By now, Stand Together Week is humming along with numerous volunteers teaming with Timbers players and staff to put dozens of volunteer hours across the city of Portland. Below are some reflections about what people have been doing, what they like about it and why they think it is important.
You can also follow along on Twitter at #STWeek. For more information and to learn how you can participate, visit www.portlandtimbers.com/standtogetherweek.
Stephanie Manning, volunteer
Hillsboro Parks and Recreation
Oct. 10, 2012
What did you do today?
Today we took bark dust and spread it around the playground just to make sure that the kids are safe when they play even if they do happen to fall on the playground. It helps keep the kids safe here at 53rd Park.
Why is it important to give back to the community?
I think it’s important to volunteer in any community. Just giving back to where you live and especially having Timber Joey come all the way out here and doing it for the kids. I’m an educator myself so any way I can help the little guys is fun.
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Courtney Manning, volunteer
Hillsboro Parks and Recreation
Oct. 10, 2012
Do you think it’s important to have the Timbers commit their players and staff out in the community?
It’s very important. I think them reaching out to the community shows that they actually care about where they’re playing at too and just shows that they want to give back to their fans and the community they live in.
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WATCH: Stand Together Week: Day 3
Timber Joey
Native American Youth & Family Association Center
Oct. 10, 2012
You’ve done a lot this week at locations all over the city. What has been your role?
This week, I’ve been doing a lot of things. We’ve been moving around some sawdust around playgrounds, we’ve been repairing some garden areas for schools, today we’re scrubbing off some chairs which kind of goes to show that just about anything that needs to be done, we’re willing to do as volunteers for some of these non-profits in the area.
Why do you think it’s important for the Timbers to be involved in these kinds of projects?
I think it shows a big thank you to the community. It’s something more than an individual thank you. It’s thank you to the area we live in and it says that we love having the fans at our games and this is a way that we can show that we’re giving back to the city.
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Cassie Lovett, United Way volunteer
Native American Youth & Family Association Center
Oct. 10, 2012
What are you doing here today at NAYA?
We’re here at NAYA today because I work with United Way and as part of Stand Together Week with the Timbers that Hands On [Portland] has been putting on and since we’ve merged organizations with Hands On and United Way, we decided as team integration effort, we’d get out and do some of the same things that Hands On is doing and getting out there and volunteering with our community.
Why do you feel personally it’s important to get out there and volunteer?
I think it’s important because it shows a connectedness with the community in which we’re living in and it helps us feel a sense of unity, a sense of being united as well as, and I know it sounds cheesy, but it gives a sense of us standing together.
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Kate Barnes, volunteer
SCRAP
Oct. 10, 2012
What are you doing today and how did you get involved?
I’m just doing some arts and crafts prep here at SCRAP. I got involved because I was watching a game with my parents and they were advertising this Stand Together Week. I had been out of Portland area for four years and so I’ve been wanting to volunteer again figured this would be good way to start so I got into it.
Why do you feel volunteering is a good way to get back into the city?
Well, I used to volunteer a lot when I was younger. In high school, I always did outdoor school through Portland Public School. I volunteered at the zoo and a whole bunch of other things with my high school. My current job just keeps me in the house that I work in so I’m not very connected to the community so I always felt that volunteering was a good way to do that.
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Sara Treadway, volunteer
SCRAP
Oct. 10, 2012
What are you doing?
Die-cutting masks for Halloween at SCRAP which is a cool art re-use place.
Why do you think projects like Stand Together Week are important, both for your personally and for the larger community?
I actually really respect that [the team] brings everybody out into the community and contributes back to the city. Portland loves the Timbers and I think it’s awesome to see them back in the community. I’ve been watching the videos every week and listening to interviews and it means a lot to the players and you can tell that and I think that that means a lot. I’m also pretty active with the Timbers Army. I volunteer with them. I’m giving blood on Friday. I kind of like to do both to support the supporters because I think it’s a great thing to do in the community and it’s a good excuse. When it was posted, I was like, “Yeah, I can do that.” Volunteering is good but it’s nice to have that reminder to do it with people that you might have something in common.
(Editor's Note: Carling Leon contributed to this article.)
