One of the runners that carried the torch for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City reminisces on his 27 year career of helping children and youth at risk.

The soft-spoken man with a gentle demeanor and warm brown eyes has also carried a torch for the youth who have, for whatever reason, fallen by the wayside of society.

Executive Director of The Inn Between, Brian Burgess, has been a driving force in the local community since 1981 to foster partnerships and provide outreach services to homeless and at-risk youth.

“It’s not what I do; it’s what the teachers and students do… I’m most proud of the way they are progressing in terms of the students achieving credits and that they are gaining educationally,” he states humbly.

“When I think of the last year, I think in academic terms, not the calendar year.  We had nine students complete GED’s and another nine graduate with degrees from their own high schools.  We don’t provide diplomas from Inn Sight Alternative High School, they are enrolled in their regular high school but they attend here and gain their credits here, that way they can focus on one class at a time, do all the work on that class then move on for instance,  if they are behind.  As long as they are willing to put out the work, they get the credits,” he explains.

The challenges faced by Inn Sight are like any other business.  ”Part of a non-profit organization is work; we work just as hard as any other business.  However we have to make our money from donations, grant writing, government contracts, and bids.   Just like an engineer bids for a road project we bid to provide a school for kids.   It’s like running a regular business; it takes quite a bit of work.”

He continues, “Demand for services go up at a time when the resources go down.   So it’s a tough situation to be in now.  Even the foundations I know have taken a hit  in their financial portfolios because the foundations were invested in the markets at some level, not all was guaranteed.”

Burgess says the biggest challenge he faced last year was figuring out how to purchase the Avista Utilities building The Inn Between/Inn Sight Alternative High School currently occupies and has leased for the past 11 years.

“We’ve been actively writing grants but we are always caught in this chicken or the egg  situation with the grants because everybody says they will help if someone else helps you first , but we haven’t had anyone step up to the plate.  We applied to the Meyer Memorial Trust, but were rejected.  They fund about 80% of requests, however they were hit economically just like everyone else.    The lengthy application process took from May to November, just to get to the point for them to decide.   The foundation said they could fund middle size grants, but lopped the big ones and small ones.   We were asking for $108,000, but they ended up funding the grants in the $20,000 to $25,000 range.  They funded a lot of those.”

Burgess admits wearily the trust did not offer them a smaller amount.

“Every time you get a grant you get leverage.  If we were to replace (or buy) this building and the square footage that we need in today’s market our payments would be less than what it would take us to replace it in a rental market.  Now is the time to buy,”  he says.

“We’re still working with Avista, and they are still trying to sell us the building if at all possible.  They’ve been most helpful,” he says optimistically.

“We applied to the Carpenter Foundation in December and we’ll find out those results later on in January.  But that would be for a smaller amount, $15,000, but that will help.   Anything that gets us a step further down the road.  We’ll probably ask for another $75,000 between the three other sources.  Evergreen Federal has agreed to loan us money, but we can’t borrow a huge amount because we still need to stay within our budget in terms of what we have for a payment that matches our current lease payment.”

He qualifies, “We are waiting to develop more grant money so we won’t have to borrow as much from Evergreen.  It would be financially irresponsible for us to borrow more money than we can pay back.”

The Avista building is worth approximately $420,000 based on appraisal and we’re trying to raise the difference - about $150,000- through grants, fundraising and alike, or a discount from Avista.  ”They could maybe sell it to us at a bargain sell price,” he smiles, “it might be a good deal for them too.  They are looking into it, they are working with us best they can,” he acknowledges.

“That’s the challenge for the future because we have to get that secure. And if not we’ll have to find something else.  This building is really ideal because these walls are all portable, you can move them around.  The whole thing is a clear span so you can reconfigure this.   We have a local contractor who is willing to do the work for free, and reconfigure the layout.   And once we take over the entire building one of the things that we need for our homeless youth population we serve,  is someplace for them to shower and do laundry.  So that when they come to school they can be clean, that would really help them,” he says.

“The other challenge for the future is trying to integrate more of the students who are homeless back into school.  Because the kids that are out there on the streets are being mentored by the wrong people and we would rather mentor them and get them back into the mainstream of education; get them to move ahead rather than being mentored by the people who have chosen that as a lifestyle.  They make it sound great and that kind of lures those kids out there.”

Burgess continues, “We now have 13 homeless youth in our program.  We do an outreach with our two vans and get the kids to come in.”

A youth may be categorized as homeless if they are in a transient situation; living in tents, substandard housing, couch surfing, living under bridges and so on he says.

“Some reports list about 700 homeless youth in Josephine County, which might include those who do live with their families, but maybe in a trailer camp or tent.    That’s a huge number, but we don’t see that many, we see about 45 homeless youth per quarter.    We provide services for them by way of clothing, sleeping bags, toiletries, meals and blankets.    Grant funding provides monies for those items as well as the state’s Commission on Children and Families and a Cow Creek grant, however those are ending,” he says.    ”But we have reapplied.   We should hear back from Cow Creek in January.

The Inn Between does accept donations, except for clothing Burgess explains, “because we don’t have a lot of physical space.”

