Portlandia Chapter

The regional chapter of American Pilgrims for western Oregon is centered on Portland.

Broadly stated, the purpose of this local chapter is to keep members connected to the Camino and to introduce new people to the phenomenon. We plan to accomplish this in a number of ways, such as social events, walks, mentoring future pilgrims and serving as a local host for hospitalero training through American Pilgrims.

• To offer opportunities for local pilgrims to gather and hold events related to the Camino.
• To mentor future pilgrims, promote the pilgrimage and American Pilgrims through social gatherings.
• To serve as a local host for hospitalero training in the Pacific Northwest.

Contact chapter coordinators Rachel Ganzon, Cindy Kleinegger and Daniel Piquette at Portlandia@americanpilgrims.org for more information. You can also sign up for the chapter email list.

We invite you to join the conversation in our chapter's Facebook group.

Special Note

We offer a Shell Ceremony that includes a pilgrim blessing, with your own personalized copy, and a scallop shell, to all pilgrims departing in any given month who request it. Please email your request early enough so we can have everything ready by the following Third Sunday Stroll. We recommend requesting participation in the Shell Ceremony the month prior to your departure.

Events

The chapter schedules walks, talks, potlucks and much more!

To see what we’re doing, please visit the Local Chapter Events Calendar and select our chapter name in the "All Events Category" pull-down menu. This will filter to display only our chapter's events.

Follow this link to view the Local Chapters video on YouTube.

Contact the Chapter through Portlandia@americanpilgrims.org to find out what we're up to!

Interested in learning more about the Camino?

Consider joining the American Pilgrims on the Camino Facebook group for great dialogue, photos and a running commentary about the Camino from like-minded pilgrims.

Local Resources

For Training and Preparation, we are working to compile a list of local Portland-area (really, anywhere in Western Oregon north of Eugene) resources for pilgrims preparing for walking the Camino. We're looking for places to buy gear, your favorite trails or walking routes, etc. If you have a recommendation, please send us an email and we'll add it to the list. This information will be put into a Google Doc that everyone can access when it is completed.

Follow this link to download a sample packing list.

Mentor Program

Some of you may have questions about planning your Camino and some of you may be interested in sharing your Camino knowledge with others. If you are interested in serving as a mentor to a future pilgrim, please send us an email with your contact information (email, phone and what route/when you walked).

If you are a future pilgrim would like to be mentored, please send us an email with your contact information (email, phone and what route you are thinking about walking).

Rev 03/22/2024