Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection

A huge THANK YOU to the incredible George Fox University OT/PT students and faculty who spent their Serve Day with us at Mortensen House! 💙

This amazing crew rolled up their sleeves and helped us paint the therapy room, added a coat of paint to the second bedroom, pressure washed, refreshed bedding, tackled landscaping, hung outdoor lights, installed an electronic door lock, cleaned therapy equipment, organized supplies, and so much more.

We are currently accepting applications for transitional and short term stays at the Mortensen House and are looking forward to welcoming our first transitional guest in late September/early October.

Every project completed ensures a welcoming, accessible and safe home environment for people with spinal cord injuries transitioning back into the community.

We’re incredibly grateful for the energy, enthusiasm, and hard work this group brought to the house, and to the George Fox team working hard behind the scenes to make this day possible.

And this is just the beginning. We are exploring more ways George Fox students and faculty can be involved with OSCI and Mortensen House in the future.

Thank you to all who participated 💙

📣 Help OSCI connect with local businesses!
Volunteer: https://forms.gle/L8LR2AKEx6gQUY6u8

OSCI is looking for volunteers to help spread the word about the Every Swipe Benefits Charity program—a fundraising opportunity that allows participating businesses to support OSCI through their everyday credit card processing.

Volunteering is simple: call or visit local businesses, briefly tell them about the program, and ask if they’d be willing to schedule a 5-minute call to learn more. That’s it! OSCI staff will take it from there and follow up with interested businesses.

We’ll provide you with a list of businesses to contact, but you’re also encouraged to reach out to businesses you already know or visit regularly. And if you only want to contact businesses you have a connection with, that’s totally fine too!

This is a flexible way to volunteer, help introduce OSCI to more businesses in our community, and support our programs.

🙋 Sign up to volunteer:
https://forms.gle/L8LR2AKEx6gQUY6u8

Learn more about Every Swipe Benefits Charity at esbcharity.org.

💃♿ FREE Virtual Zumba with Oregon SCI!

Get ready to move, dance, and have some fun! Join Oregon SCI for a freevirtual Zumba class taught by instructor Tennille Houston.

📅 Tuesday, October 6
⏰ 6:00–7:00 PM Pacific
💻 Online via Zoom
🎟️ FREE with code: a1b2c3

Participate at your own pace and adapt the movements to what works best for you. Whether you're dancing, rolling, moving your arms, or finding your own way to join in, you're welcome!

Register here:
https://www.zumba.com/en-US/class_detail/901f65ec-6a1b-493d-8529-ec5c545360d2

👉 Enter a1b2c3 at checkout to register for free. Participants will be asked to complete a waiver during registration.

Come move with the Oregon SCI community from wherever you are! 💚

What a day at the Mortensen House! 💙

20 incredible volunteers came together Saturday to roll up their sleeves and help us take another huge step toward welcoming our first guests to the Mortensen House.

In just one day, our volunteers tackled a wide variety of projects throughout the house and property, including spreading bark and working on the landscaping, pressure washing, painting interior spaces, cleaning and organizing, assembling and setting up equipment, and helping transform the garage into a functional exercise and therapy space.

But what happened Saturday was about so much more than getting projects crossed off a list.

The Mortensen House is being prepared to provide accessible transitional housing for people with spinal cord injuries, as well as short-term stays for the SCI and disabled community.

Every wall painted, piece of equipment & furniture assembled and space cleaned helps us get closer to opening the doors and welcoming people into a safe home environment, where they can continue rebuilding their independence and preparing for life back in the community.

We are incredibly grateful to the volunteers who gave their time, energy and talents to make this possible. You accomplished an incredible amount, and you made the day a lot of fun along the way!

Thank you for helping us build something special. 💙

Interested in joining us for a future volunteer day? Follow OSCI or reach out to us at [email protected], we'd love to have you!

Insurance decides when rehab ends. It doesn't decide when your house gets a ramp.

Many newly injured people go straight from the hospital to a home that isn't ready or to a transitional facility. But in Portland, Oregon, there's now a third option.

Mortensen House is a fully accessible home run by Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection, where you can live for a week to three months and practice daily life before doing it for real.

