Celebra Con Nosotros
A slice of Latin America arrived in Sandy with the first annual Fiesta en La
Plaza which included music, food and entertainment.
One of the highlights of the festival was the "Dance of the Old Men," which
despite its name, was a lively exhibition of toe-tapping fun featuring migrant
farm workers wearing colorful costumes, masks and sombreros, clattering on

the bricks of the plaza with wooden shoes while leaning on their canes and
clutching their backs like old men.

The "Dance of the Old Men" is a traditional Mexican dance.
In addition to the food and dancing, there were craft booths, activities for the
children and storytelling.

Deputy Consul Jorge Torres-Mendoza represented the Mexican Consulate from
Portland.

Viva Mariachi Mexico, a mariachi band, ended the evening, which had the
audience clapping along and dancing to the lively music.

Dog Days at Skibowl
Every dog has its day, and the setting for the first annual Dog Day at Skibowl
was perfect, providing dogs of all shapes and sizes room to sniff, snooze, play,
lounge and do what dogs do best. Monica Cory, then media manager at
Skibowl and a self-professed dog lover, came up with the idea which also tied
in with a benefit for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

"Skibowl is a perfect place for this event with its 40 acres of trails and the
accessibility and services," Cory said.

The event featured fun runs/walks, a "best pet trick contest," a raffle and
dog-friendly vendors selling everything from leashes to treats.
Oregon Guide Dogs for the Blind, which has a campus in Boring, provides 350
guide dogs free-of-charge to visually impaired people each year. For more
information about guide dogs and the incredible work they do, visit their
website at www.guidedogs.org.

WPTCO Fundraising with Mt. Hood Roasters
Wake up, smell the coffee, raise some money and a red-hot concept of selling

coffee as a fundraiser was brewed. Cheryl Gunderson, then WPTCO vice-
president came up with the idea.

"Coffee is something most people buy on a regular basis anyway ... so I
approached Rick Applegate (proprietor of Mt Hood Roasters) and asked if he
had done any fundraising with coffee," Gunderson said.

As it turned out, Applegate had been developing a fundraising division in their
company for some time.

"When Cheryl came to us with the idea we were elated," Applegate said. "It
makes us very happy that our community found a way to launch this concept
with us. We are very thankful for all the work WPTCO does for the school."
The Leadership Class at Welches School designed a custom label for the coffee
bags, and the yearly fundraiser was in full swing, with students selling coffee
for prizes provided by local businesses. During the past ten years Mt Hood
Roasters has sold 7,000 12-ounce bags and raised $29,000 for the WPTCO

from the sale of its coffee. The coffee fundraising for this year is on hold due
to COVID.