★★ July 2026 Newsletter ★★
* Treasures and Memories *
In the quiet time before your phone starts to ping…ping…ping with notifications, while the emails are silently waiting on your computer, you may be sitting with a fresh cup of tea or coffee when your eyes fall on an object – a treasure—that’s been in your life for a long time. You start to wonder what will happen to it when you’re gone. It may be a shadow box on the wall that holds mementos from a special time; maybe a vase handed down from your mother or grandmother; the shelf of favorite poetry books that you still turn to from time to time, a piece of furniture that you’ve re-upholstered time after time as your tastes change or that ruinous old cat that you loved is finally gone.
No matter the treasures’ origins, regardless of their true value, they’re valuable to you because they hold memories that are beamed back to you.
You may be saddened by the fact that no one else shares those memories that bestow the value beyond anything money can buy. Grandmother’s silver? “Nonna, we never knew your grandma and we don’t have time to stand around polishing stuff we’ll never use.” A painting done by a friend while you were camping beside a beautiful river? “I wasn’t there… It’s kinda’ pretty but I don’t know where it was so it means nothing to me.” The Morris chair with a matching ottoman? “It’s old and funky – we like clean lines and more wood than old fabric.” My mother’s vast collection of sheet music? No one else in the family plays the piano. For that matter, what about the piano? And are your old photos labeled?
Well, there will come a day when it all must go somewhere.
You might start by putting the ‘someday’ canning jars in glass recycling. The junk mail and coupons that were so interesting when they arrived…OUT! Egg cartons stacked up waiting for the right seeds to inspire a planting project: into recycling. Books that will never be reread can be distributed into Little Free Libraries and magazines taken to SCRAP for art projects. Extra pots and pans, measuring cups, kitchen appliances that are no longer useful, and bed and bath linens that sit unused in the linen cupboard can go to an agency or institution that will put them to good use or share with folks struggling to set up ‘home’. Can you donate to your Village or church fundraiser garage sale?
Get rid of stuff you don’t love. You can continue to enjoy your treasures in the pared down, cleared out space that gives your loved ones or estate agent a head start. Talk to friends about their plans for treasured belongings. Have a ‘Spark Joy Party’ with friends, sending special pieces to a new home. Research ‘downsizing’ or ‘right sizing’ consultants to call for ideas about disposition of meaningful belongings. Make a scrapbook with photos of once-loved treasures and their history.
But be very cautious of putting things into a storage unit. Heed poet Mary Oliver who said this:
Storage
When I moved from one house to another
there were many things I had no room
for. What does one do? I rented a storage
space. And filled it. Years passed.
Occasionally I went there and looked in,
but nothing happened, not a single
twinge of the heart.
As I grew older the things I cared
about grew fewer, but were more
important. So one day I undid the lock
and called the trash man. He took
everything.
I felt like the little donkey when
his burden is finally lifted. Things!
Burn them! Burn them! Make a beautiful
fire. More room in your heart for love,
for the trees! For the birds who own
nothing – the reason they can fly.
Mary Oliver, in Felicity
2015 / Penguin Press
~ Nancy Doty
* A Multi-Sector Plan for Aging: *
* We Are Recruiting for MPA Committees! Share Your Expertise! *
In partnership with the Oregon Governor’s Commission on Senior Services, AGE+ is recruiting members for committees that will help create Oregon’s Multi-Sector Plan for Aging (MPA). We are looking for people with experience or expertise in areas like health, housing, transportation, workforce, caregiving, community services, and more to help build an age-friendly future for Oregon.
To learn more about joining a committee, share your ideas, or show your interest, visit the Shared Future Oregon website. If you know someone with a unique, cross-sector perspective, please invite them to apply or reach out to Vani Kapur at [email protected].
* ‘Living Solo’ – A Great Day of Information and Camaraderie *
Our recent ‘Envisioning My Future’ event was presented by Viva Village as many of their members gave about 70 Villagers much valuable information about Living Solo. To honor the Viva Village efforts, we gathered at a venue in their own territory –the beautiful fellowship hall at St. Bartholomew’s Church. Box lunches were prepared by Kam & Kam.
