Nonprofits with Purpose
Professionally and personally, Pete has helped raise awareness and funds for several nonprofit organizations. 🙏 He volunteers and/or has contributed to organizations including All Hands Raised, Bark, Blanchet House, Chamber Music Northwest, Children’s Cancer Association, Habitat for Humanity, KMHD, New Avenues for Youth, Ovarian Cancer Research Association, Lift UP, Meals on Wheels People, Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, and Street Roots. ✌️ Peace.
Saved by Wool
Mal de Débarquement Syndrome (MdDS) is a chronic neurological disorder that throws people off balance in every aspect of their lives — literally and figuratively. MdDS causes one to feel a constant rocking, bobbing, and swaying sensation, as if on a boat.
In Kimberly’s case, MdDS derailed her thriving career as a filmmaker and photographer. Her award-winning work was published in a variety of magazines and for a long list of commercial clients until she developed MdDS in 2015.
“I picked up wool, which is what saved my life, and I don’t say that lightly,” Kimberly says. “I didn’t know how to get through the day, since I wasn’t engaged anymore in a creative profession. So I started poking around with wool, which took enough of the peripheral noise down to focus on my breath and the needle poking the wool…. Minimizing some of my sensory stimuli always helps calm me, even if it doesn’t remove the perception of being at sea.”
Grieving with Vertigo & Covid-19
Six years ago, Heather lost her balance to Bilateral Meniere’s Disease, a vestibular disorder characterized by fluctuating hearing loss, recurrent episodes of vertigo and nausea. Heather also suffered from cognitive problems including difficulty multitasking, concentrating, sensory sensitivity, and memory loss. In addition to her vestibular impairments, her health took an even graver turn when she contracted Covid-19. Then, just when her health was beginning to rebound, her father passed away. “I just keep telling myself it’s going to be okay,” Heather says.
Next-gen Plant Pros
Future growth of the horticulture industry depends on developing a fresh crop of farmers
The average age of Oregon farmers is at an all-time high — 60 years and climbing. There are more farmers over the age of 75 than between the ages of 35 and 44. Ideally, there would be a new generation to take their place, but many would-be farmers are turned off by the long hours, hard work and low pay. The industry must provide fresh incentives to attract a new generation of plant professionals.