Faith In Action names its top volunteer for
2009
Three other people are also honored by
ministry for giving back to Newberg
community
  Photo
By: Gary Allen
Helping hand — Margene Haworth meets
with 10-year-old Bailey twice a week to help
the third-grade girl with her reading.
Faith in Action is honoring its most
dedicated volunteers again this year.
Earning the title of volunteer of the year
is Margene Haworth, 75, who has been
volunteering since 2005 with the Family
Friends program.
Family Friends is a ministry where FIA
pairs an older adult with a child with
special needs. Haworth, is a retired
elementary school teacher from California.
In the past she volunteered with FIA working
in a Mabel Rush Elementary School classroom
with children with special needs and she was
paired with a young girl with autism. Most
recently she has been working on improving
the reading skills of a third-grade girl
with dyslexia.
Bailey Sherwood, 10, meets twice per week
for one hour with Haworth. “Haworth has
Bailey over to her house as a place to
focus,” said her mother, Elizabeth,
administrative pastor at Newberg Friends
Church. She said Haworth is understanding of
Bailey as an individual and has managed to
make the reading- and writing-intensive
sessions fun and something for the youngster
to look forward to. “Bailey feels very safe
and comfortable around Margene,” even though
her daughter is very self-conscious about
her dyslexia.
Faith in Action program coordinator Kathy
Watson said Haworth was selected “partly
because she was one of the volunteers with
the most hours of service in 2009. She’s one
of the very special people who just go
quietly about their business of serving
other people without wanting or needing a
lot of recognition.”
Haworth said that as a former special
education teacher it was natural for her to
volunteer with a ministry that enabled her
to keep following her passion: kids. “I like
to work with kids and of course have
training and expertise working with children
with special needs,” she said, adding that
she would rather volunteer with kids than
“anything else I can think of.”
Being a volunteer has a lot of upsides,
she said, including the fact that it is more
relaxed and less stressful than when she was
a working professional.
Also honored were Fern Johnson for her
work with Strong for Life, Eric Funasaki for
his involvement with Interfaith Volunteer
Caregivers and David Knierim for
volunteering with Family Friends.
Neighbor 2 Neighbor’s
reach grows
Volunteers enjoy sunny weather for the
Faith In Action event May 15
By:
Laurent Bonczijk, May 22, 2010
Neighbors
helping neighbors:
More than 100 volunteers turned out last
weekend to wash windows, garden, and help in
other ways throughout the community.
Faith In Action’s Neighbor 2 Neighbor Day
drew plenty of volunteers last weekend and
quite a bit got done.
“We had 124 volunteers show,” said Jill
Smith of FIA. “It was wonderful.” She had a
list of 75 homes in Newberg whose owners
needed help and her company of volunteers
reached 68 of them. Last year only 17 houses
were reached.
“I did a lot of recruiting of new people
who might need help,” Smith said. The jobs
performed were all about the same: window
washing, gutter cleaning and weeding, for
the most part.
Pam Weaver, nurse manager of the birth
center at Providence Newberg Medical Center,
said she heard about the event at a
managerial meeting and decided to
participate. “It’s the first time I’ve done
that,” she said. “We washed windows, (and)
we trimmed a giant hedge on a very tall
ladder.”
One of the people Weaver helped was
someone she already knew. In addition to the
pleasure gained from serving, “it was
fabulous weather," which made it even more
rewarding to work outside.
Eric Muhr, pastor of youth ministries at
Newberg Friends Church, was also
volunteering for the first time. The weekend
event fell during the church’s middle school
service retreat (they combine with North
Valley Friends) and he wrote: “It’s a
win-win for us. Faith In Action does the
legwork of connecting with folks who need
help. All we have to do is show up and plug
in.
“We washed windows, poured and leveled
fill dirt, fixed a vacuum cleaner, swept
sidewalks, weeded flower beds, cleaned
gutters, trimmed shrubs, planted annuals,
built planter boxes, mowed a yard,
rearranged a collection of wind spinners,
and visited and visited and visited. It was
great fun getting to meet and serve people
in our community. I’ll definitely plan to
take part again next year.”
Faith in Action volunteers help older
adults throughout the year and the Neighbor
2 Neighbor Day is an opportunity to get more
people involved. Frail elderly individuals
needing assistance with transportation or
household chores, or those seeking more
information, may call the FIA office at
503-537-1549.
Neighbor to Neighbor Day slated
2/27/10
Faith in Action has scheduled Neighbor 2
Neighbor Day for May 15. Care crews
will spread throughout the community for a
morning of pruning, gutter cleaning,
weeding, window washing for someone who is
having trouble bending, reaching and or
cleaning
People wanting to volunteer or needing
assistance may call Jill at 503-537-1549 to
sign up for a crew.
Eat
to support Faith in Action
2/20/10
Joyful Servant Church will hold a "Feast-ival"
for Faith in Action April 16. A
barbecue dinner will be served. Tables
for eight are $160 and may be purchased by
calling Faith in Action at
503-537-1549.
Volunteer opportunity with Hands On
2/10/10
Faith in Action is seeking volunteers to
befriend children with special needs due to
chronic health conditions or disabilities.
For these and other volunteer Opportunities
visit Hand On Mid-Willamette Valley, a
program of United Way at
www.handonmwv.org
Become a Family Friend in Yamhill County
January
16, 2010
Family Friends act is a friend and mentor to
children with a disability or chronic health
conditions in Newberg, Dundee, Lafayette,
Carlton and Sherwood. Register by
Tuesday to attend the next Family Friends
volunteer orientation.
