Opportunity news., May 13, 1966, Page 4, Image 4

Page 4
Salem volunteer donates time
center
SCHOOL LIFE IS INCOMPLETE FOR THIS MIGRANT BOY
VOLUNTEER Martha
Gildow (center) dis­
cusses the work at
the Salem Oppor­
tunity Center with
Matilda and Hercu­
les Cornejo.
VOLUNTARIO Mar­
tha Gildow (centro)
discute el trabajo en
el Centro de Opor­
tunidad con Matilda
y Hercules Cornejo.
Story and photo
When a stranger walks into an
opportunity center he sees many
faces. Some are faces of staff mem­
bers. Some are faces of program
aides. Some are VISTA Volunteers.
And some, like a lady named
Martha Gildow, are just volunteers.
If you walk into the Salem Op­
portunity Center any day between
Monday and Friday in the morning,
chances are you w ill be met by
Martha.
She w ill sit you down,
pour you a cup of coffee and light
up your cigarette. She w ill look you
straight in the eye and ask if there
is anything she can do for you. It
is a nice reception because Martha
is a very nice person.
She became interested in the
problems of farm laborers last year
when she visited the Green Villa
camp as a volunteer worker from
the Salem First Congregational
Church.
Her activities then were
mostly personal contacts with the
people living in the camp. Because
of this experience and because she
knew Ivan Wells, the Salem area
supervisor, she offered to volun­
teer her spare time to work in the
center this year.
Now she does
personal contact, and any other
work that Ivan throws her way.
We asked Martha, who is the
mother of four children, why she
wanted to donate much of her time
to work in the opportunity center.
"I believe in what the VML is do­
ing," she answered. "So 1 jumped
at the chance to be useful in such .
an important program."
Then we asked her about her
children. How could she find time
for other things when she had fo u r-
children to take care of.
"I just find it," she said, "that's
all. Last summer, when I spent so
much time at Green Villa camp, I
took my -kids with me.
You see,
where I live most of the kids lead
such sheltered fives they aren't
aware of other people's problems.
I wanted my kids to meet the kids
of farm workers too.
I wanted
them to know all kinds of people."
We asked her what she thought
was the most serious problems in
the Salem area.
"In this area the migrants are so -
scattered many people aren't even
aware that they exist. But they are
here, and I want to help the center
reach them."
We had many more questions to
ask her, but just then someone
came in. Martha jumped up. She
got him a chair, then she poured
by Rick Simon
Cuando una persona entra a
un centro de oportunidad se ve a
muchas caras. Unas son caras de las
personas que trabajan allá. Unas
son caras de ayudantes de pro­
grama. Unas son Voluntarios de
VISTA. Y unas, como una señora
que se llama Martha Gildow, son
solamente voluntarios.
Si Ud. entra en el Centro de
Oportunidad de Salem cualquier dia
entre lunes y viernes en la mañana,
probablemente conocerá a Martha.
Le ofrecerá una silla, le dará una
taza de café, y le prenderá el
cigarillo. Le mirará directamente en
los ojos y le preguntará que si hay
algo que le puede ofrecer.
Una
recepción buena, porque Martha es
una persona buena.
Ella se enteresó en los problemas
, de trabajadores de labor el año
pasada cuando visitó el campo de
Green Villa como un voluntario de
la Salem
First
Congregational
Church. Sus actividades fueron por
la mayor parte contactos personales
con la génte viviendo en el campo.
A causa de esta experiencia y
debido a Ivan Wells, el Supervisor
del Area de Salem, ella ofreció a
prestar unas horas diarias a trabajar
en el centro.
Ahora trabaja con
contactos personales y cualquier
otra clase de trabajo que Ivan le da.
Preguantamos a Martha, quien
tiene cuatro hijos, por que quiso
donar tanto tiempo a trabajar en el
centro.
"Yo creo en lo que está haciendo
el VML," contestó,
"Entonces
accepté
la
oportunidad
a
disponerme en un programa tan
importante."
"Entonces le preguntamos sobre
sus hijos. ¿Cómo fue posible para
ella encontrar bastante tiempo |
cuando tuvo cuatro niños a cuidar?
