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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 20, 1986)
r'a g e 4 , Portland Observer, August 20, 1906 Pipelines... make good neighbors A n.enca over ?20 000 mites of pe tro le u m pipelines ca rry in g cru de 0»l arxJ p ro d u c ts to refineries and storage ter - unais across the U nited States E m h day m ore tr»an 1 5 b»M»on to n «les o f c ru d e o f and p ro d u cts m< >*e th ro u g h th is n e tw o rk T» ese pipelines have a safety rocor 1 second *o n o n e m tt»e tra nspo rtât < »n in d u stry and we want yo u t* M p us keep It that w ty liq u id s on or a m ist above the g ro u n d m tt»e area o f a ptpefm e • • ope* mg m the g ro u n d if yo u be» om e aware o f a p ip e lin e leak • LEAVF the leak area IMMEDIATEL r • • Av.». J dire ct co n ta ct w ith IN» e sca ping liquids ««RM»«. PfTWOtlUM PIPÍ LlNf « »«•** WPt II« t o ------ GROUNO M AR KER Vera Benson, founder of G randm others A gainst Drugs, in the upper floor of the senior center that is used as a w o o d shop w h ere ex drug users produce bunk beds Photo by Richard J B row n Grandmother Fights Drug Abuse by Bob Lothian Vera Benson knows what drugs can do to a family Three of Benson's four adult children became so hooked that they could no longer care for their children, so Benson took eight grandchildren into her home. "A t 50 years of age I'm a mother of 12 children," said Benson. She had to start over again as a mother, Benson said, making sure the children had clothes for school, food, health care, all on a limited disability income. It was almost more than she could handle "I mean, I was so angry that all I could do was start crying," Benson said. She looked for support, a group of some kind, where she could go and voice her troubles and get help 1 here was none, finally, sitting in a church circle on Sunday, it all came out, she said, and that's where Grandmothers Against Drugs was born GMAD, founded by Benson in December, has grown to in elude 14 grandmothers whose families have been ravaged by drugs. The group meets at the Senior Service Center. 4128 N.E. Union Avenue. It operates under the umbrella of the House of Rescue Mission, of which Benson is a volunteer Her situation is not uncommon, Benson said. When families are broken apart by drugs, it is often grandmothers who are left to pick up the pieces That's why a support group is needed, she said. GMAD assists grandmothers and families with clothes, food, rent, and counselling. It offers support to mothers who have lost their children, and to children who have lost their parents, Benson said. In addition, she said, GMAD has turned the top floor of the senior center into a wood shop for producing bunk beds Financed by a $5,OCX) Collins Foundation grant, the bunk bed program provides full time jobs a, $4 an hour for two adult men and an adult woman who had formerly been drug users The constructive work gives the former users more positive self image, according to Benson. It enables them to say, I'm through with drugs and ready to go back and work and live in the com m unity." she said. The beds sell for $40 each, or $80 a pair. She came up with the idea of making beds, Benson said, because she had seen too many children sleeping on the floor. Inexpensive tables may be added to the GMAD furniture line soon, she said. Robert Milton, a House of Refuge Mission volunteer, serves as coordinator of the bed making project. Benson, a longtime community volunteer, received a plaque from the Metro Crisis Intervention Service for her around the clock volunteer work to make sure senior citizens had heat during a cold spell. She also received letters of commendation from King School for organizing hack to school clothes drives. Benson is optim istic about Grandmothers Against Drugs, but discouraged about the lack of community involvement in well publicized events sponsored by GMAD. No one showed up for the drug abuse seminar at the center last week, for example, she said. That was a shame, she said, because parents and grandparents need drug awareness to recognize the signs of abuse among their children. A pamphlet put out try her group lists the warning signs a sudden or noticeable change in school performance, a loss of interest in sports and other activities, unexplained purchases or missing property, mood swings Not recognizing the warning signs leads to trouble for family members and senior citizens who often become the first vie tirns of users seeking to finance their habits. Benson said She spoke of one 81 year old woman who was surprized and robbed in a store parking lot after shopping with tier daughter. "W e are assisting in paying tier rent because they took everything she had," Benson said It s really dangerous now for people to be o u t." W hen you see signs like those Shown abov** they