i guess 4 minutes is just not enough time to get it all in, but all the people and things going on at Park Place are making a big difference in this blighted neighborhood.

This is a very important time for community to come together to help forge opportunities and mutual support, and Dina's Coffee and Crepe Shop provides a great venue to do so. Some of what the video didn't have time to show was the amount of resources and community news that Dina makes available to the people that come in (from news about mentoring and volunteering opportunities to talks regarding community topics)--Plus great candid pictures of the diverse people that are part of Rockwood.

Apparently so much to say and show in so little time! Shame we couldn't get a closer look at the community-oriented pictures and announcements in the video backgrounds. But between the mayor and others saying it explicitly, and the smiles on your customers' faces saying it implicitly, I think you got the message across that by helping to glue a community together, Park Place is valued for even more than its good food and coffee, and that a grant would have help to magnify those benefits.

These economic times can either make or break our spirits and our resources, but they can also add intrinsic value in motivation and accountability; Dina has proven the later. Offering up a great service and product at an acceptable price is the price of entry but Dina's takes it a step beyond, and gives in a way that provides resource and even a bridge/haven for others. To her spirit of entrepreneurship and as a custodian of the town, a grant here is money well spent.

Briefly put, Dina is awesome. She cares so much about our community and is taking on issues one at a time to improve things. She well deserves this because the community wants her to stay in business and keep the area moving forward and improving. No one deserves it more than Rockwood, and no one in Rockwood deserves it more than Dina. She is making a difference.

I absolutely love going to Park Place. It has become somewhat of a family tradition: my 4 year old son has a behavior contract. When he earns 7 smiley faces from the school and daycare (which is right by Park Place) he gets to choose an activity. Sometimes this is bowling, sometimes it is a special treat from McDonalds and now he is stuck on going to "The Coffee Place" and playing games while mommy eats.

Dina is an incredible inspiration to our community.

Briefly put, Dina is awesome. She cares so much about our community and is taking on issues one at a time to improve things. She well deserves this because the community wants her to stay in business and keep the area moving forward and improving. No one deserves it more than Rockwood, and no one in Rockwood deserves it more than Dina. She is making a difference.

Dina and Park Place Coffee are truly an asset to our community!!! She is always cheerful and continues to make a big difference to the neighborhood. We certainly need more of this in the community!!!! Go Dina :)

Park Place is a community hub, great place to learn what is happening and to meet the people who are making it happen. Rockwood would not be the same without it. You are an inspiration to me Dina.

Park Place is secondarily a great place to get delicious coffee and crepes. Her primary attribute is calling together a fragmented neighborhood. This small business is anything but small. PPC serves as a gathering point for many of our meetings. Numerous times those meetings need to be scheduled around other community assemblies. Serving as an icon of hope for Rockwood, PPC deserves the attention and reward of every local business, family, friend, and sojourner. Dina, we are in your debt.

It is a privilege for me to comment about Dina and Park Place Coffe & Crepes (PPC&C). I run an autobody and paint business in Rockwood. Going into PPCC and seeing Dina, I get a feeling of spiritual uplift especially when Rockwood lost most of its luster in recent years. Her great service and knowlege of the community is awesome. Dina and PPCC is a beacon of hope in this community.

Dina is an awesome person and has an awesome business.

Go Park Place Coffee, Go Dina and Go Rockwood!

I cannot imagine that there is anyone in the Rockwood area that is more passionate and committed to improving the community than Dina DiNucci. I have known Dina for nearly 30 years and this business is not about her; it is her dream of creating a safe and fun community center for the folks that live and visit the area. Dina DiNucci and Park Place Coffee are critical to the future of Rockwood!

Dina is an inspiration! Park Place is our favorite place to go for lunch & relaxation. The crepes, coffee, ambiance are great! We feel a deep sense of community & acceptance there. Dina's community scrapbook and stories are memorable and encouraging. Dina is a bottomless resource of networking ideas, creativity, energy, support - she is helpful and informative, always interested in promoting good relationships and opportunities. Dina, you are a stellar gem in Rockwood and we thank God for you!

Park Place Coffee and Crepes is a bright spot in a neighborhood that really needs it. It is in a multi-cultural neighborhood and caters to all. Dina has worked very hard to make a place to visit, have a great cup of coffee and mingle with neighbors. She has tried to meld her shop in with the adjacent park by providing a safe haven. She also provides games, for young and old, to play while enjoying a cup. She truly believes in the Rockwood area and the people living there.

I LOVE Park Place coffee.

I LOVE Dina.

I LOVE Scottie.

I LOVE this video.

Go Dina go!

Love this coffee shop! I stop in often, as Dina and her staff are always warm and friendly! Thanks for the great atmosphere to hang out!

Congratulations on all the hard work you have put in to your business and for making the community a better place.

Dina has provided inspiration and a model for others to follow in helping to create a community.

Nice work, Dina. Keep up the good work for your family and community. You are a significant asset to the neighborhood and the city.

