I stepped out of the airport in the desert sun with a big smile on my face. I heard a horn blow and turned around to see my best friend waving me down. I hadn’t seen her in nearly 4 months and was giddy with anticipation when she pulled up. She got out of her car and greeted me with her infamous smile. “Welcome to Arizona” Ally said. I threw my luggage in her trunk and got in the passenger seat. As we drove out of the airport I couldn’t help but smile. I knew it was Thanksgiving and I should be home with my family but I couldn’t help but grin with excitement about volunteering at the homeless shelter.
When we pulled up to the shelter I was overwhelmed with the size of the organization and when we arrived inside I was more overwhelmed with the amount of people who needed attention. I was quickly put to work coordinating volunteers on various projects that needed to be finished before Thanksgiving dinner at 5:00 p.m. While escorting a group of volunteers to the kitchen I met a woman named Rosa. Rosa told me she had been trafficked into the United States from Mexico, her only goal was to bring in drugs for a group of low level street thugs and in return, they would pay her five thousand dollars and she would be allowed to stay in the United States. When Rosa made it to the United States after four days in the bottom of a boat with no water or food, she was kicked off the boat in California and was never paid. Rosa made her way to Arizona and found three other homeless people at a bus stop. She followed the group to S.A.S.S. another local homeless shelter in Arizona, she lived there for two months until she got a job and a place of her own, and is now enjoying life in Arizona. Rosa told me she volunteers at St. Vincent De Paul every Saturday to give back to others who are struggling, because she said “she knows how it feels.”
Giving up Thanksgiving to work at a homeless shelter allowed me to view life from a different perspective. I find myself very humble and appreciate the things I have in my life now more than ever.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Men Who Stare At Goats
Ewen Mcgregor plays Bob Wilton a struggling reporter trying to find a hit story to jump start his boring day to day writing. With his wife leaving him, for his editor with one robotic arm, Bob decides to go over seas and try to capture the real truth of the war in Iraq.
Upon arriving overseas he meets Lyn Cassidy (George Clooney) an ex-Army special agent of the U.S. Army’s First Earth Battalion. Bob travels with Lyn on a comedic journey and finds out the special agent is on a secret mission which includes the revelation of Lyn’s special paranormal abilities, taught to him by his mentor and leader of the unit, Bill Djano (Jeff Bridges), a hippy Vietnam vet.
While Bob tags along with Lyn he discovers the real power and truth behind the U.S Army’s First Earth Battalion Unit along with paranormal powers of his own. The Men Who Stare At Goats is a wacky, must see, light hearted comedy that keeps the viewer chuckling throughout the whole movie.
Upon arriving overseas he meets Lyn Cassidy (George Clooney) an ex-Army special agent of the U.S. Army’s First Earth Battalion. Bob travels with Lyn on a comedic journey and finds out the special agent is on a secret mission which includes the revelation of Lyn’s special paranormal abilities, taught to him by his mentor and leader of the unit, Bill Djano (Jeff Bridges), a hippy Vietnam vet.
While Bob tags along with Lyn he discovers the real power and truth behind the U.S Army’s First Earth Battalion Unit along with paranormal powers of his own. The Men Who Stare At Goats is a wacky, must see, light hearted comedy that keeps the viewer chuckling throughout the whole movie.
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Teen Spot
The Teen Spot which is set to open in January 2010 will be Manchester’s first teen residential homeless shelter. The non-profit organization was given a 1.2 million dollar grant by the Obama stimulus package with the focus of the shelter to be a safe environment for teens to overcome their battles with addiction and make the necessary life changes to be productive citizens in our community.
The center will have two paid full time employees who oversee treatment plans of twenty five youth (maximum number of program participants the center is equipped for) ages 13-18. The Teen Spot will consist of fourteen part time volunteers, who are licensed mental health counselors. These counselors will implement daily programming based around healthy lifestyle choices, academic success and financial independence. Twelve additional full time volunteers are on staff to provide one on one support and accompany program participants through out their day along with providing transportation to appointments and court proceedings if needed.
Upon arrival to the center the teens will have a mental health screening and a separate substance abuse screening to assess their current situations. The teens will then be an active part of formulating their treatment plans and goals while at the center. There is no maximum time teens are allowed to stay at the center as long as they are actively pursuing their treatment plan goals.
The center will have two paid full time employees who oversee treatment plans of twenty five youth (maximum number of program participants the center is equipped for) ages 13-18. The Teen Spot will consist of fourteen part time volunteers, who are licensed mental health counselors. These counselors will implement daily programming based around healthy lifestyle choices, academic success and financial independence. Twelve additional full time volunteers are on staff to provide one on one support and accompany program participants through out their day along with providing transportation to appointments and court proceedings if needed.
Upon arrival to the center the teens will have a mental health screening and a separate substance abuse screening to assess their current situations. The teens will then be an active part of formulating their treatment plans and goals while at the center. There is no maximum time teens are allowed to stay at the center as long as they are actively pursuing their treatment plan goals.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Crash and Burn- Short Fiction
Artist: Lisa Rae Winant
29 x 12 oil on panel
He was cussing under his breath as he was walked back to his cubicle like a dog with its tail between his legs. Another failed attempt to impress his boss and another phone call home to his wife letting her know he will not be home for dinner. He had been married a little over 3 years ago to the love of his love, high school sweethearts; he would do anything for that woman. The thought of calling her for the fourth night in a row to cancel their dinner date filled him with enough rage to walk into Mr. big shots office and quit his job right then and there.
