6A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL April 6, 2016
Group for LGBTQ teens refl ects a 'shift' in
the mental health fi eld, according to facilitator
BY JON STINNETT
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
T
he facilitator of a local
group for teens that may
be questioning their sexuality
said the formation of the group
comes about as part of a shift in
thinking throughout the mental
health fi eld regarding sexual
orientation.
Jen Donovan and Rene Schil-
ler of South Lane Mental Health
will facilitate the group for those
ages 13-19 who are queer, ques-
tioning or transgender begin-
ning this Thursday, April 7 from
4-5:30 p.m. and continuing each
Thursday through June 9. The
group aims to be a “safe place
for teens to build community,
explore and develop identity,
answer questions, develop con-
fi dence and fi nd positive role
models,” according to a recent
press release.
According to Donovan, such
an approach has not long been
common with regard to issues
of sexuality.
“Up until the 1970s, homo-
sexuality was listed as a mental
LGBTQIA
Teen Group
For those ages 12-19
who are queer, ques-
tioning or trans. Begins
Thursday, April 7 and
continues each week
until June 9.
disorder,” she said, adding that
“conversion therapy” tactics
that attempt to turn individuals
away from homosexuality are
still legal in many states.
“We’re working to not pathol-
ogize people who identify as
something different from the
norm,” Donovan said. “It’s a
real shift in the mental health
fi eld that is still shifting to this
day.”
Donovan said that kids who
have come to a conclusion that
they are not straight often have
no positive role models through
which to learn about their place
in society.
“They wonder if they’re go-
ing to die alone, ‘Am I ever go-
ing to fi nd someone like me?’
‘What kind of community is out
there?” she said. “These feelings
can be very isolating, especially
in a rural environment.”
The process that fi nds one
questioning their sexuality can
also have other negative out-
comes, and the National Alli-
ance for Mental Illness pointed
out that suicide is one of the
leading causes of death for LG-
BTQ youth ages 10-24. Also,
according to Healthline.com,
young adults who experienced
high levels of parental rejection
as adolescents are three times
as likely to use illegal drugs as
their heterosexual peers; three
times as likely to engage in
unprotected and risky sex and
eight times as likely to attempt
suicide.
The group will attempt to
teach teens that there are other
individuals like them and com-
munities where they can feel in-
cluded, Donovan said. She said
the experience can be different
for each teen, depending on how
accepting that person’s commu-
nity and family is ready to be.
“There is an active gay-straight
alliance at Cottage Grove High
School, which is awesome,” she
said. “But overall, there aren’t a
lot of resources for these kids.”
South Lane Mental Health of-
fers therapeutic services in sev-
eral South Lane School District
schools including at Lincoln
Middle School, and at Al Ken-
nedy and Cottage Grove High
Schools. In the past, resources
such as mental health facilities of-
ten dealt with issues of sexuality
much differently, Donovan said.
“People often don’t know, ‘If I
go to therapy, are they going to
try and convert me?’” she said.
“At South Lane Mental Health,
we welcome all people of all be-
liefs. This is an issue that people
are still dying over.”
Those interested in setting up
an intake appointment or learn-
ing more about the group can
contact Donovan at 541-767-
4231 or Jennifer.donovan@
slmh.org. To learn more about
South Lane Mental Health, visit
www.slmh.org.
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LORANE COUNTRY NEWS
BY LIL THOMPSON
For the Sentinel
O
n Sunday, over 50 people enjoyed an
hour of incredible talent by 11 dif-
ferent entertainers at the talent show. There
were people from Sutherlin, Elmira, Eu-
gene, Triangle Lake, Cottage Grove, Crow
and Lorane who came to share their talent.
BJ even demonstrated a note on a didgeri-
doo she purchased in Australia. Afterward,
everyone visited over refreshments in the
Grange kitchen.
Prior to the performances, Markay Wil-
son, Jim Bailor, Jeri Porter, Effi e Hughes,
Carol Morehead and the Rural Art Center
received Outstanding Community Service
Awards from Lorane Grange for their con-
tributions to the community last year.
Tomorrow, Thursday, April 7, Lorane
Grange meets at 7:30 p.m. The next spa-
ghetti dinner and bingo evening is Saturday,
April 16 with dinner at 5:30 p.m. and bingo
at 6:30 p.m. This will be the last one until
courtesy photo
Cooper Morris and Mckayla Nicholas
perform together at Sunday's talent
show.
September.
This Sunday evening, April 10, there
will be a movie night at Lorane Christian
Church. Come out at 4:30 p.m. for “hot
dogs and fi xins” prior to the movie at 5:30
p.m. I hear popcorn may also be available.
Exciting news! Activities and events for
the CAL School District may now be ac-
cessed on the district website at http://www.
cal.k12.or.us/ Apparently, it is also pos-
sible to obtain the information on a mobile
device by following the instructions on the
website.
Softball, baseball, and track have all start-
ed, so check out the site for event times and
days.
An important meeting for all eighth-grade
parents in which their input will be sought
is scheduled Wednesday, April 13 at 6:30
p.m.
Attention, those have a Crow High School
student who will be 16 or older by June 2017
— there is a meeting for parents/guardians
of these students interested in traveling to
Europe in June 2017 for a 12-day European
adventure to Greece, Italy and Spain. Par-
ents are asked to join the Thursday, April
7 meeting at 6 p.m. Those who are unable
to attend or have questions can contact Ms.
Smith at asmith@cal.k12.or.us.
Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation
supports Latino foods project
F
or the third year in a row,
the Cow Creek Umpqua
Indian Foundation has been
the major donor to Commu-
nity Sharing Program’s “Latino
Food Box Project,” the fi rst pro-
gram of its kind in the entire
state of Oregon. Families who
sign up for the special food box-
es receive foods appropriate to
Mexican and Central American
cultural traditions, such as corn
masa fl our, dried chili peppers,
beans, rice and tortillas. These
raw materials help participat-
ing families cook nutritious
meals for their families that are
not only healthier for them, but
also help preserve cultural tradi-
tions.
With the support of Cow
Creek, this program has grown
from a holiday special to a year-
round fi xture at Community
Sharing’s food pantry.
“We’ve conducted surveys,
and nine out of 10 of the Latino
families who use the food bank
prefer these culturally-appropri-
ate foods,” says Lise Colgan,
Latino Family Advocate. “They
don’t use a lot of the things that
most American families count
as staples, like peanut butter,
jelly, canned vegetables, canned
soups and stew. So they were
getting less food than many of
our non-Latino patrons. Now,
they get foods that they are used
to cooking, and that are usually
better for them, too.”
Colgan said without the fund-
ing provided by Cow Creek,
the program never could have
gotten off the ground. These
are not inexpensive foods,” she
says, “and they aren’t items we
can get regularly from FOOD
for Lane County, so we have to
buy them specially.”
The Cow Creek grants over
the last three years have allowed
the program to offer more vari-
ety to more families, including
a rapidly growing community of
indigenous Mayan people from
Congratulations!
Employee
to our
Resident
of the
Month
of the
Month
Laure
Barrus
Alois
Vaughn
northern Guatemala.
The Cow Creek Umpqua Indi-
an Foundation is funded through
revenues from the Seven Feath-
ers Casino complex in Canyon-
ville and provides support to
nonprofi ts in seven southwest-
ern counties of Oregon.
“It’s been a great partnership,
and a project that both partners
can take real pride in,” says
Mike Fleck, Executive Director.
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