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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 2017)
8A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL JANUARY 18, 2017 Volunteers needed for homeless count in Lane County On Wednesday, January 25, 2017, Lane County Human Ser- vices, along with its non-profi t partners, will conduct a Point in Time (PIT) Count of people who are homeless in Lane County. The Annual Homeless Count reaches throughout the commu- nity to people sleeping on the streets, vehicles, parks, camps, and other places not meant for human habitation. Emergency shelter and transitional housing programs designated for peo- ple who are homeless are also counted. Our next volunteer training for the Count is Tuesday, Jan- uary 17, 2017 3:30 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Health & Human Services Building 151 W. 7th Ave. Eu- gene, 2nd Floor, Room 258 R.S.V.P. for the training ses- sion to: Diana by email: diana. alldredge@co.lane.or.us or by phone: (541) 682-3798 You can access the Point in Time Count Web site! On-line Application, Training, and Cer- tifying Survey www.lanecoun- ty.org/homelesscount Community Alliance of Lane County, a local social justice agency, assists with the unshel- tered Count by adding volun- teers to our teams to administer surveys in locations all over the county. Please contact Michael Carrigan at CALC (541)844- 4677 for volunteer shifts. The one-night count takes place across the state of Ore- gon each January. It provides a snapshot of the problem of homelessness to help policy- makers target resources to the areas of the state experiencing the greatest need. This valu- able data identifi es the needs and gaps in services for home- less people in order to inform local planning efforts. The 2017 Count includes both sheltered and unsheltered. This count is required by Oregon Housing and Community Services, and by Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) who provides over $3 million in housing and services to single adults, families and youth who are homeless. Last year, a total of 1,473 people were counted. During last year’s “sheltered” count, 757 individuals were counted including homeless commu- nity members who were used local emergency shelter and transitional housing programs designated for people who are homeless. The “street count” or unsheltered count includes those who are on the streets, under bridges, in parks, at food pantries, schools, day access centers and churches. Last year 716 unsheltered individuls were counted. Cottage Grove Riding Club named its new Rodeo Queen. Shelby Neuharth took home the title from the previous queen after serving for a princess for the year. Shelby is 17 years old and will serve as queen until 2018. J The Cottage Grove High School Drama Department will be presenting Alabama Rain by Heather McCutchen in January. Seniors Kyle Carrillo-Enders, Chloe Leczel and Savannah Palis continue the three year old tradition of students directing their peers. In Alabama Rain, Heather McCutchen tells the tale of fi ve sisters living in a mythical southern town where it has not rained in 40 years. The play examines the perils of a stagnant existence as the sisters thirst for fertility and growth. When the order of their lives suddenly deteriorates—one sister fl ees to fi nd the ocean, another drops dead of heartbreak and another begins to waste away from dehydration—the LaDean family begins a magical quest for water. They struggle with a mysteri- ous well that runs deep in their own backyard, which may or may not have water somewhere at the bottom. This well comes to represent their withered past but also holds the key to a future ripe with potential. In Alabama Rain, these women do battle with the powerful force of “the way things have always been.” The cast of Alabama Rain includes Kristy Rodrigues, Kelsey Tucker, Keiara Faville, Keely Gal- breath and Aislyn Morrill. The play will be presented on January 19, 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $5 for students/seniors and $10 for adults. anuary is National Mentoring Month, and this year the National Mentoring Partnership is celebrating 15 years of the mentoring movement by encouraging people to explore local mentoring opportunities that connect more of our community’s young people with caring adults. One such opportunity here in Cottage Grove is Reaching Out Mentoring South Lane, the school-based mentoring program that has been promoting friendships between students in the South Lane School District and their volunteer mentors for the last 9 years. “This is a great opportunity to thank all our mentors, past and present. It’s also another chance for us to highlight the continuing need for volunteers to share an hour a week with a student who could benefi t from their friendship,” noted Marc Bass, Mentor Coordinator for Reaching Out Mentoring South Lane. The National Mentoring Partnership notes that mentoring is a critical part of developing positive relationships within a community, and it is proven to have a positive impact on academic, social, and economic outcomes for young people. Research shows that mentors can play a powerful role in providing young people with the tools to make responsible choices, attend and engage in school, and reduce or avoid risky behaviors. In turn, these young people are 55% more likely to be enrolled in college, 81% more likely to report participating regularly in sports or extracurricular activities, and 78% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities. Yet, the same research shows that 9 million young people across the country feel disconnected from their schools or communities and feel like they have no one to turn to. “Any kid can benefi t from having someone who listens to them, makes them feel valued, and who gives them positive, constructive feedback. That’s what our program is about.” said Bass. “Remember who made a difference for you, and then be that friend for someone else.” Reaching Out Mentoring South Lane is registered with the National Mentoring Partnership. For more information on how you can be involved, please call Marc at 541-953- 4822 or Lori at 541-953-4844. Be Someone Who Matters To Someone Who Matters BECOME A MENTOR Reaching Out Mentoring South Lane Reaching Out To Students in South Lane School District Since 2008 To Learn How You Can Make A Difference, Call (541)953-4822 Made Possible Through the Generous Support of the Cottage Grove Community Foundation
