Parties

Yesterday was a party day. The fitness center held a costume optional exercise class with a pot luck party after the morning B-fit (trampoline aerobics) class. I was very surprised to see nearly 20 people all older than 50 dressed in costumes and really enjoying themselves. I found a pair of wings (D and R will remember them) at the Thrift store. They were being thrown out by the time I got them. I made some adjustments and wore the wings over a green shirt and put a ring of stars in my hair and went as Tinkerbell or just an angel. There were a few witches, batwoman, a clown, a fat lady, a pumpkin, a pirate, a hippie, a prisoner complete with a ball and chain, a devil, a dancer and a number of others. The pot luck was full of healthy salads and other treats.

In the evening three of my friends and I went to SLO to attend our first pot-luck dinner with Womenade, a direct charity, started by a retired teacher. There were about 20 women at the event. It was great to meet so many other like minded women and to learn what our contributions have gone to fund these past 2 months. Since the last pot luck Womenade collected $2,254 dollars and this is what it accomplished:
August 2008: Dental exam, x-rays, and cleaning for nine-year-old in pain. Referral: Dr. Kaplan ($110)

August 2008: Dental surgery for 5-year-old son of single mom. Referral: Cecelia, CDHP ($50)

August 2008: Dental surgery for 7-year-old with no parents. Referral: Cecelia, CDHP ($140)

August 2008: Dental surgery for homeless 4-year-old girl. Referral: Cecelia, CDHP ($100)

August 2008: Dental surgery for homeless 4-year-old boy. Referral: Cecelia, CDHP ($50)

August 2008: Dental surgery for daughter of single mom. Referral: Cecelia, CDHP ($50)

August 2008: Dental surgery for 3-year-old girl in family struggling with alcoholism. Referral: Cecelia, CDHP ($50)

August 2008: Bassinet for teen mom’s baby. Referral: Bridgette, PHN ($23.15) with trade credit from Mia’s

August 2008: Partial rent for young mother of 3-week-old; other agencies are short on money to help. Referral: Angie, PHN ($384)

August 2008: Clothes for toddler boy. Referral: Bridgette, PHN ($5.71) with trade credit from Merry-Go-Round

August 2008: Stroller for new baby of teen mom. Referral: Angie, PHN ($37.71) with special consideration from Merry-Go-Round


August 2008: Two sisters live with their parents in San Luis. One sister has a 13-year-old daughter who is profoundly deaf; she learned American Sign Language (ASL) and reads and writes in English. When her
parents tried to learn ASL, it was only taught in English, so they are limited to a very few signs. The second sister has a 2-year-old daughter who was born with a rare birth defect that prevents her from moving her jaw. She has speech therapy, and is being taught ASL signs as well as attempts to verbalize. The whole family needs to learn ASL in Spanish so they can communicate with their children. A Cal Poly intern who is trilingual (English, Spanish and ASL!) found an ASL instruction manual that is translated into Spanish, and has been working with the family. The family needs this book, so they can continue to learn after the intern moves on. With this book as a resource, the 13-year-old can teach her family. Referral: Melissa Lovitt-Adair, PHN ($43.43) from Judy Riener and Kathy Hannula

September 2008: College math text book for abused mom getting her life back. Referral: Laurie Morgan, Abused Children’s Treatment Program ($132.91)

September 2008: Infant seat for new baby. Referral: Bridgette, PHN ($8.66) with trade credit and special consideration from Merry-Go-Round
September 2008: Swing for baby of struggling single teen mom. Referral: Bridgette, PHN ($32.33)

September 2008: Car payment for mom whose husband left her; if she loses her car, she’ll lose her job. Referral: Crystal, PHN ($194.97)

September 2008: High chair for 2-year-old with a disability. Referral: Bridgette, PHN ($48.49)

September 2008: High chair for 2-year-old boy. Referral: Bridgette, PHN ($16.16)

September 2008: Booster seat for toddler of single mom. Referral: Bridgette, PHN ($21.54)

September 2008: Car seat for child of single mom. Referral: Bridgette, PHN ($48.27)

October 2008: Eye glasses for young child in Victim Witness program. Referral: Karla Robles, SAFE ($94)

October 2008: Rent for 20-year-old Mom whose newborn had to be transferred to Stanford; mom and baby’s father had to stop working. Referral: Bridgette, PHN ($300)

October 2008: Dental procedure for young daughter whose dad has been laid off. Referral: Cecelia, CDHP ($85)

October 2008: Dental surgery for toddler girl. Referral: Cecelia, CDHP ($55)

October 2008: Dental surgery for toddler boy who dad was severely burned. Referral: Cecelia, CDHP ($50)

October 2008: Gas for young family to take toddler to and from Children’s Hospital in UCLA. Referral: Barbie, PHN ($90)

October 2008: Double stroller for young family that must walk as means of transportation. Referral: Barbie, PHN ($25)