Kathe Fradkin of Viva Village helped the Envisioning team organize the Living Solo program for the day. Many other Viva Villagers helped bring it to fruition. The panelists gave heartfelt descriptions of why the Viva program has been so important to them as they’ve navigated solo living. We learned about the development of the program and the many supportive facets such as “Let’s Go” for getting out and around, coffee hour, happy hour, discussion groups, a sounding board, and other elements that offer compassionate approaches to living alone by choice, by circumstances, or in preparation for an unknowable future.
After lunch we broke into discussion groups that provided a dynamic opportunity to share more stories and brainstorm ideas for how to bring the Living Solo program to life in other Villages.
The Envisioning planning group – Menbers from VATF, VNW, NSV, VCC and REV are all very grateful for the Viva willingness to share their terrific program and to embrace our Envisioning series.
And we couldn’t have done it without help from the Eastside Village team that brought the audio-visual system and set up the technical portion of the day. A big THANK YOU to the “instant” team for their help.
* Get to Know Our Villages! *
Join your Eastside Village hosts on July 11 at Laughing Planet. 4110 SE Woodstock Blvd, Portland from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm as they discuss EV membership and volunteering in “EV 101”. Free parking, on bus routes 19 & 75. Laughing Planet’s phone number is 503-788-2921.
Want to know more about RiverWest Village in Southwest Portland and how you can get involved as a volunteer, member or both? No need to wait for a formal presentation. Simply call 503-495-4934 to schedule a conversation with RiverWest’s Program Coordinator. Tailor your participation to your interests and availability.
Join an UpRiver Village Council member on July 9 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm to learn more about the Village Movement and UpRiver Village, the newest Village in the Portland Metro area. This will be an overview to help you decide if you’d like to become more involved as a member, volunteer, or both! Click here to RSVP so the UpRiver Village team can send you a link to the virtual presentation.
Learn about Viva Village at one of their Viva Village 101 sessions! Click here to register for the in-person meeting at the Viva Village Office, 4800 SW Griffith Drive, #102, Beaverton 97005 on July 9th from 2:00 to 3:30 pm to have a casual small-group conversation with current members and volunteers. Or if you prefer to meet virtually, join through Zoom on July 11th at 10:00 am. Click here to register for the online session.
★★ June 2026 Newsletter ★★
* “What you should really do is…” *
Well, I did it again.
I didn’t mean to, but I did.
When a friend was telling me about a situation that caused some distress, my response was, “Well, you should…”
Really? I was telling a friend, a very capable adult with lots of great life experience, what they SHOULD do. Even as the words were coming out of my mouth, I realized they were wrong.
With an admonition of ‘should’, we conjure up discontent and some kind of invisible standard. There is a comparison, an unarticulated measurement of an action that we believe is the best course. To the recipient of ‘should’, it may feel scolding or demeaning. It implies that we, the listener, know better.
Sometimes, no comment is necessary when we receive a description of a discomforting situation wherein the teller is expressing frustration or sadness. Perhaps we can emit an empathetic ‘vibe’ by simply being still and actively listening. Gentle questions to clarify will prove you are listening. A sympathetic comment here or there can be supportive.
When all is said and done, is it really our job to tell a friends what they SHOULD do? Does that imply that we have a better knowledge or more relevant experiential base? Does that put our friends at risk for feeling like they have not done their part? Does it imply that cultural or societal responses are more important than the person’s ability to ameliorate a sensitive situation? Is our seemingly friendly response based on our own inner voice?
When the tables are turned and we may want to vent, how can we protect ourselves from the hubris of others telling us what we SHOULD do? Perhaps we will trust our own intuition instead of entrusting it to external, familial, societal, community-based answers.
Remain connected to a community of friends, family, and Villagers that share values and understand the complications that come with real life. Position yourself among trusted individuals who will help achieve a sense of self-reliance, not admonishment or second-guessing. Decide for yourself what ‘success’ looks like. And don’t strive for perfection in ways that will always leave a question about whether a path is right or righteous. Choose a path with confidence and a little humility, leaving room to adjust the course along the way as needed for peace of mind.