“We do accept specific things like blankets, warm coats, toiletries.  We need to have things that turn over, that the kids will use, that we move through, we can’t store a lot of stuff.”

“Our website www.innbetweenyouth.org lists donation items, so folks know specifically what we are looking for,” he suggests.

The homeless youth program L.I.F.T. stands for Life through Independence, Family and Trust and services Wolf Creek, Sunny Valley and Illinois Valley as well as the Grants Pass area.

Burgess reports, “The community really helps.   At our annual Christmas dinner last month 23 youths attended.  We gave them socks, gift cards, and a good meal at JJ North’s.  The local churches help us; Bethany Presbyterian does a lunch once a month for Inn Sight students and the homeless kids enrolled in school.”

If it takes the endurance of a long distance runner to meet and continue mounting the challenges of showing direction to youths at risk, then Burgess is a marathon man.  ”The Inn Between Incorporated  has run many types of program over the years in  Jackson,  Josephine and Douglas counties,”  Burgess remembers,  ”in the 80’s  we served 1,300 kids a year in all the programs.”

It is indeed gratifying to see individuals who have been helped by The Inn Between programs return to give back to those at risk.   “Over the years I’ve had people who were served in one level of our program now working in the community as high school counselors and drug and alcohol counselors.”

Burgess elaborates, “For instance one of our teachers began as an alternative education student,  then began working for us as an intern–like work study experience — and has come along from that to becoming a current instructor.   Shannon Stearns has worked for us 12 years after going through the program.  We also have a high school counselor who came through the program, who went on to get her Masters degree.”

Clearly Burgess is proud of his teachers and students.  And although he doesn’t teach, he can be called upon to relate his experience as an Olympic flame bearer.    ”What works here is that the kids really get involved in taking care of their school, because they are very connected to it.   Everything you see here the kids do; they clean the place, decorate, it’s their place and they want to maintain it.  They govern themselves here.”

Burgess continues, “The Inn Sight Alternative High School utilizes a lot of small groups, 10 to 15 students per group.  Their attendance is important and the students encourage each other to attend because absences pull the rest of the school down.   Peer relationships and peer support – that’s going to move these kids.  They might look at us and say,  ’Oh yeah  they don’t know what they are talking about’,  but when their peers say they do know what they are talking about … then they start to get it,”  Burgess says.

The man with the huge compassionate heart says he has been in semi-retirement for the past three years.  He’s almost 60 and says that someone from within would eventually take over his position.   “I’m trying to be retired, trying to ride my horses,” he muses.

Burgess has his wife Jean, two grown children and three grandchildren waiting to spend more time with the tireless toiler.

But he will always stay connected to the organization he built and expanded.  And yes, he probably can be persuaded to retell his experiences as one of the Olympic torch bearers to eager listening students.

###

Mary Ann Bullard

Becky was waiting for me just inside the ReMax Real Estate office reception area, located on 7th street, where she maintains her real estate sales business. You can always tell when you’re face to face with another public relations person, but Becky is delightfully different. She is, without a doubt, one of the most non-assuming professionals I’ve ever met. I would soon experience what Mission Executive Director, Keith Heck, felt when appointing Ms. Beyer for this all important position. I was anxious to begin the interview.

REPORTER: Thank you for your time. Could you please tell us about your new position with the Gospel Rescue Mission?

BECKY BEYER: “My title is Public Relations and Development Director of the Gospel Rescue Mission of Grants Pass.” Becky lit up the room with her veridical smile, “A big title for a relatively small job, as it’s part-time, but Mr. Heck says it could grow, that it sort of depends on me?”

Beyer continues, “My task is to get the word out that the Gospel Rescue Mission is here for Josephine County, the service provided is non-denominational and that the Mission offers so much more than most people in the community are aware of.”

REPORTER: May we have a look at your resume?

BECKY BEYER: “I was born at Jo General then raised in Medford and Jacksonville until the 7th grade. My dad worked for Pacific Power and was transferred to Portland. We lived in the Beaverton area where I completed high school. I then moved South to Sacramento where I received my certificate in interior design. Though I didn’t open my own studio of interior design, my studies certainly help me in real estate sales as I’m more able to counsel my clients in preparation for the sale of their home.”

Beyer says she is not a “natural” at being a PR person, but real estate sales has opened her eyes and heart to the many needs of people. In her few off hours, she enjoys gardening and home life, cooking and taking care of her home that she shares with her 83 old mother. Ms. Beyers, who is a single lady, sees her future with the Mission as exciting and extremely rewarding. She hopes to continue with this endeavor and her real estate sales business as well, and “Make it good for everybody.”

REPORTER: Your resume certainly gives you a strong background in public relations and knowledge of the community.

BECKY BEYER: “I view this appointment more of a ministry than a job. Being a Realtor I promote myself all the time plus I’ve been involved in promotions with many different groups, such as Women’s Counsel of Realtors and the Board of Realtors. I’m used to working with promotions, people and customer relations. So, Mr. Heck said your hired, sent me out with a box of stationery, and told me go tell the folks about our work here at the Mission. I was delighted.”

REPORTER: When do you start?

