Stand Together Week--a Portland Timbers community initiative aimed at activating volunteers and non-profits across the city of Portland--started yesterday with projects at numerous locations. Every event will have either a Timbers player, Alumni Ambassador, or Timber Joey on hand working alongside volunteers, fans, and company groups. We'll be compiling reflections and stories each day to share you can also participate and follow along on Twitter with pictures and more with the hashtag #STWeek.
For more information and to learn how you can participate, visit www.portlandtimbers.com/standtogetherweek
Dave Trowbridge, adidas
Community Cycling Center
Oct. 8, 2012
Where are we and what did you do today?
We’re at the Community Cycling Center and we cleaned bikes today. We cleaned bikes for kids for a big holiday giveaway.
Why do you think volunteer projects like this are important?
If we can connect to the whole community to a part of the community we might not otherwise see and just do the little somethings to try to help out, then I think that’s pretty awesome.
Is this something also central to adidas and what they’re trying to do?
Oh definitely. Adidas encouraged us to do this and I sent an email to my boss and I said, “Hey, do you mind if I do this?” And she says, “Absolutely, I encourage it,” she goes, “Find some other guys to take with you. There’s a bunch of cyclists in our department and I think you should all go.” There was no question about it.
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Futty Danso, Timbers defender
Community Cycling Center
Oct. 8, 2012
What do events like Stand Together Week mean for the community?
I think it’s a big week. It’s one if the biggest things the team has come up with and it’s something where they give back to the community. It’s not just [the team] coming to the games. It’s actually us giving back to the community, volunteering and doing stuff. It means a lot if you have professionals coming out of their way and doing stuff just to do it for fun or to be happy to do it. I think Stand Together is something I’m pretty impressed with.
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Amanda Ip, Fred Meyer
Portland Youth Builders
Oct. 8, 2012
We worked with Portland Youth Builders today to help clean up their facility a little bit. I personally got to spray and scrub the walls and get it all beautiful and prepped for painting.
We have a remarkably robust volunteer program with Fred Meyer and it’s always such a privilege to work alongside folks from not only the office but also from in our stores. So we had ten fabulous HR folks from all across Portland come out this morning and help beautify this facility. It’s always so much fun to get together. A little bit of time and a little big of effort makes a huge difference in the community.
Without volunteer help and volunteer hours, facilities like this just don’t last as long and can’t accommodate the students as well for them to do what they need to do for these non-profits to thrive. We’re happy to lend some support and time to keep these facilities functioning at their very best.
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Eduardo Rodriguez, student with Portland Youth Builders
Oct. 8, 2012
How long have you been at PYB?
For about five months now.
Why did you come to PYB?
'Cause I needed a change. I was a little messed up back then. I became a better person. Learned new things. Learned to be more open.
What else have you learned since you’ve been here?
I learned how to do some construction using measuring tape. Learning how to communicate, be a leader, lifting things in certain ways.
What’s one of the most valuable things that PYB has taught you?
Basically, teaching me how to grow up.
What do you think of the players and volunteers helping out today?
I think it’s good because we all need to be one community. I mean, we’ve got to start somewhere like from a small piece of chocolate to a big Hershey’s chocolate bar. With almonds in it. I think it will be better for all of us.
Anything you want to add?
I’d say come out to PYB because it is very good. You will change a lot and you will like the changes that you will see and do because so far, I do. I like it a lot like way more than I was.
What’s next for you?
What’s next for me? Basically building my life from the start. Just starting from the bottom. It’s like building a house. I’m building the foundation right now to build the whole house.
Are you hoping to work in construction when you graduate?
Yes. My plan right now is to get out of here with a construction job and take some college classes here and there because what I plan to do for my career is become a car designer. I won’t be able to do it as soon as I get out of here because it’s going to be kind of long if I do it right now so I’m just going to get out of here with a construction job. At least try to and do some classes that relate to my dream. Here and there. Just baby steps one at a time. I’m just hoping things will come out great.
How old are you?
I’m 19.
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WATCH: Stand Together Week: Day 1
Zach Stratton, Fred Meyer
Portland Youth Builders
Oct. 8, 2012
What did you do today?
Me personally, I did some painting on the sheds with the green and yellow and putting the new colors on there.
What does this mean to Portland Youth Builders?
I think it’s big. They spend all their time out building homes for others and that kind of stuff so I think they need some people here to spruce up their own place since they’re always out doing their thing. It’s the least we can do for them.
What was it like working alongside your co-workers?
It was a lot of fun. I got to meet a lot of new people. I’m very new—only three weeks in—so it was very nice to meet from all the different stores, the different HR people and just get together out of the office and get an easy way to meet people.
What does it mean to Portland?
I think it’s huge. A lot of times even these things that a lot of people won’t notice, to the people here, I think will mean a lot. Just every little thing helps. It’s a great thing for them and for us to get together and help each other out.
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Mollie Derry and Katie Enloe, volunteers
Ockley Green K-8 School, Growing Gardens
Oct. 8, 2012
Katie: We are helping clean it up a bit before the winter season comes. I am here because I am a guest services attendant with the Portland Timbers.
Has it been fun?
Katie: I’ve enjoyed it. It’s a lot of fun. You get to meet different people and you get to see different parts of the community
Mollie: I’m here for basically the same reason Katie is. She invited me. She had heard about it and said, “Hey, do you want to go volunteer?” and I was like, “I’m all for volunteering!” It’s just been such a great day and meeting everybody is fun. I love working in the garden and in the dirt.
Why do you think it is important?
Mollie: First of all, it helps the kids to help learn responsibility for the garden, eating better and things like that. As adults and community, just coming together to help each other and grow.
Katie: I agree with things that Mollie said. Teaching kids how to work in a garden will then help them later in life when they want to go there. I didn’t have this growing up. I’m also not from Portland but knowing what flowers are okay to eat and what aren’t and knowing what plants could potentially have thorns that could hurt you is great to know. And what’s invasive. I didn’t know that mint would grow everywhere! I didn’t know that mint would have deep roots that I’d be pulling out!
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Kris Boyd, Timbers Forward
Ockley Green K-8 School, Growing Gardens
Oct. 8, 2012
What did you do today?
There had been an old garden that had been left and there was a lot of weeds in it so the kids and the volunteers have come out and we’ve tidied it up. The kids are going to use it to plant food and vegetables for their school lunches. It’s for a good cause.
For the whole city of Portland, it gives us an opportunity to go out and interact with people and also help the city to develop a relationship between this soccer club and the city as a whole. I think that both the club and the people outside it and the fans, it gives them a great opportunity to come and meet some players and meet some staff members that work with the club. It’s an enjoyable time. I’m sure everybody here today has worked hard and they’ve enjoyed it.
What was your favorite part about today?
It was good. When you first come in and you see the mess that it was in at the beginning and then to tidy it up and leave it looking well now. It’s good to say that you’ve helped be a part of that. Hopefully for the school kids, they’ll be the ones that reap the benefits of it.
