Upcoming Events and Activities

As are all our OEVA General Meetings, this meeting is free and open to the public, and as usual is from 7 to 9 PM. Our usual schedule of food and socializing is from 7 to 7:30. After that the program for the evening begins with some brief announcements, then we'll find out what Platt Auto Group can do for us EV owners. We'll wrap that up by 8:30, socialize a bit more, and clear out by 9 PM. There will be an OEVA Board meeting at 6:30 preceding the General Meeting, and all OEVA members are welcome to attend.

Platt Auto Group is at 18720 SE McLoughlin Blvd, which is pretty far south on McLoughlin. It looks like it's either in Gladstone or next to it, so plan your drive time accordingly. And I've heard that parking can be hard to find close by, so plan a little extra time for that too.

Our OEVA Hospitality Coordinator is away, so Past-President Morris Green is bringing a sandwich platter, sandwich fixin's, and beverages. As always, you're encouraged to bring some food items to share. If sandwiches are not your thing, bring something that's on your diet. Or maybe some sort of side dishes like potato chips, Doritos, coleslaw, potato salad, or whatever you think will go well with the sandwiches? If your diet leans a bit more to healthy food, perhaps you would want to contribute fruit, a veggie tray, or heart-healthy nuts. Or bring a treat for dessert. I'm bringing a Costco bag of Rip Van Wafers, a Dark Chocolate Creme Filled Wafer Snack. 

A big Thanks! to everyone who has brought potluck items to our meetings. We appreciate all your contributions large and small, and bringing a treat to make the meetings a bit more festive. I look forward to sampling the variety of desserts we share.

And thanks to OEVA Treasurer, Bill Meyer, who set up this meeting location with Platt Auto.

See you Thursday!

We'll set up our Spec Poster tent, and have a table of literature for folks to take with them. This event won't feature owner display EVs, but the July 18th Sustainable Living Fair at the Hillsboro Farmers Market will, so look for more information about that event coming out soon. Talking with folks about EVs is what drew me to the OEVA initially. Come share your EV ownership experience with others. We've divided the signups into 2 hour slots, and please if you can sign up for more than one. Brian White and his sons Dominic and Max will take on many of the volunteer shifts, and we should support them so they get a break. Please sign up at: https://signup.com/go/ziLhZuH

The event website says no pets, smoking, alcohol, or bikes permitted at the festival site. Parking is available at designated lots near the festival grounds, and additional parking may be available at nearby public lots and streets. Come check it out. It's fun to try something new!

Hillsboro 4th of July Parade

Meet 7 AM, July 4th, 2026
At the PGE Chargepoint Charging Station, 2567 SE Tualatin Valley Hwy

Join in a fun local tradition, with marching bands, fire trucks & more

Toss candy to kids along the parade route!
Sign up now using this link: https://signup.com/go/rxdNtdX

The OEVA will once again participate in the Hillsboro 4th of July Parade! While we were gathered for the Camp 18 drive last month, Paul Albertson told us about and shared his enthusiasm for this event. He enjoys bringing his grandkids who love tossing candy to the kids and waving to the crowds along the parade route. It sounds like they have a lot of fun. It's a festive way to start your 4th of July celebration.

Bring a large stash of wrapped candies to toss to the kids along the parade route. WinCo has a nice selection in their bulk foods section, and Costco has bags of fun-sized candy. And very important, for safety, make sure the thrown candy goes all the way to the curb. You can just imagine what a safety hazard it could be if kids were rushing into traffic moving along at 3 miles an hour.

Because everyone must check in together as a group, we will meet at the Hillsboro PGE Chargepoint Charging Station at 2567 SE Tualatin Valley Hwy at 7 AM. This is right next to Highway 8 in the Sunset Esplanade, the shopping center with the Target store, and across the highway from Home Depot. We will add magnetic signs, flags, and get ready between 7 AM and 7:30 AM. We will then convoy to the Parade Staging Area at 7:30 AM and check in.

If you wish to participate please sign up at: https://signup.com/go/rxdNtdX

For more information you can contact OEVA Board Members Paul Burkey, OEVA Shirts and Badges Volunteer Paul Albertson.

So come on out and start your 4th of July out with a good ol' fashioned community Parade. Our paraders often gather together for lunch after the parade.

Portland E-BIKE Rebate Program

Low cost electric mobility for modest income Portlanders!

Long-time OEVA Member Christopher Holmquist contacted me about the Portland E-Bike Rebate Program, and this is such a unique deal that I'm sharing the information with you here. The City of Portland rebates range from $1,600 for a standard e-bike, $2,350 for a cargo e-bike, to $8,500 for an adaptive e-bike. Plus up to $300 for accessories. 

Requirements include living in the city of Portland, 18 or older, income at or below $52,140 (for households of 1, higher incomes for larger households and adaptive e-bike recipients), other requirements, and purchasing through a participating Portland retailer. 

The program provides a purchase voucher, so you are not out the cash for the bicycle while you wait to receive the rebate.

If an electric car is out of reach, but you can get by with an electric bike (and live in the city of Portland), this might be the program for you. Check it out at https://portlandebikerebate.com/

The program is funded with $20 million, and the program will issue rebates several times a year for the next several years.