For the first time ever, the Sellwood Community House (SCH) held a large-scale fundraiser, called the “History Happy Hour”, Friday night, May 17, in the Dance Pavilion at nonprofit – and itself historic – Oaks Amusement Park.
The need for funds was obvious – the hundreds of thousands of dollars of water damage done to the entire historic building by the large burst water pipe in its attic during January’s major week-long ice and wind storm.
Folks attending the party at The Oaks were greeted with live music from the “Ne Plus Ultra Jass Band” playing, as well as by plentiful hors d’oeuvres and treats, local beer, wine, and nonalcoholic beverages.
Master of Ceremonies Simon Fulford – recently, President of the SMILE neighborhood association – adroitly kept the evening moving. During the formal program, guests raptly absorbed three, graphically-illustrated historical presentations.
Emily MacKay of Oaks Amusement Park, presented “Where the fun never ends: 120 years of fun at Oaks Park”Eileen Fitzsimons, SMILE History Committee Chair and an historical writer for THE BEE, spoke on was “Reflections on Water” – the importance of our waterwaysMike Houck of the Urban Greenspaces Institute gave a talk, presented with humor, entitled, “Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge: A Brief History”