By Peter H. Glade, Multnomah Bar Association President
A few weeks ago, on a Saturday evening, I found myself hanging out in a strange spot. “Strange” as in “unfamiliar,” not “weird.” Try as I might, I could not blend in. As anyone who saw me there can attest, I demonstrated a distinct ignorance of the customs and values of the culture, and my awkward attempts at practicing the local rituals and activities set me apart from many of my colleagues, who displayed either historic roots in the local traditions or sufficient study of them to avoid my sore thumb status.
Yes, I was bowling with over 250 lawyers, judges, their staff and their families at the 2007 WinterSmash. This year, we filled 20th Century Lanes for three hours, and we had great fun while raising money for CourtCare, one of the most worthy of the MBA’s endeavors.
By the time this paper comes out, we will be in the midst of our fundraising season for CourtCare. So, I want to take up a little space here to praise the project and those who have given of their time, energy and money to keep it going. Like many good projects, CourtCare is founded on a simple idea: young children who must accompany their parents to court should be provided a safe,* caring environment while their parents deal with business at the courthouse.
Whatever business brings a parent to the courthouse, no benefit will come from exposing a child to what in all likelihood will be a tense and confusing scene. Children should be protected from witnessing the kinds of disturbing events that accompany the cases our courts handle every day, whether they involve domestic relations, criminal prosecutions or simple civil claims. Providing a safe haven for the kids also helps keep interruptions of crowded court dockets to a minimum. CourtCare serves both these laudable functions.
CourtCare was founded in 2001, sponsored by the MBA and quickly gained the support of the county, state and Volunteers of America Oregon. Since it opened its doors, CourtCare has served more than 5,600 Oregon children and their families. The volume now stands at about 80 to 100 children per month, each of whom has been protected from the anxiety-provoking drama in which their parents had to participate. We should be proud that we provide such care for the children of this community. Whatever tragedy may be played out in our courts by their parents, these children bear no responsibility for it.
CourtCare receives some public financing, but it relies heavily on contributions from the legal community. This year, you will be asked once again to participate in keeping CourtCare’s doors open. Your taxfree contribution should be made to the Multnomah Bar Foundation, which has 501(c)(3) status, and earmarked for CourtCare. The foundation will forward the funds to the Volunteers of America Oregon, which operates the program. You can help make a difference in the lives of hundreds of children.
So, back to 20th Century Lanes. Despite that “stranger in a strange land” feeling, I had a blast. The folks who were assigned to my team and bowling in the adjacent alleys illustrated well the energizing atmosphere of fun and camaraderie that filled the lanes. On my team, we had a father and two sons who were vying for top score honors. The elder of the sons won that prize when Dad choked in the last frame. The big lesson here was: if you want to keep any semblance of self esteem, stay away from teenagers (or anyone else) who show up with their own, personal bowling balls.
We also had a Midwestern native whose high school offered training in the sport. Luckily, she had a broken foot, so she only outscored me by 50 points. The team was rounded out by another woman who claimed to have gained considerable bowling experience and knowledge. In fact, she had a “bowling name” she wanted entered in the scoring system. Think about that for a moment; these names appear on the projected scoreboards for all to see. Why didn’t I think of that? “Nino,” “Racehorse,” “Mick.” Of course, her name didn’t help her against the kid with his own bowling ball. Plus, she kept forgetting that she was “Lil.”
On our left was a lane that had a couple bowlers who threw rockets that seemed like they would shatter the pins. Scary. On the right were the true beginners, who pushed their balls down a set of guiding-rails, launching them on a 15 minute, meandering journey between the safety barriers of gutter bumpers. Why wasn’t I allowed to use those?
Oh, I could go on about the judges, the pizza and the beer, but I just don’t have the space. It was a great event, and a good time was had by all. Thanks to the organizers and the staff. I recommend the experience to all of you next year. But if you see me there, please don’t point and laugh at my gutter balls.
* I use “safe” in the psychological sense of the word. Although the CourtCare facilities are certainly safe in many other respects, they are in the Multnomah County Courthouse, which, if you’ve been paying any attention at all, you know is not safe in the event of seismic activity of any significance.
This column appeared in the March 2007 issue of Multnomah Lawyer, the monthly newsletter of the Multnomah Bar Association. Peter Glade was president of the association from 2006 to 2007. View this article on the MBA's Web site at http://www.mbabar.org/docs/newsletters/ml_mar2007.pdf