Overall, try to be a good listener and an honest communicator. Be gentle with yourself and your friends. Be kind, be supportive. And be aware that not all expressions of frustration, sadness, or anger need to be fixed by someone else. If it is your story, write your own resolution and pat yourself on the back for your ability to manage the situation. Then stick with it. It is yours!
Aah… Here I am, still doing it! I am telling you how to manage sticky situations and personal challenges. Well, forgive me. I’m trying to stop telling others how to manage their lives, and take more responsibility for my own.
Ultimately, don’t shut out those who care and who sincerely want to help. Extend a little grace if others just can’t help it, when they say, “Well, what you should do…” Just nod and smile and bask in the warmth of well-meaning directives.
In the end, be true to yourself. Adjust your self-perception and diminish attempts to achieve perfection based on outside-influence measuring sticks. Be confident! Be bold! Be real! Be courageous! Set your own boundaries and stick to them! You really should…
~ Nancy Doty
* Beth Sale Joins Villages NW Board *
We are delighted to welcome Beth Sale to the Villages NW Board!
Beth learned of the Village Movement through a local news story on Oregon Public Broadcasting. In 2016, there was to be a meeting at Vancouver Community Library to assess the interest in a village in Vancouver or Clark County. She attended that meeting and was ‘hooked’.
Thus began her ‘career’ with Villages NW. She was part of the planning committee to establish Villages Clark County. She took a break from villages just as Villages Clark County was opening, but returned in time for COVID. Beth has led her Village’s Service Request Team since then and helps keep services running smoothly. She has also been part of the Villages NW Leadership Development Team, which organizes the Listen Lunch Learn series.
Beth was born and raised in the Puget Sound Area of Washington State then moved to Vancouver, WA in 1973 to marry and to begin her career as a pharmacist. Her dedicated 27-year career spanned the organization’s many transformations, serving what began as St. Joseph’s Community Hospital, became Southwest Washington Medical Center, and is known today as PeaceHealth. During that time, she worked in many areas of the pharmacy and hospital, including home health and the operating room. She was in pharmacy administration for roughly half her career there and participated in the implementation of several new programs.
During all this time, her children attended Montessori schooling from preschool through high school. She became a believer in that pedagogical philosophy, so when she retired from SWMC in 2000, she decided that she needed a new career. She took Montessori Elementary Training with a MEd. from Loyola University and then taught upper elementary (9-12 year olds) for 12 years at Franciscan Montessori Earth School, in SE Portland.
Beth enjoys being active and knowing that she is making a difference in people’s lives. Believe it or not, she enjoys meetings! Group dynamics are exciting to Beth, especially brainstorming new ideas and testing how they can be implemented. She is a process person, knowing that not only WHAT you hope to achieve but HOW you go about doing it is critical to its success.
She is looking forward to being part of the VNW Board and hopes that she can contribute her perspective of 10 years as a Village leader to strengthen the organization and help Villages continue to thrive.
* Oregon City Garden & Art Tour: Registration Open *
Saturday, June 13
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Hosted by Village at the Falls
Click here to register. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 day of.
Join villagers in a tour of 8 private gardens in the Oregon City area featuring a wide variety of design and plant choices adapted to the neighborhood and grounds. As you explore, you’ll find local artists selling handcrafted pieces for your home and garden, as well as various raffle items to help fund membership assistance for Village at the Falls.
* Get to Know Our Villages! *
Join your Eastside Village hosts on June 13th at the Tabor Space Library, 5441 SE Belmont St, Portland OR 97202 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm as they discuss EV membership and volunteering in “EV 101”. Free parking, on bus route. Tabor Space’s phone number is 503-954-2610.
Want to know more about RiverWest Village in Southwest Portland and how you can get involved as a volunteer, member or both? No need to wait for a formal presentation. Simply call 503-495-4934 to schedule a conversation with RiverWest’s Program Coordinator. Tailor your participation to your interests and availability.
