Wednesday, December 13, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
9
Christmas comes early for Habitat families
Christmas came early for
families in Sisters last Sunday
as Silvia Ayala and her three
children broke ground at the
site of their future Sisters
Habitat for Humanity home
and Sharyn Benson and
Clara Eberius dedicated their
homes.
Nearly 100 friends, donors
and volunteers who help
make it possible for fami-
lies to own affordable homes
in Sisters attended the cel-
ebration at Village Meadows,
Sisters Habitat’s 17-lot
neighborhood.
The Ayala family home
will be the seventh house
built in the neighborhood and
will be the second home to be
built in partnership with Heart
of Oregon Corps YouthBuild
Program. Eberius’ home was
the first home where Heart
of Oregon Corps and Sisters
Habitat worked together.
When a family is selected
for the homebuilding process,
they are teamed them up with
family partners. These are
Habitat volunteers who help
the family navigate the home-
building road. Family part-
ners for the Ayala’s are Judy
Osborne and Suriana Iverson,
who also assists as a translator
for the family. “Silvia is such
a hard worker, holding two
jobs, caring for her family and
still finding the time to do her
sweat-equity for Habitat. It is
an honor to take this journey
with her,” Osborne said.
While Silvia, son Jose and
daughters Silvia and Destiny
“This is
truly a dream
come true.
In 10 years, I
have lived in
seven differ-
ent places. I
never thought
I would have
a home of my
own,” Benson
said.
C l a r a
Eberius shared
her gratitude
to her family
partners Cathy
Sewall and
Malia Ladd
PHOTO BY OUTLAWS PHOTOGRAPHY
and the youth
Sharyn Benson celebrated the dedication of her new
from
the
Habitat for Humanity home in Sisters.
Yo u t h B u i l d
program.
took turns with the golden
shovel, they shared how Many of the YouthBuild stu-
excited they are to get their dents who worked on her
project started and thankful to house came to consider her
those who have helped them as “Grandma Clara” over
get this far toward the pur- the course of the build, said
YouthBuild team lead, Andy
chase of their first home.
The groundbreaking was Walker. Eberius, who has
immediately followed by two lived in Sisters for seven
home dedications, the 63rd years, said she couldn’t sleep
and 64th homes for Sisters the night after the celebra-
Habitat. The first home was tion as she was so excited and
built with Sharyn Benson, warmed by all the support.
Heart of Oregon Corps
who works at the Habitat
Thrift Store and is absolutely is a nonprofit organization
thrilled to be moving into her invested in inspiring and
home. She was all smiles and empowering change in the
laughter, thanking the many lives of Central Oregon youth
volunteers, donors and lov- through jobs, education, and
ing friends who have helped stewardship. Their program-
her navigate the long process, ming creates pathways out
especially her family part- of poverty while stimulating
ners, Nan Daschel and Marcia regional economic growth.
They apply a “work-earn-
Lewis.
learn” model that invests in
local young people, many
of whom come from disad-
vantaged backgrounds, to
prepare them for the work-
force and to encourage their
self-sufficiency.
“I am sure Sharyn and
Clara will both tell you that
they worked hard for the
opportunity to purchase these
homes. Sharyn and Clara are
not simply recipients but par-
ticipants in this life-changing
process,” Sisters Habitat’s
PHOTO BY OUTLAWS PHOTOGRAPHY
Executive Director Sharlene
The Ayala family broke ground on their future home last weekend.
Weed said. “In order to be
Hope for a child.
Change for a nation.
$37 a month. All the difference
in the world. Sponsor a child
with a local organization at
HopeAfricaKids.com
Ad sponsored by The Nugget Newspaper.
selected to pur-
chase a home
from Habitat
a family must
have the need
for housing,
the willingness
to partner with
Habitat and the
ability to repay
the costs of
construction on
terms they can
afford over time
and with no
interest charged
or profit made,”
she added. The
PHOTO BY OUTLAWS PHOTOGRAPHY
families help Clara Eberius sliced the ribbon at her front door
build their own during a dedication last weekend.
home along
with construc-
life for themselves and their
tion volunteers and the staff families,” said Weed. Those
construction manager.
interested in homeownership
“Sisters Habitat for or the Sisters Habitat home
Humanity is an option for repair program can visit www.
many qualified families to sistershabitat.org and review
achieve strength, stabil- the qualification guidelines,
ity and the independence or call the Habitat office at
they need to build a better 541-549-1193.
