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Hysterically Historical #9

By Pete Jacobsen
Posted: 04/18/2025

   Yup, things began to happen! In September of 2015, Villages NorthWest received its 501(c)3 tax exempt certificate, and the next month, Eastside Village launched with 25 members! 

   There was an office from the beginning. It was a small studio apartment on Cora Street, off Milwaukie. Being a studio, it was all one room, and being an apartment made it perhaps the only Village office with both a kitchen and a shower! Jin Darney volunteered to unpack boxes of stuff for the new office, and thus became the first Office Manager. She volunteered for sometime, and then received a salary. She held the job until 2019 when the office became too small and was moved to its current location at Trinity United Methodist Church. At that time, Jenny Rockwood took over as Office Manager.

   In the beginning some members donated $1000 to the Village and were named Founding Members. I've been unable to find a list of who they were (but someone will whisper in my ear, right?). It is known that the first person to present their check as a member was Ellen Howard, officially recognized as our first member.

    When we opened there was a Transportation person, a volunteer coordinator, and a membership chair. There was also a Governing Council from the beginning. JoAnn Herrigel was the chair, with some of the other members being Mary Bedard, Cary Hixon, Fran Daggett, and one other (someone please tell me who!). There were no committees. Everyone did everything. Hard work got the Village through its first year, and doubled its membership to 50 people. Viva Village and River West Village opened during that first year. We were off and running!