Dina-Adds something truly valuable to our community. I hope to see Park Place Coffee and Crepes around here for years to come.

Ahaha - I wish you dudes aLL the best. You're aLL so obviousLy passionate about what you do, and it's so moving to see that your community is too!

Really great job on the video, Dina. You really deserve this!

Park Place holds my chai tea loyalty.....and so much more. Many coffee shops look cool and talk the talk about community.....but Park Place walks the walk. I'm a local community organizer and I host my meetings here and tell everyone about it...because Dina cares and she expresses that through her business and so much more

I am so glad that Park Place is there. I have lived in this community my entire life, and have seen the demise right in front of my eyes. Thank you Dina for being a bright spot in this dismal world. I work from my home, and find this a fantastic place to meet with my clients, it's warm and inviting. The food is fabulous and the coffee is great.

Best to you Dina, and years of success!

I think you did such a wonderful job on your video. You are such a wonderful person Dina & you are inspiring to all. Keep up all the grate work. We are all routing for you. ( me, Ali & Kylee )

!!!! GO DINA !!!

I am also a single mom and Dina is such an inspiration to me.

Dina has a heart for her community that is contagious! She also makes great crepes and coffee. I so agree, "This small business is anything but small." PPC serves as a gathering point for many community meetings and serves as an icon of hope for Rockwood. Dina, you are awesome. And we love supporting Park Place Coffee!

Whether you go there for coffee, crepes, disc golf, meetings, free wi fi, a stop by from the park, or just to support your community or your friend(s)(Dina and family). Either way, there is so many different reasons to keep this community rich coffee shop open. Please click on this link and quickly create an account and vote inspirational

and useful to keep us open!!

Dina, This is a great work endeavor - one you should be proud of. It is so wonderful to see a business being showcased as positive. East County needs more of their own to 'believe'. thanks for making a difference.

And of course - the most excellent crepes!

Dina,

Thanks for doing what you do for East County. You can believe in this place. We just need to be brave and not listen to the 'gotcha media' stuff. This is home. And we need to celebrate it and enjoy it. Thanks for all you do - and of course - thanks for the most excellent crepes!

I love this place. My family and I always go here for my birthday becuase it is such a special place!!! The people are so friendly and the atmosphere is comfortable. This place is truly unique and loved!

Dina became a dear friend of mine about a month after she opened her crepe shop. She is one of these people that exudes warmth, concern and compassion which just makes you care about the things she cares about. You can not help but be drawn to her and her coffee shop. What I also learned from her is that I too can do something to help in my community. She inspires people to care. I hope Park Place is around for years and year to come!

Hold a meeting, meet a friend, make a new friend there-- Park Place Coffee is all about building community. I've seldom visited without taking part in an unexpected encounter with another community member, usually an activist, a volunteer in a local charity, or a concerned voter. Dina is attracting people interested in the local area and working to improve it. Rockwood needs Park Place Coffee! And the crepes are great.

Park Place Coffee is a wonderful place to enjoy delicious crepes and your favorite flavor of latte. Visitors can get them "to go" to enjoy at The Children's Garden with a visit at the Monarch Butterfly Pavilion (free), directly behind PPC. Visit Tues/Thurs/Sat/Sun from 11am - 7pm, OPENS July 7.

If you have never visited Park Place Coffee -- give it a try!!! Great people, great coffee, and great crepes!

It is truly a place to sit, relax, enjoy a book or the company of friends! Give it a visit and you will not be disappointed! :-)

Dina and Park Place are a real asset to our community. Her community involvement and commitment to revitalizing Rockwood is inspiring to us all! I love going in, getting a crepe' and talking local issues with Dina. I work for The Salvation Army and Dina always knows who to network with to imporve our community and make the biggest impact.

Park Place Coffee is a breath of fresh air for the community! The crepes and drinks are AMAZING! Dina's dream as resulted in a special place for groups to come together and share, collaborate, and make a difference. Whoever says that one person can't make a difference, has never met Dina! She is an inspiration to us all!

best offcampus lunch hangout ever!!

If we had 100 more people like Dina the Rockwood community would not be having the challenges it is currently suffering.

Park Place Coffee and Crepes is a great place for people to gather. We had our Sr. Grad Party meetings there and it was like meeting in someone's home. Not a lot of businesses could pull that off. Especially in the Rockwood area! Dina is a wonderful, determined business presence in the community and deserves all the help she can get. Rockwood is in serious need of improvements and Dina has been one of the best so far! If she wins, then the whole community wins.

Historically the success or failure of a small community has always depended on the people of that community. I am sure that you have heard stories from your parents or grandparents about the good old days, a time when neighbors helped neighbors.

Unfortunately today we seem to know little about what is going on in our own neighborhood. In those days gone by, you would know what was going on with your neighbors by talking with them at church or at a village meeting hall. Dena by creating Park Place Coffee has given us a meeting hall, a place to meet our neighbors, friends and other individuals that we may not have never taken the time to get to know.

Knowing what others are going through in our community let's us know that we are not alone and encourages us to take more interest in improving our lives and the lives of our neighbors.

