18 THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER December 2022
Boys & Girls Aid
By MARGIE WIESENTHAL
Boys & Girls Aid fi nds homes for the children it serves
At our last luncheon , there was a person who had been our Charbonneau Boys & Girls Aid president in 2005-2006 . She has a great
WIESENTHAL deal of experience with Boys & Girls Aid because she has adopted two children through this organization .
Judy and her husband adopted Robert in 1966 when he was 3 1 / 2 weeks old and they adopted their daughter , Libby , in 1968 , when she was 1 1 / 2 weeks old . At that time they lived near Pendleton and had discovered Boys & Girls Aid through a friend of theirs . They raised these two beautiful children , who are now parents . Robert works in IT for a healthcare organization . Libby works from home in the healthcare field as a behavioral health adviser .
When Judy and her husband adopted Robert she was teaching and it was summer when she had no school . She taught high school business courses , counseled part time and also worked as a speech therapist . This busy lady raised two wonderful children and , as Robert said years later , “ There is no better
FOR MORE INFORMATION Boys and Girls Aid : www . boysandgirlsaid . org
Charbonneau Cypress Branch : www . cypressonline . org
mother in the world .” Libby agrees .
As adults , both Robert and Libby have attended our Crab and Rib Dinner and Libby was our speaker a few years ago . She is just one of the adoption successes who have spoken at our dinner . Last year Alex spoke about how he was adopted and is so happy in his forever home .
Boys & Girls Aid does a magnificent job of finding homes for the children it serves . Some of the children are adopted at birth and some are adopted from foster homes . Age is not a factor . Alex was a teenager ; Libby and Robert were babies . Some of the adoptees are able to
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Zoe was adopted as a teenager and is a member of our Boys & Girls Aid group . She takes a tag from the gift tree .
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connect with their birth parents , and some are not able to . But all of them are very thankful that they were adopted .
Adoption is only one of the things that Boys & Girls Aid does . When Christmas comes every child currently being served by Boys & Girls Aid will receive a gift donated by a person in the Charbonneau branch of the organization .
At the November luncheon , each of our members takes a tag or two from the gift tree . Each tag on the tree has the name and age of a child and what that child has requested as a Christmas gift . Our members take the tags home , go shopping and bring the gifts unwrapped to the December luncheon . The gifts are wrapped by the Boys & Girls Aid staff and each gift is given to the very child whose name is on the tag .
What a great Christmas party that is !
Sunshine Service
By JOAN VEDDER
We can help you choose appropriate items for your surgical or general welfare needs
I ’ m back ( in case anybody noticed I was gone ?). September and October , with weather being so nice , handed me the “ challenge ” of painting the whole exterior of my house , plus trim , by myself with a 2 & 1 / 2 inch brush .
Yes , it took several weeks but it was
VEDDER proof that I could accomplish a very big task simply because I thought I could .
How often do we assume something can ’ t be done because we don ’ t try in the first place ? I am not a spring chicken , and , though I ’ m blessed with good health and mobility , that still didn ’ t make it easier , believe me .
As you see from the above , I love a challenge . That ’ s what Sunshine Service means to me — an opportunity to “ serve ” my community in its time of need . Our team is eager to help you choose appropriate items for your surgical or general welfare needs . Hip replacement ? We ’ ve got the necessary things . Knee replacement — ditto . How about aching muscles ? Yep , we have wonderful ‘ gel pacs ’ to ease the pain . Or a walker with a tray ? Maybe a sturdy shower bench to keep you safe . The list goes on and on . Even small items like an extended shoe horn , a room monitor , a bed rail .
You ’ ll find us in your directory with a long list of volunteers to help you . No answer ? Keep moving down the list ! Please note that you MUST have one of us to check you out with equipment and also check you back in to keep our records straight . The CCC office staff does NOT manage Sunshine Service . Remember too — this is a free offering with reasonable time limits , available to everybody in Charbonneau . Go ahead , present us with a “ challenge .” Stay well during the holiday season and beyond .
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Reach every resident in Charbonneau .
Contact Jesse Marichalar
971-204-7774 jessem @ pamplinmedia . com