BECKY BEYER: “My new business cards are being printed as we speak, as I want to meet as many people as possible within the community. The idea of course, is to keep folks informed of the Mission’s work in aiding and assisting the less fortunate, and the need for community involvement, as we operate 100% on private donations.”.

Beyer explains, “We want to reach into the community and make people more aware of what the Mission really does to help individuals in need. Our vision is to teach people how to live, not just exist. We show them that we care enough to help with their basic needs such as food, clothing, counseling, health care, education and shelter. There is no charge for our services, just requirements that must be met by the individuals.”

REPORTER: And, what specifically do you offer those in need?

BECKY BEYER: “We have facilities for both men and women, the Ray Allen Center for those individuals looking for help in drug and alcohol addiction. We offer the Thrift Store at sixth and J streets and a recycling center located at 1010 S/W Foundry.” Beyer continued, “I want folks to know, that about 98% of the people who live at the Mission are there for long term and are Josephine County residents.. They aren’t transients, they are people within our community who are in trouble. We have actual families living in the women’s center. We’ve been able to help up to 100 persons in the center at any given time.”

Beyer stressed, “We help them with education, counseling, job training and drug and alcohol addiction assistance. Just about everything is available at the center to bring them back into their own, to give them another chance in society, which is difficult for anybody during these economical trying times and an addiction makes it even more of a challenge.”

Beyers emphasized the need for promoting the men’s center, Wagner Hall, “As I understand it, the necessary funds to complete the men’s center is half way there. The women’s Center received a matching funds grant at the last minute and they were able to finish construction. So far nothing such as that has come in for the men’s facility, so we’re pushing to get that completed. It will allow for 78 men to live safely and soberly. Grants Pass badly needs this facility.

REPORTER: How does the Mission receive donations?

BEYER: “We hold various functions throughout the year.

For instance, the residents of the Fikso Family Center and the Women’s Residential Facility of the Gospel Rescue Mission of Grants Pass recently hosted a free barbecue as a “getting to know you” fund raiser. This was in celebration of five years that the community has supported the Family Center. We have an annual banquet in the spring which I’ll oversee. This is in recognition of the donors and folks that help us through the year. A lot of my work will be these kinds of events. I’m looking forward to it. And, of course, you may donate directly to the Mission”

REPORTER: How may the community assist the Mission?

Beyer explains, “I want to emphasize our need for assistance other than monetary. We need volunteers for various events and happenings. We have the recycle center where people can take their recyclables and that helps the mission as well. There is the thrift store downtown at the corner of 6th and J Streets. People can donate all kinds of useful items that can help others and everyone can find tremendous buys., there.”

Beyer adds, “We put out a monthly newsletter which tells what is in most need at that particular time.. Some items, as you can well imagine, are in constant need such as potty-paper, sugar, rice, flour, eggs, plastic-ware, powdered milk and laundry soap.

We want to get the word out how you can help the Mission and how we can help you. With the current economy the way it is, we need to help each other”, she said.

FROM THE OCTOBER NEWSLETTER: Toilet paper is needed most of all. The Mission is buying it and that takes from the many objectives they are trying to achieve. Wagner Hall, the new men’s residence, is so close to becoming a reality. We need your donations now to complete this much needed facility. Here’s a thought for those who can help us; if you make a gift of $10,000 to the Gospel Rescue Mission Foundation, from your will or trust at 5% interest, that’s $500 per year to support the work of the Mission. Your $10,000 donation is never touched. A gift that keeps on giving….. FOREVER ! Something to think about? Please call Terall Blalock to make this happen: (541) 479-2415.

REPORTER: How about the possibility initiating future events?

BEYER: “I talked with Mr. Heck about this and he brought up sponsoring a golf tournament. I have contacts to gain the needed input, so now its just further research and implementation, if we decide to go forward with it. We would have to seek sponsors for such an event, and that too is part of my job.”

REPORTER: Isn’t there something special you want all of us to know?

BEYER: “I would like to invite everyone to come and see just how we help the community. The Mission offers hosted facility tours, your chance to see first hand, up close and personal, exactly what we do for the many residents of the Mission. We’ll take you to our Community Recycling Center, the Mens’ Residence Facility, the Second Chance Thrift Store, Pregnancy Care Center and the Women’s/Children’s Residence. The tours are scheduled by appointment and take less than two hours. Bring your family, employees, club, church youth group or business associates. You’ll truly enjoy it. Here’s a comment from a recent visitor, “I thought the Rescue Mission was just a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen? Boy, was I wrong.”

All of us of the Mission want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and most Happy New Year. And, please come to see us.”

If you are in need of the Mission’s services or wish to donate to a most worthy cause, please contact Becky Beyer and the Gospel Rescue Mission at 541-476-0082.

Mailing address: P.O.Box 190, Grants Pass, OR 97528. They are located at 112 S/E J St. In Grants Pass.

-Mike Case

NOTE:* The Mission would be pleased to receive food left-overs from your organizational meetings and functions.