Join an UpRiver Village Council member on June 11 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm to learn more about the Village Movement and UpRiver Village, the newest Village in the Portland Metro area. This will be an overview to help you decide if you’d like to become more involved as a member, volunteer, or both! Click here to RSVP so the UpRiver Village team can send you a link to the virtual presentation.
Learn about Viva Village at one of their Viva Village 101 sessions! Click here to register for the in-person meeting at the Viva Village Office, 4800 SW Griffith Drive, #102, Beaverton OR 97005 on June 11th from 2:00 to 3:30 pm to have a casual small-group conversation with current members and volunteers. Or if you prefer to meet virtually, join through Zoom on June 13th at 10:00 am. Click here to register for the online session.
★★ May 2026 Newsletter ★★
* May is Older Americans Month *
Every May since 1963, the Administration for Community Living leads nation-wide recognition and celebration of older Americans. This year the Older Americans Month theme is ‘Champion Your Health’.
In Villages NW, the notion of ‘Champion Your Health’ is a validation of the work being done in Villages. Through ‘Envisioning My Future’ Villagers have participated in cornerstone programming that includes maintaining brain and body health through the arts and home safety for living at home longer and stronger.
With this year’s Older Americans Month theme, ‘Champion Your Health’, we are asked to be more aware of our personal responsibility for maintaining good health. Along with Older Americans, the entire community is urged to participate in preventive care and screenings, nutritional choices that minimize highly processed foods, regular physical activity that will build and maintain strength and mobility, and daily habits that develop resilience. In addition, we are asked to remember that social connections and community engagement are important for emotional well-being.
When Older Americans demonstrate good self-advocacy and participate in the activities and choices that promote their own good health, quality of life is enhanced and longevity is improved. Furthermore, it allows for better opportunities for informed decision-making and self-determination.
Older Americans Month is also a time to bring together a volunteer spirit with shared meals, social calls made to potentially isolated or under-served neighbors, and random acts of kindness that showcase reciprocal concerns within our community. Indeed, within our Villages, there is a great opportunity to highlight how Older Americans are vital to the beautiful woven tapestry of our neighborhoods. We are here to build strong community social and experiential infrastructure that will benefit more than just Older Americans.
So join Villagers in celebrating Older Americans Month. Take time to recognize and celebrate the contributions of older neighbors who are a vital part of the community. And be aware of the responsibility that we all carry to participate in our own well-being so that we can contribute to the well-being of our neighborhoods and the wider community.
Villages, at the heart of ‘community’, are full of Older Americans who pursue connections and activities that are the glue that makes us stronger, more resilient, and provides better quality of life. In Villages, every month is Older Americans Month; ‘always’ is a good time to recognize and celebrate our Older American neighbors.
~ Nancy Doty
* Oregon City Garden & Art Tour: Registration Open *
Saturday, June 13
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Hosted by Village at the Falls
Click here to register. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 day of.
Join villagers in a tour of 8 private gardens in the Oregon City area featuring a wide variety of design and plant choices adapted to the neighborhood and grounds. As you explore, you’ll find local artists selling handcrafted pieces for your home and garden, as well as various raffle items to help fund membership assistance for Village at the Falls.
* Get to Know Our Villages! *
Join your Eastside Village hosts on May 9th at Laughing Planet. 4110 SE Woodstock Blvd, Portland from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm as they discuss EV membership and volunteering in “EV 101”. Free parking, on bus routes 19 & 75. Laughing Planet’s phone number is 503-788-2921.
Want to know more about RiverWest Village in Southwest Portland and how you can get involved as a volunteer, member or both? No need to wait for a formal presentation. Simply call 503-495-4934 to schedule a conversation with RiverWest’s Program Coordinator. Tailor your participation to your interests and availability.
Join UpRiver’s Council member Deb Sanchez on May 14 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm to learn more about The Village Movement and UpRiver Village, the newest Village in the Portland Metro area. This will be an overview to help you decide if you’d like to become more involved as a member, volunteer, or both! Click here to RSVP so the UpRiver Village team can send you a link to the virtual presentation.