Call Kathy Watson at 503-537-1546 to
register and receive a self-study training
manual prior to the Jan. 27 session.
Family Friends offers volunteer orientation
1/2/10
Faith in Action is giving a volunteer
orientation class from 1:30 to 3:30pm Jan.
27 for those interested in helping a child
with special needs thrive. For more
information, call Kathy Watson at
503-537-1546.
Strong for Life classes numerous
Ministry
-
The Faith
in Action program consists of 10 core
exercises designed to keep older adults in
shape
12/19/09
Strong
for Life, a program of Faith in Action and
an outreach of Providence Newberg Medical
Center is a program designed to keep older
adults in shape, now has plethora of classes
in Newberg. Strong for Life consists of 10
core exercises designed to involve the
trunk, arms and legs. All exercises
are done in either sitting or standing
positions and can be modified to fit
individual participants' needs.
This
set of exercises was developed at Boston
University to increase strength and
flexibility in adults older than 55.
Participants watch tapes of the exercise as
they perform them. A trained volunteer
provides encouragement and oversees most
classes. There is no charge for the
program. Participants are requested to
call and enroll.
Call
Deana VandenHoek at 503-537-1471 or email
her at deana.vandenhoek@providence.org for
more information.
Classes
are currently meeting at the following
places and times:
Adult Enrichment Center - Classes meet at 9,
10, 11am on MWF at 101 W. Foothills Dr.
Newberg Friends Church - Starting Jan. 11
classes will meet at 10:30am MWF at 307 S.
College St. The class will walk
together for 30 minutes following the
exercises.
Joyful Servant Lutheran Church - At 10:30am
MWF at 1716 N. Villla Rd. The class
also walks together for 30 minutes after the
exercises.
Vittoria Square - At 9am MWF at Vittoria
Square Apartments on the corner of Vittoria
Way and Springbrook.
Dundee Class - At 10am MWF at Rose Park
Senior Apartments, 179 SW Seventh St.
Armory Class - At 8am MWF in the youth
building at Chehalem Armory Center on Morton
Street. The class also walks from 8:30
to 9am in the armory.
Family Life Church - At 9:30am on MWF at 502
St. Paul Highway. This class walks
inside from 10-10:30am
Register a Family Friend
Dec. 30, 2009
Give
your time and talent to a child in need this
year. Inspire a little one with
special needs to dream, laugh, and love life
by becoming a Family Friend. Register
now for the next volunteer orientation.
Call Kathy Watson at 503-537-1546 to
register and receive a self-study training
manual prior to the Jan. 27 afternoon
session.
Sing-Along Messiah hits
all the right notes in fund-raiser
Ministry - Organizers of Faith in Action
event expect proceeds to net about $10,000
December 12, 2009
The 2009 Sing Along Messiah will be
remembered for the arctic blast that came
with it.
Faith in Action coordinator Jill Smith
attributed this year's slightly smaller
crowd to last weekend's frigid weather, but
added, that a lot of singers returned from
years' past. Smith could tell because
"a lot of people brought their books from
last year," she said.
While Smith didn't sing herself, she went
to the balcony to listen. "I went
upstairs for a little while and listened,"
she said, "because the sound is no
beautiful."
The poinsettia sales were brisk, with
only five plants remaining after the
concert. "We sold 40 of them," she
said. She thought that was pretty good
considering it was the first time Faith in
Action sold them at the event.
Las year they'd sold bells, but she was
worried that in a down economy they would be
too expensive to attract donations. "I
think we made about $800," she said of the
flower sales. The biggest chunk of
money came form the 42 sponsors who shelled
out a total of $8,400 to support the
ministry. Smith suspects that once the
tallies are in the fundraiser will have
netted about $10,000. "We're really
happy that everyone showed up."
"It actually went very well," said Dick
Elliott, who was in charge of music for the
event. He praised the soloists for the
quality of their performance and said that
the choruses sang appropriately. "it
seemed like most people were pretty familiar
with the chorus they sang," Elliott said.
"We're very happy that we're making this
more of a community type function," he said.
Folks who came told him they'd been looking
forward to the concert.
As for the technically challenging
trumpet solo, which Elliott performed and
referred to as "the five minutes of pure
terror," he said "it went fine. I was
very pleased with it."
Faith in Action preps for Sing-Along Messiah
Sing and give — Concert slated for Dec. 6
at Newberg First United Methodist Church
By: Laurent Bonczijk
Published: 10/16/2009 2:37:15 PM
Raising their voices in song Julie George
and Andy Isbell were two of the soloists who
performed in the 2008 production of the
Sing-Along Messiah.
Newberg’s Faith In Action is warming up
for its annual holiday fund-raiser: the
Sing-Along Messiah. For the fourth
consecutive year the show will be hosted by
Newberg First United Methodist Church. Jill
Smith of FIA said that much of the 2008
principals would make an
encore performance.
"We’re going to have Loren Wenz as the
conductor again," she said and Dick Elliott
will once again be in charge of the music.
Elliott is a music instructor at George
Fox University and a retired music teacher
from Newberg High School. He played the
trumpet in last year’s production and was
part of the team that decided to create a
pool of local talent to sing Handel’s work
instead of relying on Portland area singers
Wenz also teaches music at GFU and is the
chairman of the performing arts department.
The full-length production is three hours,
but by choosing to sing only the most
popular choruses, Elliott is expecting the
event to last about 90 minutes. Smith said
that while the event is free, FIA will sell
memorial poinsettias prior to the event.
