Adults
Our Adult Program inspires community members with dynamic offerings that spark creativity, build connection, and support mental and physical well-being. From clubs and workshops to open gyms and evenings of connection and play, here’s always something new to join. If you would like to apply for financial assistance for any of our programs, please click here.
Workshops, Classes & Events
Clubs & Groups
Workshops Classes & Events
Author Reading Series
LitFoot
A new, year-long series of author readings, curated by Sellwood Community House Volunteer & Two-Time Moth GrandSLAM Champion Sarah Bunger. More information coming soon!
Authors include:
October 21: Liz Prato & Purgatoire
November 18: Emma Pattee & Tilt
January 20: Dr. Michelle Chappel & The Power of Authenticity
February 17: Kristen Jeffries & Red Wine Lover
March 17: Grace Bankole & The Edge of Water
April 21: Tom Alkire & Western Waters
May 19: Lin Huang & Immaculate Conception
Rocco Jaconis and Secret Creek
Sunday, August 23 | 4:oo-5:30 pm | smile station, 8210 SE 13th Ave, Portland, OR 97202 | Free, RSVP HEre
Join us for a lovely afternoon with Sellwood resident and local author Rocco Jaconis, for readings and conversation from his memoir, Secret Creek. Drinks & refreshments included.
Copies of this book are available for purchase at Sellwood Community House, for a suggested donation of $15.
About Secret Creek:
Stories shape our lives. We carry them with us everywhere. Read about Ziarella and her pig, Black Trout, Capuzzelle, The South Bronx, The Catskills, Calabria, Norwegian Strawberry Cake, and much more as Rocco Jaconis shares some of his stories.
About Rocco:
Rocco Jaconis, son of Calabrian immigrants, was the first in his family to earn a college degree. A native of the Catskills, he graduated from Cornell University on a Regents scholarship, with a BSc. in wildlife management, and the University of Parma, Italy with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. With multilingual fluency his empathic tales are enriched by his wry humor and affinity for the natural world.
Please Note: This event takes place at SMILE Station, not Sellwood Community House!
Willy Vlautin & The Left and the Lucky
wednesday, September 16 | 7:00-9:00 pm | free, RSVP Here | Sellwood Community House
Join us for an evening of readings and conversation with Willy Vlautin and series curator Sarah Bunger. Drinks & refreshments included - we hope to see you there! Click Here to RSVP!
“‘The Left and the Lucky’ is a gem of a story filled with quiet misfits, miscreants, and the misunderstood, each, in their own way, keeping hope alive and the small wins counted. Willy Vlautin’s understanding of masculinity, grief, and the bonds found families forge is palpable. Deeply forgiving and memorable, Vlautin is a true chronicler of the human heart.” Tammy Armstrong, author of Pearly Everlasting.
Willy Vlautin: Born and raised in Reno, Nevada, Willy Vlautin has published seven novels, The Motel Life (2007), Northline (2008), Lean on Pete (2010), The Free (2014), Don’t Skip Out on Me (2018), The Night Always Comes (2021), The Horse (2024), and The Left and the Lucky (2026). Vlautin has received the prestigious Joyce Carol Oates literary prize, was a Pen/Faulkner and IMPAC finalist, and is in the Nevada writers Hall of Fame and the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. THE MOTEL LIFE, LEAN ON PETE, and THE NIGHT ALWAYS COMES have been turned into major motion pictures. Vlautin has also founded the bands, Richmond Fontaine and the Delines.
Tai Chi
Thursdays | 1:00-2:00 Pm | $18 or $80 for a 5-class punch card/ DROP-IN | the shack at sellwood park
Summer Classes will take place at The Shack at Sellwood Park
Tai Chi for Health is an introductory class for both beginners and anyone returning to Tai Chi after taking a break. This class practices the Yang style, short form, which consists of 24 forms. Tai Chi helps us all with balance and slow breathing, feeling calm and strong in our bodies. Come join us and find out how joyful movement can be!
Wednesdays
Portland Go Meetup
wednesdays | 6:30 pM-9:00 pm | free | meeting room
Join us for an evening of Go, a strategic 2 player game with lots of theory & philosophy around it. Also known as "baduk" or "the surrounding game." We have a limited supply of boards; if you have one you can easily bring along, please do!
Open to all skill levels, new players encouraged!
Make & Mingle
Wednesdays | 6:30 PM-8:30 Pm | Free | SCH meeting room
Join us in our warm, welcoming space for a relaxed bring-your-own-craft gathering. Bring whatever project you’re working on, enjoy a cozy atmosphere, and connect with other adults while you create. We’ll also have a small selection of shared supplies available if you need them.
Mahjong Nights
1st, 3rd, and 5th Thursdays | 6:15-8:15 Pm | Free | SCH
Join this growing group of players for an evening of American Mahjong. ALL experience levels welcome, come and learn with us!
Book Club
fourth thursdays | 6:30-8:30 Pm | FREE | SCH
* Please Note, book club will meet the third Wednesday in november!
Join this lively group of readers to discuss each month’s book choice.
Dates & Reading Selections:
July 23rd: Wild, Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
August 27th: Kin by Tayari Jones
September 24th: The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
October 22nd: North Woods by Daniel Mason
November 19th: Real Americans by Rachel Khong
Saturdays
Portland Haiku Group
Second saturdays | 1:00-3:00 Pm | $3/ DROP-IN | SCH
*Please note: In december, this group will meet on the first saturday, 12/5
Come together to share haiku and similar short poems, and support each other in the development and appreciation of poetry originating from Japanese culture. Contact Shelley Baker-Gard for more information: sbakergard@msn.com
Pickleball
Reserve a 90-minute private pickleball slot in our air-conditioned gym, starting mid-July on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. We provide the net, you bring the paddles, balls, and your playing partners! $60/90 minutes. Time slots vary by the week. Please see the calendar below to check availability and reserve your spot! You will be able to book up to 20 days in advance.
Club Incubator
We ❤️ Clubs! Sellwood Community House is all about bringing people together to meet friends, make friends, and build community. Many clubs have formed under our roof, and we would love to add to that list! If we don’t offer something that sparks your interest, come to us with your ideas and we can help connect you with others who might like to start something new!
Interested in more offerings at SCH?
Is there a class you would like to take, or a club you would like to join, that we aren’t offering yet? Please let us know by filling out this class interest form, and thank you for sharing your ideas with SCH!
Need financial support for our Adult & Senior programs?
Apply for our scholarship program!