It's a two-bedroom in a quiet suburb, remodeled over years by Michael Mortensen, a wheelchair user who wanted it to keep serving people like him after he was gone. Five guests with SCI have already stayed, and OSCI is preparing to host its first newly injured resident.

Does your town need something like this? Go to newmobility.com/a-place-between-rehab-and-home to see how OSCI is making it happen.

🏕️ **CampAbility is headed to LaPine State Park!** 🌲♿

Join Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection and Adventures Without Limits for a weekend of camping, community, and outdoor adventure in beautiful Central Oregon!

📅 **September 25–27, 2026**
📍 **LaPine State Park**
🏡 Stay in ADA-accessible deluxe cabins
🛶 Kayaking at Paulina Lake
🔥 Campfire time
✨ Stargazing
🥞 Group meals & plenty of time to connect

CampAbility is all about making the outdoors more accessible and creating opportunities for individuals and families impacted by spinal cord injury to enjoy camping together.

💚 **Cost: $275–$400 sliding scale**

Space is limited, so don’t wait to sign up!

👉 **Learn more & register:** oregonsci.org/calendar

💙 WE NEED VOLUNTEERS THIS SATURDAY!

We’re in the final stretch of preparing the Mortensen House - Oregon’s first transitional home for individuals with spinal cord injuries - to welcome its first guests for transitional and accessible short-term stays.

We could really use a few extra helping hands this Saturday, August 22!

🌿 Landscaping
🎨 Painting
🪑 Furniture assembly
🧹 Cleaning & organizing
🏋️ Therapy & exercise space setup
🔨 General finishing projects

No experience necessary! Bring a friend or come alone. Come for the full day or just a few hours:) Coffee, breakfast snacks, pizza lunch, drinks and most supplies are provided.

📅 Saturday, August 22 | 9 AM–4 PM
📍 Mortensen House | Beaverton

👉 Sign up: https://tinyurl.com/MortensenHouseVolunteer

Can't make it? Please share this post! Helping us spread the word is incredibly valuable too. 💙

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Mental health is health. 💜

Living with a spinal cord injury affects so much more than the body. Changes in identity, relationships, stress, and emotional well-being are all part of the journey—and they're worth talking about.

Join us for our next Women's Health Forum Series:

📅 Thursday, August 13
🕔 5:00–7:00 PM
💻 Virtual (Zoom)

Together, we'll explore:
• Navigating identity and self-esteem after SCI
• Managing burnout and everyday stress
• Building and maintaining supportive relationships
• Finding mental health and psychosocial resources
• Connecting with women who understand the lived experience of SCI

Whether you're newly injured or have been living with an SCI for decades, this forum offers a welcoming space to learn, share, and connect with others who truly understand.

Participants can also submit anonymous questions in advance to be addressed during the session.

Learn more and register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/_TzLNaOwRzWbvzLv7rC2OQ #/registration

OSCI & Adventures Without Limits' CampAbility Program invites individuals and families impacted by spinal cord injuries into a welcoming and supportive camping environment so that we can share our love of the outdoors with communities who may face barriers to access.

In partnership with Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection and Oregon State Parks, AWL will host up to 10 individuals or families for a weekend of camping in YURTS at South Beach State Park, August 14th - 16th, 2026.

What to expect:
A fun weekend outdoors and camping in yurts at South Beach State Park! Campers are welcome to participate in group activities (which may include hiking, kayaking, etc.) or enjoy the park independently.
The yurts at South Beach State Park are equipped with one futon, a bunk bed (with double on the bottom, twin bed on top), lights, electric heater, and 2 outlets. Accessible restrooms & showers are located in an outbuilding nearby.

Cost: sliding scale ($95-$195)
What is a sliding scale?
The registration fee is offered on a sliding scale in an effort to reduce financial barriers to access, while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of this program. The sliding scale base (financial assistance needed) covers the cost of the reservation for 2 nights and (5) meals from Friday evening through Sunday morning, not the additional resources that go into this program.

Register - https://www.tickettailor.com/events/adventureswithoutlimits/2168640