Sherwood Community Advantage Magazine May 2024

ADMINISTRATION

Matthew Nelson, Publisher

Catrina Nelson, CFO

Tara Weidman, Executive Assistant

Jeremy Okai Davis, Art Director

Donovan Darling, Creative Project Manager

Kate Astle, Copyeditor

Kaity VanHoose, Social Media Manager

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Hilary Berg Sean Carver

Dani DeGraw Brittany Jungenberg

Morgan King Justin Nelson

Shawn Schmidt

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Patti Jo Brooks Olive Gallagher

Angie Helvey Lucas Holmgren

Robert Matsumura Dennis McNabb

Edward Novak Kelly Romo

Gretchen Van Lente Ty Walker

Alice Williams Kerry Yu

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Laurel Bice Carly Carpenter

Tyler Francke Angie Helvey

Brittany Jungenberg Malaina Kinne

Lisa Kuhlman Kara Langley

Andrew Sambuceto Henry Schifter

Hayley Starkey

ADVERTISING SPECIALISTS

Don Ormsby Bill Kistler

Stephanie Baker Peggy Jacobs

David Long Chris O’Brien

John Zobrist Brad Marti

Shelley Zeman Tina Toney

Darren Dwyer Lynnette Scott

Looking to reach local consumers? We Specialize in direct-mail products: community magazine advertising, mailing inserts, postcards and more. For more information, call 503.825.2111 or email info@ActiveMediaUSA.com

Honoring Mom

From ancient celebrations to modern traditions

By Donovan Darling, Staff Writer

“Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.” —Robert Browning

Mother’s Day, dedicated to honoring mothers across the world on the second Sunday of May, started in the United States. While many countries mark Mother’s Day on this specific date, others choose to celebrate at various times throughout the year. The holiday’s roots date all the way back to the Middle Ages. During this time, people who had moved away would return to their home parish to visit their mothers on Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent. This practice evolved into Mothering Sunday in Britain, continuing into modern times until it eventually became the Americanized version of Mother’s Day. In 2024, Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 12.

Ancient civilizations also honored motherhood through festivals dedicated to mother figures and goddesses. The Phrygians, for instance, hosted a festival honoring Cybele, the Great Mother of the Gods, while the Greeks held similar celebrations for the goddess Rhea. The Romans, too, included this tradition in their cultural practices. Across the globe, some countries continue to uphold ancient festivals that celebrate motherhood. One notable example is Durga-puja in India, a festival honoring the goddess Durga.

West Virginia. Within a span of five years, nearly every state in the U.S. had adopted the holiday, and in 1914 U.S. President Woodrow Wilson officially declared it a national holiday.

Initially, Jarvis advocated for white carnations to be used as a symbol of motherly appreciation. However, as the tradition evolved, people began choosing to wear red or pink carnations to honor living mothers and white carnations to commemorate those who have passed away. Over time, the holiday expanded to include not only biological mothers but also grandmothers, aunts and other maternal figures. Despite Jarvis’s intentions, the holiday gradually became commercialized, with the exchange of greeting cards, gifts and bouquets of flowers.

The modern incarnation of Mother’s Day owes its establishment to Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia. Inspired by her own mother’s efforts in organizing women’s groups to promote health and friendship, Jarvis initiated the concept of Mother’s Day. On May 12, 1907, she organized a memorial service at her late mother’s church in Grafton,

Jarvis, the very advocate of Mother’s Day, surprisingly spent her later years aggressively opposing the holiday’s commercialization and what she perceived as its trivialization. Her efforts to reclaim the holiday’s original essence led to her campaigning for its abolition. The holiday that began as a genuine and heartfelt tribute to mothers and their sacrifice now struggles against its commercialism. Which is why I think it’s important to remember: It’s not about the gifts, it’s about the recognition, honoring and visibility of the important women in your life.

Anna Reeves Jarvis

Durga-puja

City Of Sherwood Oregon LIBRARY

Mobile Device Basics

Saturday, May 4th, 8:30am - 10:00 am

For those who have a new mobile device, or are considering purchasing one, and want to learn more about the basic features and common apps. Build confidence to use your device safely. Class size is limited. Registration required.

Conceptos básicos de los dispositivos móviles

Sábado, el 11 de mayo, 8:30am - 10:00am

Este taller está dirigido a quienes tienen un nuevo dispositivo móvil, o están considerando adquirir uno, y quieren aprender más sobre las funciones básicas y las aplicaciones communes. Aumentar la confianza para utilizar su dispositivo de forma segura. Se requiere registro.

