Cleveland High supporters make dough with ‘Claws and Dogs’

See why an inner Southeast Portland winery and brewery got together to host a seafood and sausage fest, raising funds for a school’s educational foundation ‚Ä¶

Serving up the crabs are students Hannah Giger, Elizabeth Van Brocklin, and Sarah Menashe, at the CHS “Claws and Dogs” fest.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Two unique Southeast Portland adult-beverage businesses, Hip Chicks Do Wine and Hair of the Dog Brewing Company aren’t easy to find. They’re tucked back in an industrial park on S.E. 23rd Ave., east of the train yard, and just south of the SE Holgate Boulevard viaduct.

But their secret location didn’t stop more than 250 supporters of the Cleveland High School Foundation from finding their way recently to a new event called “Claws and Dogs for Cleveland”.

Ready to raise a glass celebrating the new event are Lisa Dandrea and Laurie Lewis, “wine goddesses” of Hip Chicks Do Wine, with Traci Wall, VP of the CHS Foundation.

“We wanted to create a fun, original event,” explained Traci Wall, VP of the CHS Foundation. “So, we came up with the idea of holding a crab and bratwurst feed. With the help of these two wonderful businesses, it looks like a real success.”

Wall said fundraising was the primary reason for the festive food event. “But secondarily, this event is giving our four-year-old foundation good exposure.”

For those who wanted a brew to go with their brats, folks checked in with Alan Sprints at his Hair of the Dog Brewing Company sampling room.

Specifically, Wall added, the foundation does fundraising — strictly for Cleveland High School academics. “The funds we raise here tonight will help purchase additional teaching or counselor time.”

Event nearly sells out
Wall said they couldn’t guess just how the turnout would be on this cold, rain-swept Saturday night, January 20. But it soon became clear that the event was close to a sell-out.

Nearly 200 people turned out for the Claws and Dogs fest to help provide more in-classroom teaching hours at CHS.

Soon diners were elbow-to-elbow, cracking freshly steamed crabs and downing brat dogs ‚Äì complete with all the trimmings. Two very accomplished CHS student musicians, Charlie Stanford and Grant Richards, serenaded the crowd as they feasted.

According to the foundation’s treasurer, Jim Giger, the event took in $6,400.

On the way out, the foundation’s Randy Carlson asked us to let folks know that Ted Gamble of “Good Dog Bad Dog” supplied the savory sausages for the event. “They have locations at Portland Airport and Washington Square.”

Enjoy these additional photos from the event

Entertaining the crowd are student musical artists Charlie Stanford on guitar and keyboardist Grant Richards.

Diners Kim Nickelby and Susan Mendelson say they’re having a great time digging into their crab-and-brat dinner.

“Brat-meister” Randy Carlson spent the evening grilling up the “Good Dog Bad Dog” brats at the CHS Foundation benefit event.

Get involved
If you want to help the CHS Foundation, call (503) 916-5120 during school hours, and ask for extension 449.

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