll get through this together, St. Johns!
#stjohnstogether
The Boosters are launching a new campaign titled #stjohnstogether, encouraging businesses and residents alike to show their support for the place we love. Even in times of crisis, it’s important to remind ourselves that as a community, we stand together.
Have kids at home that need something to do? Print some #stjohnstogether hearts for them to color – or use chalk to add some hearts of your own to our community’s sidewalks.
Use #stjohnstogether on your posts – we want to see how you’re showing your support!
As businesses have rapidly had to shift to online platforms in order to offer customers alternative ways to shop, the Boosters have put together a team of local consultants we like to call the Boosters Virtual Marketing Squad, who are ready to guide you so that you can get your business online presence up to speed quickly and easily, for free.
Hemos reunido un equipo de profesionales y voluntarios locales, que nos gusta llamar El Escuadrón de Marketing Virtual, que están listos par guiarlo para que pueda acelerar su negocio de manera rapida y facil, gratis.
Fall is officially here. The cooler weather means it’s finally time to turn on our ovens and start cooking again. It also means SOUPS! Not just any soup though, Ginger Squash Soup. This recipe is one of my favorites because it is so easy and delicious. I am honestly the laziest cook, so the easier the better. Plus this recipe makes a big batch, which means you can freeze some for later. Roasting the squash gives this soup a delicious flavor, the apples add a touch of sweetness, the ginger gets things spicy and the coconut milk mellows it all out with some creamy goodness. Happy cooking! I hope you love this soup as much as I do.
Sweet and spicy!
4 Acorn or butternut Squash (or any other variety)
1-2 Apples
2-4 T Fresh grated ginger ( The more you use, the spicier your soup!)
1 Large onion, diced
1-2 Cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 C Chicken bone broth or vegetable broth
2 C Coconut milk (I prefer this brand because it is just coconut)
2 T Coconut oil or avocado oil
Fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Cut squash and apples in half and remove seeds. Place face down on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until soft, approximately 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Trust me these babies get HOT! Remove skins after cool and dice into small pieces. Set this aside. (This can be done a day before if you are short on time. Just refrigerate until ready to cook.)
Saute onion in a few tablespoons of avocado oil or coconut oil until almost soft. Add garlic, saute for a few moments and then add the squash, apples, ginger, broth and coconut milk. Let this all simmer on the stove for about 30 minutes to let all the flavors meld together. After 30 minutes, remove from heat and carefully use an emersion blender or regular blender to puree into a creamy consistency. Add water or more broth if it gets too thick. Add your salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Garnish with a sprig of parsley or cilantro and another squeeze of lemon juice. Then eat and enjoy!
Has this happened to you? You need a plumber, a carpenter, a mechanic, or a mortgage professional and don’t know who to call? That happens every day to thousands of people. Well, where do you find that solution? My kids barely know what a phone book is? Most people use the computer and that can is hit or miss. I have the best answer to that question – call your insurance agent for a referral!
6 Reasons you should call your insurance agent if you need help fixing anything.
1. Most agents have a referral network.
I belong to one of the largest groups in the Pacific Northwest with 35+ members. Considering this group and other groups I am involved in the connections are endless.
2. Our reputation is our name.
If I provide someone with a referral I have checked them out. I would not refer anyone to a partner that I would not let work in my house. As a matter of fact, I have some that I would let watch my kids and we’re not even related.
3. The views expressed online may not be true.
We all know about keyboard cowboys. Sometimes the things that go wrong are not the fault of the business. Having someone with personal knowledge of the company can go a lot further than an online review. Combining online information and the opinion of someone you like, know, and trust is a better way to reach a decision.
4. We deal with a wide array of customers and claims situations.
Every day, I am asked to provide my opinion on something involving homes, cars, and businesses. My background in small business, combined with 14 years in claims is living the jingle; “We know a thing or two because we’ve seen a thing or two.”
6. Our referral partners provide answers not further problems
In insurance, I am in the business of removing or minimizing the risk a person experiences. My referral partners enjoy solving problems. In fact, I always expect them to provide another referral if they cannot fix a problem. You should too.
I’ll give you another reason, they’re free!
So the next time you are not sure who to call try dialing 971.303.8508 or find us at www.lucascole.com
Things in life are often misunderstood. This can cause confusion and unrest among the population. A recent article highlighted people on Twitter admitting things they misunderstood as children … https://bit.ly/2lDeDut One of my favorites;
“I used to think seahorses were mythical creatures like unicorns or pegasuses (pegasi?). I…umm…was well in my 20s before I saw one in an aquarium and discovered the truth.”
