RAPS Group Reports The RAPS Book Group will meet January 20 at the Terdals’ new home in Terwilliger Plaza (2545 SW Terwilliger Blvd. #812) and discuss The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony and Graham Spence. In 1999 Anthony agreed to accept a herd of “troubled” elephants in a wild animal preserve that he owned. The Publisher’s Weekly review describes the book as follows: “Winning their trust, becoming deeply attached, and even learning how they communicate, Anthony took enormous risks in the form of enraged elephants, distrustful neighbors, and poachers. An inspiring, multifaceted account, Anthony's book offers fascinating insights into the lives of wild elephants in the broader context of Zulu culture in post-Apartheid South Africa.” Contact Marge at 503-808-7438 or dbmt@pdx.edu to RSVP and for directions. Free valet parking is available at the front of the building. In February the book group will discuss A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. This is the account of a teenager caught in the rebellion in Sierra Leone in the 1990s, of his experiences as a child fleeing violence, as a soldier, and then in a UNICEF rehabilitation center. Chosen by Amazon as one of their best books of 2014, the website notes, “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.” We will decide the location of the February meeting in January. --Joan Shireman The RAPS Bridge Group will meet (or already has met) on Tuesday, January 6, 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: February 3, 2015 and March 3, 2015. We gather in the conference room of Friendly House’s Anderson Building. (This building is on the North side of NW Savier Street, around the corner from the main entrance to Friendly House at 26th and Thurman.) Playing begins at 1 pm and continues to about 4:30 pm. We are friendly and are always looking for new players. We are hoping that Scott Burns will get less busy after his retirement. He indicates interest in playing bridge with us soon. If you wish to join us, please contact Steve Brennan, 503-646-6297. My email address is the.steve.brennan@gmail.com --Steve Brennan The RAPS Hiking Group’s next hike is January 9. Meet at 9:30am at the Chart House Restaurant on SW Terwilliger. It is OK to park there for two hours. Marge Terdal will be the coordinator for this hike. We will walk from there uphill about one mile to SW Fairmount. Part of the hike will be a trail through the woods, and part on residential streets. When we reach Fairmount, we will walk east about 1.3 miles to a new hiking trail called (I think) Flicker. This goes downhill about one mile, joins with the Marquam Trail, and ends up on SW Terwilliger. We will then walk along Terwilliger, back to the Chart House, about ½ mile. The whole hike is about three miles, so we will get back to the Chart House about 11:00am, when it opens for lunch. I recommend that you wear hiking shoes, because it probably will be muddy if we get rain this week. Call me (503-808-7438) or email me (dbmt@pdx.edu) if you plan to come. Also tell me if you would like to have lunch at the Chart House (the cost will be about $10.00), and I will make a reservation. Hope for no rain on Friday. --Marge Terdal 3
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