Learn about Viva Village at one of their Viva Village 101 sessions! Click here to register for the in-person meeting at the Viva Village Office, 4800 SW Griffith Drive, #102, Beaverton 97005 on May 14th from 2:30 pm 3:00 pm to have a casual small-group conversation with current members and volunteers. Or if you prefer to meet virtually, join through Zoom on May 9th at 10:00 am. Click here to register for the online session.
★★ April 2026 Newsletter ★★
* Age Well, Age Strong! *
It is that time of year when the garden beckons.
But, after a few non-injury falls, it has to be admitted that I am not as nimble or as graceful as in days gone by. Now when I stumble, I fall!
In the garden, all that reaching, bending, lifting, digging, pruning, and hauling must eventually get done. My garden helper got himself another job over the winter. Now he’s too busy to return. It’s up to me. (My husband is a willing helper, but his approach is much different than mine; his enthusiasm is analogous to a chain saw and fire hose. Sometimes it is better that I work alone.)
So, as this past winter wore on, it was time to get back to the gym in earnest to prepare for garden season. Through that process I’ve learned a couple of interesting things about the human body. While it is no secret that as we age we may more quickly lose muscle mass. But it can be recovered. And there are two interesting indicators of where we are in general strength and wellness as we age: hand grip strength and the good old gluteus maximus. (Remember ‘buns of steel’?)
According to the National Library of Medicine in January 2024, grip strength is relevant to aging well as a fundamental metric of overall physical capability. Hand grip strength is an essential biomarker along with pulse rate, respiration rate and oxygen saturation, and blood pressure. When we can’t open that jar of jam, there is a message there!
Low hand grip strength is associated with increased number of hospitalizations, poor nutritional status, diabetes, cardiovascular system decline, and it may indicate a neurologic condition or nerve injury. In related research, upper and lower body strength, balance, stamina, and gait speed were tested in Great Britain, Australia, Canada, Korea, Germany and Japan. In these studies, hand grip strength was directly connected to an age-related overall decline in muscle mass, general strength, and physical functional capabilities. Remember that the next time you shake hands with someone.
And then there is the gluteus maximus, affectionately called ‘the glutes’, the largest muscle in the body.
Decrease in the strength of the glutes indicates a lack of activity that leads to general deconditioning. To get up and get moving in ways that increase the muscle strength of the glutes requires careful planning to avoid taking on too much at one time and increasing the risk of injury. So, in the interest of safety and injury prevention, ask your doctor for clearance, and possible short term Physical Therapy to get professional advice on movement and exercise that you can adopt going forward.
Although your derriere is near the vertical middle of the body, it is important in both directions, down to the heels and up to the head. All along the way there are muscles that are aided by the glutes for shock absorption, flexibility and strength, posture, and the mind-body connection that enhances mental clarity.
After clearance from your doctor, consider ways that you might improve your strength and stamina through regular exercise. Choose one day a week for a specific amount of time that you will dedicate to a new routine. Set personal benchmarks (not to be compared with anyone else!). Make it easy to be consistent. After one week, add a few minutes. After a few weeks split your workout, taking half to a second day. Incrementally add time and global strengthening (arms, legs, core or abdomen). Even ‘chair exercise’ helps. Every month, check your personal benchmarks and note whether your sleep is improved, or you have less pain in knees or lower back. Ask yourself if you feel your posture has improved. Are there social aspects to working out that may help you stay motivated?
If you find that your exercise routine is getting too easy or too boring, don’t be afraid to vary the exercises or alternate between machines or Pilates and free weights or floor exercises. Try yoga or tai chi. Add dance. Join a walking group. Go biking. Play pickleball. Swim. Reduce your risk of falls, gain strength and stamina, and plan to stay active as well as you can. Remember that your hands and glutes tell the tale of general strength and flexibility that leads to aging well, aging strong. Make it fun. I’ll see you at the gym!
~ Nancy Doty
* Oregon City Garden & Art Tour: Registration Open *
Saturday, June 13
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Hosted by Village at the Falls
Click here to register. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 day of.
Join villagers in a tour of 8 private gardens in the Oregon City area featuring a wide variety of design and plant choices adapted to the neighborhood and grounds. As you explore, you’ll find local artists selling handcrafted pieces for your home and garden, as well as various raffle items to help fund membership assistance for Village at the Falls.
