We've been braving some pretty cold weather the last couple of days, but Matt says when the calendar changes from November to December, things will warm up.
Just in time,too.

It's the first weekend in December, and the second weekend of our Newschannel 8 Great Toy Drive.

We're off to a good start.

It was wonderful to see a lot of you out at Washington Square last weekend.
We appreciate your generosity in helping disadvantaged children in the Metro area have a Merry Christmas!

Thank you! Thank you!

My son, Will (aka Santa's elf) and I will be out again Saturday morning, beginning at 7am on December 2nd.

This time the Toy Drive is at Eastport Plaza on SE 82nd Avenue between Powell and Holgate.

Our volunteers will be out at Eastport Plaza to take your donations until 3pm Saturday.

If you can't make it out to see us this weekend, you can drop off your new unwrapped toy donation at any Les Scwab Tire Center, Regence office, or at the KGW studios on 15th and Jefferson in Downtown Portland.

This is our 25th year serving our community through the toy drive, and we couldn't do it without you.

I received a heartwarming email from Delmar Olsen.
He wrote how much he and his wife got out of their recent volunteer effort in Tanzania.
My hat's off to you both. What a wonderful gift you gave the people there... your time and medical talents.
Delmar said he and his wife felt, though, that they were the ones who got the blessings.

That's a funny thing about volunteer work,I think, you really do get more than you give.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Delmar.

The Toy Drive is a smaller way to enjoy that feeling during the holiday season,too!
I hope my own son is learning that lesson by participating in the toy drive each year.
I know he looks forward to it.

On another note, I'm looking forward to the warmer temperatures.

Maybe I won't need the long underwear this weekend... then again, maybe not!

Let's hope we don't see freezing rain.
We have had everything else this November, I won't miss the freezing rain if it doesn't arrive, will you?

Happy Holidays everyone.

Laural Porter

Posted by at 4:14 PM | Permalink

On this Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for having just a spent a wonderful day and early evening with my family and friends.

Twelve of us celebrated around a bountiful table, and shared many laughs and good stories.

My son just got a modern version of the whoopee cushion... with remote control, so that provided him hours of entertainment, "framing" guests with unpleasant sounds!
At times, our celebration felt as if we were part of a quirky holiday movie.

Now, I'm here at the station preparing for the late newscasts,and feel especially grateful to have a wonderful job that I love.

So many reasons to celebrate!
By the Grace of God go I.

I think back on the Blazers' annual Harvest dinner two days ago.
I had the honor of helping serve the thousands of disadvantaged families and individuals who came to the Rose Garden for an early Thanksgiving meal.

And I do mean "honor".
I was so humbled to meet and serve those among us who don't appear to be as fortunate.
However, almost without exception, the people I met were grateful and cheerful, and seemed to count themselves as fortunate, just to be there.

They were pleasant and courteous, and expressed their thanks for the volunteers who were serving them.

They were old people, teenagers, single men, families, mothers carrying babies, people in wheelchairs, and spouses asking for an extra plate for their husband or wife who was homebound.

But, I think it was me who got more out of the meal than they did.

For most, this would be their Thanksgiving meal.
Some would leave the Rose Garden to sleep on the street.

Still, most of them smiled and thanked me,shook my hand and said "God Bless", or "Happy Thanksgiving".

I thank them for giving deeper meaning to my Thanksgiving, and showing me how much our joy comes from within. Even when times are tough.

I hope your holidays are blessed.

Another way we can feel the joy this special season is to share our blessings with others.

Please join us in the Newschannel 8 Great Toy Drive.
I'll be out at the Les Schwab Store near Washington Square on Saturday morning 11/25.

Hope to see you there.

Laural Porter

Posted by at 8:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope you and your family have many blessings to count this holiday.

I know I am very grateful that my family is happy and healthy, and that my oldest daughter, Meg, is coming home from college for the holiday.

We are looking forward to turkey and all the trimmings, football games, and a late night game of "Balderdash".

After you've had your fill of turkey leftovers and football games, I hope you'll join me Saturday for the kick-off of this year's Newschannel 8 Great Toy Drive.
This Saturday, we'll be at Washington Square at 9385 Greenburg Road near the intersection of Greenburg and Hall Road.
(We're at the Les Schwab location near J.C. Penney's.)

The toy drive has become a tradition for my son, Will and me.
We started volunteering at the toy drives when Will was in the first grade.
Now, he's 12 years old, but still looks forward to getting up early Saturday morning, hitting Starbucks for a hot chocolate, and heading out to collect toys for disadvantaged children in the Metro area.

We'll be out there to greet you early Saturday morning, and other KGW staffers will be on hand throughout the day.

Will asked for a Santa costume for Halloween, so he can dress up as Santa's helper at the toy drive.
So, I will be there with my little "Santa". I hope to see you there, too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Laural Porter

Posted by at 11:47 PM | Permalink

I listened to the soundtrack playing in the background at the church in Eugene.
The music had a good beat and put me in a good mood.
I wondered who the artist was. I tried to remember the melody and a few lyrics, so I could ask someone later.

