Dear Christine, 
 
We are fortunate to watch the greatest goal scorer of all time, play in our town and on our pitches. You have helped create thousands of soccer fans from your time leading the Portland Pilots to 2 NCAA Championships to your upcoming 9th season with the Portland Thorns. When I ask my friends who their favorite Thorn is, by far, the top answers are Sinc, Sincy, and the GOAT. Many fans have struggled over the past year with the challenges that the pandemic has created. The personal impacts have been substantial for many of us. You and the Thorns have been a bright spot and an escape in these trying times.  
 
While we have not been able to cheer for you in person, we have had the opportunity to meet virtually to watch the Challenge Cup, Fall Series, and even just to play bingo. It has been incredible to meet new friends, who are not just here in the PNW, but all over the US. We even have had supporters join the watch parties from Chile, Thailand, and Australia. None of this would have happened without you and the Thorns. As we look forward to the future the hope is beginning to emerge again. 

We are looking forward to safely returning to Providence Park.
We are looking forward to cheering for you.
We are looking forward to seeing the red smoke rise in the North End when you score a goal.
We are looking forward to celebrating the team, win, lose, or draw.
Most importantly…
We are looking forward to being together as supporters, as friends, and as family in our favorite home away from home. 
 
Thank you for all that you do for this town and embracing Portland as your home.  
 
One Goal Beyond! 

A Rose City Riveter

Dear Becky,

Hello. Thanks for the introduction, though you do not need one. We have been waiting for you with open arms. 

For the past 7 years, we have been in awe of you and you’ve broken our hearts more than once. We still remember the 2014 playoffs, after all. 

When news broke last year that you were coming to Portland, we were elated. This was right before the pandemic changed everything. Since then, we’ve been watching from afar and have been subtle in our displays of affection, but since you wrote us we thought it only appropriate that we respond. 

We look forward to the day where we get to root for you in person. We look forward to backing you up when there are challenging calls made, when emotions overflow, and when you inevitably net your first in the north end. In a normal year, we would have had a dance party after your first match. We missed that opportunity last year so we are working on our moves for when we’re back together.

We have been watching you on your national team duty, too. We are proud of the leadership you provide every day and we are proud to have 2 national team captains wearing our colors. 

We know the stadium is quiet now. And we suspect it will remain quiet for a while longer. And as we slowly start returning to the stadium, know that we will not be in full voice until it is safe for everyone. We have many in our community who cannot take the risk or do not want to be a risk for others, so we are being very cautious. This does not mean that we do not care, but rather that we care so much about the community we’ve built. We all return to Providence Park, to create the party we’re familiar with, but we also know we cannot do that alone. We’ll be back when we can all be together. 

Until then, know we’re supporting you and the rest of the squad from our living rooms and backyards. And as much as we love roses, we are also big fans of hardware. We’ll need something on the line for our inevitable dance off. 

Your supporters,

The Rose City Riveters

In 2019, many of us spent time with Chris Henderson. Chris was working on his thesis for his PhD in Philosophy in American Studies (Sports Studies) at the University of Iowa, and met with many of you, both in the North End and at Fanladen. Chris’s thesis has now been made public- “Pleasurable labors: activist fandom, sport communities, and the performance of place”- and you can read it here.

Thank you to those of you who took time to meet with Chris, and warm thanks to Chris for representing Rose City Riveters and all that we collectively strive for so well. 

Quarantining for another holiday sucks! Start the day with your fellow Riveters and join Sato in a mobility workout to get those tired and sore joints & muscles moving!

This will be an informal group exercise together. It will be a low impact, movement workout meant to get your joints limber & to move with greater range of motion.

Join us!  Either in your PJ’s or workout clothes and with your favorite beverage…it doesn’t matter! No equipment necessary.

(Use the REGISTER button at this link – the meeting link will be emailed to you on 12/24)

Our relationship with the players is unique. It’s something that I cherish about being part of the Riveters community.

COVID-19 has changed that this year. The North End was silent. No home games. No interactions with the players or staff.

Let’s send a card or short note to our Thorns to let them know that we are thinking of them.

An anonymous donor has offered to cover the cost of cards and/or postage for those in need. Contact Rose City Riveters for assistance; info@rosecityriveters.org.

Cards are to be mailed to Fanladen where they will be sent to the players with the Front Office assistance.

Have cards mailed by Jan 8, 2021.

Please address the cards in this format:

Player’s name
℅ Riveters
1633 SW Alder St.
Portland, OR 97205

Dear Friends,

We are suspending all in-person activities, including donation drives, until 2021.

Please consider cash/check donations if you can help our donation drive recipients.

See You Soon,

Rose City Riveters

Get it on your calendar! this year’s Town Hall will be online.

It’s not the same as in person, but let’s get together and talk everything Riveters.

If you have questions that will be better answered by a particular committee, we’ll be sure to have representatives that can provide answers.

You can submit questions in advance here.  To sign up to get the link, click here. The event will be held on the Google Meet platform. Hope to see you there!

