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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 23, 2018)
REGION Tuesday, October 23, 2018 Event connects homeless to services By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN East Oregonian Tammie Ross sat at a table in the corner of Eden’s Kitchen, eating the sandwich the restaurant had prepared for free, and recalling how she got here. “I was in a bad situa- tion,” she said. “It started with domestic violence. I left everything.” Originally from Arizona, Ross had spent several years living in Medford, and had a job at Safeway. But an abu- sive relationship forced her to leave, and she came to Eastern Oregon where she has some family. She soon found herself living on the streets, and now lives under a bridge in a tent. She has been homeless for about three years. Ross was one of about 200 who showed up Satur- day to the Project Commu- nity Connect and Veteran Stand Down. The annual event gathers resources for people in need, including the homeless, people who are close to losing their housing, or those who just need some assistance. The Home 4 Hope Coali- tion, which includes a group of community partners, organized the event along with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Res- ervation and county veterans services. There were about 35 booths offering services, including medical examina- tions from Good Shepherd Medical Center, hygiene items and free haircuts, domestic violence services, emotional support groups and legal aid. The Pendle- ton Veterinary Clinic offered free checkups for dogs whose owners are home- less or cannot afford care for their animals. There were also several services for vet- erans, including the Uma- tilla County Veterans Ser- vices and the Walla Walla VA. Across the street, partic- ipants could get a free lunch at Eden’s Kitchen. As they entered the Pend- leton Recreation Center, vis- itors were asked to fill out a survey asking them about their housing status, if they are veterans, where they stayed last night, and what caused them to be homeless. They were also given a list of the services and agencies available, and asked to iden- tify which ones would be 541-720-0772 Visit our showroom: 102 E Columbia Dr. Kennewick, WA 99336 Dion Chamblin, 77, died on Oct. 20 at a local hospital. He had been incarcerated at Two Rivers since November 2017, and his earliest release date was October 2019. He had been convicted of two counts of sexual abuse. The families of both men were notified of their deaths. Two Rivers Correc- tional Institution is in Umatilla, and houses more than 1,800 male inmates. It is one of 14 correctional institutions in Oregon. Two Rivers Correc- tional Institution reported two inmate deaths since Friday. Toma Amendolara, 72, died on Friday, Oct. 19 after being admitted to the prison’s hospice program. He entered Oregon Depart- ment of Corrections cus- tody in October 2015, after being arrested in 2014. He was convicted on charges of rape, sodomy and sexual abuse. His earliest release date was January 2040. Planning Commission to discuss energy issues Staff photo by Jayati Ramakrishnan Tammie Ross eats lunch at Eden’s Kitchen during the Project Community Connect event on Saturday. Ross has been homeless in Pendleton for three years. most helpful to them. Denise Jerome is the housing director for CAPECO (Community Action Program of East Cen- tral Oregon), one of the com- munity partners that helped organize the event. Jerome said the event is funded primarily by Housing and Urban Development dol- lars. Each January, every county in the United States conducts a “point-in-time” count of its homeless people, going to shelters and areas where homeless people con- gregate. According to state data, Umatilla County had 55 homeless people in 2017. Jerome said “homeless” is defined as someone living in a car, a tent, or a shelter — anywhere not meant for hab- itation. Those who are living on friends’ couches or going from house to house are not considered homeless, but unstably housed. Jerome said they were no specific requirements to be eligible for the event, and while they asked vis- itors about their circum- stances, they didn’t turn any- one away. “If somebody’s in need, they’re welcome to attend,” she said. Ross said she had initially come to get food resources and things that would help keep her warm. But she said she also liked hearing about some of the emotional sup- Patio Rooms Awnings · Sunrooms Pergolas · Patio Covers All Season Shades Solar Screens & More! (Call for Showroom Hours) www.mybackyardbydesignor.com Page 3A Two Rivers reports two inmate deaths East Oregonian Want Year Around Outdoor Space? W e’ve Got Solutions! FREE Estimates! East Oregonian License #188965 port and grief services. “Those are good things for people,” she said. Outside, Umatilla County Veterans Services had set up a tent with supplies for peo- ple, including backpacks, sleeping mats, boots and bags filled with toiletries. Umatilla County Veterans Service Officer Glenn Scott said the items were Depart- ment of Defense surplus, donated by the Walla Walla VA. There are three veter- ans services officers who cover the entire county. Scott said some of the benefits available in the county are “exceptional,” but afford- able housing continues to be one of the main problem for veterans, and others in the county. Lonnie Abbott and Alex- andria Wolf came to get sup- plies. They picked up back- packs and sleeping pads. Both have been homeless for more than five years. They said the event is helpful, but they’d like to see the warming station open more often. “In the winter, it gets cold, and homeless people die,” Wolf said. “It’s scary.” There were dozens of volunteers helping visitors navigate the services. Blue Mountain Community Col- lege had 23 first-year nursing students helping escort peo- ple and gather information. “We’ve had a lot of people needing help with housing, health insurance, dental ser- vices and food assistance,” said nursing student Amanda McGloin. They had a booth where people could come get tested for diabetes, as well as cho- lesterol and other basic blood work. McGloin said there are not a lot of free services for people to get medical work, but the Project Community Connect event is one. “If you don’t have Medi- care or OHP, this is where you need to be,” she said. The Morrow County Planning Commission will discuss renewable energy projects in the county at two upcoming work sessions. At a planning meet- ing on Oct. 30 in Board- man, and at one Dec. 4 in Heppner, the commission will discuss the impact of several renewable energy projects that have been permitted or devel- oped in the county, such as wind and solar energy development. The meetings will cover several issues brought on by these proj- ects, including noise, glare and glint, red lights at night, viewshed, set- backs, impacts on wild- life habitat, and financial assurance. Both meetings will start at 6 p.m. The Oct. 30 meet- ing is at Boardman’s Riv- erfront Center, 2 Marine Drive N.E., Boardman. The Dec. 4 meeting is at Heppner’s Bartholomew Government Building, 110 N. Court St., Heppner. 10/22-23 Cineplex Show Times $5 Classic Movie 10/24 • 12pm The Mission HALLOWEEN (R) 4:30 7:00 9:30 GOOSEBUMPS 2: HAUNTED HALLOWEEN (PG) 5:00 7:10 9:20 VENOM (PG13) 4:50 7:20 10:00 SUBMIT COMMUNITY NEWS Submit information to: community@eastorego- nian.com or Call 541- 564-4539 or 541-966- 0818 with questions. A STAR IS BORN (R) 3:40* 6:40 9:40 FIRST MAN (PG13) 3:50* 6:50 9:50 * Matinee Pricing wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850 Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216 LIVING WELL WITH CHRONIC PAIN Is chronic pain negatively affecting your life? 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