Page 7
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Ed money
sought by
Wyden
U.S Sen. Ron Wyden
(D-Ore) called on Presi-
dent Bush to “reverse
course” on his decision to
only partially fund the “No
Child
Left
Be-
hind” (NCLB) law.
He made the request
after a White House an-
nouncement indicated that
the largest single program
in the law will be under
funded by $7 billion in
fiscal year 2005. The presi-
dent signed NCLB into
law with 2005 funding au-
thorization of $200 million
for Oregon, but the White
House’s actual budget re-
quest now contains $69
million less for the state.
Concerns about NCLB
among school boards, par-
ents, school administrators
and teachers across the
state prompted Wyden to
begin a series of “listening
sessions” last month to
better understand how the
law is actually being im-
plemented in Oregon
schools.
While a variety of pro-
posals have been made to
address problems with the
law, thus far school leaders
and parents have told Wy-
den uniformly that it is
impossible to meet the
law’s strict requirements
for boosting test scores and
student performance with-
out the promised federal
financial support.
In a letter to the presi-
dent, Wyden wrote,
“Oregon schools have long
held themselves to high
standards and real account-
ability and they support the
ideal of leaving no child
behind. I ask that you in-
crease your budget request
and work with Congress to
ensure that the students in
Oregon and the nation re-
ceive the funding promised
by No Child Left Behind.”
The president’s budget
request is not due to be
delivered to Congress until
Feb. 2.
Wyden has supported
full funding for NCLB
since its enactment in
2002; however the presi-
dent has never requested
full funding. In 2003, Wy-
den supported an amend-
ment that would have pro-
vided full funding, increas-
ing federal support by
$6.15 billion to match the
level already authorized by
law. A motion to allow the
amendment to come to a
vote on the Senate floor
failed 51-44.
A new sign, Pregnancy Center of the Illinois Valley, is due.
Pregnancy center births new name
Living Alternatives, a
Cave Junction center for
women and families ex-
periencing pregnancy,
changed its name this
month to Pregnancy Center
of the Illinois Valley.
The center revolves
around pro-life, encourag-
ing women and families to
make sound decisions
which could help their new
babies.
The name change
comes from the fear that
“Living Alternatives” may
discourage women who
fear pregnancy from seek-
ing help at the center. The
new name gives a clearer
representation of the cen-
ter’s services.
The pregnancy center
offers assistance for expec-
tant families. Assistance
includes helping to teach
women to become good
mothers, helping them to
become self-sufficient, and
offering advice and coun-
seling for first-time fami-
lies.
Funding for the center
is provided through public
donation. Currently, the
center needs diapers
(newborn to 5 months),
baby wipes, breast pads,
cribs, and general operat-
ing funds.
In addition, soft drink
containers can be left at the
center. The deposit will
then be collected by volun-
teer staff and used by the
center as needed.
Besides the new sign,
which should arrive in a
couple of weeks, the center
will expand services to
offer post-abortion coun-
seling, abstinence educa-
tion, and more data for
first-time parents.
For further information
regarding services and do-
nations, phone 592-6058.
Arts council benefits from wooly fete
Laughter, conversa-
tion, llama watching and a
buffet helped raise money
for the Illinois River Val-
ley Arts Council at its sec-
ond annual Wooly Winter
Gala on Sunday, Jan. 11 at
Forest Edge Farms, 5489
Takilma Road.
Highlights of the after-
noon were the on-stage
variety show by some of
the valley’s best perform-
ing artists; the progressive
raffle of creative services
and the artwork donated by
Illinois Valley artisans.
The generous partici-
pation from an overflow
crowd of I.V. artists and
supporters of the arts made
the benefit a financial suc-
cess as well as a lot of fun.
Council President Re-
becca Pearson of BeBe’s
Art for Everyone in Down-
town Cave Junction re-
called the council’s mis-
sion, “To foster creativity
and encourage the arts in
Illinois Valley,” and noted
its progress since being
founded in 2001.
Pearson said, “In just
three years, through indi-
vidual dedication, commu-
nity participation, and part-
nership with the I.V. Com-
munity Response Team
and Arts Council of So.
