3 The RAPS Sheet March 2020 RAPS Group Reports Book Group THE BOOK GROUP met February 17 at the home of Felicia Wirtz to discuss The Overstory by Richard Powers. A Pulitzer Prize winner, it has won wide acclaim. The setting is that of the protests that attempted to prevent timber harvests in western forests, told through the eyes of a variety of participants. The impact of these protests on lives, and the ethical issues raised, form the core of the book. Felicia described the meeting: “For the first time I can remember we strayed from the book into a number of personal experiences by members who participated to a small extent in protest gatherings. “As to the book itself, we all had the same feeling of bewilderment at the beginning but felt much better about it halfway through. We liked the fact that we were left wondering what (some characters) had decided to do.” The Book Group will meet on March 17 at the home of Nancy Chapman, 4214 NE Hazelfern Place, Portland. We will discuss Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover, the story of a young woman who, after a childhood where she had no schooling, managed to leave her survivalist background and move very successfully into the world. It has received considerable notice and we are looking forward to discussing it. Contact Nancy at 503-234-0162 or chapmannj@comcast.net to let her know whether you will be at the meeting. The book group meets at 1:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. New members are always welcome. —Joan Shireman Bridge Group THE RAPS BRIDGE GROUP meets in the afternoon on the first Tuesday of each month. We begin play at 12:15 p.m. and try to finish up by 4 p.m. We meet in Smith Memorial Student Center (SMSU). We have had some new and returning members join us for our last few meetings. Please feel free to be another one of our new members for bridge (we really would welcome more new members). Our next meeting will be on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 3, in 329 SMSU. I will send out the reminder email notice about one week prior to each date we play. If you wish to join us, please contact Steve Brennan, 503-6466297. My email address is: the.steve.brennan@gmail.com. —Steve Brennan Hiking Group ON TUESDAY, MARCH 23, the RAPS Hiking Group will meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Tryon Creek Nature Center, 11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd., Portland, for a loop hike of approximately 3.4 miles. The hike will take place in the Tryon Creek State Natural Area and Park, and we’ll enjoy views of a thick, mossy forest, park wildlife, and several unusual bridges across the creek. There are frequent changes of elevation, which keeps the trail engaging, but no major elevation gains. The group plans to have lunch at Nicoletta’s Table in Lake Oswego, a short drive from the park. For more information about the Tryon Creek Loop hike please see: https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7075662/tryon-creekloop. A map of the hiking area is available at: https://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=main.loadFile&load=_siteFiles%2Fpublications%2Ftryon_map.pdf —Eileen Brennan RAPS seeks nominations for 2020 retiree awards KNOW SOMEONE who is a RAPS stalwart and also has been active in community service or University affairs or professional activity? Of course you do. So why not nominate her or him for the 2020 Outstanding Portland State Retiree Award? There is a nomination form in the January RAPS Sheet or you can get one from the RAPS office. But you don’t need a form—nominations on ordinary paper or by email are fine. RAPS also bestows Special Recognition awards to any person, often a current PSU employee, who has aided RAPS and also is engaged in community or University affairs. Please send nominations by U.S. mail to RAPS, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland OR 972070751 or by email (you don’t have to use the form) to Emily Caparelli, RAPS office manager, at rapsmail@pdx.edu. The deadline for receipt of nominations is Wednesday, March 4, 2020. Questions? Please contact Steve Brennan, chair of the Awards Committee, at the.steve.brennan@gmail.com or 503-646-6297.
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