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BY MARLYSS SCHWENGELS –
They arrived on three Grey Line tour buses, and when the 100 Nike volunteers left three hours later, The Salvation Army White Shield Center overflowed with the colors of springtime.
Nearly 150 Nike apparel sales representatives from around the country were in Portland recently for a week-long meeting, and every time they get together they perform some kind of community service. This time it was for The Salvation Army.
“If we didn’t have volunteers, the yard work and painting just wouldn’t get done,” said Bill McIntosh of White Shield, who helped coordinate the project. “The Nike volunteers have given the young women a beautiful place to begin to heal and feel good about themselves.”
Located in a forest setting, White Shield provides chronically abused teenage girls who are wards of the state with shelter and professional social services so they can become self-sufficient, non-abusive, responsible young women. Some are pregnant or teenage moms, and all suffer from behavioral disorders.
“Every one had a good feeling about the day and all that was accomplished,” said Ted Lambert, director of sales events for Nike.
And, a lot was accomplished.
With 20 gallons of yellow and lavender paint, some volunteers painted the girls’ rooms. Others planted 19 flats of flowers. Still others mowed the two acres of lawn or raked leaves. By afternoon’s end, they had volunteered 300 hours of work, and Nike matched volunteer hours.
As one teenager was heard saying, “You guys rock!” And, indeed, the Nike volunteers did.
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