People can choose to pick up their flowers
at the Dec. 6 concert or donate them for
older adults who are recipients of FIA
services. Orders must be received by Dec. 1
and can be made by calling 503-537-1549 or
logging on to www.faithinactionnewberg.org.
The concert will start at 4 p.m. Dec. 6. To
audition for the cast, call Dick Elliott at
503-554-3281. Rehearsal for soloists will be
Dec. 5. Newberg First United Methodist
Church is located at 1205 Deborah Road.
Faith in Action – helping elders live
independently
The Graphic - July 2009 Chehalem
Valley Chamber of Commerce insert
The Newberg community pulls together when it
comes to helping people in need. Through
Faith in Action, many volunteers are making
it possible for frail elders to remain
living independently in their own homes. For
other older adults, the personal
interactions add a quality of life which is
important to them.
Volunteers do many things. They drive people
to the grocery store and take them to
medical appointments. Volunteer
drivers are particularly important for older
adults who need to
go to specialists at Portland area
hospitals. Volunteers also help with
demanding yardwork. This time of year
volunteers have spent many hours pulling
weeds and getting yards cleaned up. Other
volunteers do minor home repairs, deliver
library books, or sit and visit with a
person so the caregiver can leave for a
short time. The most pressing need at the
present
time is for volunteers to do housework. Some
folks need help with heavy cleaning such as
mopping a kitchen floor. Others just need
their dishes washed or dusting done in high
places. Those interested in helping should
call the Faith in Action office at
503-537-1549 or visit
www.faithinactionnewberg.org.
There are opportunities for everyone –
one-time experiences or rewarding on-going
relationships. Volunteers can
coordinate with the recipient of service to
find a time that
works for them both. Volunteers can work
alone or with a team of others.
Together we are making Newberg a caring
community!
|
Faith in Action names top volunteer |
|
Ministry -- Award
goes to Wally Russell, who logged
the most volunteer hours |
|
 |
|
Submitted
photo/Newberg
Graphic |
|
Faith In Action’s
Deanna VandenHoek
presents Wally
Russell with a
plaque recognizing
his hours of
volunteer service. |
|
By
Laurent Bonczijk
Another year's gone by for
Newberg's Faith in Action
ministry and as such it is time once
again to recognize FIA's hardest
working volunteer.
This year's recipient of FIA's
volunteer of the year award is
Strong for Life coach Wally Russell.
He has been volunteering for FIA for
more than six years and in the past
12 months has logged 121 hours; he
has donated 643 hours since he began
volunteering for the ministry in
2003.
Not only is Russell the volunteer
who logged in the most hours, but at
87 years old he's also the oldest
active volunteer on their rolls.
Program coordinator Kathy Watson
said the ministry continues to
enroll volunteers. FIA will be
looking to replace Russell as he
plans to retire later this year, she
said. And with more Strong for Life
classes starting soon at Family Life
Church, they are "in dire need of
more coaches," Watson said.
Strong for Life is a program
designed to improve the strength,
function and balance in older
adults, even if they have physical
limitations. Other programs
organized by FIA are Interfaith
Volunteer Caregivers, in which
volunteers help older adults with
tasks such as light house and yard
work, and Family Friends, where
adults befriend a child with special
needs.
Faith in Action is
recruiting more volunteers for their
programs. There is flexibility in
the amount of hours worked and the
scheduling. Anyone interested, may
call 503-537-1546. |
_________________________________
The history of
Faith in Action
Book released -- Founder of national ministry writes
about the people who make Faith in Action work in Newberg and elsewhere
The Graphic, May 3, 3009
By
Laurent Bonczijk
There are many ways to describe an organization, one way is to
witness the work of its people and write about them and their daily
travails.
This is exactly what Paul Jellinek has done in "Promise to Mary: A
Story of Faith in Action." Jellinek is the founder of Faith In Action,
the national ministry that helps community members with their needs. Not
all chapters offer similar programs, Newberg Faith In Action director
Jan Irish said, but "they all follow long-term care needs."
Irish said that reading the book about the work of fellow FIA
chapters in America was an inspirational experience, and that it
re-energized her. She's been giving the book away to boosters and staff
members to re-energize them as well. "They're just ordinary people," she
said of the clients and volunteers described in the book.
Jellinek traveled to different parts of the country and visited local
FIA chapters, spending time with volunteers. In the book he described
their work and how they became involved with FIA; he also described
their clients' stories.
Reading the book clearly shows that "a lot of people need help at
times of transition," Irish said. Even though Jellinek visited chapters
in three vastly different regions - the northeast, the Mississippi delta
and Alaska - Irish said there is a connection between the stories in the
pride volunteers take in their community.
The meaning of the stories became more personal for Irish when she
recently talked to a fellow director featured in the book. "It's
definitely inspirational," she said.
The book was produced thanks to a grant from The Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation, who provided the means to start FIA, Irish said.
Faith in Action is an outreach of Providence Newberg Medical Center
and coordinates volunteers to help people who face challenges related to
health or aging. To learn more about their programs, call 503-537-1549
or visit www.faithinactionnewberg.org.
|
Faith in Action supports family
caregivers in area
|
|
Providence's community outreach program brings
caregivers together for support group meetings
|
By David Sale David
Sale
Caring for an elderly relative can be a difficult
task. That's why Faith In Action, a community outreach
program of Providence Newberg Medical Center, is
bringing caregivers together through a support group.
