Posted May 7, 2020
by Leah Klass
On May 1st, Wilson High School parents and community came together for Staff Appreciation week to show some love to all the people whose hard work makes it possible for our students to succeed. To keep it local, they ordered 135 boxes of fresh produce from Portland distributor Pacific Fruit Company for all members of the Wilson staff: the teachers who have been adapting to distance learning, as well as the custodians, administrative workers, cafeteria staff and part-time employees. The community gathered in the SW Vermont St. parking lot to deliver the produce boxes and a curbside personal thank you to staff. There were colorful signs and posters to welcome them. Upon hearing about the fruit boxes, many teachers offered to donate theirs to students and families in need. Extra boxes were donated directly to Neighborhood House food bank so that the food could stay within the Wilson High School community. Many people, excited to see renewed activity at the school on a sunny morning, stopped by the event to ask what was happening. Some asked if it was a donation site. If you would like to learn how you can give or receive help in the community, Neighborhood House serves many people in our area directly.
As our human presence both on land and in the sky has been muted for the past weeks, many of Hillsdale’s primates have noticed and heard more from our avian neighbors. One gardening grandma exclaimed, “Have you heard them! They wake me up now every morning!” Reduced airplane traffic and car movement has meant that it is safer and easier for birds to fly in and over our suburban landscape. It is also easier for them to be heard by each other and by us. Bald eagles, herons, osprey are some of the larger birds that have been spotted enjoying the air space. Although we may feel confined by our situation, it is clear that the restriction of our movement impacts other life forms in a positive way. Look up and out! There are opportunities to test your identification skills and learn how to continue improving bird habitat at https://audubonportland.org.
Do you have more news of nice? Let us know. The more kindness we give, the stronger we are as a community.