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Portland’s Second Annual “Dancing With the Stars” Competition Benefits Low Income Families

Katherine Cook, KGW NewsChannel 8 Reporter and Oregon Associated Press Awardee, wins the top dancing award of the night with a sensual and elegant tango with Fred Astaire of Portland's Malik Delgado.

Portland, March 23rd, 2013. PCRI (Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives) waltzed away $70,000 in donations for affordable housing programs after its “Dancing With the Stars Portland” benefit. KGW reporter, Katherine Cook won the top dancing prize with a sensual tango in the arms of professional dancer, Malik Delgado. (photo credit Andie Petkus) The Doubletree at Lloyd Center was rocking all night as local celebrities and professional instructors from the Fred Astaire Dance Studio competed.

First Lady Hales and Portland Mayor Charlie Hales open the evening’s festivities with a romantic tango.

Adam Zimmerman, Executive Vice President at Craft3 hams it up with Fred Astaire of Portland’s Jessi Reynolds.

State Office Of Economic and Business Equity Deputy Director Cyreena Boston Ashby, Wells Fargo Regional Community Development Manager Cobi Jackson, and Fair Housing Council Of Oregon Coordinator Zenia Wilson.

PCRI Executive Director Maxine Fitzpatrick, City of Gresham Senior Urban Renewal Project Coordinator Michael Parkhurst, and KeyBank Vice President Barbara Smith. A long-time PCRI Board Member, Michael was honored with the night’s Barbara B. Smith Award.

Katherine Cook, KGW NewsChannel 8 Reporter and Oregon Associated Press Awardee, wins the top dancing award of the night with a sensual and elegant tango with Fred Astaire of Portland’s Malik Delgado.

The full cast of star dancers competing included Simone Brooks, President of Brooks Staffing; Jill Nelson, founder and CEO of Ruby Receptionists; Adam Zimmerman, Executive Vice President of Craft3 and Portland Business Journal “40 under 40” honoree; and Portland Timbers’ icon Timber Joey. The evening also featured a reception, dinner, live auction, the awarding of the Barbara B. Smith Award to longtime PCRI board member Michael Parkhurst, and a special award to Gretchen Kafoury, accepted by her daughter Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury.

From Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives:

For nearly 20 years, Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives has reinvested in Portland’s neighborhoods, preserved their diversity and provided tools to help low-income Portland families and individuals achieve stability and self-sufficiency. From our original task of helping people who were unknowingly swindled out of their homes, PCRI has come a long way. Still, the challenges are constant—as is our presence as an anchor of stable, diverse and livable Portland neighborhoods.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.