Band members scurried about the auditorium setting up for a performance that night, titled "Local Hero Tour".
The program featured the Christian rock band, "Calling Simon", and guest speaker, Christian Bagge, who lost both his legs in Iraq.
That night, Christian would talk about his unimaginable loss, when a roadside bomb went off under the humvee he was driving.
His story wouldn't dwell on the grim details and the horrors of war, but rather he would deliver a message of hope.

He told me he would ask the audience, "If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you change? Are your priorities where they should be?"

As I talked to Christian about what he would say that night,another catchy song boomed out of the church sound system. This one was good,too. I hadn't heard it before, and again wondered who is the artist? Is it the same band as the last song I heard?

Levi Bagge tuned his guitar, did final sound checks, looked around to make sure a microphone was on stage for his older brother, Christian's inspirational talk.
I asked Levi what it was like for him when Christian was called to duty in Iraq.
He told me any politics he had went out the window.
All Levi cared about was the safety of his little brother.
He just wanted the drummer in the band, they started together when they were kids,
to come home safely.
Levi said everything else he heard about the Iraq war was white noise.

The news knocked the wind out of Levi Bagge. His brother was badly injured in Iraq, and recovering in Germany. They weren't sure he would make it.
The emotions from those early days of worry and prayer are still pretty raw.
Levi told me, until recently, he had a hard time singing with his band without crying.
Levi wrote a song for his brother, his personal hero, "Tatoo Stars".
Christian has star tatoos on his arms. The song sings of glory days Levi knew would come again.

Again, the music caught my attention. I asked Levi, "Who is that band we've been listening to?

"That's us," Levi told me.

"You!", I exclaimed.

"Yeah, 'Calling Simon', our band."

I told him how great I thought their band sounded, and how much I looked forward to hearing them live later that night.

Christian has learned to do a lot without his legs. He's learned to use high- tech prosthetic limbs. He has run around the South Lawn of the White House with President Bush.
He's learned to perfect his walk with the use of a microchip in one prosthetic limb that adjusts to his gait.
But, he still hasn't learned to use the foot pedals on the drums.

"He was a great drummer. Producers said he was quite proficient", Levi told me.
Christian is worried he can't ever be that good again.
Levi thinks one day Christian will try to play the drums again.
"All in good time", he said.

It's only been six months. He's already run with the President. Who knows what's next?

Christian took the stage that night in Eugene and got a standing ovation.
The audience lined up for his autograph, and to shake his hand.
To all those in attendance, he is a true local hero.

And the music... it was even better in person. The song Levi wrote for his heroic brother, "Tatoo Stars", gave me good bumps.
Their other songs that praised the Lord and sang of hope and love were not only inspirational, they were rockin'.
I brought two "Calling Simon" CDs home with me, and my children ages 12 to 16 loved them.

"Calling Simon" is a great Christian rock band. It's also become a brother's calling.
It's Levi Bagge embracing his brother, his hero, including him in the band they created.

One day, Christian may play the drums again, but even if he doesn't, he's still providing a steady beat for the band and all those who listen.

I invite you to meet Christian and Levi Bagge on Thursday night 11/16 on Newschannel 8 at 11pm in a special report, "Wounds of War".

You can also watch it here on KGW.com under the video and special news report links.

Also check out the band "Calling Simon". Here's a link to their Myspace website.

Laural Porter

Posted by at 3:25 PM | Permalink

Once in awhile, you meet someone who leaves a lasting impression.
Someone who is hard to forget. Someone you have to tell others about.
It might be something they said or a sparkle in their eye, maybe a firm and friendly handshake, a certain charisma.

I met someone like that I want to tell you about.
His name is Staff Sergeant Christian Bagge.
You may remember hearing about him last summer when he ran around the South Lawn of the White House with President Bush.

No small undertaking given that Christian Bagge lost both his legs to a roadside bomb in Iraq.
He woke up in Germany two days later, where the doctor delivered the devastating news.
He's a double amputee now. One leg was severed below the knee.
The other just above.

Although, he lost his legs, I have never seen anyone stand taller.
Bagge exudes a quiet confidence, kindness, and positive attitude that makes him a giant among people I've met.

Bagge uses high-tech prosthetic limbs now to walk, and after months of rehab, he learned to using running legs.
He lives in San Antonio,Texas now, but was back in Eugene recently for what was dubbed, "The Local Hero Tour".
He delivered an inspiring message to crowds throughout the state, and his brother's Christian rock band, "Calling Simon" performed.
I was there for the performance in Eugene and was very moved.
It's an experience I want to share with you.

Right now, I am working on a news story about Christian Bagge and his road to recovery.

It runs at 11pm on Thursday, November 16th,right after "E-R".
I hope you'll watch, so you can see why I was so impressed with Bagge.

He's a young man, wisened by his experience in Iraq, and endowed with a grace he attributes to his devout Christian beliefs.

I'll never forget Staff Sergeant Christian Bagge. I thank him and all of our American heroes for their service to our country.

I have a strong feeling we'll hear about Christian Bagge in the future.
He's not done serving our country, and his confident walk will lead him to great heights.

Laural Porter

Posted by at 2:18 PM | Permalink