Mission statement: “JOIN exists to support the efforts of individuals and families experiencing homelessness to transition into permanent housing. Our efforts are directed at individuals sleeping outside or in their car in the Portland Metro area. Our service provision is not dependent on age, gender, race, ethnicity, faith, culture, language, sexual identity, specific diagnosis, or identifiable issue.”

In addition to their other work, JOIN has recently been involved in the creation of Portland’s C3PO camps, which started operating in April to mitigate effects of covid, and prioritize BIPOC, trans, gender non-conforming, and queer individuals who often have a more difficult time in the shelter system.
Many items can be gently used or open, please check the list (below or found at their website) for details:

Cold Weather Items – New or gently used
• Socks
• Blankets
• Sleeping Bags
• Tarps
• Jackets
• Hats
• Gloves

Hygiene Items –New or partially used/open
• Shampoo – large or small size
• Conditioner – large or small size
• African American hair care products
• Feminine Products
• Razors & Shaving Cream Soap (bar and liquid)
• Lotion
• Deodorant

First Aid Supplies- New or partially used/open
• Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Aspirin
• Band-Aids
• Anti Bacterial Wash
• Neosporin
• Ace bandages

Basic Service Center Food items
• Coffee
• Sugar
• Creamer
• Peanut Butter

Clothing- Gently used or New:
• Men’s and women’s functional clothing
• Men’s and women’s underwear & bras
• Men’s and women’s boots and shoes

Miscellaneous:
• Headlamps
• Pet Food & Supplies
• Trimet Bus Tickets
• Fred Meyer/Safeway/Albertsons Gift Cards
• Stamps
• Bike Locks
• Bath Towels
• Books & Periodicals
• Backpacks
• Paper & plastic bags

We do NOT accept: Furniture, Dress clothing and shoes, Toys

Donations can be dropped off at Fanladen during the following hours:

• Wednesdays – 6pm to 8pm
• Fridays – 3pm to 6pm
• Saturdays – 12pm to 3pm
• Sundays – 12pm to 3pm

Fanladen is located at 1633 SW Alder. All donations are accepted at the door to maintain social distancing. This drive will run through September.
JOIN also needs financial donations to purchase additional items. If you wish to make a donation, please visit this link. We know some folks are not currently leaving their homes, or are supporting from afar. A direct financial donation is currently the best way to support this effort.
Thank you for your support and donations!

If you have any questions about this drive, please contact Evan Taylor. If you wish to help out with this or future drives, please contact Rachel Greenough.

Posted on behalf of Capo Sunday and the Timbers Army and Riveters CDnT:

While it has been a tumultuous year, you, the membership of the 107ist, with your network of family, friends, and fellow supporters, have stepped up time and time again to donate goods, help out, and send money. Bravo! You are amazing! There is always more to do and more to learn, and you keep doing and keep going. THANK YOU!

We (Capos DnT as a unit) are nothing without you. The lack of seeing all of your faces in PP this season, sharing in the experience as we deal with tension, loss, joy, irritation at the refs, of standing with you in passion and love, well, it has made it an odd and long offseason.

The CDnT are still dedicated to providing support to the youth in our community through our annual tradition of BYCAP*. Our longstanding goal with BYCAP is to provide help to the burgeoning young voices in our neighborhoods, to aid them in learning how to be strong and confident, to provide them with the ability to communicate their needs, dreams, ideas, and opinions. To be able to leverage the power of their voices the way we, the CDnT, do on match days (oh, how we all miss them…le sigh…) and to that end, we are continuing to have our annual BYCAP fundraising event.

We acknowledge that this is an unusual season. We refuse to ignore or minimize the effects of the two pandemics happening all around us – Covid-19 and the long and systemic history of human rights abuses of our BIPOC communities locally, nationally, and globally. This season we are turning tradition on its ear so we can have a stronger, greater positive impact on our local BIPOC youth. We are joining forces of the TA and the Riveters for a single BYCAP event, with a single entity recipient, instead of the traditional tandem team specific BYCAP fundraisers.

100% of funds raised in this online BYCAP will be donated to Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI)**.

SEI is a comprehensive, one-stop resource for youth and families, primarily African Americans and others living in poverty or seeking culturally responsive services. SEI believes that every child has a gift and that is our shared responsibility to help every child find his or her gift.

Please help us surpass prior years fundraising by donating and signal boosting this event.

The 2020 joint BYCAP goal to meet, or surpass, is $6240 -which is the combined amount of TA and RCR 2019 BYCAP events.   

A donation link will be available on the open access part of the 107ist.org website from August 8th through August 22nd. Make sure you click the BYCAP button.

*Buy Your Capo A Pint [or representational thank you goodie]

**Self Enhancement, Inc. https://www.selfenhancement.org/mission

For those of you who are unfamiliar with BYCAP, it usually happens on or near the last match of the regular season for Timbers and Thorns. As the season would normally be coming to a tense point (or wrapping up) often folks are feeling kind and nostalgic for the events of the season, and many want to “buy us a pint” to say thanks. Thanks for helping to hype the crowd, to keep it on time, to provide eyes and assistance when there is an interloper or and altercation, and generally for us needing to buy tickets to turn our backs to the pitch for a whole season, so the North End can resonate beyond the PP rooftop to roll across the pitch and through the neighborhood.  To aid in providing focused passion for our teams. It has been noted that our livers cannot take so much thanks… so instead we have collection buckets out at our stage, nests and drums, and we ask you to donate that ‘pint’ (or soda, water, coffee) money to our fundraiser so we can help others find a voice the way we have one. We get the “thank you” and our community youth get much needed help and support.