Julie Rubenstein
November 13, 2008

We’re entering that time of year when the specter of poverty, hunger and homelessness looms large. Our Pilgrim forebears knew this spectre, and at the end of this month we’ll all celebrate their deliverance from hunger as they struggled to help found our great country. Yet, great nation or not, there are still far too many of us still suffering the gnawing pangs of not enough food to eat. And it’s getting harder for even the relatively well-off to be charitable to those in need.

“If I had to pick one word to describe the picture of hunger in Josephine Coounty, the word would be ‘grim.’ We’re up to almost 10,000 people a month here accessing emergency food boxes. Half are kids, and half of the households have at least one person working full time,” says Susan Scheufele of the Josephine County Food Bank.

The hunger statistics here are indeed grim: approximately 6500 households in Josephine County (out of about 36,000 total, or 1/6th) earn less than $25,000 per year. Almost two thirds of those earn less than $10,000 and have dependent children living in the house. It’s estimated that 1 in 5 children don’t get enough food to eat.

10-15% of the clients served are receiving emergency food aid for the first time. Lost jobs, exhausted savings, foreclosed homes – all of the effects of the national economic crash are hitting especially hard here in Josephine County, which is already one of the poorest in the State of Oregon.

The picture is even more dire in that it’s affecting would-be donors too. At the same time needs are growing, resources are dwindling. At this time last year, $25,000 worth of turkeys and hams was available for Thanksgiving or Christmas distributions to the poor. This year? Negligible. The three Grants Pass Rotary Clubs are encouraging their members to purchase groceries from stores offering reduced-price or free turkeys when you spend a certain amount, and then donating those to the food bank or directly to the Christmas Basket program sponsored by Rogue Gateway Rotary.

The Josephine County Christmas Basket Program has given out groceries for a full holiday meal to thousands of families in need over the past 27 years. Last year it served over 2500 families at a cost of $77,000, but to do so it required dipping substantially into reserves due to declining contributions. This year, contributions are down even further, and the board has decided to aim at serving just 500 families this year just in order to assure that the program can continue into the future.

A major sponsor of the Christmas Basket Program recently pulled out, and the local Orowheat Bakery has stopped giving away its stale-dated products since being bought out by a Mexico-based corporation. Bread donations were a main staple of emergency food boxes, further straining the cash budgeted to cover purchased food.

Rotary members will be staffing a table at Gottschalks on “Black Friday,” (the day after Thanksgiving) starting at 5:00 am and running throughout the day, to collect donations for the program. They’re hoping that shoppers will remember the hungry as they choose their holiday gifts for family and friends. In this time of need, we all should.

How to help

Donations can be sent to Josephine County Christmas Basket Program, P.O. Box 1761, Grants Pass, OR 97528.

Local Food Pantries (all addresses are in the 97526 zip code unless otherwise noted)

Josephine County Food Bank, 1040 S.E. M. St., 479-5556

Reaching Our Community, 564 Foundry St., 476-3344.

FISH, 132 N.E. B St. (Many local churches accept donations for FISH)

Dorcas, 1360 N.E. Ninth St., 474-2179

Salvation Army, 2543 Redwood Ave., 955-1017

St. Vincent de Paul, 2757 S.E. Seventh St., 472-8579

Gospel Rescue Mission (women), 530 S.W. Foundry St., 476-0082

Gospel Rescue Mission (men), 244 N.E. E St., 476-0082.

Dorcas, 265 Old Stage Road, Cave Junction 97523

Life Lines Ministry, 480 South Junction Avenue, Cave Junction 97523

Shannon Williams of the Women’s Crisis Support Team (WCST) has been sending this message loud and clear to Josephine County. Shannon is a survivor herself and has years of experience walking women through the steps they need to take in order to be safe from domestic violence. She has been holding “Cut it out” seminars in Josephine County with the help of AmeriCorps volunteer Katarina Kobor and the owner of Express Cuts, Laurie Putney.

The Cut it Out program is designed to educate salon professionals on how to recognize and respond to signs of abuse and what they can do to possibly help their clients. This relatively new concept was conceived in 2002 by The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham and has since branched out across the United States. The reason for focusing on salon professionals is because they work closely with men and women. Quite often, this builds a trusting relationship. Hairdressers, nails technicians, estheticians, and beauty education members are more likely than most others to notice such things as bruises, cuts, and tender spots on those they come in contact with during the work day. While bruises and such are obvious signs, Cut it Out shows professionals how to recognize less blatant signals such as skipping regular treatments, receiving repeated cell phone calls from a spouse during a session, or the constant presence of a partner during appointments.

While the signs and signals are relatively easy to pick up on, most salon professionals do not know how to react to possible victims. However, the intimacy of a relationship between a client and a salon worker helps open the door to questions or comments. During seminars, Shannon suggests a simple approach, such as asking if everything is okay, inquiring as to how a bruise or sore spot came about, or letting the person know you are concerned for them. Shannon emphasizes the fact that salon professionals are not expected to counsel their clients and that it is best to simply provide their customers with information and, if it is appropriate, a telephone number for the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE) along with contact information for the Women’s Crisis Support Team in Josephine County, who responds to requests for help from both women and men.