"Sometimes it's nice to talk with others about the
challenges you face, and do some problem-solving," said
organizer Janet Irish, who added that the group was
founded in 1996, growing out of Faith In Action's
volunteer efforts.
"We started providing companionship and assistance to
seniors, and soon discovered that their families also
needed support of their own," she said.
Such has been the case for Carol Nims, who moved to
Newberg from Seattle three and a half years ago to care
for her mother-in-law, who passed away Tuesday from
Alzheimer's disease.
"We knew it was coming - she'd been bedridden for the
last 10 days," she said. "For my father-in-law, it was
almost a relief. It's been hard for him.
Throughout the difficult process, she said, it
was a comfort to turn to others facing the same
situation. "I
joined the group almost as soon as I moved to town," she
said. "It's really been my one social outlet, something
I make time for no matter what."
"Alzheimer's is a lot more than just forgetfulness,"
agreed Lucille Harris, who lost her husband to the
disease last March. "This group was a godsend when I was
struggling - everyone takes their turn having a cry."
At their most recent meeting, the members of the
group discussed the challenges of caring for relatives
with Alzheimer's and related dementia, as is the case
for the majority of the group at present.
"It varies," Irish said. "Depending on the needs of
the group, we may focus more on physical disabilities."
As Harris noted, Alzheimer's disease produces a range
of symptoms beyond forgetfulness. The group discussed
their own experiences with those like inappropriate
swearing and mood swings, or easily getting lost - one
member recounted a relative who, while unattended,
headed to Washington Square to do some window-shopping
at the Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership there.
"I have to walk into the other room sometimes, so he
doesn't see I'm upset," said LaVerne Yauck of her
Alzheimer's-diagnosed husband. "I have to learn to be
patient and to start making the decisions myself."
"That's one of the things you miss most, having
someone around to bounce your ideas off of," Harris
agreed.
This year, the White House has proclaimed November to
be National Family Caregivers Month, in recognition of
the efforts put forth by these men and women.
Faith In Action's Family Caregiver Support Group
meets from 1:30-3 p.m. on the second and fourth
Thursdays of the month at Providence Newberg Medical
Center.
|
The Graphic, September 17, 2008
By Amanda
NewmanA
| A
volunteer’s spirit |
| Ellen Hansen
has logged more than 1,300 hours of service to Faith in
Action |
|
 |
|
Photo by Gary
Allen/Newberg Graphic |
|
Ellen Hansen
began volunteering for Faith in Action soon
after she arrived in Newberg in 1999. |
|
manda Newman
Ellen Hansen was new to Newberg when, in 1999, she heard
Faith in Action was holding a training session for
volunteers.
Faith in Action, an outreach of Providence Newberg
Medical Center that coordinates with faith groups and
organizations throughout the community, provides assistance
to people facing challenges related to health or aging.
"I thought, that's something I'd like to do," she said.
More than 1,300 hours of service later, she's still going
strong.
Hansen, a retired dietitian who also worked in food
service, has participated in most of the services Faith in
Action offers the community: yard work, vacuuming, laundry,
shopping, respite care, mail retrieval, clothing
alterations, visiting and more. But her favorite thing is
driving.
"I like to drive," she said. She transports locals to
Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Legacy Meridian Park
Hospital in Tualatin, and hospitals in downtown Portland,
Keizer and Clackamas. She has transported more than 100
people - a log book she keeps with names, dates, times,
destinations, and detailed travel distances is almost full.
"It's a two-way street: they need help and I like to help
them," she said, explaining why she enjoys her trips.
"People start talking and ask questions and you find out
that you have something common - and there are a lot of
talents around here!"
She said her "customers" can play the organ and draw,
among other things. Some are new to the area and know little
beyond what lies on Highway 99W ... so she gives them a tour
of the town.
They often ask about her accent; she tells them she's
from Denmark, and "they usually know somebody, a grandfather
or an uncle (from there)."
"I might need a ride sometime too," Hansen said,
explaining one reason she volunteers. "I think it's a good
thing when you don't work and you're retired and you can
still do things, it's a good thing to give back to the
community."
Plus, "it's fulfilling a need - I've tried myself to get
a cab to get up to Sherwood to get to the airport, and it's
not easy."
Still, she said, "I've been volunteering so long, if I
had been real smart, I should've taken another job and get
paid for it!"
Jill Smith, Faith in Action Newberg program coordinator,
said Hansen is among the organization's most dedicated
volunteers.
"She is willing to drive just about anywhere," she said.
"Although FIA is usually not able to provide services on
short notice, Ellen is the one we turn to when we have an
emergency request. She is confident in taking frail elderly
adults to their appointments or taking them shopping,
helping them with their wheelchairs and walkers ... her
reliability, willingness and generous nature make her a
wonderful volunteer."
|
From Partners to Friends to Family
Family Friends pairs volunteers with special needs children
The Graphic, September 17, 2008
By Amanda Newman
Heather
Carlson has a special friend. Every Tuesday afternoon, Sue Chambers
comes and hangs out with Heather. She plays card games with her. She
talks to her. She takes Heather to her house to make cards or visit
with her two dogs. She takes her shopping.
She gives Heather's mother a much-needed break.
Chambers is a Family Friends volunteer. She has committed to
spend time each week with Heather, a 16-year-old with autism and a
learning disability. But Chambers and the Carlson family have much
more than a working (or volunteering) relationship.
"It's more like family," Chambers said. "I'm getting a lot out of
it - I've got new friends, three new friends."
"I think she's a godsend, and we're friends," Ruth Carlson,
Heather's mother and a single parent, said. "I am blessed and
thankful."
