This May the Alameda Tuesday Club will celebrate its 100th anniversary by supporting a project that will benefit the neighborhood and overall community. In addition to installing a new park bench in Portland Parks & Recreation’s Wilshire Park, The Club hopes to raise funds for future improvements to this key neighborhood centerpiece.
History of Alameda Tuesday Club
By 1913, Portland’s Alameda neighborhood was becoming one of the city’s prominent residential addresses. Often referred to as “the Portland Heights of the East Side”, Alameda featured view lots and street car service to downtown Portland. Small women’s neighborhood groups were popular, and provided a way for women to meet and socialize. In 1913, 29 female residents of Alameda formed Alameda Tuesday Club for the purpose of getting to know each other, to do good works and to have social functions. In 1914 the Club had grown to 31 members. In addition to having Virginia Arnold, a nationally known women’s suffrage leader as a speaker, the Club focused on community charitable activities. Working in hospitals and making children’s clothing for less fortunate families were important activities.
“I think The Club really took a step forward by befriending a family living in the woods in what is now PP&R’s Wilshire Park,” said Club Historian Carol Day. “For many years they provided this family with food baskets, coal, clothing and milk for the children.”
Over the past ten decades The Club has supported organizations such as the Red Cross, Albertina Kerr Home and Nursery, Doernbecher Hospital, Alameda School, the West Women’s Hotel and Portland Public Schools’ PTA Closet. In addition, the Club had floats in several early Rose Festival Parades. “While doing good works, there was always time for some fun,” said Day. Today The Club of 36 members meets monthly September through May. Speakers from organizations around the City provide educational programs and Club members provide needed essentials for our City’s nonprofits.
Wilshire Park Fundraiser at Kennedy School
- What: Alameda Tuesday Club’s Dine-Out Fundraiser for Wilshire Park
- Where: McMenamin’s Kennedy School, 736 NE 33rd Ave. Portland, 503.249.3983
- When: Tuesday, May 14, 5:00pm to closing
Note: The McMenamin brothers grew up in the neighborhood and enthusiastically agreed to donate a full 50% of all sales from the evening’s profits to benefit Alameda Tuesday Club’s efforts.
“The proceeds of the fundraiser will go to improvements for Portland Parks & Recreation’s Wilshire Park,” said Sarah Chung, Alameda Tuesday Club President. “We are partnering with the Portland Parks Foundation and PP&R for the betterment of the park, one of the neighborhood’s most valued and used assets.”
Representatives from The Portland Parks Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit tax deductible organization, will be in attendance at the centennial event with information about the planned Wilshire Park improvement. “The Foundation has a wonderful partnership and giving incentive with Columbia Sportswear this year. We are offering a 30% discount off a full store visit to Columbia to anyone who gives $10 or more to the Wilshire Park project,” said Jessie Bond, Foundation spokeswoman.
Brian and Mike McMenamin also have a special interest in this project. “Our mother, Pat, was a member of The Club for over 40 years. She loved and missed all of her lifelong friends she made at The Club when she moved away from the area,” said Brian McMenamin.
“As a legacy for Alameda Tuesday Club and its 100 years of community outreach, we are really hoping to kick start a long term development program for Wilshire Park. We hope everyone will join us on Tuesday, May 14 for a great cause, a great community event and a great evening,” said Chung.
For additional information about the May 14 event, please send an email to: alatues2013@hotmail.com.