Salon professionals are encouraged to keep their discussions discreet and use good judgment when handing out information, as a partner who is already abusive may discover that help is being considered. This could lead to more problems for the person they are already causing harm to. Members of domestic violence teams who work in safe houses and crisis centers have come up with innovative ways of passing information along in methods that keep the information from being discovered in such situations, and the women of WCST share that information with the professionals of Josephine County during the Cut it Out Seminars.

At the end of these informative seminars, Shannon asks participants for input. Many make the comment that the information given during the seminar is very helpful and will be put to good use in the future. A number realize they have previously overlooks signs and signals of abuse, or didn’t respond to them because they were uncertain of what could or should be said to possible victims and didn’t feel as if they could speak up without it being an invasion of privacy. At the end of seminars, Shannon passes out packets of cards, flyers, and other tools for salon workers to give out at their own discretion.

To find out more about the Cut it Out program in Josephine County, please use the following information:

Women’s Crisis Support Team
560 NE “F” St, Suite A #430,
Grants Pass, OR 97526
Telephone:  541-479-9349 

Salons Against Domestic Abuse
401 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Website: http://www.cutitout.org

What better way to help people recovering from addictions and their families than to put all your resources together and let people know what their options are?

That’s exactly what happened at the Recovery Fair. The effort was not coordinated by just one person or even three – countless agencies joined in to participate and make this event a success.

Upon entry, which was free, visitors were met by the sight of Drug Court Theater Troupe members putting on a skit, followed by personal testimonies. All in attendance were encouraged to sign their names and number of clean and sober names on a giant poster, and to the delight of all present, the poster gradually filled throughout the five hour event.

Wellness on Wheels donated their vehicle for the event, and members of Harm Reduction Center were on hand to give free HIV and Hepatitis C testing. Approximately twenty people took up the offer, and the highly accurate testing results were cause for looks of relief from those tested, as all turned out negative. Those undergoing the simple procedure, which is simply a mouth swab and a twenty minute wait for results, were given information on how to reduce their risk of contracting such infections and encouraged to implement the safety measures they learned.

Across from Wellness on Wheels, the Oregon Judicial Department presented information on how to reinstate license fees, setting up payment schedules, and more. Those with licenses suspended for non-payment of fees were given a break and allowed to pay just $100 down for reinstatement, leaving a visitor named Julie beaming as she exclaimed “I haven’t had a license for eight years now! This was the break I needed to get back into the game and be able to do things on my own. I couldn’t afford how much I owed all at once.” Those in need were also offered the option to work in order to pay off the remainder of their court fees, and that option is one that is available to people at any time.

Officer Kevin Blaich and other associates of Grants Pass Public Safety were on hand to talk to those who needed advice and to discuss the current problems they are seeing in the Josephine County area. He noted that while methamphetamine is still a popular drug of choice, cocaine and heroine are making a small but still alarming comeback in this area of the state.

Amy, who has been clean and sober since 2002 after a five year struggle, stopped by the Community Corrections booth for hugs and a cheery “Thank You” to workers Denise Olson, Darren Calvert, Steven Monroe, and Dan Schram. Amy, who was referred to Community Corrections by the courts, enthusiastically praised the program and particularly the care and counseling that Ms. Olson offered as her counselor. “She got me to open up. She [Denise] is a good person and I love her!”

While the majority of those who attended were from Josephine County, the Recovery Fair drew in visitors from out of the area as well. One man, Mr. Garrido, was celebrating his one year anniversary of being off meth and driving through the state on his way home to Las Vegas when he saw the signs and made a u-turn to stop and check things out. He entered the free raffle on the off chance of being one of the few chosen from over 350 entries, and walked away grinning with a a gift certificate from Jimmy’s Classic Drive-In. Garrido claims “…it’s a sign that I should stay off, that I’m doing good. I didn’t expect anything like this!”

Whatever one was looking for, it could be found at the Recovery Fair. Bridges, a program to help homeless people who struggle with addiction or mental illness, was available to talk about their services. UCAN (Umpqua Community Action Network) presented fliers for those who needed resources to help pay utility bills, housing costs, or help provide for other basic necessities. However, it wasn’t all business! There was lots of fun involved. Children and adults played frisbee in open areas of the park, while others enjoyed the free hotdogs, snacks, and beverages. An impromptu group gathered on the pavement to enjoy the music and learn hip hop dance moves from one of the many volunteers, while children and adults alike were fascinated by the balloon twisting skills of Albert “The Balloonman” Joseph.

Key coordinators Karen Caskey, Abe Huntley, and Denise Olson were thrilled with how seamlessly the event came together and the number of people who showed up and were provided with information, support, entertainment, and great opportunities to take their recovery to the next level. All who took part in making the first annual Recovery Fair happen look forward to doing it again next year and for many years to come.

On Wednesday evening of September 10th, a seminar on menopause was held at Guild Hall on Williams Highway. The goal was to provide “an uplifting, empowering journey through the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects of perimenopause and menopause.”

Speakers included Donna Schmid, Robin Miller, Janet Moret, and Caryn Gehlman.

Donna Schmid opened the seminar by discussing her own personal experiences with the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, delivering the topic to the audience with a sense of humor and open honesty that was well received. Donna organized the event because “…women really need to know the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.” She felt the seminar went perfectly, and everyone “walked away with something that empowered them.”