Chambers heard about Family Friends, a Faith in Action program
that matches older adult volunteers with children with disabilities
or chronic health conditions, in 2006 at Faith in Action's first
annual Sing-Along Messiah. A retired special education teacher, she
joined the program and asked to be paired with an adolescent.
"I knew immediately who she could be matched with," said Kathy
Watson, Faith in Action program coordinator. "I knew her years in
special ed would be a very valuable resource to Ruth, who handles
every parent's challenges of navigating education and services for
children with special needs alone."
Ruth and Sue were matched in February 2007 and connected
immediately, they said. They talk on the phone regularly, and Sue, a
Portland Trail Blazer season ticket holder, has taken Ruth to a
basketball game.
"We try to match (teams) based on what they both like to do,"
Watson explained.
And it appears to be working. "When they try to put people
together, they really do a match," Sue said.
In their weekly meetings, Sue and Heather spend most of their
time playing Skip-Bo. They also talk about school, and Sue has taken
Heather and her brother, 12-year-old Philip, shopping for Mother's
Day and Christmas presents. Sue often attends school meetings with
Ruth and has helped her navigate Heather's individual education plan
(IEP).
"Sometimes when Heather and I are here, Ruth has a chance to go
upstairs and rest or go out with Philip," Sue said.
"It's nice to have someone who has patience and consideration and
doesn't say `OK, I'm done," Ruth said. She said some families may be
hesitant to let a stranger into their homes and personal lives, but
that it's really a non-issue. "Once they walk in ... if you have
somebody that comes in and just loves you as you are, it takes a
burden off."
It isn't always easy. Heather's mood in the afternoons depends on
how her day at school went, Ruth explained, and can vary
significantly from day to day. She sometimes has trouble maintaining
focus and her unflagging love for SkipBo could be a deterrent for
some. But Sue's background in special education helps her cope.
"It's interesting to see the total other side of the picture from
what I saw for 26 years, and it's so rewarding," Sue said. "And I
love playing cards with Heather, because she's so unique."
Sue explained that Heather deals from the bottom of the deck and
reasons through her moves in an unusual way. Heather said playing
cards is her favorite part of meeting with Sue, because "I could
play cards 24/7." She also enjoys playing with Sue's dogs and said,
"Shopping for my mom, that's okay."
There are about 20 children in the Family Friends program, with
another dozen on a waiting list, Watson said. Volunteers sign up for
a nine-month commitment, but many stay on with their "partners" for
longer than that.
"I don't think there's ever been any question about us not
continuing," Sue said, adding that they will work around each
other's schedules and be flexible when necessary.
Family Friends is currently accepting registration for its next
volunteer training session, and Watson said the program hopes to
attract a whole new crew of volunteers.
"We're hoping that people will see how much fun Sue and Heather
are having (and want to participate)," she said.
The training session will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct.
1-2 at the Faith in Action office, 310 Villa Road, Suite 110. The
registration deadline is Sept. 22. For more information or to
register, call 503-537-1546.
Creating Caring Community Connections
The Graphic, September 6, 2008
Chehalem Valley Chamber of
Commerce Business News / September 2008
Address: 310 Villa
Road, Suite 110, Newberg, OR 97132
Phone: 503-537-1549
Email: NewbergFaithinAction@providence.org
Hours: 8:30-4pm
Faith in Action
began in the Newberg area 13 years
ago. A group of eldercare professionals recognized that many frail
elderly adults and people with disabilities often had needs that
made it difficult for them to remain living independently in their
own homes. So Providence Newberg Medical Center pulled together a
coalition of faith communities and other organizations to start an
Interfaith Volunteer Caregiving (IVC) program which would recruit
volunteers to help older adults with things like household chores,
minor home repairs, transportation, and yardwork. Other volunteers
made visits to older adults who were lonely and isolated, or
provided short breaks for family caregivers. Later, IVC changed its
name to Faith in Action,
recognizing that people of all backgrounds and beliefs are motivated
by their own personal faith. Other programs in which neighbors help
neighbors have been added over the years to meet specific needs in
the community.
First came a caregiver support group which meets the second and
forth Thursday of the month, 1:30-3pm at Providence Newberg Medical
Center. This is a time for family members caring for an older adult
to come together with others who are in the same role for sharing
and problem solving. There is no charge and registration is not
required.
Next came a
partnership with the Post Office and local letter carriers. If
individuals would like their letter carrier to watch their mailbox
for un-picked up mail or other signs of distress, they can sign up
for CarrierLink at the Faith in Action office.
In 2004 Faith in
Action was asked to be a pilot program for Strong for Life, an
exercise program for older adults. Participants exercise together
three times a week to maintain strength and flexibility. This
program has been so successful that there are now six groups meeting
around town.
Later that year
Faith in Action was one of seven programs in the country to
receive funding to start a Family Friends program. This program
matches older adult volunteers with children with special needs.
They meet with the child once a week and become a special friend.
Volunteers also provide wonderful support to parents. There is a
family support group which meets monthly. Caregivers of children
with special needs are invited.
Community members
who would like to engage their minds, their hearts and their skills
will find fun, flexible and inspiring opportunities to build
relationships with people in need at Faith in Action.
Somewhere in your neighborhood, an older adult or child with special
needs is looking for you! Leadership volunteers with professional
experience, to help ensure Chehalem Valley remains the vibrant
community that it is, are also needed. For more information, see
www.faithinactionnewberg.org
or stop by or call the Faith in Action office.
