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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 13, 2016)
Wednesday, July 13, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon ‘Friends’ founder publishes book By Jim Cornelius News Editor Duncan Campbell has a story to tell. As the founder of the men- tor programs Friends of the Children and Sisters’ Circle of Friends, he has seen the power that a caring men- torship relationship has to change lives of children for the better. Campbell is sharing the stories of this power in his new book, “The Art of Being There: Creating Change, One Child At A Time,” written with Craig Borlase. Campbell told The Nugget that the book is a tool for expanding the reach of the program, which currently operates in Portland, Harlem, NY, and several other cities. “Friends is about 20 years old now,” he said. “We’re ready to move to the next level. We want to be in at least 25 major cities, if not more.” Campbell knows the pro- gram works — he tested its validity before launching it and over the past two decades has seen first-hand the impact an engaged mentor has in young people’s lives. And that is the story the book tells. “The core of the book is the stories of the youth that we serve and their successes,” he said. “The book is meant for anybody who wants to be touched and read powerful stories of children.” It is hoped that those sto- ries will help recruit more Friends, more funders, and expand the program’s capac- ity to help children. “This is an arrow in our quiver,” Campbell said. Friends is developing a $25 million expansion fund to move into five new cit- ies and to deepen its work in communities where it already operates. “The Friends are great, amazing people,” he said. “It’s a calling.” Campbell notes that social workers tend to burn out quickly — within a couple of years. “The Friends, on average,” stay seven or eight years,” he said. Some have been engaged for 20 years. “It’s because it’s real, it’s fulfilling,” he said. Friends of the Children has very low overhead. Most of its funds pay for Friends’ time. In Sisters, Circle of Friends operates on a volun- teer model, due to the scale of the community. Campbell notes that more Friends are always needed. “Even in Sisters, we have children waiting for mentors,” he said. To learn more about Sisters’ Circle of Friends, visit http://acircleoffriends oregon.com/mentor. For more information about Friends of the Children, visit http://friendspdx.org. “The Art of Being There: Creating Change, One Child At A Time,” is available locally at Paulina Springs Books in Sisters. Sisters Movie House has new owner By Erin Borla Correspondent It was cold day in 2005 and snow covered the ground when Lisa Clausen and her eight-week-old puppy, Ruby, drove a golden shovel down, breaking ground on the Sisters Movie House. Fast forward over 11 years and Lisa, along with now-12- year-old Ruby, are moving on. Recently, Clausen quietly sold the Sisters Movie House to Drew Kaza; the ownership change will take place at the end of July. Clausen did not make the decision to sell quickly. “I was approached by sev- eral chains,” she said. “I knew that wasn’t what was right for the business or for Sisters. With Drew and his investors, I feel like I’m handing the business off to people who will love it and care for it.” Kaza is a native Oregonian, having grown up in Beaverton. In the mid- 1980s, his career in a variety of aspects of the entertainment and film industry took him to Philadelphia, Hollywood and finally the United Kingdom. Since 2007 Kaza worked for Odeon Cinemas in Europe. With more than 2,200 screens across seven countries he has had experience in many aspects of running a movie theater. “I am worn out by the big city,” said Kaza. “I am delighted to be in Central Oregon and looking forward to carrying out a good run photo by Erin borla Lisa Clausen has sold Sisters Movie House to Drew Kaza, pictured here with Yeeling Cheng. here with the theater.” “I know the new owner will bring sophisticated sen- sibility to the already unique culture the Movie House has developed,” said Clausen. “They appreciate quality film and quality environment and fully understand what we have developed here. I look forward to them enhancing that.” Kaza’s business has been searching for an invest- ment in Central Oregon for the last 18 months and jumped at the opportunity to purchase Sisters Movie House. From the moment they met Clausen, Kaza was impressed with what she had done. “You want to go into busi- ness with someone you like,” said Kaza of Clausen. “It was important to me that Lisa felt like the business is going to a safe pair of hands and respecting it’s legacy. I know we can build on that success- ful relationship.” Community members can expect the same quality film that has run through the Sisters Movie House for the last 11-plus years to continue after the transition in owner- ship. Sisters Movie House will continue to be a place where folks can get food and drinks alongside the first-run and unique movies. The new owner anticipates maintaining the friendly e-newsletter that Clausen has crafted weekly since the opening of the the- ater in 2005. “I’d like to think I can take it to the next level,” Kaza said. “But it’s really hard to improve upon an already great recipe.” A celebration in honor of the transition and Clausen and her dog Ruby is planned for September. WELL-KNOWN POWER EQUIPMENT FROM THE STORE YOU KNOW, SISTERS RENTAL COMPUTER-CONTROLLED PLASMA CUTTING Bringing the ancient art of blacksmithing into the 21st century FS 40 C-E TRIMMER $ 159 95 Custom shapes, signs, logos, house numbers and more! 541-549-9280 Sisters Industrial Park PonderosaForge.com | CCB# 87640 7 541-549-9631 BG 50 HANDHELD BLOWER MS 170 CHAIN SAW $ $ 139 95 179 95 16" bar SISTERS RENTAL 506 N. Pine St., Sisters Mon-Fri: 7 am-5 pm | Sat: 8 am-4:30 pm chainsawsatsistersrental.com