Managing the Unknown of Surprise Medical Expenses
Major medical expenses can carry a heavy fi nancial toll. If you experience an accident
or injury, cost may be the least of your concerns initially. Yet, unexpected medical care
has the potential to impact your fi nancial situation in a big way. Before it does, take the
time to prepare your strategy for dealing with surprise medical expenses.
Plan ahead with health insurance: Under today’s health insurance plans, you
may face greater risk of sizable medical costs due to rising costs of healthcare,
increasing deductibles and coverage changes year to year. Review your insurance
coverage to ensure you understand what services or prescriptions are covered,
and what medical bills you may be responsible for. It’s worth reviewing how
these basic but important policy components may apply to you:
• Deductible – Your deductible is the amount you’re expected to pay each
year for medical services covered by your health insurance plan. You
are responsible for all expenses until you meet your deductible.
• Out-of-pocket maximum – Once your deductible is met, additional medical expenses
will be applied to your out-of-pocket maximum. When you’ve incurred this amount,
your insurance will pay all expenses covered by your plan for the rest of the year. Most
insurance providers include your deductible in your out-of-pocket maximum.
• In-network – In general, medical expenses must be in-network, or part of
your insurance company’s system of providers, for the bill to be applied to your
deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. If you require out-of-network services, check
with your insurance provider to see how the bill will be handled.
• Co-pay and co-insurance – A co-pay is a set amount you pay each time you receive
a service, such as a primary care physician visit or receiving a new prescription. Co-
insurance is a set percentage of the expense you pay at the time of service. Co-pays and
co-insurance may or may not apply to your deductible and out-of-pocket maximum.
Strategically use savings accounts: A key way to cope with unplanned medical
costs is to have money already in the bank. Among the options to consider are:
• Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) – These are tax-advantaged savings
plans associated with high-deductible health insurance policies. In 2018,
individuals can save up to $3,450 ($3,400 in 2017) in an HSA while families
can set aside as much as $6,900 ($6,750 in 2017). These are funds that can
be used to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses this year or in future years.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) – An FSA allows you to use pre-tax
dollars to pay for certain medical expenses. Typically, you must spend these
funds within the same calendar year.
• Savings accounts – If you don’t participate in either type of plan or want to have a
larger fi nancial cushion, make sure you have a suffi cient emergency fund. Set aside
enough funds to cover your out-of-pocket maximum, or three to six months’ worth of
living expenses, whichever is greater.
Craft a bill-paying strategy: If you incur unexpected medical expenses, fi rst work
with your insurance company to understand how each bill is applied to your deductible
or out-of-pocket maximum, noting co-pays and co-insurance where appropriate.
Before paying each bill, make sure the amount matches the number calculated by your
insurance company. Next, consider using the money you have available in your HSA,
FSA or savings accounts dedicated to healthcare expenses. If you still have a balance
remaining on your medical expenses, try to fi t the costs into your budget. A medical
expense may require you to trim spending in other areas in order to pay for these costs,
either immediately or over a period of time.
Consider a healthcare directive: Lastly, have a conversation with your spouse or
another trusted family member about your healthcare wishes and consider a heathcare
directive. Directives allow you to designate one or more people to make healthcare
decisions on your behalf if you’re unable to make them yourself.
Mark Greaney is a Financial Advisor with
PacWest Wealth Partners, an advisory practice
of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. in Bend,
Oregon. He specializes in fee-based fi nancial
planning and asset management strategies and
has been in practice for 17 years. Contact Mark
at www.PacWestWealthPartners.com, or call him
at 541-382-2354. Mark is located at 35 NW
Hawthorne Avenue, Bend, OR.
Ameriprise Financial and its affi liates do not offer tax or legal advice. Consumers should consult with their
tax advisor or attorney regarding their specifi c situation. Investment advisory products and services are
made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Ameriprise
Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2016 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.