The Charbonneau Villager Newspaper 2020_May issue_Villager newspaper

THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER 19 May 2020 Boys and Girls Aid By ZOE NIKLAS A comfort in the night A fter my adop- tion at 18, I caught mononu- cleosis my first semester at col- lege. Being dread- NIKLAS fully ill, my ad- opted parents brought me home to heal that Thanksgiving break. I particularly remember a night of high fever, vertigo, nausea and pain. Af- ter throwing up for the umpteenth time, I began to cry. I hurt so bad, I thought I would suffocate due to my swollen throat. That was when I felt my mom’s cool hand on my forehead and her com- forting presence, as she fluffed my pil- lows and adjusted my sweat-soaked COURTESY PHOTO Terri Royse and Connie Taylor with this year’s Easter baskets. bedding. She stayed with me that night, speaking softly, giving me water and fi- nally sleeping next to my bed. Just hav- ing her near calmed my panic and soothed my pain. It was like when I had nightmares as a foster child. She would tell me stories of a little princess who slept on a pink cloud that floated through the air and settled in an emerald glen where the fairies slept in the flowers and a crystal brook Friday Fireside LIVE Rebecca Hardiman Duo Jazz and Classic Favorites filled the air with music. She would pat my back and all my nightmares melted away. Mom was my comfort in my darkest nights. Boys and Girls Aid is the comfort source for our desperate foster children. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has created a difficult and unnerving time for us all. This is our dark night. We all want to stay safe, yet we also want to have our “normal” lives back. We want to continue serving our children and families and are grateful for the support and care our amazing teams, our social workers on the front lines and our all our volunteers. We at Boys and Girls Aid will continue to make a difference and we won’t give up on any children. We are striving to re- tain/maintain staffing ratios to ensure safety for all children. Increasing funding for additional food and supplies for chil- dren due to school closures and hiring ad- ditional staff to relieve/cover for staff and foster parents. Now more than ever, our community needs to come together to show children in foster care that they have not been forgotten. To that end, the Cypress Branch of Boys and Girls have mobilized to gift our children with lovely Easter baskets, which include items spe- cifically requested by our girls. Now more than ever, we need to show children in foster care that they are still remembered and supported. Boys and Girls Aid has been success- fully caring for Oregon’s most vulnerable children for 135 years and we will contin- ue to do so. The road ahead may be un- clear, but what is clear is that our chil- dren need our attention even in our dark night. Is Your Car Ready For Spring and Summer? May Coupon 15% OFF Off Any Service *Max $50 Expires May 31, 2020 Live-Stream Every Friday 7-8 pm “Tip-Tickets” of any amount For tickets go to www.rebeccahardiman.com/livestream Serving Wilsonville For Over 25 Years 30775-D SW Boones Ferry Rd, Wilsonville, OR 97070 503-682-8522 www.LancesSuperiorAuto.com

The Charbonneau Villager Newspaper 2020_May issue_Villager newspaper | Page 19