"Solamente lo hago," dijo, "no
más.
El verano pasada, cuando
pasé tanto tiempo en el campo de
Green Villa, siempre llevé mis hijos
conmigo. Mire, donde vivo yo la
mayoría de los muchachos pasan
sus vidas tan cuidados que nunca
se dan cuenta de los problemas de
otras personas. Yo quise que mis
muchachos conocieran a los hijos'
de los trabajadores también.
Yo
quiera ellos conoscan a todas clases
de personas."
La preguntamos que pensaba
ella el problema más serio* en el
área de Salem,
"En este área los migrantes no
viven en una sola área.
Muchas •
personas ni siquiera se dan cuenta
que están aquí, y yo quiero ayudar
Gordan Gee does not go to
school. He is 16 years old. Gordan
went to school for ten years. Each
year Gordan moved before the
school year was finished. Gordan's
father is a migrant worker.
Mr.
Gee does farm work and carpentry.
Gordan has learned to be a car­
penter too.
Gordan was asked why he left
school. "I just got too far behind in
the work. Do you know what it's
like to go into a different school
every year? I was so tense and ner-
;'~us.
Everything was new and
strange. I couldn't study. Just
about the time I'd get used to a
school our fam ily would move on
again."
"I really liked the science classes
I had,"' said Gordan. ' "I'd like to
know more about science ‘but I
don t get a chance to read many
books. When I was in school I had
some good teachers — some bad
ones too. You see, "said Gordan,
I really don't like many people.
Because of this it's hard sometimes
even to go into town. I feel better
now that I'm not in school. M y dad
was disappointed when I dropped
out of school. I guess I'll be a car­
penter like he is." - Priscilla Car­
rasco.
him a cup of coffee. As she was
lighting his cigarette we quietly
slipped out of the back door.
We
were sure that one volunteer would
be busy for quite awhile.
OREGON STATE BOARD OF HEALTH
WILL EXAMINE DRINKING WATER
By Judi Jarvill
To the Oregon State Board of
Health, "Farm labor camp" means
any place, area or piece of land
where sleeping places or camping
grounds are owned or kept.
The grounds of a farm labor
camp should be kept clean and free
from waste water, sewage, a n d
garbage.
The State Board of Health w ill ex­
amine the water at the camps and
at places of employment. If the
water is clean it w ill be approved
and put in the camps to drink, and
Gordan Gee no va a la esl
Tiene 16 años. Gordan fue al
cuela por diez años. Cada añl
dan cambió de casa antes
terminó el año.
Su padrel
trabajador de agricultura. Si
trabaja en agricultura y hac
pintería. Gordan ha aprend
ser un carpintero también.
Preguntamos por qué
salió de la escuela. "Quedl
atrás en el trabajo. ¿Sabe coi
cambiar las escuelas, cada añl
tuve muy nervioso. Todo eral
y diferente. No pude estudiar!
vez que me acostumbre a ul
cuela la familia cambiaría def
otra vez.
"Verdaderamente me gus
clases de ciencias," dijo
"Me gustaría saber más
ciencias pero no puedo leer j
libros. Cuando estuve en la
tuve unos profesores bueno!
unos malos también. "Mire,
Gordan, "No me gusta muchi
sonas. Por esto es difícil
pueblo. Siento mejor ahora
estoy en la escuela. Mi papa
brava cuando deje la escuel;
qué voy a ser un carpinterc
él.—Priscilla Carrasco.
al centro en su lucha a ayud
Tuvimos muchas más prei
a hacerle, pero en este moL
alguien entró el lá oficina. í
se puso de pie. Le consigul
silla. Después le ofreció un
de cafe. Mientras le prend|
cigarillo nosotros salimos
puerta atrás. Estuvimos según
un voluntario iba a ser mu
pado por lo demás del día.
I
for washing hands and for
Plastic jugs or wooden kegl
covers and spouts w ill be u|
hold water for field drinking.'
containers that water can be on
from are not accepted All
are to have plenty of hot wl
use for baths and laundry. If,
:ime, the water is not safe to
;he people should be told. |
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