Mark got back to his 4 x 4 cubicle and stared at the picture of him and Mary on his wall they had taken in the Bahamas on their honeymoon. The last time he had a vacation. His focus shifted to his computer monitor which displayed the advertising campaign that he had been slaving away on for he last four days. A multi million dollar campaign that Mr. big shot had promised him a promotion- which will never happen- if he sealed the deal with yummy scentz; a candle company which his wife hated, he remembered buying her one of their candle sets for their anniversary and they are now on a shelf in the upstairs closet.
Mark deleted the project that was on his computer screen because Mr. big shot had boldly stated “I know you have been out of college for over ten years, those are simplistic and boring ads! Don’t bring me that crap again or ill show you the door.” He started working on a new idea for the campaign when he heard someone come up behind him. He turned around just in time to see Mr. big shot throw a stack of files on his desk and say “I need these done by 8:00am”. He started to walk away when Mark said “Mr. big shot?” The short over weight man wearing a fake Italian suit that was definitely two sizes too small turned back at Mark and said in an obnoxious cocky tone “what is it now Mark? Don’t you have enough to do? Why do you always feel the need to bother me?” before Mark could think or rationalize his next decision the words fell off of his tongue “I QUIT!” the over weight man turned nine shades of red. Mark grabbed the photo of him and his wife his suit coat and headed to the elevator. Waiting for the elevator he pulled out his cell phone and dialed his wife’s number when she answered he said “Honey, were going on a vacation. How does the Bahamas sound?”
Mark got back to his 4 x 4 cubicle and stared at the picture of him and Mary on his wall they had taken in the Bahamas on their honeymoon. The last time he had a vacation. His focus shifted to his computer monitor which displayed the advertising campaign that he had been slaving away on for he last four days. A multi million dollar campaign that Mr. big shot had promised him a promotion- which will never happen- if he sealed the deal with yummy scentz; a candle company which his wife hated, he remembered buying her one of their candle sets for their anniversary and they are now on a shelf in the upstairs closet.
Mark deleted the project that was on his computer screen because Mr. big shot had boldly stated “I know you have been out of college for over ten years, those are simplistic and boring ads! Don’t bring me that crap again or ill show you the door.” He started working on a new idea for the campaign when he heard someone come up behind him. He turned around just in time to see Mr. big shot throw a stack of files on his desk and say “I need these done by 8:00am”. He started to walk away when Mark said “Mr. big shot?” The short over weight man wearing a fake Italian suit that was definitely two sizes too small turned back at Mark and said in an obnoxious cocky tone “what is it now Mark? Don’t you have enough to do? Why do you always feel the need to bother me?” before Mark could think or rationalize his next decision the words fell off of his tongue “I QUIT!” the over weight man turned nine shades of red. Mark grabbed the photo of him and his wife his suit coat and headed to the elevator. Waiting for the elevator he pulled out his cell phone and dialed his wife’s number when she answered he said “Honey, were going on a vacation. How does the Bahamas sound?”
Monday, September 7, 2009
Affects of domestic violence on children's behavior
Within the scope of my job as the Youth Programs Coordinator at the YWCA I work with over 560 unduplicated youth each year. The majority of the children I work with on a regular basis are struggling with the after math of witnessing first hand domestic violence in their house holds. Working with these children’s parents, teachers, counselors and social workers have showed me how their exposure to this violence is detrimental to their successful development.
According to the Alabama coalition against domestic violence each year over 3 million youth in the United States experience domestic violence on some level, the negative affects of domestic violence on children are broad but tend to fall into four generalized categories; emotional, social, behavioral and physical. (To find a detailed list of these negative effects see the Alabama coalition against domestic violence website http://www.acadv.org/children.html)
In the past 10 years social service providers along with local police departments and government agencies have rewritten domestic violence laws, provided federal money to crisis service centers, and raised awareness of domestic violence and how it affects not only the woman being abused but her children as well. New Hampshire is in the fore front of these changes and has a tight knit community of agencies who work with these women and children to get them the services they need. If you or someone you know is struggling with domestic violence the NH coalition against domestic and sexual violence (http://www.nhcadsv.org/index.cfm) has the resources and tools needed to get the services you are looking for.
According to the Alabama coalition against domestic violence each year over 3 million youth in the United States experience domestic violence on some level, the negative affects of domestic violence on children are broad but tend to fall into four generalized categories; emotional, social, behavioral and physical. (To find a detailed list of these negative effects see the Alabama coalition against domestic violence website http://www.acadv.org/children.html)
In the past 10 years social service providers along with local police departments and government agencies have rewritten domestic violence laws, provided federal money to crisis service centers, and raised awareness of domestic violence and how it affects not only the woman being abused but her children as well. New Hampshire is in the fore front of these changes and has a tight knit community of agencies who work with these women and children to get them the services they need. If you or someone you know is struggling with domestic violence the NH coalition against domestic and sexual violence (http://www.nhcadsv.org/index.cfm) has the resources and tools needed to get the services you are looking for.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
First blog
I'm sitting in media writing and i can say this is a first, i never thought i would have a blog. But, here it is!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
