Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 2012)
PRINT: News Wednesday, Nov. 7,2012 $ 3 Elderly woman gets new wheels Felicia Skriver News Editor B right sparks w hiz past the safety glasses o f student w eld- ers as they put the saw to the m etal. The legs o f the w alker are clasped dow n w hile they saw it into tw o pieces. This project was a great act o f com m unity service, provided by the w elding technology departm ent last week. “I w ant to em phasize th at in the program , on occasion we do like to help the com m unity out,” said John Phelps, a w eld ing technology instructor here at CCC. “I couldn’t im agine how m uch it w ould cost som e w here else.” W hen 81 year-old R obbie Pappas could no longer m aneu ver around her apartm ent w ith the w alker she had, she decid ed to call C lackam as w ith the project in m ind. “I w as fru strated by not being able to m ove around my ow n apartm ent,” said Pappas, longtim e resident and educator o f C lackam as County. “ So it’s ju s t w orked beautifully.” The project entailed bring ing the w idth o f the w alker dow n to 12 inches and also adding a tray to set things on. The goal is to m ake it m uch narrow er so that Pappas can m aneuver m ore easily. “ Yeah, it is nice to give back to the com m unity,” said Travis M ontm iny, one o f the w eld ing technology students h elp ing w ith the m odification. “I t’s nice to be able to help som eone who needs h elp .” Pappas has been m ore than satisfied w ith hef new w alker, getting around her house has been m ore sim plistic because o f the w elding departm ent. “I t’s w onderful! A bsolutely w onderful!” said Pappas. “I f I did not have that w alker today, I could not have gotten around today. I w ould like to com pli m ent Travis too, because he m odified it and put a tray on it so I can place things on it.” T he w eld in g dep artm en t w ould like to em phasis that they do not take on all projects offered. T hey have been solic ited a couple tim es; how ever Travis Montminy narrows the size o f Robbie Pappas’walker so she can easily navigate her apartment. Pappas found her new walker “absolutely wonder fu l! ” She was very pleased with the finished product. they do not take on any and all projects. P appas has been an educator in C lackam as C ounty for the last 30 years, and sh e’s glad to see th at the com m unity and education can go hand in hand. “I tau g h t at schools for years,” said P appas, “and as a tax payer o f C lackam as C ounty I feel like m y m oney is being used w ell at y our college ... I Childcare for CCC parents Emily Rask Associate News Editor When parents need a place to plop their kids while they plod away at class, the college has help available in spite o f cuts to some o f the services available in the past. Clackamas Community College has been helping young parents for many years with childcare ser vices. The Young Parent Program just ended after 20 years last June due to no grant funding and lack o f enrollment. Although the program is no longer active, the college still has a very strong early Head Start and a YMCA program to fill these important needs o f families on campus. One o f three Early Head Start teachers for eight children, B rian Kidwell explained how convenient it is for parents to have their chil dren right by them as they attend school. He said it almost feels as if they are on the same level as their kids. “They have to be a Student for it to be completely free. CCC stu dents get first priority. We provide childcare to any mom on campus,” said Kidwell. “There is a wait ing list for the early Head Start program so when we select chil dren for the program we select the neediest.” . The YMCA Child Development Center offers another top notch affordable, childcare program that is flexible. Infants to 12 year olds get to learn and live a healthy life style in a state licensed program. Program director o f the Clackamas'YMCA, Kelly Skopil, said, “We have discounted rates for CCC students and faculty. Students can get very affordable rates to have their kids here.” Early Head Start works mainly with families that need help such as those with low income or ones with children that have special needs. The YMCA program works with familes in our community. There are options at the college for all types o f student parents. According to their website, the YMCA is the largest nonprofit pro vider o f after school childcare in the nation. The nonprofit organiza tion funds quality affordable child care services for all. With 2,687 locations across the country serv ing 21 million people a year, the nonprofit is a national resource available locally to parents in need o f affordable childcare. The YMCA also offers stud ies in eight particular areas: lit eracy, mathematics, science, social studies, arts, technology, healthy habits, and social, moral, and spiri tual development. The program focuses on helping children learn and develop their skills. They can show what interests them in these programs and then the teachers can work with them to learn more about their interests. It is really simple for CCC stu dents to get their children into these programs. “CCC students can apply through ASG for financial aid child care,” said Skopil. The A ssociated Student Government is in the Community Center next to the cafeteria in CC152 Both programs are located in the Family Resource Center build ing and are open Monday through Friday from nine to five. w ould also like to com plim ent John Phelps, because he was the m ost courteous w hen I cam e to pick the w alker u p.” Preview Join us 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 14 Learn about Academic programs Paying for college Application process Campus life Find Agenda, directions and RSVP at vancouver.wsu.edu/preview W ____________________ (VANCOUVER
