Disconnecting Downspouts

Last week six SEPTL members

Catha Loomis

Colombe Jodar 

Truman Daniels

Oliver Daniels

Steve Couche 

Sue Brown

Michael Brandt

volunteered their morning, working along with some fabulous Portland Downspout Disconnect Program employees, disconnecting residential downspouts from the sewer system.  This allows roof water to drain to lawns and gardens rather than allowing it to overwhelm the city's sewer system and pollute the rivers.

But we also had an ulterior motive. In this special program, we earned $26 for each disconnect!  This money (check back right here in a few days for the Total we earned) goes right into the  Library's tool fund to buy some of those tools you've been asking for.  Once again, neighbors helping neighbors.

We'll be able to participate in this cash-generating program one more time on July 13.  Contact downspouts@septl.org if you'd like to be added to the alternates-list in case one of the volunteers already signed up needs to bow out.  It was fun, informative, and a great way to help our community and our Tool Library.

Tuesday evening hours!

Wonderful news! Thanks to our fabulous volunteers, your neighbors, we are thrilled to announce that the SEPTL will be open Tuesday nights June 29th to October 2nd from 5:30 to 7:00pm. Members will be able to check in and out tools, and people will be able to donate tools.  See you then!

July Tabling Events

Visit SEPTL any Saturday from 9am to 2pm to see what the Tool Library is all about, or feel free to come chat with us at a couple of upcoming tabling events:

Mt Tabor Concert - July 15th, 6:30 - 8:00pm

Clinton/Division Street Fair July 24, 10am - 3pm

See you then!

Please get tools back on time!

Most users are getting their borrowed tools back to the Library before the 10am deadline the following Saturday. Thank you!

But alas not everyone. Return a tool late and you will pay a Late Fee, but that does not undo the distress you have caused your neighbor waiting for that tool. Consider how would you feel if the tool you were looking to check out from the Library was not checked back when it was supposed to be.

Please remember your neighbors!

Thank you Dennis!

Dennis Fantz first got stimulated to look into the SE Portland Tool Library by an article on Tool Libraries in The Oregonian written by Scott Learn. He has since become the single largest source of great tools donated to the SEPTL.

Among the tools are a two belt sanders along with sand paper, two jig saws, two chop saws, a virtually new Milwaukie SawzAll, two drills, a Milwaukie HoleHawg with bits, and two circular saws with several blades.

Even more amazing, Dennis says he's not done yet. He's asked Steve Couche, SEPTL Founder, what other tools the Library most needs so he can go out and find them to donate as well.

What more can we say, but "Thank you Dennis!"

Help us buy more tools!

SEPTL has an amazing opportunity to earn money through the Bureau of Environmental Services' downspout disconnection program.  We need volunteers willing to donate 3 hours and join a team of 3-4 to help disconnect downspouts in SE Portland.   It's easy work and no previous experience is necessary.  With each downspout we disconnect, we'll earn $26!   Not only that, but you get free pizza at the end of the shift!  ALL the money will go towards buying tools from our wish list.

As an additional bonus, once you've completed the training you'll be able to check out a downspout removal kit from SEPTL and add your home to the thousands that have already disconnected their downspouts.

We're organizing groups on Tuesday evenings from 4-7pm and Thursday mornings from 9am-12pm.  If you're interested in helping out, contact Jonathan at downspouts@septl.org and let him know which Tuesday afternoons or Thursday mornings work for you between June 10th and July 8th.   He'll then confirm when we have enough sign-ups.  If those times don't work for you but you'd like to help, let us know when you are available (or form your own group!), and we'll set something up.

It's fun, you learn a new skill, you're helping our community, and you get pizza.  What more could you ask for?  Disconnecting downspouts is important work; it helps keep sewage from polluting our rivers.  To learn more about how this program helps the environment and saves millions, visit www.portlandonline.com/downspoutdisconnect.

Our latest tallies.

As of May 22, 2010, we have a total of 123 members, and we even remembered to snap a photo of the 100th member, whose smiling face you see here.  In our first three weeks, we've loaned out a total of approximately 180 tools, with a total of about 450 tools in the Library. Pretty darned exciting!  We thank all of you who have helped, have donated, have joined and have spread the word.  With your continuing support we hope to be a valuable community resource for many years to come.  Thank you all.