ttHi yo u that there s a pipe lin e nearby if it s u n d e rg ro u n d yo u can t see it of cou rse B ut it s ttie re w o rkin g qu ie tly to pro vid e en ergy for you and Other con sum ers th ro u g h o u t th is nation Som e o f these signs list the c o m m o d ity tra nspo rted in U h » pipe line the nam e o f the operator and a tele phon e num ber w here tr>e operator $ representative c an be reached at aft tim es A lth o u g h pipe lines have an e»cept»onaiiy g o o d safety re cord o n ce m a w h ile a lea* can o ccu r Ind ica tio n s o f a leak m igh t includ e • A stra nge or unusual o d or in the v»cmity of a pipeline • A fussing or ro a n n q sound (caused by fie tm ie u m or p ro d u c t esca ping fro m a piixM.ne) • A dense w hite c lo u d or fo g • A spot o f dead or dis» o fo red vegetation - • A void cre a tin g sparks or sources o f heat w hich c o u ld < ause the liquids or vapor to ig n ite and bu rn If you fm d yo u rse lf m a Susp»*c!»xj vapor area d o not light a m a tch start an en g in e or even sw-tch <xr an e le ctric lig h t • N otify tfw» pipe line op erator as soon as you reach a safe area Call c o tta I Give your nam e a des< o p tio n o f the leak and its lex anon If yo u d o not kno w w h o ft'»* pipe line o p e ra to r is cal» your k x ai fire p o lice or she riff s de partm ent or the state po lice Advise them o f the na ture and •ot abort o f the em erge ncy if you see som eone d ig g in g «• a P'i>* -ie or d o in q other C onstruction w ork >»» if you plan to d o sue h work near a pipe line yourself please call tt»e telephone num ber sho w n o n the sign and 'et the p ip e lin e c o m p a n y kno w so dam age < an be ty & d e d its m you» inte» »*st an d the na tion's O ly m p ic P ip e L in e C o . P O Box 236 Renton. Wash Call Collect 206 226 8880 A support group like GMAD can help senior citizen s under stand what to look for so they can guard against attack, she said. "One of the main messages I'd like to get across is that there has to be drug awareness to prevent grandmothers and senior citizens from getting beaten up. Benson said GMAD meets tonight at 7 30 at the Senior Service Center at 4128 N E. Union. Benson can be reached at tfie center from 9 5 at 281 1611. For further information, call HELPLINE of the Oregon Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, 232 8083 THE M O U N T OLIVET BAPTIST CHURCH uyler • 284 1964 »»»♦•»« H J a t k w M id 9 3ll A M Chun h S< hnol H OU A M Congn>g«itHH>al f iU U F M vespw* Swv « • W ill» Dorsey w ill present n gospel oncert Sunday Septem ber 7 at 8 30 a m . in Holladay Park C oncert is presented by Holladay Park M edical Center Foundation fur the tig h t Hail C elebration Light Rail C elebration W e e k e n d A community wide celebration of the Portland area 9 new light rail system is set for Friday through Sunday, September 5 7 Called Ride the Rails,” the celebration will offer fieri rides on the light rail trams all thiee days and will be a festive and histonr occasion with con certs, dances, shows, retail Mies exhibits, end other events ale ,g the en tire fifteen mile route from Gresham into Downtown Portland According to organizers, a community feel to the celebration will serve to help spotlight those districts disrupted by light rail construction and demonstrate how these distri, ts and others have been conveniently linked by the new rail system Business organizations, civic groups, and individuals have planned the festival under tire direction of Protect Director Joan B ig g s M m es lor Hie celebration were privately raised, with Fred Meyer. Inc , the me, sponsor <0 dû A M fourth Sunday ' 1 (X) Cumo.urHun C m h f nst Sunday The A n ,encan Baptist Convention. Amène an Baptist Churches of O regon L u ll Carey Foreign M ission C onvention N ational Oregon, P o rtla n d E c u m e n ic a l M in is trie s Am erir an B ib le S o c ie ty M E»M Board ^ o d a te your EDWARD L WARD. DMD GENERAL DENTISTRY DENTAI. CARE EOR THE WHOLE FAMILY' rsntMin«. oRtisno - "S o many grandmothers don't know what to look fo r," Benson said. - - » » M I O n tO U A M O S U STA » IN S Ù A S C I C L A M I A t U m p SiPATION HMt S IN M T b t «ATIINTS H LS MARASMI) m in « Tri T lfA T M IN T »ISA MASTI«! A«P S I » rA T IlS T s W l l U N I t P AU IIS U N L S » ALIDA T IP FARMIM, W I K 1 M »M «sM r,S l,A V S A T t«l)A I RAM I H X I S U A» All A M I APA M IM A I« In Concert Mount Olivet Baptist Church Building Fund Committee proudly presents in concert Mr Jerry White of California, renowned organist and soloist; Mrs. Lessie Williams, soloist. Rev John Sims, soloist. Mr Ken Barry, pianist and soloist; and Mi Claude Bowles, Director of Jubilee Singers. Sunday August 24 1986 at 5 PM. N E fust and S. huyler Admission is free MO 5 0 3 -2 2 8 -3 0 0 9 1 )r Edward G. Ward 610 SW Alder, suite 1008 AM»'’ pev A «M
