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Showing posts from June, 2013

It's Confidential

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Nothing gets on my nerves more than when people let rumors dictate their actions and judgments. I suppose that is when being my father's daughter surfaces more than at any other time. I will confront, and I will stand my ground in making a point - especially if I am seeing someone else being victimized or about to be harmed by the chatter. In my job I am told quite a bit off the record - In my volunteering clients will reveal things to me as we work through their needs. Often they open up and tell me things I never wanted to know, and not because I am disinterested but more because once you know, you can never erase that information. It is a huge responsibility to keep that confidentiality - especially when the woman sitting across from me tells me about or shows me her bruises. Shares with me information that if rumored about would not only ruin her, but those who are close to her. Over the years I have heard just about every confession you can imagine - those personal sec

Summer Time Blues - for Circle of Hope

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It is that time of year again when homelessness is usually the last thing on society's mind - It is summer! Time for family vacations - Outings out to the lake  - BBQs and other events The last thing people want to hear about is that summer can be just as deadly as winter for those without a roof. However, that's a reality for many of our fellow residents - The other part of that reality is donations to organizations like ours tend to slow down in the summer months, leaving us little resources to share with those in need. So please, if you can, spread the word to remind all that even during the "fun" months there are people, including children, dealing with homelessness or the threat of it. We can use all the monetary donations we can get! We can also use donations for our Grateful Hearts program to help those who are homeless and cannot cannot get into shelter, or who are struggling with bills and cannot afford a simple thing like a fan to keep them

Social Networking Across America - an experience of life

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Well, a family from Indiana beat me to it! Just a couple of weeks ago the Slusher family boarded a camper to head out on an adventure - they're heading west from Indiana with a goal of making it to the State of Washington. It was just a few months ago I sat down with my youngest son, Kyle, and we dreamed up an adventure of our own, one like the Slusher family are now in the midst of. Like the Slushers we wanted to board a camper, travel this summer across the country, making stops along the way to participate in and share with all we could, the stories along the way - stories of real life - the nitty gritty tales of people working hard to overcome obstacles and the communities   out there banding together to help one another coast over those barriers. This past week I met this family living out one of my dreams - they're in Mauston, WI. and helping local charities and/or individuals and families by volunteering their time, taking in the world they're visiting and

Lucky Number 7

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It was seven years ago this month  - Seven years ago when my life took a turn down a tumultuous road that almost broke me - financially, spiritually, emotionally and physically. Seven years ago I was sitting in my home not knowing how I would ever survive what was before me. I had two young boys counting on me - my eldest son at the time was just 12 and my youngest was 8. Looking back it seems like a lifetime ago however when I blink if feels like yesterday. I didn't have a car in working condition - no job to wake up to - my mother had just passed away six months prior and my husband was not to have any contact with me..he had just been arrested the 2nd time in a few short months for domestic abuse - we were separated physically, and spiritually. The marriage was over. It was before I knew about food stamps, child support and the food pantry. It was during a time I mentally was that middle class stay at home mom, but living a single mom's life in poverty. The pennie