CHALLENGE CUP – JORNADA 1.

NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE 2-1 PORTLAND THORNS

En el inicio de la Challenge Cup en el ZionsBank Stadium se enfrentaron los dos bicampeones de la NWSL, un partido que viene marcando a las dos instituciones más ganadoras del fútbol femenino de Estados Unidos.

El triunfo fue agónico, Lynn Williams logró superar a la novata Bella Bixby en el minuto 94 tras un gran centro de Sam Mewis. Las dirigidas por Paul Riley fueron superiores en la mayoría del trámite del partido. Mientras que por Thorns, el ataque hacia el arco de Labbéfue liderado por Lindsey Horan, que fue la jugadora de Portland con más chances creadas durante los 96 minutos de partido.

Mark Parsons sorprendió a la mayoría alineando a Bixby quien debutaba con Thorns y ante el rival que viene siendo la pesadilla de Portland, sin embargo la arquera oriunda de Oregon estuvo a la altura y sus cuatro intervenciones ante Williams y Debinha dieron muestras del por qué Mark se decantó por ella para defender el arco de Thorns.

Paul Riley por su parte acertó en un rol que le asignó a Hailie Mace, ya que la debutante con Courage se desempeña en un rol defensivo con la selección de Estados Unidos, fue vital para el primer gol del partido, una gran asistencia le permitió a Debinha rematar en el área de chica sin problemas.

Thorns enfrentarán a Chicago y Courage a Spirit, en lo que será la segunda participación en la Challenge Cup para los cuatro equipos este miércoles 01 de Julio.

CHICAGO RED STARS 1-2 WASHINGTON SPIRIT.

En un encuentro que tenía como favorito a las Red Stars, el equipo de Burkie pudo llevarse los tres puntos con una actuación magistral de Rose Lavelle en el primer tiempo del encuentro.

Desde los ocho minutos del cotejo, Spirit a través de Rose se puso al frente del marcador cuando un rechazo de Naeher fue recogido por Lavelle que definió sin piedad de pierna derecha. Naeher ante Ashley Hatch y Rose Lavelle ganó dos mano a mano en el primer tiempo, sin embargo apenas a los 20 segundos del complemento un grave error dejo a merced su marco para que Hatch no perdonara y el marcado fuera de 0-2 a favor de Washington.

Con un poco de reacción, Morgan Gautrat, quién estreno su apellido de casada en su jersey, marcó el 1-2 tras recoger un rebote de la saga del Spirit, Bledsoe llegó a rozar el balón sin embargo no fue suficiente para evitar el gol de Chicago, casi inmediatamente a este gol, Watt tuvo en su poder el potencial empate. Ashley Sánchez fue otra delantera que pudo cambiar el score pero no pudo concretar las dos incursiones en el área de Red Stars.

En los minutos finales, Bianca St Georges tuvo la mayor chance para empatar a dos, pero, una fantástica reacción de Bledsoe impidió que el equipo de Rory Dames sumara algún punto en el debut. Naeher sobre el final le impidió a Collins que marcara el 1-3.

Estos equipos vuelven a jugar este 01 de Julio, Chicago ante Portland y Washington ante Courage.

Protestas antes de los partidos.

Durante la inauguración de la Challenge Cup, las 22 jugadoras se alinearon con una camiseta con el lema “Black Lives Matter”, a su vez tenían una banda que colocarían en sus brazos durante el partido con el mismo lema. Una vez que se empezó a entonar la versión del himno nacional de Estados Unidos, TODAS pusieron una rodilla en el piso, símbolo de la protesta que actualmente sacude a muchas ciudades en el país norteamericano.

Mientras que para el cierre de la jornada, en el partido entre Red Stars y Spirit, hubo algunas jugadoras que decidieron mantenerse en pie y no poner rodilla en el piso para simbolizar la protesta, pese a portar la camiseta negra del lema antes mencionado, el momento más emotivo fue el de Casey Short llorando al momento de escucharse las notas del himno y a Julie Ertz consolando a su compañera.

Alineaciones Titulares.

North Carolina Courage: Labbé / Merrick – Dahlkemper – Erceg – Daniels / Debinha – O’Sullivan – Mewis – Dunn / Hamilton – Williams.

Portland Thorns: Bixby / Klingenberg – Sauerbrunn– Menges – Hubly / Horan – Salem – Rodríguez / Everett – Sinclair – Lussi.

Chicago Red Stars: Naeher / Short – Gorden – Morse – St. Georges / Ertz – Gautrat – Watt – DiBernardo – Hill / Nagasato.

Highlights:

Red Stars vs Spirit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvJsF3IEu6A&feature=emb_title

Courage vs Thorns; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gccjoQx39hY