Glad Girls Greeters

Girls Leadership and Development (GLAD) is a program of the Boys and Girls Aid Society of Oregon. GLAD serves adolescent girls age 12 through 18 at Marshall High School and Binnsmead Middle School, providing leadership, recreational and personal development activities for 40+ youth in outer southeast Portland. GLAD Youth Advocates provide individual counseling, tutoring, mediation, crisis intervention, school and family advocacy and facilitate weekly skill-building groups to program participants.

Youth in the GLAD program have been volunteers with Race for the Roses for three years. The Race for the Roses is the largest fundraiser for The Boys and Girls Aid Society and the youth involved in GLAD are proud to help support the funding of their program. The race is an emotional event for many of the youth, as they are able to encourage the runners as they accomplish a goal while also actively contributing to the success of the program and the Society.

The proceeds from Race for the Roses provide funding for all programs at the Boys and Girls Aid Society. GLAD is a privately funded program and therefore benefits greatly from the funds raised for the organization through Race for the Roses.

Race for the Roses 5k

Walkers lined up alone, with their familes, and some even with their dogs. The morning proved to be perfect weather for the half marathoners as well as for the people doing the 5k. The course was quite easy, starting near the Lloyd Center, going west over the Willamette River, and back over the Steel Bridge. The course was well marked and there was water at the half-way mark. There were racewalkers, speedwalkers, fitness walkers, and even strollers. After arriving back to the park, they were all treated to some great music and the best spread of goodies. See you next year.

The 8th Annual
International Discovery Walk

This festival is an annual walking festival sponsored
by the American Volkssport Association’s International Walk Fest Club and the City of Vancouver, WA to foster international friendship. The event is sanctioned by the International Marching League for volksport credit toward their achievement awards.

Participants arrived at the Red Lion at the Quay in Vancouver before the start of the Mayor’s Walk. The clouds hung low and started dumping rain. The bag pipers began and the rain stopped. Mayor Pollard arrived with his ever-present hand carved walking stick ready for the walk. Mayor Pollard began the ceremonies introducing Rachel Kirschenmann, Miss Clark County. This young beauty has some specific goals in mind while she is serving her community. Her goals as Miss Clark County include removing vending machines from schools in the area, getting physical education classes back in every school, and increasing health education. She is also involved with “Fit Clark County: Steps to a Healthier U.S.”

The excitement was growing, as the event was about to start. Kenneth Wilson from Bethesda, Maryland, was here for his fourth Discovery Walk. He has been a Volkssport walker since 1975 and he will complete his fifth round of all 50 states on this trip and begin on his sixth. He has logged 68,000 kilometers in 3,800 events while in the Armed Forces for 30 years. He founded the Maryland Chapter of Volkssports.

The Civil Air Patrol were in formal blues and carried the American Flag while the Boy Scouts were present with flags from most of the nations represented. John Ogle, 13, a flag bearer for his fourth year, explained that the group in the formal camouflaged uniforms were from Germany and the more casual group were Americans.

Soon all the Volkswalkers passed through the flags and followed the mayor on the 5k or 10k walk as the Discovery Walk got under way.

On Saturday more events followed with even more participants. You could choose your distance,from a marathon, 42k, 32k, 21k, 10k, or 6k. There is even a 25k/50k bike ride, and a Try-Athlon. Sunday you could choose your distance from marathon down to the 6k. Closing ceremonies were on Sunday. Mark your calendar for next year April 22-24, 2005. See you there!

Each tour is leisurely paced, and the focus in on exploration and discovery. Tours can also be customized to meet your needs and schedule.

All tours are handicapped accessible and are appropriate for all members of the family. Contact Peter at 503-665-2558 or email walkportland@aol.com. Logon to www.walkportland.com for more information