* Get to Know Our Villages! *
Interested in learning about Eastside Village from an enthusiastic member? They will be holding introductory sessions in person at local restaurants and cafes on the second Saturday of each month.The next session will be held on April 11th, from 11:00 pm until noon at TaborSpace in the Library, 5441 SE Belmont St. Portland (accessible ramp off of 55th Ave.) No sign up is required, just come.
Want to know more about RiverWest Village in Southwest Portland and how you can get involved as a volunteer, member or both? No need to wait for a formal presentation. Simply call 503-495-4934 to schedule a conversation with RiverWest’s Program Coordinator. Tailor your participation to your interests and availability.
Join UpRiver’s Council member Deb Sanchez on April 9 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm to learn more about The Village Movement and UpRiver Village, the newest Village in the Portland Metro area. This will be an overview to help you decide if you’d like to become more involved as a member, volunteer, or both! Click here to RSVP so the UpRiver Village team can send you a link to the virtual presentation.
Learn about Viva Village at one of their Viva Village 101 sessions! Click here to register for the in-person meeting at the Viva Village Office, 4800 SW Griffith Drive, #102, Beaverton 97005 on April 9th from 2:30 pm 3:00 pm to have a casual small-group conversation with current members and volunteers. Or if you prefer to meet virtually, join through Zoom on April 11th at 10:00 am. Click here to register for the online session.
★★ March 2026 Newsletter ★★
* Envisioning My Future *
On February 6th, ‘Envisioning My Future’ brought representatives from 10 Villages together to learn about safety in the home and emergency preparedness. Our event at the Portland Community College Opportunity Center gave us a morning of learning about safety in the home and how to prevent slips, trips, and falls. After a lunch prepared by the PCC Food Services program, we were inspired to prepare for ‘the big one’ – the long anticipated major earthquake that is expected when the tectonic plate shifts.
Almost 60 Villagers from ten Villages and several exhibitors learned from each other in a program brought to you by a volunteer planning team.
Vllage without Walls villager Elaine Nelson presented information about staying safe at home (preventing slips, trips, and falls) from their Village project. In conjunction with doctoral students from Pacific U, they inspired us to go room-by-room for an analysis of safety issues at home.
ReFIT’s Lupine de Snyder informed us of services available to assist with safety and accessibility in the home.
Kabir Bhatia and Villager Mark Leavitt (WLLO) spoke on the importance of resisting denial as we grow older, thinking ahead, learning new ways to do things when balance and stamina are diminished; and the relevance of Hello Everyday (including a new prototype geared toward those who may be entering cognitive decline).
VCC Villager Phyllis Robinson presented their project on soup-in-a-jar, also relevant to having emergency supplies on hand.
In an afternoon of emergency preparedness, Jonathan Tasini, Portland NET (Neighborhood Emergency Team) told us, “If you’re prepared for the ‘big one’ (earthquake) you can be prepared for anything” from sheltering at home to the need to evacuate. (Point of clarification: urine is not an approved source of hydration, even in an emergency!)
A comparative regional services presentation was made by Jodi Blackwood of Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA). Additional information and checklists were provided by Oregon Department of Emergency Management and Red Cross; Villages Clark County member, Kate Griffith suggested ways Villages might organize assistance; and Oregon Humane Society gave us information on preparing a ‘go bag’ for pets.
Special thanks go to the many volunteers who made this seminar happen and run smoothly: photographers, vendor coordinators, check-in, electronic registration setup, parking directors, catering coordinator, near-premesis directional sign maker, etc. Also, special thanks for financial support from the OCF Joseph E. Weston Public Foundation.
Thanks to Native American Youth and Family Services, who granted us special parking permission for event parking. NAYA owns the parcel of land where Ole Frijole restaurant formerly sat, on the corner of 42nd and Killingsworth. NAYA allowed us to use that site for our parking even though it is usually posted NO PARKING and cars are subject to tow. We owe them an extra special THANK YOU!
