RAPS GROUP REPORTS The RAPS Book Group met at the Terdals’ new home in Terwilliger Plaza on January 20 to discuss The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony and Graham Spence. It was a day of sunshine and blue sky, and as we met we looked out at a stunning view of Mount hood. The group liked the book; we thought we learned some amazing things about elephants, and about attempts to protect the wild animals of Africa. Two of our members, Marge Terdal and Maxine Thomas, had been in Africa – Maxine for two years in the Peace Corps – and both brought pictures and artifacts to share. On February 17, the book group will discuss A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. This is the account of a teen-ager caught in the rebellion in Sierra Leone in the 1990s, of his experiences as a child fleeing violence, as a soldier, and in a UNICEF rehabilitation center. Amazon has chosen it as one of the best books of 2014. Their website states “This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children have become soldiers of choice. In the more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them.” The book group will meet at the home of Maxine Thomas, 6535 SW Canyon Court, Portland. Contact her at 503-291-1279 or ondangwa@yahoo.com to RSVP and for directions. In March, the group will meet at the home of Felicia Wirtz and will discuss The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin, advertised by Amazon as “historical fiction at its best.” Booklist’s review states “Coplin’s mesmerizing debut stands out with its depictions of uniquely Western personalities and a stark, gorgeously realized landscape that will settle deeply into readers’ bones.” It should be interesting to read and to discuss. --Joan Shireman The RAPS Bridge Group will meet (or has already met) on Tuesday, February 3, 2015. We meet regularly on the first Tuesday of each month. Given the timing of the monthly RAPS Sheet, let me inform you of a couple of upcoming bridge sessions: March 3, 2015 and April 7, 2015. We gather in the conference room of Friendly House’s Anderson Building. This building is on the north side of Savier Street, just around the corner from the main entrance of Friendly House at 26th and Thurman. Playing begins at 1pm and continues to about 4:30pm. We are friendly and are always looking for new players. If you wish to join us, please contact Steve Brennan at 503-646-6297. My email address is the.steve.brennan@gmail.com. --Steve Brennan The RAPS Hiking Group walked, on January 9, from the Chart House almost to the summit of Council Crest before returning to the chart House via the Marquam Nature Park and Terwilliger Boulevard. The group comprised Tom Hard, Sherry and Steve Salomon, Marge and Leif Terdal, Karen Vogelsang, Cilla Dieterich, and Larry Sawyer. The walk totaled about four miles. We saw many very expensive houses on our ascent. At lunch we had a great view of East Portland and Ross Island from the Chart House windows. The Friday, February 13 hike will be the Mount Tabor hike from the Portland Stairs book. It will be four miles, with 270 ascending stairs and 358 descending stairs. The trail includes Mount Tabor Park. Photos from the January hike are on Page 6 of this issue. --Larry Sawyer 5
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