Celebrating Our Heritage: Hula Halau ‘Ohana Holo’oko’a

Saturday, May 18th, 11:00am

We are celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month with a hula demonstration and storytelling from Hawai’i. All families welcome and no registration required. A Take & Make craft project will be available after the event. Funding provided by generous support of Cultural Coalition of Washington County and Oregon Cultural Trust. Ages 3 and up.

Sherwood, OR 97140 503.625.6688

See All These Amazing Activities And Much More At Your Public Library

The people at Willamette outdoor wash are on time, polite, friendly, hard workers who take care to not harm plants around the house. They washed our vinyl siding and applied moss control to our roof. The house looks brilliant now. We plan to use them to in the future as need arises, and can recommend them with confidence.

-Michael

H.

am the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Gilbert House Children’s Museum and recently hired Gary and his team to pressure wash our Outdoor Discovery Area. They were prompt, professional, and did an amazing job cleaning the space. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking

A Taste of Family

Explore their newest dishes at Gyro House

“My brother has lots of experience in the food industry and he’ll be working alongside his wife, who is going to do most of the cooking, and his daughter,” says Asem.

The menu at Gyro House features classic Mediterranean options with traditional flavors. Customer favorites include fresh, housemade hummus, lamb and chicken gyros, and kebabs. All meat is seasoned with special Mediterranean spices that will please your palate!

By Angie Helvey, Contributing Writer

Photos by Malaina Kinne

Mediterranean cuisine features fresh ingredients, simple preparations and flavorful spices and sauces. Gyro House is famous for authentic Mediterranean food and tasty homemade desserts, and the Sherwood location has exciting changes and delicious surprises in store this summer!

Portions are incredibly generous, ingredients are fresh, and everything is made in-house. “Our food represents Lebanon and Jordan,” explains Asem. “I worked in many restaurants in both countries, so I brought that experience here.”

Tarek will be working with Flor, the longtime manager of the Sherwood location, to introduce several delectable additions to the menu that will only

Owner Asem Samman has been in the food industry for the past 25 years and opened the first Gyro House 13 years ago in Beaverton, soon expanding to several locations throughout the Portland area. He loved the community in Sherwood and opened a branch in town in 2017, where Gyro House has since gained a considerable following. This year, the whole clan is joining the operation: Asem’s brother Tarek will take over the location in mid-May and run it with family.

They’ll be adding a kafta kebab plate and a kafta sandwich — both Lebanese-style dishes featuring ground meats cooked with flavorful Middle Eastern spices. Other new options include a lamb shank plate, chicken curry with vegetables over rice and a traditional vegetarian dish called mujadara — lentils and rice with crispy caramelized onions.

Other tempting menu items include fresh salads, crispy falafels, baba ghanouj, lamb and chicken shawarma plates, and plenty of tzatziki and tahini sauce. Gyro House fries are round-cut and can be topped with spicy garlic, feta, or delicious slices of lamb. Other vegetarian options include a falafel

gyro, veggie kebabs, and a vegetarian plate with spinach or cheese pie. A kid’s menu is available for the little ones, complete with a child-size gyro.

Remember to end your meal with something sweet! “All our desserts are homemade from scratch, like our famous Baklava, which is my mother’s secret recipe,” says Asem. Baklava is a traditional dessert made of delicate layers of filo pastry filled with walnuts and pistachio, moistened with a light sugar syrup. They also do a mosabak jalebi, which is deep-fried sweet dough dipped in honey, and awama, mini doughnut balls covered in honey syrup. Tarek will add new desserts, such as sweet and creamy homemade rice pudding.

Asem is excited for customers to meet Tarek and his family, who are

committed to maintaining a warm, family-friendly ambiance with a culturally authentic feel. The restaurant walls are adorned with pictures of the Middle East. The service model is fast-casual, so guests can order at the counter and have their meal brought

fresh and hot to their table. Gyro House also offers catering. They’ve traditionally served items from their regular menu, but this summer, Asem and Tarek are creating a special new menu with delicious Mediterranean dishes different from their restaurant offerings.

Visit Gyro House for an authentic Mediterranean meal with traditional flavors straight from Jordan and Lebanon. It’s the perfect way to experience another country without ever having to leave your hometown. Be sure to try some of their new items and say hello to Tarek and the family.

Gyro House is located at 15996 SW Tualatin-Sherwood Rd., Sherwood. Please give them a call at 503-610-1515, or visit their website at thegyrohouse.com.

