JUNE 1, 2003
Smoke Signals 5
Spirit Mountain Community Fund Supports The Efforts Of Raphael House
Domestic violence victims can find hope at the newly renovated facility.
By Ron Karten
The old nursing home needed a renovation to
serve families in trouble. In 1999, the Spirit
Mountain Community Fund stepped up with
$270,000 for the $2.67 million project and now
the facility can be home to women with up to six
children.
"The mission of Raphael House is to provide a
foundation of hope for victims of domestic vio
lence," according to Raphael House documents.
Before the renovation of this facility, room for
six children was practically unheard of among
shelters for victims of domestic violence. And
women who have to choose between splitting up
their children and living with continued abuse
will choose the abuse.
The new shelter has 33 beds, an increase over
the 20-bed shelter it replaced, according to Lynn
Hallbacka, Special Events Manager for Raphael
House.
Even with the new facility, eight of ten seek
ing help in Portland area shelters are still being
turned away, said Hallbacka.
The Community Fund also contributes to
Raphael House as a Table Sponsor at each year's
fall auction. In 2000 and 2001, it was a $1,500
contribution. In 2002 and 2003, Table Spon
sorships increased to $2,000.
Raphael House provides transitional housing
and emergency shelter, but also has programs
to help children deal with the healing process of
a family in crisis, community education and vol
unteer programs. B
This Is The Place Where The Wild Things Are
The Tribe's Community Fund brings salmon, eagles and even butterflies to the Oregon Zoo.
By Willie Mercier
Nestled in the hills, 5 miles west of Portland off of
Highway 26 is a haven for creatures great and small
The Oregon Zoo. And thanks to a grant from the
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde's Community
Fund a few more inhabitants will be available for
everyone to enjoy.
With the grant, the zoo has started construction
on the eagle canyon exhibit. The exhibit scheduled
to open in spring of 2004. The netted exhibit will be
the first of its kind, with bald eagles and different
species of endangered salmon housed together.
The zoo is dedicated to bringing its 36,000 mem
bers and over 1,000,000 visitors annually, new ex
periences. Making a return visit this summer are
the "Winged Wonders" where visitors can walk
through an enclosure and witness exotic butterflies
in a natural environment. The exhibit receives 300
new chrysalises, the life stage between caterpillar
and butterfly, a day.
Also new to the zoo is "Deep Sea the Ride" a simu
lation where your seat moves in sync with the dis
play to make you feel as if you are experiencing the
journey to find a giant squid first hand. "Deep Sea
the Ride" arrived in mid may and will feature the
deep sea adventure until Labor Day when the zoo
staff expects a different presentation to be shown.
The zoo will soon offer behind the scenes tours,
pricing will range from $9 to $100 depending on what
you want to experience. Experiences will range from
tasting "monkey chow" to feeding a rhino or wash
ing an elephant are a few examples as to what the
tour will entail.
The Oregon Zoo, formerly known as the Washing
ton Park Zoo, is over 100 years old and was started
by Richard Knight, a Portland pharmacist, who
turned his animal collection over to the city in 1887.
The zoo has had a few different locales, but has called
its current location home since 1959.