Oregon, we have increased
2nd Friday Art Walk par-
ticipation; had a public
mural project with chil-
dren; built two floats for
parades; brought more art
into the public schools;
and helped develop So.
Oregon Arts Guild.
“We are now ready to
take our next step in be-
coming a 501c3 nonprofit
organization, which is part
of our goal today,” Pearson
concluded.
Performing artists
were Libby Goines as em-
cee, Carol Valentine and
Jack
Dwyer,
The
Sasquatch Faithful (Brian
Marsh, Randall Cranor and
George Shook), Roger
Brandt, Alan Laurie, and
Libby Goines Brian Alec
Thom in performance.
Artists who donated
work were Gwen Childs,
Marilyn Moore, Bruce
Stone, Andrea Brinkman,
Leslie Kingsford, Brian
We picked blackberries at a friend’s ranch last sum-
mer, where the berries were growing along his irrigation
ditch. I was surprised when I saw a “wall” of blackberries.
They had grown in and among the various trees, reaching
to heights of nearly 10 feet. No one had been picking in
this area, and what I saw looked like “millions” of luscious
blackberries just waiting to be picked.
Aunt Pat and I grabbed our buckets and began picking
as high as we could reach. Doug and Melanie unloaded
ladders and began picking the high ones. I got a ladder to
pick the higher berries. There I was, perched on the ladder,
looking at the “wild” blackberries. In the 40 years I’ve
lived in Illinois Valley, I had never seen anything like it.
I was happily picking, and as I stretched to reach the
berries almost out of my reach, the ladder wobbled. My
first thought was that if this ladder tipped, I could fall face
first into those berry vines. Remember that blackberries
have “millions” of thorns that prick your fingers. I’m sure
that Melanie and Aunt Pat got tired of my saying, “Ouch,
ouch.” We spent about three hours picking berries, and
came away praising God for giving us the opportunity.
The thought came to me that many people are living
their lives teetering. Teetering is wobbling, wavering; and
is an unstable state. Our spiritual lives must be placed on a
firm foundation, and it must be the Lord Jesus Christ. We
must give up “my way” and go “His way” – that is, the
way of the Cross and repentance.
The Bible speaks of us dying, that we may live. What
dies is our pride, our self and our will. If we have one foot
in the world, and we try to have one foot in Heaven, we
will not make it.
It is important to have balance in our lives. We must
not fall into sin, and we shouldn’t “play in the devil’s play-
ground.” If we are reaching into the glitter of the world, we
can be lured off-track. That means that our ladder could
tip, and we could fall head-long into the briars. Make no
mistake: Thorns of sin prick you because sin has a price.
We have God’s Holy Spirit with us to lead us, guide
us, strengthen us, and steady our ladder.
When we follow the Word of God and our focus is on
Christ, we will live with His peace covering our lives, and
His joy in our hearts. Our foundation is stable; our lives are
steady; and our hope of Heaven is sure.
[Editor’s Note: Life Lines is a Christian, Cave Junction-based,
volunteer grass-roots prison ministry and food distribution organi-
zation. It can be contacted at (541) 592-3643.]
Alec Thom, Kathleen
Jones, Louann Person, Bob
Burt, Rebecca Pearson,
Kathy Ratiu-Kelley, Cat
Moresco, Steve Chandler
(Rock-It-Of-Oregon ),
Penny Niemi and Ernie
Elmer (Second Wind Stu-
dio), Pearlene Gavlik, and
Reni Shaeffer.
Businesses that do-
nated work or services for
the art raffle and door
prizes were Yanase Jewel-
ers, Simply Threadful, East
Fork Ranch, Blue Moon
Books & Coffee, Clear
Spaces Gallery, Taylor’s
Sausage Country Store,
Rising Suns, Moondance
Soap, Kendall Art Glass,
and the Tim Wallace Band.
Coffee Heaven provided
coffee.
Credit goes to Becki
Pearson for organizing the
raffle; Penny Niemi for
organizing the buffet; Alan
Laurie for the invitation
art; Mary Reynolds for
producing the program and
Joyce Abrams for organiz-
ing the variety show.
(Related photo on page 8)
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