2 THE RAPS SHEET APRIL 2022 CO-PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Mask mandate is over, but keep your guard up ALTHOUGH I AM OUT OF TOWN as I write this column, I understand that Oregon has lifted the mask mandate. As a senior citizen this troubles me. While those who are younger might see this as an opportunity to get back to normal, I hope you employ wisdom and realize that we, as seniors, are more vulnerable and still need to take precautions such as masking in public places and socially distancing when possible. On Thursday, March 17, RAPS was honored to have Harry Baechtel and select students from the PSU Opera Program talk about their upcoming performance. As you probably know, the PSU Opera Program is nationally recognized and has a 50-year tradition of teaching students all phases of opera, from sets to performing with a live orchestra. We met in person, but we were masked and we refrained from our traditional March potluck lunch for the safety of our members. Our usual president’s luncheon in April has been canceled, but President Stephen Percy has agreed to address us via Zoom. The program will take place on April 26 at noon. You will receive a Zoom link by email shortly before the date. President Percy received his Ph.D. in political science at Indiana University. He had held several positions at other universities before coming to Portland State as dean of the College of Urban and Public Affairs. He is a champion of fostering strong connections between universities and their larger communities. Our president is an expert in public policy, administrative ethics, and urban politics. As many of you know, he is best known for his innovative solutions and collaborative partnerships within PSU and between the University and the community at large. The April 26 program will focus on updating us about developments on campus and providing us with important news and future plans of the University. This is a program you will not want to miss. In the meantime, please stay safe. If you have any ideas for future RAPS programs or activities, feel free to contact me at bruce@thesternfamily.net. —Bruce Stern RAPS Group Reports Book Group THE RAPS BOOK GROUP met remotely on March 15 to discuss The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. She is a Native American writer and the group has read and enjoyed her other books. Reactions to this book were mixed. Some found it difficult to follow and were uncertain about the author’s intent. On the other hand, some thought it a wonderful book, full of wisdom. It is a ghost story, humorous in places, but we couldn’t even agree on the message of the ghost. This book was published in 2021, and the COVID epidemic is part of the plot; we wondered if part of our confusion was because of the contemporary setting. In April we are going to read Judy Batalion’s The Light of Days. It is, as described on the cover, “an unforgettable true tale of exceptional bravery, female friendship. and survival in the face of staggering odds.” It is the story of Jewish women in Poland who enter the fight against the Nazi occupation. A meticulously researched history, it will, we expect, be a contrast to the enigmatic March book. The Book Group meets at 1:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. Traditionally we have met in members’ homes; currently we are meeting via Zoom. Any RAPS member is welcome to join the group. —Joan Shireman Hiking Group THE APRIL 26 HIKE will be at Lacamas Lake, also in Washington, where (hopefully) the camas will still be in bloom. There are some six miles of hikes at Lacamas Park. On March 22, the hikers tackled the 3.1-mile Columbia River Trail in Captain William Clark Park in Washington, just east of Washougal. The RAPS hikers hike on the fourth Tuesday of the month. Detailed information on the hike is emailed the week before. If you are not on the hikers’ email list, please contact Tom Dieterich at tgdieterich@earthlink.net to be put on the list. —Tom Dieterich
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