And thanks to all who made the day a success. Your questions and interaction with the
presenters, and friendly exchanges of Village information made the day especially meaningful. All tolled, it was a memorable and informative day. We look forward to the next Envisioning My Future in early June. Watch for it!
* Oregon City Garden & Art Tour: Save The Date *
Saturday, June 13
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Hosted by Village at the Falls
Registration will open in May. Join fellow villagers in a tour of 8 private gardens in the Oregon City area featuring a wide variety of design and plant choices adapted to the neighborhood and grounds. As you explore, you’ll find local artists selling handcrafted pieces for your home and garden, as well as various raffle items to help fund membership assistance for Village at the Falls.
* Get to Know Our Villages! *
Eastside Village is hosting their EV-101 informational for those interested in becoming a member or volunteer. Stop by on Saturday, March 14 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm at Laughing Planet 4110 SE Woodstock Blvd. Portland, OR 97202. Free parking is available, on bus routes 19 & 75.
Want to know more about RiverWest Village in Southwest Portland and how you can get involved as a volunteer, member or both? No need to wait for a formal presentation. Simply call 503-495-4934 to schedule a conversation with RiverWest’s Program Coordinator. Tailor your participation to your interests and availability.
Join UpRiver Village’s Council member Deb Sanchez on Thursday, February 12 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm to learn more about The Village Movement and UpRiver Village, the newest Village in the Portland Metro area. This will be an overview to help you decide if you’d like to become more involved as a member, volunteer, or both! Click here to RSVP so the UpRiver Village team can send you a link to the virtual presentation.
★★ February 2026 Newsletter ★★
* How to Remain ‘NICE’ in the Face of Doom and Gloom *
According to a recent online TIME magazine article, there are people who actually study how to be a nice person. Academicians like Emiliana Simon-Thomas of UC Berkeley Greater Good Science Center have some ideas on how we can stay afloat as kind, considerate, nice people even in times of unpleasant surroundings.
For one thing, it is important to approach friends and new acquaintances with an assumption that you have something in common. Find out what that is and build on it.
Listening is a very important skill. To really listen, one must be present in the moment, able to focus on the here-and-now. When you really listen, you will learn about people, their ideas, their dreams, their perspectives. That will help you circle back to the idea that you can find something in common.
When you listen, you will be able to ask cogent, respectful questions and follow up with shared ideas, dreams and perspectives. In this follow up, you can build alliances for future interaction and friendship.
Giving back is crucial to good relations and ultimate friendships. Make sure that you create a two-way street of give and take. Support friends, even in times of trouble that may seem inconsequential to you at the time. To be truly empathetic, we must walk along side, listen to the experience, and then imagine “walking a mile in their shoes.”
Learn names and use them. If feels warmer, there is more goodwill, when someone can remember to use your name—even after an absence. So, if that feels good to you, be sure to offer that to others.
Smile! Make it a genuine smile that reflects the joy of being a nice person that can collect and sustain friendships. Assume that your contacts are people who also seek joy and life satisfaction. Use happiness as a place to nurture the assumption of common ground. Look for it. Seek it in conversations and actions. Help develop it in others who are overwhelmed by the current gloom and doom environment.
To soften the potential for disagreement, look for key elements that will allow for respectful dialog. Listen and ask questions to be sure you understand the perspective. Then ask for permission to present your different perspective. Find strength in the ability to discuss without animosity or judgment.
It is fair and honest to acknowledge frustration, disappointment, and difficulties. We cannot fix everything. But we can certainly remain upbeat and let our respectful attitude coax others out of their depressed spirits by remaining present and bringing good news on topics of mutual interest.
By following these examples of how to be ‘nice’, we are right back to the beginning of building on common ground. In an age of divisive, hate-filled, accusatory rhetoric we can all benefit from reminders of how to be nice – and nicer to be in the presence of others.
We can certainly benefit from building bridges to strengthen our humanity and our relationships. Villages are the perfect place to practice being nice. Practice until it becomes an ingrained habit. Be nice to bring joy and peace into your own life and, by extension, into your Village. Cultivate and nurture niceness until our world is consumed by goodwill and the love of our neighbors at home and abroad.
