12 THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER
Charbonneau
Women’s
Association
By LEE HARKER
Feeling the love in
Charbonneau
What Inspires Student Hearts: a
“WISH” program under Project
Lemonade
Our January luncheon program
was presented by Rhonda Meadows,
founder and board vice president, as
February 2020
well as board
member Betsy
Lake. We learned
all about Project
Lemonade (when
life gives you lem-
ons, make lemon-
HARKER ade) and the won-
derful work they
have been doing with school-aged
children in foster care. Their program
includes a store for the children
where they get new, or nearly new,
clothes and new shoes, and an intern-
ship program where they broaden
skills and get work experience.
Established less than eight years
ago, Project Lemonade has helped
over 14,000 children in foster care. A
fact we learned: the majority of foster
children are three years or more be-
hind in school due to frequent moves.
Summer camp or other enrichment
programs like music lessons, tutoring
and specialty camps like band camp
are not feasible for the majority of
foster parents so their WISH program
fills a very special need. Short videos
by children in the programs touched
all our hearts and helped us realize
their program’s impact on this very
vulnerable group of children in our
state.
Our early beginnings
Our February luncheon program re-
visits the early beginnings in our area
with an insightful program on the rela-
tionship between Pacific University and
the Chemawa Indian school. It promises
to be a fascinating presentation.
Spring Fashion Show
The team is coming together under
the leadership of Robin Gowdy for the
fashion show. The store will be J.Jill
and the caterer will be Dalton’s. There
will be sign-ups to volunteer and help
out, as well as sign-ups to be a model
(always fun, you get a discount on the
clothing too!) in the CCC coat room.
Boys and
Girls Aid
Q From Page 11
of their own. Each year the Cypress
Branch of Boys and Girls Aid throws a
Christmas party for those in the Tran-
sitional Living Program. Our members
have donated toward gifts for the
young adults and their children. This
party is truly a positive experience.
The overarching, primary goal of Boys
and Girls Aid is to provide permanent
placement of children to allow them to
find the lifelong connections needed to
have a successful and positive adult life.
These programs require commitments
from staff and volunteers, it is not inex-
pensive to manifest this type of care, but
the Cypress Branch volunteers are devot-
ed to the children through these planned
events and major financial support.
Boys and Girls Aid is celebrating its
135th year in Oregon this year, and Cy-
press Branch is celebrating 30 years.
We draw participants from all over the
North Willamette Valley. To make a dif-
ference, and find out more about our
programs, come to our next luncheon,
Feb. 21 at SpringRidge. The luncheon
begins at 11:30 a.m. and the cost is $15 at
the door. If you are not a member, but
would like to attend, call Jan Bliss at
503-539-9095.
COURTESY PHOTO
Left to right: Leslie Walker, Cheryl Brennan, Zoe Niklas, Dianne McMichael, Jane Ludlow, Terri Royse, Diann Harland, Cherie Sanville stand with the sports
bags.