Otak Blog

This Saturday, July 31, Portland Professionals Engineers Without Borders (EWB) will host its second annual kickball tournament. A group of mullet and kickball lovin’ Otakians and friends are joining in on the fun by joining forces to create “Team Mullet.” The Team will play at least three games while enjoying a day at Glen Haven Park (NE 82nd and Siskiyou Street) socializing with engineers and other fun loving individuals. In addition to the kickball game, a raffle and compilation of mini games will entertain those interested. The tournament benefits EWB projects in Tanzania, Haiti, and Ecuador. Come cheer, laugh, and hang out with the team, and learn more about EWB and their mission. For more information, please contact Rose at rose.horton@otak.com

On Friday, May 7th about 30 Otak Kirkland staff attended a Mariners baseball game. While the actual game was abysmal, the staff enjoyed the game, ballpark food and beer, and helped support a great cause at the same time. Two Otakians, Stephanie Smith and Charline Fox, are participating in Team Challenge, a half-marathon training program that raises funds and awareness for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). May 7th was CCFA night for the Mariners and a portion of the tickets sales were donated to the CCFA. This helps Stephanie and Charline towards their fundraising goal, while enjoying time with coworkers outside of the office.

On July 18th, Stephanie and Charline will run in the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon. This is Charline’s first time participating with Team Challenge and she is running in honor of 12-year-old Hannah who suffers from ulcerative colitis. Stephanie was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease 14 years ago and this will be her fifth Team Challenge half-marathon since summer 2008. She also volunteers as a mentor for the team, teaching new participants the ins and outs of fundraising.

There is still plenty of time to support their cause. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the CCFA by clicking here.

This school year Darrin Stairs, a civil engineer at Otak, volunteered his time to mentor a high school student from the Sabin-Schellenberg Professional Technical Center in all things CAD. For more than 40 years, the Center has provided opportunities to students in the North Clackamas School District to explore career-related electives. A key component to its success is the mentorship program that pairs local professionals with students. Throughout the school year, students meet regularly with their mentor to develop a senior project for graduation.

Darrin mentored a student who designed sidewalk and green street improvements for an actual street in his neighborhood. The experience was rewarding for both parties involved. “It was my pleasure to serve as a mentor,” said Darrin Stairs. “We learn from these experiences right along with the students.”

This past weekend (February 13th) marked the 4th Annual Otak and Friends 10K Run. Twenty Otakians and friends set out in NW Portland for a 6.2-mile loop (unofficial) along the Portland waterfront. Everyone finished without injury, and despite the gloomy weather, spirits were high. Afterwards the group enjoyed lunch and beers at a local neighborhood pub. If you’re interested in joining us for the next 10K, please e-mail sheryl.walsh@otak.com. Folks at all running levels are encouraged to participate, as well as walkers, bicyclists, or just plain beer drinkers. All are welcome!

Otak employees have joined to host a Holiday Shop, selling handmade items that embraces the idea of shopping local. Items for sale include jewelry, handmade cards, holiday decorations, canned vegetables and fruit, and many other goods. The Holiday Shop is donating 10% of total sales to the Oregon Food Bank and is also accepting cash donations unrelated to purchases. At the close of the first week, the total sales were $1,000! The shop is open again this week every day during lunch. Come on by for last minute gifts!

For team members of Otak of the Mullets, Hood to Coast 2009 was somewhere between memorable and epic. Friendships and bonding were not facilitated any faster between fellow teammates and other witnesses than by the mullet. Not only did our locks excite joy among others, but they pumped moral to new levels exciting fast runs, extreme yelling, and repeated choruses of Wild World (Cat Stevens) and We’re Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sisters). In short, may “Mullet Magic” overwhelm y’all allowing all “Mullets Unite” everywhere!

The Otak Relay Team gathered on the survey patio today to raise money for the Hood to Coast race coming up in August. With whisks and spatulas in hand, members of the team flipped pancakes and fried bacon slices. The aroma of the breakfast treats was enough to draw working Otakians away from their cubicles to enjoy a hearty breakfast and support the runners. Total donations raised: $122 and two IOUs. The group plans to have more food fundraising events in the next two months. Good luck, team!

Otak’s Vancouver office held the first annual Cookie Bake-off on Tuesday, May 12th. The contest was organized so the bakers remained anonymous until all judging and voting was complete. This added to the fun. Each baker made their own creation and brought two dozen samples to share, for a total of eight entries. The tasting and voting took place all day and below are the results.

Most Original – Marilou’s beautifully decorated sugar cookies
Best Use of Chocolate Chips – Rich’s chocolate chip, Heath bar, and dried cherry cookies and Sheryl’s peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
Best Overall – Sheryl’s peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
Honorable Mention (Best in Class) – Cory’s gingersnaps

Other fabulous cookies included:
Ryan – oatmeal chocolate chip
Maggie – chocolate chip cookies
Rich – zucchini chocolate chip
Sheryl – chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips

Thanks to all of the judges for sacrificing their waistlines and going home with stomach aches!

The Yakima office staff tested out their culinary skills this year for what will hopefully become an annual Halloween tradition. Delicious treats were brought in by all to make gluttons out of even the smallest appetites. This could have easily turned out to be an Iron Chef competition with dishes such as: roasted pumpkin spinach salad; chicken and corn chowder; three-bean turkey sausage chili; and the big hit, Ghosts in the Graveyard (think baking pan filled with chocolate mousse covered with Oreo cookie crumbs, then insert cookies to look like tombstones and add dollops of whipped cream to look like ghosts). With Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” providing the ambiance, the Yakima office achieved a new level of “fullness” that will be used as training ground for the upcoming holiday season. Yum, yum!