Faith in Action
is supported by grants and individual donations. Business
sponsorships also ensure that people receive needed services. A
Faith in Action event which will highlight generous sponsors and
provide an enriching cultural event for the entire community is
coming December 7, 2008, at 4pm. The public is invited to Faith
in Action’s Sing-Along Messiah. The event will be held at the
First United Methodist Church on Deborah Road, in Newberg. The
audience will be entertained by soloists singing Handel’s Messiah.
They will also have an opportunity to join in singing, under the
direction of Loren Wenz, many selections from the Messiah.
Admission is free. A reception following the event will be hosted
by the Chehalem Cultural Center. For information about sponsoring
or helping with the event, please call 503-537-1549.
.
Walking program celebrates milestone
FIA recognizes completion of a 10-week
walking program for seniors
The Graphic, July 26, 2008
By Laurent Bonczijk
Faith In Action celebrated the completion of its walking program
Wednesday morning at Jaquith Park.
The 10-week program was a complement to the nonprofit Strong For
Life exercise series. Deana VandenHoek, who spearheads the exercise
program for seniors, said walking helps build and retain muscle
while adding a cardiovascular dimension to the seniors' fitness
plans.
She added that 55 people signed up for the walking program, about
half of which were already participants in Strong For Life. The
group met weekly and she facilitated discussions about the benefits
of walking.
At the completion party she reminded participants that the national
fitness goal is for people to take 10,000 steps daily, the
equivalent of walking five miles.
One of the walkers, Pam Olberding, said she became so accustomed to
wearing her pedometer, "I felt naked if it wasn't at my waist." Like
many other participants, she kept track of her walking, which topped
out at 26,000 steps.
Olberding said that she lives in the country and made it a point to
walk to the end of her driveway to pick up the mail, take a long
walk with her dog and walk to her son's house down the street. She
remembers walking to her barn once, realizing she didn't have her
pedometer on and returning to her house to strap it on.
VandenHoek invited retired Dr. Stan Kern as a motivational speaker.
He arrived on his bicycle and congratulated the women (only women
showed up Wednesday) for taking care of their health.
The walking program was a partnership between Strong for Life and
AARP and was designed to encourage exercise for those over 50.
Providence Newberg Medical Center, Chehalem Park and Recreation,
Excel Fitness and Dormer's Screen Printing also supported the event.
Strong for Life is an exercise program for those 55 and older. There
are six classes now going in the Newberg and Dundee area. All
exercises are done either sitting in a chair or standing beside it
with the use of a rubber band for resistance. For more information
about the program call Deana VandenHoek at 503-537-1471, e-mail her
at deana.vandenhoek@providence.org or visit
www.faithinactionnewberg.org.
Faith in Action Moves to New
Offices
The ministry’s floor plan quadruples.
by Laurent Bonczijk
The Graphic, Jan12, 2008
Faith In Action
relocated its offices Jan. 3, and in the process quadrupled the size
of its quarters. Now, they want to increase the number of people
volunteering for them as well as the number of people receiving
their services.
“It’s huge in comparison,” says program coordinator Jill Smith. For
the past five years Faith In Action had been utilizing space donated
by Chehalem Park and Recreation District in the Chehalem Adult
Enrichment Center (formerly the Chehalem Senior Center).
On busy days there would be up to eight people sharing the space
behind the reception desk, making it hard to retain recipients’
privacy, Smith said. The new office at 310 Villa Road Suite 110 has
several offices (including one for the program’s intern), a
conference room, a kitchenette and a lobby for people to wait in.
Another plus is the location near Providence Outpatient Care, which
enables Smith and her colleagues to meet with other Providence
employees more easily.
Hired last November, Smith said the ministry plans to expand on its
core program of helping older adults and the families of special
need children. They currently serve about 350 recipients with a
force of 150 volunteers. Their goal is to increase both numbers,
Smith said.
Faith in Action will celebrate its new locale with an open house
from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 22. For more information about
volunteering, services and donations, call Smith at 503-537-1549.
Faith in Action
volunteer award winner from state.
by Amanda Newman
The Graphic, Sept 15, 2007
Faith in Action is one
of seven individuals and groups across the state recently selected
for recognition through the 2007 Oregon Governor's Volunteer Awards.
The organization will be lauded as the Outstanding Volunteer
Program.
Faith in Action, a coalition of 14 faith-based agencies and
organizations, addresses specific community needs in the Newberg
area. The organization supplies in-home care and
transportation to elderly people and provides companionship and
mentoring for children with special needs, as well as support for
their families.
In 2006, approximately 300 volunteers donated a total of 3,750 hours
of service through Faith in Action. Of the elderly served
during that time, 89 percent reported feeling that the assistance
helped increase their ability to remain in their own homes and 93
percent said volunteer services reduced their stress level.
"To me, (Faith in Action) exemplifies a community engaged in solving
its own problems." said Kathleen Joy, Oregon Volunteers executive
director. "Our whole motto is Strengthening Oregon Communities
Through Volunteerism. and they really exemplify that."
Individuals and organizations are nominated for the awards, then
reviewed on a regional basis. Each of Oregon's six regions
submits an entry for each of the seven categories. The
nominations are then reviewed at the state level by a group of
commissioners appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.
One recipient is selected in each category.
Other honorees include: Diane Garrett of Nursing Mothers
Counsel in Portland; Stephanie Risner of the Girl Scouts Winema
Council in Central Point; James Gunn of Central Oregon Veterans
Outreach in Crooked River Ranch; Senior Health Insurance Benefits
Assistance, a program of the Oregon Department of Human
Services in Salem; Starbucks Coffee Company in Portland, and the
Benton County Commission on Children and Families Youth Commission
in Corvallis.