And don’t forget to smile!
~ Nancy Doty
* Get to Know Our Villages! *
Eastside Village is hosting their EV-101 informational for those interested in becoming a member or volunteer. Stop by on Saturday, February 14 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm at Tabor Space, 5441 SE Belmont St, in Portland. Free parking is available, and on bus route 15. Tabor Space’s phone number is 503-954-2610.
Want to know more about RiverWest Village in Southwest Portland and how you can get involved as a volunteer, member or both? No need to wait for a formal presentation. Simply call 503-495-4934 to schedule a conversation with RiverWest’s Program Coordinator. Tailor your participation to your interests and availability.
Join UpRiver Village’s Council member Deb Sanchez on Thursday, February 12 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm to learn more about The Village Movement and UpRiver Village, the newest Village in the Portland Metro area. This will be an overview to help you decide if you’d like to become more involved as a member, volunteer, or both! Click here to RSVP so the UpRiver Village team can send you a link to the virtual presentation.
Viva Village hosts Online Viva Village 101 on Saturday, February 14, from 10:00 – 11:30 am. This informational session is for prospective members, volunteers, or anyone interested in Viva Village. Register here for the Zoom link. For an in-person chat, meet village leaders for an “Introductory Conversation About Viva Village” in the Viva Village Office, 4800 SW Griffith Drive #102, in Beaverton on Thursday, February 12 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm. RSVP here to reserve your spot.
★★ January 2026 Newsletter ★★
* A Thought for a Happy New Year *
Ring the bells that still can ring,
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack, a crack in everything,
That’s how the light gets in.
At this time of year, light seems more important than ever!
Just past winter solstice, we can look forward to the days getting a little longer. And as we move toward spring, perhaps there will be more days that are a little brighter as well.
And what will we do with longer, brighter days?
We can soak up the energy, like living solar panels, that may propel us to action – or at least activity – in our communities.
In times when we feel overwhelmed and burdened, we turn to friends and family, seeking buoyancy and sustenance. A patient listener, an offer of a cuppa’ tea or a glass of wine, a small bunch of flowers, a hand-written note, a spontaneous lunch date, sharing a book or a movie — any small gesture of kindness and thoughtfulness becomes magnified. When we are feeling heavy-laden with troubles in the world, our country, our community, a symbol of our connectedness is invaluable. And when times seem dark, look for the light!
Be the light!
When we share our humanity and our hearts, we build a better ‘grid’ of power and light. And when we have power and light, we fuel hope for our future.
So make 2026 a year of light and hope. Watch for the cracks that let in the light, and be prepared to be the light! The world will be a better place when we all shine and share our light with one another. Happy 2026! Stay well, stay connected. And shine!
~ Nancy Doty
* Get to Know Our Villages! *
Learn how you can get involved with Eastside Village! This month join the Village for their EV 101 on Saturday, January 10 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm at Laughing Planet 4110 SE Woodstock Blvd. Portland, OR 97202. Free parking is available, on bus routes 19 & 75.
Want to know more about RiverWest Village in Southwest Portland and how you can get involved as a volunteer, member or both? No need to wait for a formal presentation. Simply call 503-495-4934 to schedule a conversation with RiverWest’s Program Coordinator. Tailor your participation to your interests and availability.
Join UpRiver Village at their Village 101 virtual meeting on Thursday, January 8 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm to learn more about The Village Movement and how you can get involved as a member, volunteer, or both! Register here.
Villages Clark County’s 101 gathering will begin on Saturday, January 24, at 10:30 am in the Skamania Room at the Vancouver Community Library, 901 C St, Vancouver. Come learn about how Villages Clark County can help you “age in place.”
Viva Village hosts Online Viva Village 101 on Saturday, January 10, from 10:00 – 11:30 am. This informational session is for prospective members, volunteers, or anyone interested in Viva Village. Register here for the Zoom link. For an in-person chat, meet village leaders for an “Introductory Conversation About Viva Village” in the Viva Village Office, 4800 SW Griffith Drive #102, Beaverton on Thursday, January 8 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm.