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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (July 3, 2019)
6A | WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL Nursery from A1 for family relief. “You have touched so many lives because of your dedication to build- ing bridges with love. You are amazing,” said Roberston, also thank- ing sponsors, the school district, staff and volun- teers. Next, the Good Neigh- bor Award was presented by Director of Programs Crystal Morrison to her father, Randle Kersey, for his six years of volun- teering. “He has made the neighborhood a better place,” she said. “It’s been an honor to work side by side with him.” Following a slideshow of the organization’s history and communi- ty involvement, Colleen Stewart, board member and the organization’s first program director, recalled the organiza- tion’s humble beginnings with only a handful of members in 1994. From this modest start, Stewart remem- bered how the group grew in size and found a permanent location due to community support, despite the nonprof- it struggling in its early days. “This community is full of wonderful peo- ple,” she said. Heather Murphy, first executive director of Family Relief Nursery, then spoke of her good fortune to approach her role in the organization as a blank canvas. The freedom enabled her to realize her visions for the organization in the com- munity, which included respite care and opening satellite offices in Drain and Creswell. “Most people don’t get that opportunity and I will be forever grateful for that opportunity,” she said. “We worked togeth- er to build something that was so very special.” Next, Cindy Vitelli, former executive direc- tor, reflected on her time with the organization, sharing the memory of trying to come up with the name for the fund- raiser event. “When I answer the phone, the first thing I hear from a client when they say, ‘I need help,’ and we say, ‘Yes, I can help you,’ is a sigh of re- lief,” Vitelli recalled. She commended the compassion and devo- tion from staff at the nursery. “Their dedication to give parents the tools to build skills for a stable and healthy environ- ment is truly amazing,” she said. Vitelli retired on Fri- day after 18 years of working with the organi- zation. Diane Hazen, anoth- er former executive di- rector, then praised the leaders that had been on stage. “They were responsi- ble for helping Family Relief Nursery earn a reputation as an orga- nization that provides quality care, services and outcomes that demon- strate we are accom- plishing our mission to keep children safe and strengthen families,” Ha- zen said. She also thanked the community and took pride in the group’s growth to its current nine therapeutic class- rooms and three sites in the area. “I am proud that so many children’s life tra- jectories will change for the better,” said Hazen. Current Executive Di- rector Whalen then took the stage, honoring Vi- telli and Hazen for their DAMIEN SHERWOOD/COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL Family Relief Nursery staff and leaders gathered on stage after the annual Sigh of Relief benefit at the Cottage Grove High School on June 25. years of service. “I’m humbled to follow in the footsteps of these amazing women that have done pioneering work in Cottage Grove, Creswell and Drain,” she said. Lastly, the audience heard from 25-year-old guest speaker Channelle Nelson, who shared her personal experience with Family Relief Nursery. “I went from being me-based to being mom- based,” Nelson said in praise of the organiza- tion. Nelson’s life trajectory took a turn on October 1, 2015, when Umpqua Community College near Roseburg, Ore. was the scene of a school shooting. As an attend- ing student at the time, the event traumatized Nelson, causing her to become depressed and anxious in crowds. “As a parent, I went through the motions,” she said. “I wasn’t living.” Later, she gave birth to her daughter, whose extreme illness as an in- fant exacerbated Nelson’s stress. “I had no idea where to go. I had no idea where to turn,” she said. Then, in a fortuitous turn, Nelson ran across a Family Relief Nursery outreach event in Yon- calla. After explaining her situation to the staff, she was immediately tak- en into the fold of the or- ganization and provided with much-needed re- spite care. “That gave me the opportunity to have a break — to be able to get myself in order, to have some shut down time, to get back in to the work force,” said Nelson, add- ing that the respite care allowed her to make the interests of her children a priority. “I was finally given the safety and support that was needed to be the best mom that I could be and to be confident and to be able to start building my life as I needed it,” she said. Amid this upward turn, however, Nelson then lost her youngest child. “At this point I really shut down,” she said. Through the traumatic loss, Nelson said Family Relief Nursery was there again to offer more re- lief when she wasn’t able provide care as a parent. In addition, she attended a parenting class where instructors guided her back to a pathway of confident parenthood. At Christmas that year, the group utilized the Christmas for Kids or- ganization and brought presents for Nelson’s children, a gesture Nel- son said was more mo- tivation for her to over- come her struggles. Then, when this year’s snow storm left Nelson and her children with- out power, Family Relief Nursery provided her with blankets, clothes and a place to shower. Nelson expressed her gratitude for the impact the group’s safety net had on her and her children. “My children were isolated and had little involvement with other children their age,” she said. “Now we are com- pletely different from when we started. We are a family now – and one that I am proud to be a part of.” Nelson finished by praising the organiza- tion. “It does effect the com- munity. 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