Following Donna, Janet Moret – a licensed acupuncturist, gave a brief introduction to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture. She went on to discuss different points such as the yin/yang balance, changes women go through during menopause, foods to avoid, the importance of exercise, the cautious use of herbs, and how to ease certain peri and menopausal symptoms.

Caryn Gehlman brought a treat for all to share. She provided a variety of essential oils and encouraged women to go ahead and inhale! As everyone passed around the little brown bottles and made paper samples of their favorites, Caryn spoke of the benefits of various oils women can use for menopausal symptoms. She provided scent recipes for many forms of relief, from hot flashes, to simple relaxation.

When Dr. Robin Miller stood up to speak, she quickly made a point of stating that menopause is a normal process all females go through, and it is not a disease. The statement was followed with a discussion about hormones, and how the decision for testing and treating for imbalances should be made based on many sources of information, including personal study, rather than relying on just one source. Dr. Miller included information on vitamins, herbs, and stressed the benefits of complementary approaches to health care such as acupuncture, massage, and other realms within the healing arts. She also spoke of options and alternatives when it comes to Estrogen Replacement Therapy, which many women seem unaware of.

While the seminar was scheduled to end at 9 p.m., such a wealth of information was given that women stayed around to chat and talk with the speakers and each other afterward. It was a great night for all involved. Those who provided the seminar look forward to repeating it in the future, and the guests walked away extremely satisfied and armed with an abundance of information, tips, and hints for living well during this time in their lives.

Nancy Rozell, Director of Christian Service Network

“We turn away as many people a month as we help, sometimes more because the rent situation is getting out of hand and we don’t have funds…the next month those same people are coming in and asking for showers because they don’t have a place to take one anymore.”  – Nancy Rozell, Director of Christian Service Network

This is just one of the issues Nancy and volunteer worker Lyn Hagerty face.

Together, they head up Christian Service Network (CSN), a non-profit organization that helps people in Josephine County who need emergency help. The majority of people coming in do so because they have no other resources to turn to. They need help in order to retain their housing or keep utilities on at home. Sometimes they request laundry vouchers so they can wash their clothes. Quite often, they do not have the funds to go and pick up prescription medication. The current budget for CSN is approximately $2,500.00 and comes from 22 local churches who donate monthly.

A few individuals also make contributions in order help with expenses. The Seventh Day Adventist Church has generously donated office space and pays for all the necessary utilities. Those utilities include water, which is used in the shower facility for those who are homeless or do not have running water at their home.

While this non-profit organization continually seeks to help those in need, the recent rise in gas prices, combined with the mortgage crisis, has left CSN with no choice but to turn a number of people away. While they haven’t solicited funds from businesses, they are looking into the possibility of doing so in the near future. Currently, they have anywhere from 42 to 58 people per month coming in to use the shower facilities. The number of people seeking financial assistance fluctuates per month, but averages out to 104.

The greatest need for those coming to CSN is help with shut off notices on their utilities, closely followed by requests for rental assistance. Nancy and Lyn do their best to help those in need maintain their sense of dignity and value. However, that can get tricky during the application process, as they must properly determine the applicant’s true needs and assess the urgency and validity of those needs by questioning the person and asking for appropriate documentation. Despite their careful screening process, the services of CSN do occasionally get abused, such as the time a person duplicated gas vouchers, faked the needed signatures, and left the agency stuck with a $300.00 gas bill. Such situations can be very frustrating, but CSN works around such problems and comes up with measures to ensure that fraudulent activity will not be repeated. While they no longer give out gas vouchers, they occasionally will help someone out with fuel. They are currently looking into a safer method of being able to do so on a more regular basis.

One of the most heart wrenching situations they see at Christian Service Network is the number of mothers children who are living in vehicles with their children. That number is rapidly increasing. Not only do these families have no place to stay, they are often shooed away by police from various locations when they attempt to spend the night parked in a location where they feel safe. While many people are under the impression that such people can go to the homeless shelters in town, this isn’t an accurate assumption. Not only are the shelters usually full, the majority requires that people entering the shelter for more than a brief stay be enrolled in programs for drug abusers and alcoholics. Sadly enough, this most often leaves no room for the person or family who is clean and sober. As there are really no other resources as far as temporary housing, sometimes the only thing CSN can do is let people know what areas of town they’ve heard about where people can sleep outside and be relatively safe.

Fortunately, they can be more helpful when it comes to other needs. If Christian Service Network cannot help someone, they have a list of agencies they work with in town that they either call or will send people to, such as UCAN (Umpqua Community Action Network)  or the Salvation Army. They try not to turn a person away without offering an alternative resource. Sometimes, a new resource is found and utilized quite unintentionally. For example, one man came in who had a tough time finding a job because he only had one leg. When Ms. Rozell picked up the phone book to see if there were any places that might be able to help him, she ran across an agency that recycles prosthetics. They just happened to have one available, so the man went in for a fitting, received a prosthetic leg, and was able to find a job shortly thereafter. When he went back to visit CSN and thank them for their help, there were tears in his eyes.