Fourteen individuals and programs will also be honored with the 2007
Regional Oregon Governor's Volunteer Awards.
Faith in
Action lauded for its transportation program
Beverly Foundation
gives Newberg group commendation and $500;
FIA one of 10 recognized in the U.S.
The Graphic, August 18, 2007
Newberg's Faith in
Action program recently received special recognition from the
Beverly Foundation for its senior transportation program.
Faith in Action was commended for its dedication and contribution to
the community, receiving a $500 award. The program was one of
10 recognized across the country.
In 2006, Faith in Action volunteers provided 717 rides to older
adults, usually to physicians' offices, hospitals, or grocery
stores.
Faith in Action recruits and trains volunteer drivers of all ages,
many seniors themselves. The organization collaborates with
AARP to provide a free driver safety course to volunteers over the
age of 55 and loans its handicap parking permit to volunteers
transporting seniors.
Faith in Action provides transportation to seniors who are unable to
use services such as Dial-a-Rid, Town Flyer or Red Cross
transportation. The program sends a staff member to visit the
home of first-time transportation users to help them become familiar
with the situation. Patrons must then call Faith in Action at
least three days prior to their transportation need. Requests
depend on availability of volunteers.
Faith in Action's transportation services are free, but donations
may be made to the organization.
To request transportation, contact Faith in Action at 503-537-1549.
For more information, visit the web site
www.faithinactionnewberg.org.
Grant will help
Family Friends expand services
The $4,000 Spirit Mountain
Community Fund grant will allow group to recruit volunteers and
start support group
by Laurent Bonczijk
The Graphic, August 18, 2007
Family Friends, a branch
of Faith in Action, received a $4000 grant from Spirit Mountain
Community Fund. Kathy Watson, the program director for Family
Friends said the money would help them recruit volunteers to visit
their clients and start a caregiver support group.
Watson added that the program provides support to the parents of
children who need at-home physical therapy.
She now manages nearly two dozen volunteers who are matched with 21
children. What the volunteers do is perform with the children
the exercises their therapist has recommended for in between office
visits instead of the parents. This helps parents, who have
other children that need their attention and time.
"It's the kind of follow up thing that a therapist would have a
parent do, " she said of her volunteers.
Watson describes the activities performed by her volunteers as "play
with a purpose." They are designed to improve motor and
communication development.
"Anybody can do it, " she says. The volunteers hare screened
and trained before being sent out to families who request the extra
assistance.
The support group serves parents or guardians of children with a
disability or chronic health condition enrolled in the Family
Friends program. Volunteers are asked to make at least a
nine-month commitment to Family Friends.
Anyone needing help of this type, those interested in joining the
support group or in volunteering with the Family Friends program,
may call Watson at 503-537-1546.
Faith in
Action drivers run through their paces
Organization enrolls its volunteers in
AARP driver safety class
The Graphic, July 4, 2007
Last week 16 Faith in
Action volunteers honed their driving skills by spending eight hours
in AARP's Driver Safety class. The class is aimed at
refreshing students' memories on driving rules. It also
teaches about the most frequent causes of accidents for older
drivers.
The class was offered to Faith in Action volunteers at no charge as
part of a partnership with AARP to increase civic engagement of
older adults. "Whether volunteers are taking an elderly person
shopping or to a medical appointment, or just driving to their
volunteer assignment, we feel better knowing that they are safe on
the roads," said Jan Irish, Faith in Action program manager.
To find out more about Faith in Action or to volunteer, call
503-537-1549.
_____________________
Builder makes Faith in Action
its partner
The Graphic, by Amanda Newman
Faith in Action's Family
Friends program was recently selected by Buena Vista Custom Homes
founder and president Roger Pollock to be a "charity partner" in the
company's Profit Partners Program.
Effective July 1, Family Friends will receive a monthly check based
on Buena Vista home sales over the previous month.
Profit Partners donates a portion of every Buena Vista home sale to
each of its charity partners. The partners include Oregon
Partnership, Friends of the Children and Big Brothers/Big Sisters
NW.
Family Friends recruits, screens and trains volunteers to partner
with special needs children and their families. The volunteers
form friendships with the children, who suffer from disabilities or
chronic health conditions.
Upon learning of Profit Partners at a meeting in March, Family
Friends Program Coordinator Kathy Watson contacted Pollock and
described her program. Pollock responded by adding Family
friends to his list of charity partners.
"After he talked about his program, I thought he might be interested
in (ours), " Watson said.
"I think what (Family Friends) does is special, " Pollock said.
"It's a really outstanding group of people and they're doing a lot
of good."
Although the amount Family Friends will receive each month will
vary, Watson said, "It will be a stable, consistent funding, which
we haven't had u to now. We've mostly relied on grants and
individual giving."
Pollock, who founded the Lake Oswego-based Buena Vista Custom Homes
in 2002, is the driving force behind Profit Partners.
"Our primary focus is on addiction and recovery and at-risk youth,"
he said. "It's a very personal issue for me because I struggle
with alcohol abuse myself. I want to help as many people as
possible and educate them on the dangers."
Profit Partners, founded in 2002, raised more than $500,000 for its
charity partners last year, according to Pollock's Website.
_______________________
Faith in Action teams
with AARP to help the aging
The Newberg agency is partnering with the
national organization to recruit more volunteers
By Schellene Clendenin
The Newberg Graphic, Saturday, August 19, 2006
Combining the services provided by Faith in Action with
volunteers from the American Association for Retired Persons may be a
match made in heaven.
