Left to right: Polo Catalani from the Office of Equity, Marc Moscato from the Dill Pickle Club, Teressa Raiford from Hazina Management
A few weeks ago, the Dill Pickle Club held our annual summer party, where we presented a preview of our Peripheries Tours. The event’s purpose was to raise money for a series of three cross cultural tours, focused on East Portland, North Portland and affordable housing/ homelessness.
The fundraiser was a first for us. In three and half years, this is the first time we have ever asked our members and supporters for donations. While we’re thankful for what people gave, we are still far from meeting our program budget, and we need your help to raise the funds to make these critical program possible.
WHY THESE TOURS?
These tours represent the biggest project the Dill Pickle Club has yet to take on. Over the last 3 years, we’ve hosted dozens of events, many focused on multicultural histories. Through these programs, we’ve learned a lot, both about our city and about the nature of collaboration.
In approaching this series we wanted to figure out a way to organize these programs that truly benefited all parties involved. We want to provide learning opportunities, while equally giving back to the participating communities. We reached out to two very qualified program partners – Colored Pencils Arts and Culture Council and Hazina Management – and began planning a series of experiential tours to educate participants and provide opportunities to engage in cross-cultural conversation.
WHY IS MONEY NEEDED?
The Dill Pickle Club is committed to keeping ticket prices affordable. Tickets for each tour are just $15 members/ $20 general. This barely covers the cost of renting a coach bus for five hours.
Transportation is just one element of producing the tours in additional to other program costs including compensating our program partners, paying all speakers for their time and talents, marketing and graphic design, printing, and the creation of three promotional videos, each made by a multicultural videographer.
HOW CAN I HELP?
We need to raise an additional $1,000 by October 12th to cover the cost of these tours. Help make these programs a reality! Please go to our donate page, and make a donation now. If you would rather print out and mail in a donations form, please download this PDF and mail to:
PO Box 6021
Portland, OR 97228
Donations are tax deductible. For more information about making a donation, contact Development Coordinator Pollyanne Birge at polly@dillpickleclub.org.
WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?
If you haven’t yet read it, be sure to check out Rebecca Koffman’s story in this week’s Oregonian on our Peripheries tours. We’re also pleased to share with you video from the event to tell you more about our bus tour programs. Watch the short videos from the event after the jump and learn more…
North Portland Gentrification Tour
A tour to educate participants as to the rise, fall and efforts to reunite Portland’s Black neighborhoods.
There’s No Place Like Home Tour
A bus ride to hear first-hand accounts from currently and formerly homeless persons, as well as individuals and groups who work for social change around housing and homeless issues.
East Portland Tour
A tour to meet the personalities, immigrant and refugee organizations, businesses, and high school teachers, that are making SE 82nd Ave’s optimism, civility and unabashed ambition, possible.
We really appreciate our members and your investment in the Dill Pickle Club. We couldn’t do what we do with out you! Go to http://knowyourcity.org/join/donate/ and make a donation now. We thank you for your continued support, and look forward to seeing you at our fall tours.
All the best,
-Marc Moscato
Executive Director, Dill Pickle Club
