On Friday, October 14, 2016 the Portland Monthly magazine awarded the Friends of Nadaka a Light A Fire Award in the category of Game-Changing Project. This award recognized an innovative collaboration that generates a transformative impact for one or more nonprofits. There were over 100 nominations submitted of which seven were given to organizations and five to individuals.
Check out the article published in the November Portland Monthly issue and the video at the bottom was shown at the gala event.
Join the Friends of Nadaka at the Columbia Slough Watershed Council’s Slough Celebration Gala event on February 5, 2016. Its really exciting that the Nadaka Park & Garden Project will be receiving an Achievement Award. 
Click here for more information and to order your tickets now.
On April 4th, 2015 the new 2 acre section of Nadaka Nature Park opened to the delight of the community. Read more about the opening in the article written by Jodi Weinberger of the Outlook.
The Friends of Nadaka Nature Park would like to thank Metro, Starbucks, Albertsons, Park Place Cafe, and the Center for Family Success for their donations which made the Grand Opening of Nadaka Nature Park & Garden Project a spectacular success; we greatly appreciate their generosity.
We would also like to thank the Columbia Slough Watershed Council, AARP Foundation, Center for Family Success, Outgrowing Hunger, Cathy Sherick with the Springwater Parks & Community District, the Audubon Society of Portland, and the City of Gresham for providing information and education to community members during the event.
Our wonderful volunteers at the Grand Opening included members from the community, Wilkes East Neighborhood Association, AmeriCorps leaders from HB Lee SUN program, former Camp Fire Girls and Cub Scout Troop #214. A special thanks to Representative Carla Piluso for being the announcer for the event and our guest speakers which included:
Mayor Shane Bemis
Metro Councilor Shirley Craddick
Urban Conservationist Jim Labbe- Audubon Society of Portland
Executive Director Jane Van Dyke- Columbia Slough Watershed Council
Executive Director Jay Udelhoven- East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District
Cherie Ludwig-Former Camp Fire Girl and City of Gresham Employee
Community Leader Lee Dayfield- Friends of Nadaka
H.B. Lee Student Andrei Viatlev
None of this would have been possible without the help of the following people and organizations:
Mayor Shane Bemis, Steve Fancer & others at City of Gresham
Mike Green, City of Gresham – Project Planner
Todd Jones & Norm Helgeson – Gresham Parks Staff
T. A. Nelson Family – Donation Property
Metro – Funding
Meyer Memorial Trust – Funding
Trust for Public Land – Owen Wozniack – Negotiated Transaction for purchase 2 acres
East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District – Funding
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church Members – Gloria Trunk, Andrew Agler, Byron McKinlay & Many Others
MIG – Christina Frank designed nature based play area, Lauren Schmitt & Rachel Edmonds
Lora Price, Design With Nature – Project Manager for Friends of Nadaka Team
Adam Kohl, Outgrowing Hunger
Bob Michaud-Tradd – Belkor Logworks
Human Solutions – Jean DeMaster – Programming This Summer
Verde – Alan Hipolito, ExecutiveT Director, Ricardo Moreno & staff helped build community garden, nature based play, and did all the landscaping
Ron White, Probity Builders – Project Manager for Verde
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc – Built Garden Sheds, ADA boxes, trellises
Sue Aschim – Graphic Designer
City’s Contractors: Cedar Mill Construction Co – Jesse Vail & Earthworks Excavation & Construction – Todd Erickson
Chief of Police – Craig Junginger – Boulders
Dayfield Family – Paul, Garrett & Nohelia and Sister Fran Dearborn – Continuing Support
Eastrose Unitarian Church – Fundraising & meeting space
Wilkes East Neighborhood Association
Rockwood Neighborhood Association
Monica McAllister – new Nadaka Nature Park Coordinator
Thank you for making Nadaka Nature Park and Garden’s Grand Opening a huge success!
A big thank you to MetroEast Community Media for putting together this great promotion for the grand opening celebration at Nadaka.
Take a look at the construction progress at the Nadaka Nature Park & Garden Project as of November 24, 2014. Most of the pavement and utilities are in, picnic shelter is up and tables being installed, elements are now in nature based play area. Grand opening celebration tentatively scheduled for Saturday, April 4, 2015.
Watch short video on the progress at the Nadaka Nature Park & Garden Project as of November 6, 2014.