This is not the only individual to misunderstand something well into adulthood. People have often misheard musical lyrics. My 15-year-old loves to correct me about music lyrics. The day finally came during a car ride when I got to correct him. The song; Fix, by Chris Lane, goes “… I’ll be your slow grind, that late night, your Walter White high…”. This obviously is discussing the famous AMC show Breaking Bad. Credit my wife’s parenting skills on the fact that he did not know who or what Walter White was.
The point to this is that we all deal with things in life that we misunderstand. This happens daily in the world of insurance. Take my article from last week discussing rental car insurance. I have had people call and expect their policy to cover them driving in Europe. If you think that to be true, please read that article.
I will work through a few insurance concepts that are usually misunderstood.
When a deductible is due on a claim. When I handled claims the question about paying the deductible was always asked. The misunderstanding often occurs in two areas. How the deductible applies and when the customer pays it. If you have a $1,000 deductible it means that you are responsible for the first $1,000 in damage.
If the damage to your property is not more than $1,000 the insurance company will not issue payment. They owe you money when the damage is over your deductible. If you have a $5,000 claim the insurance company, in the simplest terms, owes you $4,000. This is typically money owed to the repair person of your choice prior to completion. The deductible is paid upon completion. $4,000 from insurance and your $1,000 deductible pay for the $5,000 claim.
Replacement Cost Value, Actual Cash Value, and Indemnification. One principle of insurance is Indemnification. This is the process of making you whole following a covered loss. You are to be made whole, not to profit from a claim. That means if you have a financial loss due to property damage you should be made whole based on the terms of that policy. On home insurance, most companies issue Actual Cash Value (ACV) on an item or material up front. ACV is replacement cost less depreciation. When the new item is purchased the remaining depreciation is paid to the customer. They have received Replacement Cost Value (RCV) and indemnified. Take the $5,000 loss mentioned above. Your carpet has a 10-year lifespan and is 5 years old when it is damaged. The total RCV is $5,000. The depreciation on a 5-year-old carpet with a 10-year lifespan is 50%. The company would owe the 50% of ACV up front less your deductible. That is $2,500 less $1,000 which equals $1,500. When the carpet is replaced the additional $2,500 would be issued to fulfill the RCV.
Like Kind and Quality. (LKQ) and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). This comes up, most often, in the auto repair industry. You have shops that only want to do repairs with OEM parts. I understand that because they can make a lot of money from this process and be most efficient. If every insurance company and auto body repair facility paid for OEM parts, your insurance rates would skyrocket. LKQwww.lucascole.com parts are parts that have come from the same manufacturer as your vehicle, from the same model year or newer. They help the environment by recycling perfectly good parts and reducing waste.
Regular and Frequent Use of a vehicle. If you let your friend drive your truck to move his grandmother across town is he covered? That friend does not live with you. They do not have a key to the vehicle in their possession unless you give it to them. They do not have regular and frequent use of your vehicle. Your insurance policy, for the carriers I represent, would cover you and your friend. If your mother moves in and three months later is not listed on the policy, you would have a much different answer.
I bought a brand-new car, when do I have to call insurance? Well for the new car the coverage of your policy would extend depending on the policy you carry. For my carriers, it is 30 days. The fallout occurs if you only had liability on your previous car. That is all the new car will be provided. If you miss your carriers’ deadline for changing the vehicle there will be no coverage. If you are buying a new car and adding it to the policy, you better call and get coverage before you drive off the lot. The best answer, right away, before you drive the car off the lot.
The answer to most of these is to speak to your agent. If you are in Oregon and Washington and have not spoken to your agent since you bought the policy, give me a call. 971.303.8508.
You can also learn more about me and the agency at www.lucascole.com
Need an auto loan? Use Oregonians Credit Union and help the St. Johns Booster get a new marquee sign! The St. Johns Boosters have successfully replaced one Marquee sign and hope to replace the other two. In an effort to help raise money for the project, Oregonians Credit Union will be running an auto loan fundraiser.
For a limited time, Oregonians will donate 1% of the balance of your new auto loan to the marquee fund. This offer is valid for new or used auto loans, as well as the refinance of auto loans not currently with Oregonians CU.
Rebate will be credited to St. Johns Boosters within 30 days of loan disbursement. CUDL loans financed directly at a dealership are not eligible. Loan must remain at OCU for a minimum of 180 days or rebate amount will be added to the loan upon payoff. Minimum loan amount of $5,000. Maximum cash back of $500 per financed loan. Refinances of existing OCU loans do not qualify for this offer. We reserve the right to decline a loan request due to credit conditions, collateral value/condition. Rates and terms depend on the individual creditworthiness and collateral of each borrower. No other offers/discounts apply. OCU reserves the right to amend, suspend, or discontinue offer at any time.
Native Plant Adoption, Large$150.00
