A tree grows in Wilsonville
August 2023 THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER 13
Abigail at 13 years old .
Boys & Girls Aid
By MARGIE WIESENTHAL
A tree grows in Wilsonville
Abigail was walking the streets of down town Portland . She had nowhere to go and begged for food . She had discovered that a restaurant nearby threw its unused food into a bin in an alley . The
WIESENTHAL pickings were not very good but she survived . That ’ s a tough job for a 10-year-old girl .
One day a lady stopped her and asked if she needed a place to live . Abigail thought ; “ Crazy question , huh ? Of course I do .” But to the lady she just said , “ Yes , I do .”
This lady happened to be a volunteer for Boys & Girls Aid in Portland and had just been on her way home from a late night at work . We will call the lady Susanne .
Then Susanne took Abigail to a place where she could sleep safely and be fed regularly .
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Boys and Girls Aid : � www . boysandgirlsaid . org
Charbonneau Cypress Branch : � www . cypressonline . org
COURTESY PHOTO
Abigail thought she had “ died and gone to heaven .” She had no idea it was a place run by Boys & Girls Aid .
After a few weeks Boyd & Girls Aid placed Abigail in a foster home in Wilsonville . At this foster home she was relatively content but one of the things she did was to hoard food .
Food hoarding is common among children with her background because they have learned that they don ’ t know where their next meal will come from . An example of food hoarding is : If there is a bowl of oranges , the child takes three of them back to her room and keeps them there . The foster parents understood this because they had been trained by Boys & Girls Aid to expect it .
When will Abigail learn that she will be fed , that she is safe and everything will be OK ?
There is a saying among those of us who understand children like Abigail . It goes like this :
Trees can grow well in rocky soil ... but they do this only by finding crevices in the rocks where the roots are able to penetrate deeply .
Thanks to Boys & Girls Aid , Abigail did find her crevice and put down her roots in Wilsonville . She stayed with her foster parents , is now grown , goes to College in town and holds a part-time job . Abigail ’ s story is typical of many of the children ministered to by Boys & Girls Aid . We have many children In the Wilsonville area that have been placed by Boys & Girls Aid into foster care or have been adopted .
Abigail is truly a ‘ Wilsonville Tree ’ who will work here , pay taxes here and hopefully marry and have children here . Thanks to Boys & Girls Aid abigail has found her Crevice in the Rock here in Wilsonville .
HOT CHARBONNEAU NIGHTS SATURDAY , AUGUST 26
JOIN US SATURDAY , AUGUST 26 AT 5 PM IN THE PAVILION FOR HOT CHARBONNEAU NIGHTS CLASSIC CAR SHOW
The car show is free but the cost for the BBQ dinner is $ 10 . You ’ ll get burgers and hotdogs barbecued by the Charbonneau Board of Directors ! Dessert too ! So don ’ t forget to bring your dinner ticket if you want to feast . This is a BYOB event so bring the beverage of your choice . You may also purchase libations from the Market Café .
TICKETS GO ON SALE TUESDAY , AUGUST 1 , AT 10 AM IN THE ACTIVITY CENTER LIBRARY .