30. Volunteer for MLK Day, 1/17/11

I am blessed to work for a wonderful company that has fully embraced community. In honor and recognition of Dr. King, the values he espoused, and his contributions to the nation and the world in advancing civil and human rights, the National Diversity Council established an annual Programwide Day of Volunteerism beginning January 17, 2005. On this Day, Kaiser Permanente aspires to take a leadership role in our communities by remembering the values that Dr. King’s life exemplified and proclaiming this “A Day On, Not a Day Off.” This novel approach to celebrating Dr. King’s life potentially places over 100,000 Kaiser Permanente employees and physicians into our communities to provide valuable services and to further advance the Kaiser Permanente legacy that parallels Dr. King’s values.

On Monday, January 17, 2011, KPNW celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by sponsoring their 7th annual MLK Day of Service. On this special day, the region commemorated Dr. King’s legacy by letting a percentage of staff do community service work at several sponsored sites. Those who stay behind to do their jobs will be supporting the effort by covering for their colleagues who are volunteering. This annual tradition is a living tribute to the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It is also part of our service credo: We are here to make lives better. Kaiser Permanente is taking a novel and appropriate approach to commemorating and celebrating Dr. King’s contributions and values. Because we are a not-for-profit, community-benefit organization, service to community is central to the Kaiser Permanente mission. Consider, for example, that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that we must decide whether to “walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. Life’s most persistent and nagging question is: what are you doing for others?” Service, after all, is what Dr. King believed to be the hallmark of a full life. Given Kaiser Permanente’s deeply embedded core values and leadership role in issues of diversity, equal opportunity, inclusion, and community benefit, it is appropriate that the organization recognizes and celebrates the alignment of these values with those so eloquently articulated and impressed upon the world’s consciousness by this great American.

To this end, one of my friends and fellow transcriptionsts, Keri, and I volunteered at the Beaverton Food Bank on this day of volunteerism. Our shift was for 2-1/2 hours, and in that time we sorted over 8000 lbs of food. From that 8000 lbs of food, we packed over 6200 meals. That means in the short time there, I alone was responsible for packing 152 meals for a family of four.

Here are just a few facts about hunger:
More than 73% of households receiving emergency food reported incomes below the federal poverty level - $22,050 for a family of four.

A basic family budget — enough to cover the essential needs for a family of four — was $45,274 in 2007, while a full time job at Oregon's 2010 minimum wage provided only $17,500.

High unemployment due to the current economic recession resulted in 240,000 people per month eating meals from an emergency food box last year, up from 200,000 the previous year. Of those, 33% are children. OFB Network agencies continue to see new faces...people who never thought they would need emergency food.

Last year, volunteers contributed 93,000 hours to Oregon Food Bank. That is the equivalent of 45 full-time employees. Most of the non-profit companies out there could not survive without volunteers. I would challenge each of you to chose your favorite charity and give, either give with your money or time, whichever you can, because it does make a difference.

29. Voodoo Doughnuts, 1/15/11

If there was ever a business that captured the kooky essence of Portland, it is definitely Voodoo Doughnuts. The original location is at 22 SW 3rd Avenue, just south of the Burnside Bridge, and the other location is at 1501 NE Davis St, just across the river. Since Kathy and I wanted sit and sip a cup of coffee with our doughnut, she chose to take me to the Davis location, as the original location has no inside seating. However, she wanted me to have “the full experience” so she took me downtown just to see the original location. In true Oregon fashion, the rain was coming down HARD and as we walked around the corner there was a line of people out the door and down the street. I could not believe the line, just to get a doughnut I thought, a doughnut good enough to stand in the rain for, I guess I would have to try one and find out.

From the belly of two locations, sweet-fingered magicians concoct what might best be described as avant-garde doughnuts. When Voodoo first opened, it offered doughnuts glazed with NyQuil and dusted with Pepto-Bismol — until the health department put the kibosh on them. Lest that sound unappetizing, please know that Voodoo’s other offerings are actually quite delicious. The namesake Voodoo Doughnut has a gingerbread man shape, with a pretzel stick stabbed through its abdomen and red jelly “blood” filling. Another popular Voodoo attraction is The Texas Challenge: If a person can eat an entire Texas Challenge doughnut – a glazed doughnut the size of six full-sized doughnuts – in 80 seconds or less, the doughnut is free. On December 24, 2008, then-Portland Mayor Tom Potter introduced a resolution to the city council that would designate Voodoo's Portland Creme as the "Official City Doughnut." The Portland Creme is a raised creme-filled doughnut with chocolate coating and two "eyes." They represent the vision of our great city. The resolution was passed by city commissioners that night, in a move that also (as mayor Potter stated) expressed Portlanders' "deepest gratitude to Voodoo Doughnut management for its dedication in the face of these stringent economic times in providing employment opportunities...and above all, creating and naming a doughnut after our beloved city that leaves a lasting taste and fond memories on its customers near and far away.

In addition to doughnuts, Voodoo Doughnuts offers legal wedding services (legally or not), complete with doughnuts and coffee for the reception.

Featured on the Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, Man v. Food, Doughnut Paradise, and G4s Attack of the Show, as well as the Pacific Northwest edition of Globe Trekker. It was the destination in the season finale of the 3th season of The Amazing Race.

Thanks again Kathy for a wonderful day and for helping me knock two items off my list today.

28. Ya Hala - Lebanese cuisine,1/15/11

It has been a while since you have heard from me…I believe it has been a couple of weeks since my last post. I better get busy as I feel like I am falling behind a little so today I knocked two more items off my list…#28 and #29.



On my list is to try some different cuisines and today an old friend, my best friend from high school, Kathy, took me to Ya Hala, a Lebanese restaurant whose name is an Arabic expression for "welcome." Kathy explained to the server that this was my first time ever for Lebanese food and asked for her menu suggestions for some of the most authentic cuisine. After she gave us the explanation of the different foods, I decided that since Kathy had both eaten Lebanese food and had been to Ya Hala before, that I would defer to her choices. She made some wonderful selections:

We ordered the Veggie Mezza for a fun sampling of several items. It was all I could do to keep myself from embarrassment by not wiping up the Homous and Baba Ghanouj with the fresh-made Pita bread. The Homous had a rich creamy texture you would never find in a store-bought brand. The Pita bread was fresh and warm, handmade pockets of bread.

Homous: Garbanzo beans mashed with fresh garlic, lemon juice, and tahini.

Baba Ghanouj: Fire-roasted eggplants that have a smoky flavor, fresh garlic, tahini, and lemon juice.

Stuffed Grape Leaves: Hand chopped parsley, onions, tomatoes, rice, and spices, hand-wrapped in truly tender grape leaves and served chilled.

Tabouli: Nutritious bulgar wheat, fresh, hand-chopped parsley, tomatoes, onions, and fresh-squeezed lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil; all graced with a touch of refreshing mint.

Falafel: Balls of garbanzo and fava beans ground up and mixed with fresh onions, cilantro, parsley, and spices and then quickly deep-fried. Served with tahini sauce.

Aranabeet: Cauliflower florets, quickly deep-fried in olive oil, toweled dry, and served with tahini.

Artichoke Hearts: Imported artichokes receive quite a bit of preparation. They braise them, saute the hearts, and then stuff them with either ground beef, onions, and pine nuts or a delicious melange of carrots, potatoes, squash, and onions. Choose a garlic cream sauce or, as the vegan customers prefer, chef’s fresh tomato onion sauce served with basmati rice.

While it was fun to give my palate a taste of something new – and the food was truly wonderful – it was a wonderful day spending time, reconnecting with a dear friend.