MEDIA ADVISORY: Media Is Invited To Attend Merriment At The Monastery Dec. 6 (Photo) - 11/25/25

MEDIA ADVISORY: Media is invited to attend Merriment at the Monastery

WHAT: A festive community open house featuring holiday treats, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a gingerbread display, kids’ craft activities and games, and a special exhibit of artwork by the Benedictine Sisters and Oblates. Guests are encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations for Mission Benedict’s Holiday Food Drive. This program relies on the generosity of the community. Local schools, churches, and businesses come together and play an essential role in ensuring that families have access to nutritious food in times of need.

WHEN: Saturday, December 6, 2025, from 2:00–4:00 pm.

WHERE: Queen of Angels Monastery, Agatha Hall, 840 S. Main Street, Mt. Angel, Oregon

WHO: Free family and community event for all. Catholic Community Services, Mission Benedict Food Pantry, Benedictine Sisters and Oblates of Mt. Angel, and community members.

WHY: Celebrate the holiday season through photos and visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, cookies, cocoa, crafts and games,  and a gingerbread house display! Give back to your community by donating nonperishable food during a time of food insecurity for many.

VISUALS:

• Historic Queen of Angels Monastery.

• Over 125-year-old giant sequoia.

• Santa and Mrs. Claus greeting families. Grand arrival at 3:00 pm

• Holiday decorations, cookies, and cocoa.

• Local artwork and gingerbread display.

• Citizens donating food items.

PARKING:  Free parking available onsite

Interviews available from: 

• Joshua K Graves, CEO of Catholic Community Services 

• Heidi Wiegal, Chief Communications Officer, Catholic Community Services 

• Sr. Dorothy Jean Beyer, OSB,  Benedictine Sister of Mt. Angel 

• Susan Black, Oblate and coordinator of the exhibit of artwork from the Benedictine Sisters and Oblates of Mt. Angel.

About Mission Benedict: Mission Benedict is a community food pantry located in Mount Angel, Oregon. Each year, Mission Benedict serves more than 2,000 low-income individuals and families facing adversity and food insecurity. Each month, Mission Benedict is prepared to serve 200 individuals, but often the reality is over 400 individuals served per month.

About Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley and Central Coast: Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley and Central Coast is a nonprofit, faith-based organization. Founded in Salem in 1938, today, CCS offers multiple programs across 10 Oregon counties and serves more than 4,500 people each year. It operates with fidelity to the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching, which call it to work for the common good and to serve its neighbors who are the poorest and most vulnerable. CCS envisions a caring, resilient community full of hope and connection where all people flourish. CCS is a Christian ministry caring for all in our community, built on faith, hope, and kinship. www.ccswv.org.

###

Celebrate Global Culture At Salem's World Beat Holiday Market (Photo) - 11/11/25

Saturday, November 22 | 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Willamette Heritage Center – Spinning Room, Salem, Oregon

SALEM, Ore. – The Salem Multicultural Institute (SMI) and World Beat Festival invite the community to experience the sights, sounds, and flavors of the world at this year’s World Beat Holiday Market. The event will take place Saturday, November 22, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Willamette Heritage Center’s Spinning Room at 1313 Mill Street SE in Salem.

For just $5 admission, guests can shop a diverse selection of handcrafted works by artisans representing cultures from across the globe—while helping support SMI and World Beat’s year-round cultural and educational programming. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, these events depend on community support to continue fostering cross-cultural exchange, creating economic opportunities, and showcasing global traditions.

“Salem has more than 106 languages spoken in our school district,” said Terry Romero, Marketing Director for the World Beat Festival. “Our diversity is what makes us great—and the Holiday Market is a joyful way to celebrate that together.”

Attendees can browse an extraordinary variety of goods, including:

• Artisan Mexican crafts, Ghanaian drums and jewelry, Celtic and Scandinavian gifts, and Native American beadwork.
   

• Ukrainian art, Micronesian earrings, forged knives, island textiles, organic teas, jams and preserves, candles, soaps, and more.
   

• Live pottery demonstrations, personalized ornaments, and henna art.
   

When it’s time for a break, guests can enjoy delicious global eats, including shrimp or chicken creole from Cajun Cookin’, fresh beignets, and chocolate-covered strawberries with pistachios.

A 50/50 cash raffle will also be held, with the drawing at 5:30 p.m. (winner need not be present to claim their prize).

Follow World Beat on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, or visit WorldBeat.org and SalemMulticultural.org to learn more about exhibits, programs, and upcoming cultural events.

About the Salem Multicultural Institute & World Beat: The Salem Multicultural Institute (SMI) and its signature event, the World Beat Festival, celebrate the cultural richness of our community. Through year-round exhibits, performances, and educational programs, SMI strives to create opportunities for cross-cultural understanding and appreciation of the many traditions that make Salem unique. www.SalemMulticultural.org, 503-581-2004.

Viral Thrift Store Twins To Unveil The World’s Largest Pants In Portland (Photo) - 11/07/25

Updated: MEDIA ADVISORY — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Event Saturday Nov 15

Viral Thrift Store Twins to Unveil the World’s Largest Pants in Portland

What:
A giant pair of jeans — a jaw-dropping 9 feet wide and 20 feet long — will be unveiled in Portland. The spectacle is the latest wild concept from the ShirtzenPantz thrift store twins, known for turning unexpected ideas into viral attention.

Who:
Ethan and Owen Gail, 23-year-old twin brothers, lifelong Oregonians, and owners of Portland’s now-famous thrift stores ShirtzenPantz  (260,000 Instagram followers, @shirtzenpantz). Their original “kicking a rock into a sphere” video launched them into worldwide meme status — and now they’re back with their biggest stunt yet.

When:
SATURDAY November 15, 2025
Event Hours: 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm.
Pants Unveiling: 7:00 pm.

Where: Shirtzenpantz St. Johns, 7400 North Lombard St.,  Portland, OR 

Why: To turn attention toward secondhand shopping and sustainability — using humor, creativity, and community excitement.

“These pants are ridiculous — which is exactly the point,” said Ethan. “If massive pants get people in the door and buying secondhand, then massive pants it is.”

“Thrifting gives clothing a second life and cuts down on the carbon footprint of fast fashion and shipping,” added Owen.

Media Visuals + Coverage Opportunities:
• Dramatic pants unveiling — photo + video friendly
• Interviews with Ethan and Owen on sustainability + their viral growth
• Coverage of a signature Portland moment

About ShirtzenPantz

Ethan and Owen Gail are native Oregonians, graduating from Wilsonville High School in 2020. Owen is a graduate of Brandeis University (including a year at Oxford) with a degree in business and economics. Ethan graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a degree in manufacturing engineering. After achieving significant success selling clothing online, they opened their first brick-and-mortar store in the Hillsdale Shopping Center, located at 6343 SW Capitol Highway. They later expanded to a second location on N Lombard. There, you can find “Clothing Heaven,” where everything is $5, and discover the mystery of Grandma’s “Secret Salmon Room,” accessible through a magic wardrobe.

This year, Shirtzenpantz was named the Best Thrift Store in the Portland area by The Oregonian/OregonLive readers. Their brand is built on off-beat, wildly creative ideas: turning an irregular rock (“Christosphere”) round by kicking it for months, serving ice cream and cookies to customers, hosting poetry contests, and featuring their 87-year-old grandmother — “Grandma Shirtzenpantz,” Juanita Gail Hall, who hems, repairs, and bedazzles pieces each Wednesday 4–8 pm at the Capitol Highway location. Both stores are open daily from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm www.Shirtzenpantz.com