It is those situations and the people who come back months later with success stories that keeps those working within Christian Service Network from becoming jaded. However, it doesn’t keep them from getting frustrated when they run out of funds and are unable to help those who come in.

Donations, either financial or otherwise, are immensely appreciated. Those who are interested in lending this fine organization a hand can give them a call at 541-479-5045. While their greatest need is financial, they occasionally need people who are willing to come in and help at the office. Also, donations of travel size soaps and other personal items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste are helpful as they are given to those who come in for showers. With few exceptions, all donations given go to help Josephine County residents.

Dr. Robin Miller, keynote speaker, and Donna Schmid, founder of the Integrative Health and Wellness Fair, pose with some members of her Advisory Board

The first annual Rogue Valley Integrated Health and Wellness Fair took place in mid-June at the Josephine County Fairgrounds in Grants Pass.

The event turned out to be quite a success, with a wide variety of offerings for those who stopped by to visit, listen to professional health presentations, receive a free massage, or learn more about anything from vitamin supplements to healthy cooking. Parched attendees were offered filtered water by Chris from Ultra Pure Water, a bottled water delivery service that uses reverse osmosis to filter the heavy elements out of water, leaving the customer with pure, clean, water molecules.

Beverly Shuman from Williams attended the first day of the three day fair, and became so excited over what she saw, she returned the next day, bringing a host of friends with her. Beverly was interested to see what was new in the world of integrated health care, and found plenty of up-to-date information. She was especially impressed with the Essential Three aromatherapy group, and walked away with a number of delightful products, her favorite being Lavender Mist.

One visitor, Dianne Fisher of Glendale, Arizona, was in Grants Pass on vacation when she heard there would be a health fair. She attended on Friday, and was so pleased with everything; she went back both Saturday and Sunday and listened to every single speaker at the event. Although it was hard for her to choose a favorite, she decided that keynote speaker Robin Miller was very enjoyable. Dianne was thrilled to receive information and advice from professionals that one normally has to pay upwards of $200 to receive, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the speakers were willing to have one-on-one conversations with visitors. She walked away with lotions, an anti-inflammatory cookbook, an acupuncture experience, and a tingling feeling that she received from, as she states, “a machine that wiggled and jiggled every part of my body.”

A popular booth with many visitors was one that featured Himalayan mineral salts. There were beautiful lamps designed to cleanse and purify the air. Mineral salts with trace elements, meant to be mixed with water and ingested to help detoxify the body, were on display. Those who stopped by were given a sample to try. Some were concerned that drinking these types of salt would be bad for them, but Rama, the salesperson, explained that these are different from the table salts that most associate with when trying to lower their sodium intake.

Tanya Townsend was present with VEMMA products, a dietary supplement of vitamins and minerals with mangostein. It can be taken in different forms, included a bubbly, lightly fruity, soda like version. Many people who stopped by were very happy to find it so palatable yet healthy. The Grants Pass representatives of Healthy Inspirations were also on hand to give samples of their low calorie snack bars, which, to the shock of many, tasted just as great as their higher calorie counterparts.

A rather interesting display was arranged by hypnotherapist Shawn Cox, who believes his methods can resolve all negative emotions from a person’s past in just ten minutes. Those interested in learning more about this can email Mr. Cox at shawn@advancedmindset.com A speaker of note, Dr. Daniel N. Smith of the Bear Creek Naturopathic Clinic in Medford, was there with his assistant Vicky. His speech drew in a number of visitors, and he spent time with people afterwards to provide one-on-one consultations and advice. Dr. Smith enjoys combining Western and Eastern medical practices and concentrating on the whole patient and the root of illnesses rather than simply treating the symptoms and neglecting the cause of illness. He may be reached by calling the office at (541) 842-4844

With vendors too many to list and droves of very satisfied visitors from Josephine County and well beyond, the Integrated Health and Wellness Fair is something the people of Grants Pass and elsewhere are looking forward to having again next year and for years to come. Donna Schmid, who coordinated the affair with the help of Jeff Voigt, Dave Talley, Janet Moret, and Dr. Miller, did a wonderful job of making this a highly successful event. It was appreciated by many, and many are eagerly waiting until next year’s second annual Integrated Health and Wellness Fair.

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Grants Pass Now Reader Comment

“What a great testimonial to the Fair – and just a tip of the iceburg of the positive effect the Fair had on our community’s health!” – Nikki Main

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Grants Pass Now Reader Comment

“Thank you for the follow up on the Rogue Valley Integrative Health & Wellness Fair; we, at Essential 3, were extremely pleased to be a part of this “First Annual” event and look forward to participating in all future events. As is evident from the comments from both the vendors as well as those that came to the event, the variety and high quality of products and services offered was exceptional. As a essential oil company servicing clients in the health and wellness field, we participate in numerous trade shows all over the country; we speak with experience when we offer our sincere Congratulations to Donna, for her vision, and hard work, as well as to the entire Advisory board for their dedication and commitment to introduce to the Rogue Valley the wide range of great opportunities an individual is able to choose from within the integrative health field.
For those of you who came, Thank You, we met so many exceptional individuals; for those of you who weren’t able to come to the “First”, we look forward to seeing you at the “Second”!
With a Scent for Well-Being, Warm Regards, Caryn Gehlmann, Essential 3″ – Caryn Lynn Gehlmann

As Josephine County has had to let go of more and more of its public services in the name of “cutting the fat,” residents have had to find other ways of coping. In my outlying neighborhood a few miles from Grants Pass, more and more of our neighbors have acquired aggressive dogs to ward off prowlers, knowing that their Rottweiler will be more ready on the money than any sheriff’s patrol. This is a kind of do-it-yourself property protection service…not a bad alternative if you’ve got the space and ability to care for your animal(s).

