Spring Friends & Allies Summit
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
5:00-7:30pm
Laurelhurst Club

Join us for an inspirational evening at the Laurelhurst Club where we will celebrate nominees for the Parks Champion award, the Joey Pope Award for Parks Leadership, and toast to another season of parks partnerships.

As the weather warms and skies clear, it’s time to gather and celebrate the neighbors and community organizations who are working hard to make Portland’s parks and green spaces special, accessible, and more equitable season after season. This is an opportunity for you to meet your fellow parks leaders, local park volunteers, community builders, advocates, and simply the people who are making parks better!

The Portland Parks Foundation, in partnership with PP&R, is bringing our parks communities together on Wednesday, May 21, 5:00-7:30 PM at the Laurelhurst Club to recognize your impact, share your stories, and connect with each other. At the summit, we’ll introduce you to all the nominees for the PGE Parks Champion Award and the Joey Pope Award for Parks Leadership and announce the 2025 honorees.

We'll hear from leaders from the City of Portland and from community voices on the ground, including, Jerika Ferguson, excutive director of Portland Community Football Club, one of the recipients of the 2024's Joey Pope Award for Parks Leadership. We'll also get to hear from the PP&R Stewardship team about the impact of volunteers. Other special guests to be announced...

We’ve heard from you, our partners, that we need more time and space to connect! There will be lots of time reserved in our program to share with one another, meet fellow advocates, and network around shared interests. So bring a colleague, come early and stay late!

Summit Program

Wednesday, May 21, 5pm - 7:30pm at The Laurelhurst Club

 

5:00 - 6:00 PM: Happy Parks, Happy Hour
Get to know our award nominees and their established and emerging work.

6:00 - 6:30 PM: Remarks & Award Announcements
Hear from local leaders and advocates and celebrate this year's Parks Champion and Joey Pope Leadership awardees!

  • Joey Pope Award announced by 2024 Awardee, Portland Community Football Club

  • PGE Parks Champions announced by the PP&R Stewardship Team

6:30 - 7:30 PM: Neighborly Networking
Connect with other parks and green space advocates and activators, celebrate our nominees, and find your next project partner!

This a free event that is open to anyone who supports Portland’s parks. We'll provide food and drink (vegetarian options available). ASL interpretation will be provided. Accessible restroom on site. Masks are optional. Street parking is available near the The Laurelhurst Club, 3721 SE Ankeny St, Portland, OR 97214 or you can take the 15, 20 or 75 bus line to the nearest stop.

Thank you to our sponsors:

The Friends & Allies Spring Summit is presented in partnership with