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Reel Legends

Unearthing the cult appeal of six timeless films

By Robert Matsumura, Contributing Writer

What exactly is a cult classic movie? We’ve all heard the term, but for the purposes of this article, let’s consider it a movie that at the time of its release was not particularly noteworthy, failed to garner critical acclaim, and was not a box office blockbuster. However, over the years, these films have managed to insinuate themselves into the creative consciousness of our culture, either through unforgettable characters or scenarios of a time or place that continually engages our imagination.

“The Princess Bride”

This tongue-in-cheek medieval adventure movie directed by Rob Reiner was one of the few movies of his that was not a smash success at the box office. Over time, however, this parody of classic fairy tales that combined slapstick comedy, a good vs. evil drama, and snappy one-liners with hilarious run-on declarations grew into a cult classic. Billy Crystal and Wallace Shawn fill out a cast of

characters who drop memorable quotes at every turn. If you love slapstick humor and medieval fantasy, Vizzini (Wallace Shawn’s character) would find it “inconceivable” that you didn’t rank this movie an instant cult classic. Check out the movie and see what we mean! Rated PG for violence.

“Monty Python and The Holy Grail”

This movie by the British comedy troupe Monty Python, released in 1975, has grown to be a legendary cult classic. Based on the Arthurian quest for the Holy Grail, the over-the-top comedy has earned legions of fans over the decades. To this day, the clever and absurd take on King Arthur and his knights and their wacky quest to obtain the Grail is the comedy troop’s most memorable and successful venture. So popular was the film that it later inspired a hit Broadway adaptation called “Spamalot.” Rated PG but views like PG-13 for some mature content and language.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”

This 1975 musical comedy horror film directed by Jim Sharman and distributed by 20th Century Fox was conceived of as a tribute to horror B movies and science fiction films of the 1930s through the 1960s. The cast features Richard O’Brien (also a co-writer of the screenplay), Susan Sarandon, Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick and others. This story about an engaged couple whose car breaks down in the rain near a castle run by Dr. Frank N. Furter, an apparently mad scientist who has created a muscle man named Rocky, has become the epitome of a “Cult Classic” movie. Shot for less than $2 million, this zany film is likely being shown somewhere in the world as a midnight movie with members of the audience dressing up as their favorite characters, reciting lines, and, of course, doing the “Time Warp.” Few films have earned such a devoted following by managing to blend the right amount of comedy, absurdity, memorable characters, and catchy music to keep people coming back for more. Rated R for mature content and strong language.

“This Is Spinal Tap”

Rob Reiner’s film (which was his directorial debut) about the fictional band “Spinal Tap” movie, which focuses on the life of a heavy metal band, ridicules the various rock documentaries of the time. Reiner plays the fictitious Martin di Bergi,

documentary filmmaker, who follows the band on their American tour and pokes fun at the musical pretensions of bands at the time who released self-adulatory “documentaries” of their lives and work. Most of the dialogue was improvised, and though garnering positive critical acclaim, it returned only modest results at the box office. It wasn’t until its later release on VHS that it gained a cult following and was eventually inducted into the Library of Congress for preservation by the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, and aesthetically relevant.” Rated R for mature content and strong language.

“The Big Lebowski”

Jeff Bridges has played many roles, but none more iconic than “The Dude.” While the Coen Brothers have produced a number of critically acclaimed movies, it could be argued that The Big Lebowski might be the most beloved of all their flicks. This madcap romp revolving around a case of mistaken identity, in which The Dude is beaten up accidentally due to sharing the name with a wealthy businessman, was not a particularly big hit at the time of its release. But as the years passed, the film’s eccentric characters, hilarious dialogue and comedic dream sequences have elevated it to a cult classic. It was inducted into the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 2014. Rated R for mature content and strong language.

“Office Space”

Anyone who has ever worked in an office can probably relate to this satirical comedy released in 1999. Written and directed by Mike Judge, the creator of “Beavis and Butthead” and co-creator of the series “King of the Hill,” “Office Space” was based on his cartoon series “Milton.” The movie was Judge’s first foray into live-action film. While the movie fizzled at the box office, it went on to achieve cult classic status due to its poignant depiction of the life of IT professionals and the various ridiculous, dehumanizing themes common to white collar workers in the corporate environment. The movie spawned numerous internet memes, and the destruction of a frustrating computer printer by disgruntled employees will forever resonate with disenchanted office workers throughout the world. Rated R for mature content and strong language.

While these cult classic movies may not be everyone’s cup of tea, they have spawned legions of loyal fans over the years. If by chance you haven’t yet acquainted yourself with these timeless cinematic gems, give them a try. Who knows? You might just figure out what all the hubbub is about, and in the process discover a new favorite movie!