Unfortunately, too many people acquire a dog, then for whatever reason find they cannot care for it, or it’s too much to handle and they can’t find a good home so it ends up being abandoned. Used to be, Animal Control (formerly known as your friendly neighborhood dogcatcher) would come around and find these strays, take them to the public pound and hold them in that purgatory for a while, safe and well fed.

This is one of those “fat” luxuries that we’ve long since said goodbye to in our county. The local Humane Society, a private nonprofit, still runs the pound but they’ve had their hands full just getting it back on sound fiscal and management footing. And, you have to bring the animal there, they won’t pick up. The good news, though, is that there are enough dog lovers around that they have formed various rescue societies.  Debbie LaMonda, owner of the Dancin’ Paws doggie wash-o-mat, spends much of her free time rounding up abandoned pooches of various breeds and placing them into foster homes. She is one of many such volunteers who’ve stepped in to replace what once was a county service.

Debbie also volunteers with PAWS, a fantastic program that combines animal rescue with social services for humans, in the form of at-risk youth. PAWSitive Changes, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization that strives to reach youth and dogs in need.  Its innovative project, The PAWS Program works with incarcerated youth who are paired with shelter dogs in order to care for, train, socialize, and prepare the dogs for adoption into forever homes. These dogs are all second-chance animals that are teaching compassion to youth in your community, at NO COST to the taxpayers..

PAWS’ leaders define their mission as “forming a more compassionate community; one dog at a time.” The principles of compassion, empathy, and positive reinforcement are key to their mission. Angie Sabin-Veek, a Youth Corrections Unit Coordinator at the Oregon Youth Authority in Grants Pass,  runs the PAWS program. They have been operating since June of 2006 with 49 successful adoptions. Angie says “This is the best thing I’ve ever been involved in. Dogs can reach these kids in ways that people can’t.”

100% of donated funds are used to care for the dogs in the program.  While no money is earned by the participating kids, they learn valuable life lessons of compassion, hope, and patience. PAWS dogs receive a combination of Vet Care, Basic Training, Socialization and”Forever Homes.” The incarcerated kids receive a kind of therapy that helps put them back on the right track in life, and it’s all because of the dedication of volunteers and generosity of sponsors that this dual benefit occurs.

In this time of shrinking services and lowered expectations from local government, it is refreshing to run across a program that delivers better and with more heart than any government-run service could hope to achieve. Private sector innovation combined with love and compassion have managed to re-invent the wheel of “animal control” into something beautiful. Now if only the Josephine Community Libraries effort succeeds, maybe we’ll be on the road to community self-reliance without raising taxes beyond an affordable level.

Amanda Locke nominated for consideration at SOU’s pre-college youth program.

Amanda Locke has an outstanding record of academic achievement. She has achieved straight A’s throughout her life in school, save for the occasional B in mathematics. At the age of 11, she tested “post high school” on all subjects save one on SAT testing, and was recently nominated for consideration at Southern Oregon University’s pre-college youth program for talented and highly able students. She has now been accepted, and is seeking sponsorship for tuition. The total cost of the one week residential program, being held this June, is $625.00

Amanda was sent a list of classes that will be offered at SOU during her time there, with instructions to check all the classes she’d like to see in her schedule. Her top three choices are “Junior Chefs”, which will be taught by Culinary Institute-Le Cordon Bleu Graduate Chef Marilyn Moore, a theater improv class called “Shakespeare Shenanigans,” and a class on American law, which isn’t surprising as she has always shown strong interest in court proceedings. Her reading choices from the age of five almost always included books on constitutional law, court proceedings, and the American justice system.

While most of her time is dedicated to school work, Amanda also has an interest in vegetable gardening and has recently taken some time out to help in her family’s small garden plot in a local community garden. A large portion of the harvest will go to local food shelters. She also spends some of her spare time drawing and painting, and is especially talented at drawing wildlife images.

If you’d like to help this young lady with part of the tuition costs, checks may be sent directly to the college, made out to SOU Pre-College Programs and clearly writing Amanda Locke-Deng on the reference line. The mailing address is as follows:

Southern Oregon University/ACADEMY
Pre-College Youth Program
1250 Siskiyou Blvd
Ashland, OR 97520

As Amanda and her family will need to keep track of the sponsors and amounts given, please follow this up with a short note to mandifizz@gmail.com , being sure to include contact information where she can send you a personal update after she completes ACADEMY.

If you wish to sponsor her but would rather present it to her in person, please use the above email address to make arrangements for this. – Gina Locke