Our neighborhood has gotten a bad reputation because of gangs and crimes that have started to be more common. So for someone to open a business of any sort takes a lot of courage. We should all vote for this video, for this courageous woman, for our neighbors and our neighborhood.

Thanks for supporting Local Disc Golf! We all appreciate the opportunity to get food and drinks next door while we play disc golf! Park Place Coffee has been a great friend to the local Disc Golf community, and the Rockwood Community as a whole. I hope you win your small business grant, no one deserves it more! Good Luck!

I meet with a friend once or twice a week for coffee. We use to go to Starbucks before another friend suggested Park Place. When you walk in, Dina greets you like a familiar friend. I so enjoy talking to her because she is so upbeat and knowledgable. She is passionate about our community and has such a calm, positive way of sharing her point of view, one can't help but share her enthusiasm. We so want to see Dina continue to succeed. Good Luck!

WOW Dina!!! If that's not a fabulous representation of what you and Part Place Coffee are all about in our community, I don't know what would be. You truly are the diamond in the middle of the rough called Rockwood!

It's so true that our nursing study group would be out in the cold if it weren't for Park Place Coffee and your inviting spirit. I really feel part of our success is due to you. Because of all you do for and give to this community you deserve to win this!! Love you girl!!

Very important for everyone to work together. Have been a Gresham OR resident since 1971. Used to live at 211th and Yamhill area, and enjoyed the neighborhood. The neighborhood has gone thru some transations over the years. Coming back thru Dina's efforts and those who care.

It is very inspiring for a single mom to make such a positive contribution to her community. Park Place is Dina's passion and love. Her patrons have become friends. The laughter of children and the smell of delicious food and drinks fill Park Place. Park Place is the place to be and should continue to be for many years to come.

What a great place this is, she really does bring the community together and she serves great crepes and coffee as well. Way to go Dina.

A great video for this incredible place. Dina is a dynamo who serves wonderful crepes and coffee and truly opens her heart and place to the community. So much going on in such a small place but she makes it happen. Way to go Dina.

I have lived and worked in the Rockwood area of Portland, Oregon for over 30 years. I raised my children here. The park next to Park Place coffee and Crepes was not a place I let my children play. Now I would - and it's thanks to Dina who has loved and worked FOR this community and us. We may not have a lot of money in this area, but we have a lot of HEART!

Really enjoyed Dina's Park Place Video. What's great is that this is not just marketing "hype" but a true passion for the Community of Rockwood. This is a business that should inspire all of us to give more and make a difference where we can. Thanks Dina!!

Dina's short film epitomizes the feelings of the neighborhood. She and her business are great assets that make Rockwood a wonderful place. She also has created an impetus that has and continues to motivate others to be positive about the area. She is establishing a lot of synergy that is making good things happen.

Lou

Dina is an amazing person and if anyone can succeed in Rockwood, it is her. She always has a smile on her face and a determination in her heart to make her community a better place to live. Rock on Dina.

Rockwood is an area in the middle of Gresham where economic times took toll on its businesses a couple of years ago. Since then the gangs and violence has found this area as an easy place to 'move in'. Having the Positive presence of Dina and her fully thriving Park Place Coffe and Crepes shop is making a difference in this area ...... and SHE is making such a difference, we need to help her and her business thrive so this area can be restored for the goodness of all.

Good job Dina at making a real difference!

This is an awesome video! We are so thankful to know Dina and am honored to be her friend. We love Park Place Coffee; without it, our community would not be the same.

Inspirational! What a difference this business and these people are making!

Dina is an inspiration to the entire community. Park Place has become a great place for neighborhood meetings or to just drop in for a cup of joe with friends. Very welcoming place to all.

Dina is a loving person who loves her community and wants the best for Rockwood. She is not one to roll over and die and I think we all need to look at this woman and admire her for her efforts to make conditions better for all of us.

I salute you Dena.

Louman

Dina is a loving person who loves her community and wants the best for Rockwood. She is not one to roll over and die and I think we all need to look at this woman and admire her for her efforts to make conditions better for all of us.

I salute you Dena.

Awesome :p.

Awesome :p.

Yay! Go Dina!!!!

I am inspired by her example to make my dreams come true.

great video dina. I think it really expresses your passion for the community and your business

I would like to think that everyone in Rockwood........looks out for Dina and Park Place Coffee!!! Because I know Dina and Park Place Coffee have been...... looking out for us!!!!!! So come in and have some Crepes and Coffee......and see what all the fuss is about. Gets My vote for Grand Prize winner.

Thank you, Park Place Coffee and Crepes, the DiNucci family and of course, to the Rockwood community members for continuing to plant the seeds and embracing each other and your neighborhood around you. The Butlers miss you and love you. Rockwood Rocks!

Thank you, Park Place Coffee and Crepes, the DiNucci family and of course, to the Rockwood community members for continuing to plant the seeds and embracing each other and your neighborhood around you. The Butlers miss you and love you. Rockwood Rocks!