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