On Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5, Oregonians throughout the state will celebrate the labor movement’s contribution to our country. In many communities, unions have organized social events to commemorate the day, including picnics, barbecues and speaking engagements for community leaders. The Oregon School Employees Association would like to encourage members to attend one of these events. If you would like to volunteer with one of the Labor Day picnics, please call the contact number listed under the event.

You never know who you’ll run into at Oaks Amusement Park: OSEA member Alison Celsi literally rubbed elbows with Gov. Kate Brown at last year’s Labor Day picnic.

PORTLAND: Northwest Oregon Labor Council (NOLC) picnic at Oaks Amusement Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. OSEA has reserved the 8 and 8A picnic areas and is hosting a free hot dog barbecue from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for members and their families. This will include chips, soda and fruit. Attendees can purchase a deluxe ride bracelet for $10 that is good from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and includes admittance to the roller skating rink. The labor council will have a speakers program from 1 to 2 p.m. Contact the OSEA organizing department at 800-252-6732 with questions or to RSVP.

Blood drive challenge: NOLC and Labor’s Community Service Agency (LCSA) are teaming up with American Red Cross for a blood drive competition with bloodmobiles open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Union members are asked to pre-register online (sponsor code “NOLC”) so donations can be collected as quickly as possible; the blood donation process takes about an hour. The labor organization that collects the most units of blood will have its name added to a perpetual trophy, plus bragging rights for the entire year.

Union scavenger hunt: Children ages 1 to 18 can take part in a scavenger hunt in which participants use clues found in a “passport” to find various unions at the picnic. For example, a clue might be: “We are the union that delivers your mail six days a week.” Answer: National Association of Letter Carriers. Participants then must find the letter carriers’ picnic site and have their passports stamped. Children can pick up passports at the LCSA booth starting at 10 a.m. Once a child obtains the required number of stamps, he or she will return their passport to the LCSA booth to be entered in a drawing for a bicycle donated by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. All participants get union-made cookies provided by Franz Bakery, whose employees are represented by Bakers Local 114.

A note about parking: Members can park at Oaks Amusement Park but should plan on arriving by 11 a.m. to get a spot. Members can also hop aboard the Oregon Pacific Railroad Company’s shuttle train at SE Fourth and Caruthers streets to get to and from the park between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Round-trip tickets cost $5 per person; children 12 years and under ride free. Click here to download the train schedule. Street parking for the shuttle train will be available near the McLoughlin Overpass, McCoy Millwork and the Portland Opera.

ASHLAND: The Southern Oregon Central Labor Chapter’s picnic will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Picnic Shelter D on Emigrant Lake, 5505 Highway 66, Ashland. Lunch will be served at noon. There is a $4 vehicle fee.

BEND: The Central Oregon Labor Chapter’s Solidarity Day Picnic will be held from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Pioneer Park, on the corner of Portland Avenue and Wall Street next to the Deschutes River. The labor chapter provides all food at no cost, but attendees are encouraged to bring a dessert to share. Contact Linda Bradetich at 541-350-0965 for more information.

EUGENE/SPRINGFIELD: The Lane County Central Labor Chapter’s picnic will start at noon at the Lively Park Shelters, 6100 Thurston Road, Springfield (behind the Splash! swim center). Please bring a side dish to share.

LA GRANDE: Pioneer Park Rotary Pavilion is the site of this Saturday, Sept. 3 picnic from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. All union members and families are welcome to enjoy burgers, hot dogs and drinks. Please bring a side dish to share. Event is sponsored by OSEA and Associated Academic Professionals (AAP) Local 6200.

NORTH BEND/COOS BAY: The Southwestern Oregon Central Labor Chapter’s picnic will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ferry Road Park in North Bend. There will be music, games and fun for the whole family. Attendees are encouraged to bring a donation of non-perishable food items.

SALEM: The Marion-Polk-Yamhill Central Labor Chapter’s Seventh Annual Labor Day Picnic will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Salem Riverfront Park, 200 Water St. NE. The “entrance fee” is either two cans of food or $2 per person that will be donated to Marion-Polk Food Share. A barbecue, side dishes and soft drinks will be provided from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian and state Senate President Peter Courtney will headline a slate of guests who are scheduled to speak from 11 to 11:30 a.m. For more information, contact Stacy Yelton at 503-989-5529 or sygoofy1@gmail.com.

These activities are open to all. Please let other OSEA members know about them and be sure to wear an OSEA T-shirt if you have one. Thanks for helping to carry the message of our important work to other union members and the public. Call OSEA at 800-252-6732 if you have any questions.