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Ten months ago IRCO launched a unique series of free seminars entitled Faces of IRCO. Faces of IRCO was first designed specifically to inform IRCO’s volunteer base on particular ethnic groups and cultures that the volunteers might be working with through there time as an IRCO volunteer.

Over the last year the seminars have developed into a monthly workshop where food, language, culture and personal stories are shared. The format is as follows: a country is selected and then several IRCO employees and community members from that country meet and design an agenda for the night. They all make food from their countries of origin, talk about the history and culture of their country and then share their personal stories of how they arrived in the United States and finally Portland.

The workshops have grown over the year and streamlined into a solid hour and a half of information, cultural exchange and education on both sides. The evening usually ends with an extensive Q&A session when the audience asks questions of the presenters about the country, culture and customs of the nights studied country. Past countries include Ethiopia, Cuba, Somalia, Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma), Bhutan and Iraq.

Faces of IRCO is starting a new chapter come fall 2010. While the monthly workshops will continue, a quarterly seminar will also be added. With the same general format, this seminar will be held in a larger venue and be open to the general public and all who are curious about learning of the different cultures and countries that come together to make our unique Portland community.

Tags: events | faces of irco | IRCO News | Seminars

The IRCO Invitational now has a $10,000 prize for anyone who makes a hole-in-one thanks to the Oregon Vietnamese Golf Association. In addition, anyone who attends will receive a $50 gift certificate for an online golf store. If you haven’t already signed up, here’s your chance! Click here for registration, and we’ll see you on the green August 22^nd!

Tags: Charity | golf | IRCO Invitational | OVGA | Prize

Three IRCO volunteers and about 15 IRCO youth manned stations at this weekend’s Sunday Parkways on the Eastside of Portland. Sunday Parkways routes create traffic-free streets linking parks and great places to walk and ride bicycles; it’s all about connecting neighborhoods while getting exercise.

The East Portland Sunday Parkways route had a 4.5-mile loop, connecting Ed Benedict (and the East Portland Exposition), Bloomington and Lents Parks.The next Sunday Parkways will have a group of IRCO Staff riding in unison through the streets, talking with people and talking about IRCO. Let us know if you want to join us! It will be in Southeast Portland and the route will have two loops, connecting Laurelhurst, Colonel Summers and Sunnyside Parks, plus the Hawthorne Street Fair. Food, music and activities will be located in the parks and along the route. 

Tags: Burmese Youth | East Portland Expo | IRCO Volunteers | Sunday Parkways