3 RAPS SHEET n NOVEMBER 2023 Book Group THE BOOK GROUP met on October 17 and discussed Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival, and Hope in an American City by Andrea Elliott. The author is a reporter for The New York Times and spent seven years in episodic contact with a family in New York City. The family—parents and eight children— was living in a shelter for homeless persons when her reporting began. Over time there were changes. The poor condition of the home, directly tried to poverty, led to Child Protective Services becoming involved. Some of the children entered foster care. The author is clear that the dissolution of the family led to more difficulties for all the family members. We had a very lively discussion centered on the issue of where responsibility lay for the family’s troubles. We discussed whether the assistance they received was appropriate, and whether they should have received any assistance. Although we all wanted the best for the family, we discovered that our varied backgrounds led us to quite different ideas about what would be helpful. Some members also had question about the ethics of the reporter’s presence. An excellent book that provoked discussion about very basic issues. In November we are going to read The Music of Bees: A Novel by Eileen Garvin. The author’s home is in Hood River; perhaps we will learn the secrets of our local bees. The RAPS Book Group meets on the third Tuesday of the month. Currently we are meeting over Zoom. All RAPS members are welcome. —Joan Shireman RAPS Group Reports Bridge Group THE BRIDGE GROUP needs additional players. Why would anyone join our group? Our players are friendly and enjoy the social aspect of playing bridge together. We benefit from the mental challenges (e.g., remembering what the trump suit is, tracking which important cards have already been played, figuring out whose turn it is to deal the next hand, and more). I would like to hear from any interested RAPS members, or others you know who might want to play in our group. The RAPS Bridge Group does not require RAPS membership. Your friends and relatives would be welcome to join us. Please rattle your social and family networks to see if you might be able to shake loose a bridge player or two. Please contact Steve Brennan, 503-889-0146. My email address is: the.steve.brennan@gmail.com. —Steve Brennan Hiking Group REGRETTABLY, the October RAPS hike was canceled. Two leaders were out of town, Covid isolated another two, and the fifth potential hiker wasn’t available. The plan was to start at the Jones Camp trailhead off Highway 6 over the Coast Range, go east to a waterfall, return to the starting point, and go west to another waterfall. The November 15 hike is still scheduled for the Newall Creek Canyon trail in Metro’s newish park in Oregon City. —Cilla Murray Upcoming RAPS events NOVEMBER 8WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15 Hiking Group: Newall Creek Canyon (Oregon City). Contact: Tom Dieterich/Cilla Murray, tgdieterich@earthlink.net 8THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30 Presentation by Ann Cudd, Portland State’s new president. 333 SMSU. Note: President Cudd speaks to RAPS at 11 a.m., with lunch to follow. 8TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21 Book Group: The Music of Bees: A Novel by Eileen Garvin. Contact Joan Shireman at joanshireman@gmail.com. DECEMBER 8THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7 Annual Holiday Brunch, Augustana Lutheran Church, 2710 NE 14th Avenue, Portland. Doors open 10:30 a.m. JANUARY 8THURSDAY, JANUARY 18 “Divest Oregon: Confronting Climate Risks to PERS and the Planet,” presentation by Rory Cowal, instructor in the PSU School of Music and volunteer with Divest Oregon, a statewide grassroots coalition of individuals and organizations seeking to have the Oregon State Treasury divest pension funds of fossil fuel holdings. 333 SMSU. FEBRUARY 8THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15 “Two Terroirists from Tualatin,” a joint presentation by wine experts Michael Alberty and Scott Burns. 333 SMSU.
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