Summer Picnics 2025

FOCUS Summer Picnics are hosted by area churches at location around the Portland area. They are a relaxing time of dinner, games, sports, sometimes music and of course new friends. This summer we have picnics every other week. 

Schedule

June 20 - Location: Captain William Clark Park/Cottonwood Beach, Drive time is estimated to be 35-45 minutes from PSU. 

Host: Bethel Community Church

Address: Washougal, WA

June 27 - Location: Shute Park - 19.6 miles, 30-50 minutes

     Host:  Chinese Grace Baptist Church

     Address:  750 SE 8th Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97123 (Picnic Area C, nearest the playground )

     July 4 Mollala Rodeo

July 12 (Saturday), Latourell Park,  Columbia Gorge

Waterfalls and Vista House at Crown Point,  all near Multnomah Falls, OR. Drive time is estimated to be approximately 50 minutes from PSU. Students will be driven to the activity location starting at 930am and returned to the same location around 3pm that afternoon. This is an all-day activity so bring comfortable walking shoes, a refillable water bottle, and $10 cash to help defray your FOCUS volunteer driver’s travel expenses. 

July 18 - Location:  Sellwood Park - 5 miles, 14-24 minutes

     Host:   FOCUS and Students Potluck - bring your favorite dish to share!

     Address:  SE 7th Ave & SE Malden St. Portland
    Parking lot location   Picnic Location

July 25 - Location: Village Church grounds, Drive time is estimated to be 20-40 minutes from PSU 

     Host:  Village Church

     Address:  Beaverton. OR

     Picnic Location

August 2 (Saturday), Sandy Fish Hatchery, Sandy, OR 

Charles & Hannah Baker hosting. Drive time is estimated to be approximately 60 minutes from PSU. Students will be driven to the activity location starting at 930am and returned to the same location around 3pm that afternoon. This is an all-day activity so bring comfortable walking shoes, a refillable water bottle, and $10 cash to help defray your FOCUS volunteer driver’s travel expenses. 

August 8 - Location: Brentwood Community Center, Drive time is estimated to be 20-30 minutes from PSU.  

     Host:  Woodstock Community Church

     Address:  Portland. OR

     Picnic Location

August 15 - Location: Columbia Park and Annex, Drive time is estimated to be 15-30 minutes from PSU. 

Host:   The Well Church

Address: Portland, OR

Transportation 

• For a ride to the picnic location, meet at 5:30 PM at PSU at the south end of the park blocks at SW College St and SW Park Ave.  

• From 5:30 PM to 5:45 PM, attendees will be placed in vehicles.

• We will return to the PSU campus approximately 9:00-9:30 PM depending upon distance from PSU.

See additional information below the schedule.Each picnic a different church group hosts FOCUS students, scholars & families, providing food and an exciting location for lots of outdoor fun! We'll travel to that location for a picnic meal and other activities. Sometimes this will be a park or church facility where there are recreation opportunities.

Like FOCUS Friday Nights!, the FOCUS Summer Picnics are for Portland-area international students, scholars, and a special invitation to family members. There is no charge for the picnic. 

Occasionally we will not have a group to host the event. On those weeks we will have a "potluck." For those times, we ask that all people bring some prepared food (a "dish" that doesn't require microwaving or additional cooking time) to share with others. The times that will be "potluck" will be listed above and will also be in the weekly FOCUS email.

Depending on traffic and the driving distance to the host church's designated site, we will eat sometime between 6:15pm and 6:30pm.  

We will be return to campus anywhere between 9pm and 9:30pm.