So hope leaders in both groups.
It's a natural partnership, said Jan Irish, program
manager for Faith in Action, a program that pairs volunteers with the
elderly and disabled to provide assistance for everything from drives to
the grocery store to picking up and dropping off library books.
With already more than 130 volunteers providing services
to Faith in Action, Irish hopes AARP's plan to recruit volunteers form
the more than 8,000 AARP members living in the area will bring in as
many as 10 new volunteers. Although she's heard of cases in larger
towns where 50 to 60 AARP members volunteered with service programs in
their area. "They were inundated with offers," she said.
While the volunteers to the organization Irish runs
range in age from 12-90, the most active are ages 55-70.
Irish said that many young families also provide hundreds of volunteer
hours as well.
Recent volunteer surveys and reports demonstrate that
nearly one-third of all baby boomers volunteer and they and senior
citizens volunteer more hours than any other age group, according to
information provided by AARP. The group has also recently
completed a study that quotes 50 percent of baby boomers turning 60 in
2006 that say they have a desire to volunteer more.
"People who volunteer are more likely to live happier,
healthier and longer lives," said Kathy Watson, coordinator of Family
Friends, which pairs volunteers with children with special needs.
"And, older adults bring a wealth of life experience into their
volunteer work, benefiting everyone who is touched by what they do."
Faith in Action and AARP cemented their plans for a
partnership at an Aug. 16 meeting held at Providence Newberg Medical
Center. They will collaborate on their first project in November.
Called the Grab Bar Installation Project, the idea is to install safety
grab bars in the bathrooms of elderly folks in Newberg, Dundee, and St.
Paul.
Irish said the group will purchase some of the bars
through AARP at a reduced price and hopes to have bars available for
individuals who can't afford them.
She contacted the Newberg Fire Department to ask how
often it responds to ground level falls, events that might be prevented
by the use of grab bars. She was stunned to hear that the agency
is called to one to three falls per day, some of which are life
threatening.
"Then you think of all the people who fall and get up on
their own," she said. "It's our hope that if they have that to
hold onto when they step into the shower, it will prevent some falls."
The local partnership extends a national initiative
between AARP and the Faith in Action National Program Office. The
Faith in Action program in Newberg is the first of three programs in
Oregon to formally launch the program. Nationwide, there are about
90 local Faith in Action partners cooperating with AARP, according to
information provided by the organization.
"It's all about neighbors helping neighbors to promote
independence and enhance quality of life," said Sarah Cheney, manager of
community partnerships for the Faith in Action's national office.
The volunteers will provide companionship and service
through three Faith in Action programs: Volunteer Caregivers, who
help provide companionship and services to the elderly; Family friends;
and the Strong for Life exercise program for the elderly.
Faith in Action in Newberg, an outreach of the medical
center, coordinates a network of local faith communities, agencies,
individuals and business who came together to address the unmet needs of
the elderly, reported AARP.
For more information, call Irish at 503-537-1549.
Making a
Difference
Woman finds purpose
in helping older people
By Cheston Knapp
The Oregonian, Southwest Weekly, Thursday, May 18, 2006
After her husband died in 1991, Gean Bullock of Newberg began looking
for ways to get involved in the community.
"We
had a volunteer driver when my husband was sick, and he was just
fabulous, " she said. "I felt I had the time to volunteer and that
it was my time to give back."
In
1996, Bullock stumbled upon an organization called Faith in Action,
which helps pair volunteers with elderly people who need assistance.
"I knew all along that I wanted to get into helping with older people, "
she says. "It's just what I feel called to."
Since joining the organization, Bullock has helped care for more than 40
people and has logged more than 2,500 hours of service. Many of
the people she works with are long-term matches, people who need
continuous help. Through these pairings, Bullock has gained a
number of friends.
Her
responsibilities include setting up appointments for people, driving
them to the doctor's office or a pharmacy, and taking them shopping.
But she says her main responsibility is to be there for them, to be a
friend.
"A
lot of times when a person gets older and older, their friends start to
pass away, " she says. "And their families sometimes don't live in
the area, and they just enjoy having people to look forward to seeing.
I think that's what my job is about."
For
Bullock, the relationships are founded on storytelling. "The
stories they tell are just fantastic," she says. "I'm always
learning so much about the history of Newberg and about these people."
A
simple question sometimes brings a long story about the person's life.
"I just love that," she says.
Bullock plans to continue volunteering with Faith in Action as long as
she can.
"I'm
so blessed that I have the time and ability to help these people out,"
she says. "And who knows, maybe I'll need it one day and
someone will be there to help me out. I feel like I get 10
times more than I give."
Mayor's Prayer
Breakfast: Praising Volunteers
Hundreds turn out Saturday at university to recognize
volunteers' efforts in the community.
By Schelene Clendenin
The Newberg Graphic, May 17, 2006
How many volunteers does it take to
change a light bulb?
Just one.
Jan Irish, program manager for Faith in
Action, said once she had a volunteer call and offer her lunch hour to
help out. Her time was limited, but she wanted to help in some
way.
Her chance arose when an elderly lady
called and asked if someone could change her light bulb. She was
afraid of falling and injuring herself in the dark.
Irish sent the volunteer, who changed
every bulb in the house, save one.
Stories like this were told and re-told
during the 20th annual Mayors' Prayer Breakfast Saturday in Klages
Dining Hall at George Fox University....
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