From JOHN BREWER, Publisher and Editor:
Thank you, North Olympic Peninsula!
Thank you!
Merry Christmas, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
How sweet are those words!
Because of the generosity of our readers and organizations in Jefferson and Clallam counties, a record-breaking $254,593.73 was contributed to the Peninsula Daily News’ Peninsula Home Fund.
Thousands of dollars in last-minute contributions arrived last week.
The final total for the 2011 campaign from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve smashed the old record set Dec. 31, 2010, of $248,367.35.
Our donors extended a helping hand despite — or perhaps because of — the sustained economic anxiety and stubbornly high unemployment.
You live in a community with people who care about you.
The donors who own stores in downtown Port Angeles, Sequim and Port Townsend; the anonymous couple in Forks who gave $1,500; the couple in Sequim who dropped off $15,000; the eighth-graders who raised almost $90 by selling candy; a child’s $14.32 from her piggy bank — those people care about you.
Many gave despite the hits they’ve taken, too, in this down economy.
The relief provided by the Peninsula Home Fund is real, and deeply appreciated.
And because the fund is down to pennies right now, a check will be given as soon as possible to OlyCAP — Olympic Community Action Programs, the No. 1 emergency services agency for Jefferson and Clallam counties — so the money can begin helping our neighbors immediately.
OlyCAP manages the fund for the PDN, screens the applicants — and provides life-changing services to those who need a “hand up, not a handout.”
In the past 12 months, the Home Fund has assisted more than 2,600 families, many with children, and hundreds of individuals.
During the campaign drive, the PDN published stories about those in need who were helped by the Home Fund.
Fund never closes
The books on the 2011 fund drive are now closed.
But the Peninsula Home Fund itself never closes.
Donations of any amount are always welcome.
They can be sent at any time to Peninsula Home Fund, Peninsula Daily News, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
Or click on the Home Fund logo at www.peninsuladailynews.com.
New contributions will go toward the 2012 campaign.
All Peninsula Home Fund contributions are fully IRS tax-deductible.
Peninsula’s safety net
Take the depressing economy and compound it with domestic violence, an anxious quest for stable shelter and the stresses and strains on single-parent families.
The Home Fund is a safety net for people in Jefferson and Clallam counties when they suddenly face an emergency situation and can’t find help elsewhere.
From Port Townsend to Forks, from Quilcene and Brinnon to Sequim and LaPush, the Home Fund provides hot meals for seniors, meets rent, energy and transportation needs, secures warm winter coats for kids, home repairs for the low-income, needed eyeglasses and prescription drugs, dental work, safe and drug-free temporary housing . . .
The list goes on and on . . .
Assistance, which usually averages less than $100, is also limited to one time in a 12-month period.
The average amount of help this year was about $95 per family.
But even though the dollar figures are small, the impact can be big, in huge, life-changing ways.
And, as needed, Peninsula Home Fund contributions are often used in conjunction with money from churches and other agencies, enabling OlyCAP to stretch the value of the contribution.
Bridging the chasm
Peninsula Home Fund workers again this year heard heartbreaking stories of unexpected poverty and illness — and more recipients were seeking help from the fund for the first time, often because a family member recently lost a job.
Always showing respect and kindness to people who don’t always receive that in their daily lives, Home Fund staff’s most important goal is to get the individual or family through a crisis and back on the path to self-sufficiency.
Whenever possible, Peninsula Home Fund case managers work with each individual or family to develop a plan to become financially stable — and avoid a recurrence of the emergency that prompted aid from the fund.
The fund is not set up to hand out money passively — recipients play active roles in their own success, their own rehabilitation, their own empowerment, their own futures.
That’s the “hand up, not a handout” focus of the Home Fund.
No money is deducted from donations by Peninsula Daily News.
Every penny goes to OlyCAP to help the most vulnerable members of our community, from infants to families to seniors.
Because of the extraordinary demand experienced by OlyCAP in 2011 — and plummeting cutbacks in grants and government support — for the first time in the 23-year history of the Home Fund, OlyCAP will use a portion of the fund in 2012 to pay for the helping hands who see clients.
The amount will be limited to 10 cents of every dollar donated.
OlyCAP can no longer absorb the costs of managing all the facets of the Home Fund — screening applicants, providing counseling and carefully disbursing the funds — without financial assistance.
It must tap a small portion of the fund this year as tough times compound the challenges it faces to help those in need.
Applying for a grant
To apply for a Peninsula Home Fund grant, phone OlyCAP at 360-452-4726 (Clallam County) or 360-385-2571 (Jefferson County).
■ OlyCAP’s Port Angeles office is at 228 W. First St., Suite J (Armory Square Mall); 360-452-4726.
■ Its Port Townsend office is at 803 W. Park Ave.; 360-385-2571.
■ The Forks/West End office is at 421 Fifth Ave.; 360-374-6193.
OlyCAP’s website: www.olycap.org; email: action@olycap.org.
If you have any questions about the fund, phone me — John Brewer, Peninsula Daily News editor and publisher — at 360-417-3500.
Or email john.brewer@peninsuladailynews.com.
A donor’s personal information is kept confidential.
The PDN does not rent, sell, give or otherwise share your address or other information with anyone or make any other use of it.
2011 final contributions
The donors who have been named in the PDN during this year’s campaign — as well as many others who preferred to remain anonymous — deserve our deepest gratitude.
The following are new contributions by cash, credit cards and checks dated as of Dec. 31.
Thank you very much for making a difference in the lives — and futures — of your neighbors:
■ Susan J. Owens, Olympia — $300. In memory of the honorable Richard Headrick and “Sappho” Sam Gaydeski.
■ Joy McQueen, Sequim — $100. In memory of my husband, Clyde.
■ J and J Construction of Port Angeles Inc., Port Angeles — $250. In honor of employees of J and J Construction.
■ Jerry and Jackie Schwagler, Port Angeles — $250. In memory of Sigrid Hansen.
■ Jacob and Karin Dethlefs, Sequim — $100.
■ Diane Pirner, Sequim — $500. In honor of Conrad Pirner.
■ Wayne and Charlotte Duchow, Port Angeles — $100.
■ Jaime Smith, Edmonds — $50.
■ Dick and Fran Niichel, Scottsdale, Ariz. — $250.
■ Barbara Clampett, Port Angeles — $100. In memory of Bruce Clampett,
■ Florence Chamberlain, Port Angeles — $200.
■ NO Sangha, a Zen meditation group, Port Angeles — $600.
■ Karl and Linda Flotto, Port Angeles — $100. In memory of Casey Hughes.
■ Ed Chadd, Port Angeles — $100.
■ Frank E. Brown, Port Ludlow — $100.
Many thanks also to these donors (who requested that the amount of their donation be kept private):
■ Mary Louise Melly, Port Angeles. In honor of Peninsula College ECE, FLE, Educare and Early Head Start staff. Thank you for another wonderful year of working together to make a difference in the lives of children.
■ Sharon R. Kish, Port Angeles. In memory of Gary M. Kish. In loving memory of our wonderful husband to Sharon and father to Kimi, Tami and Spike. You are always in our hearts. We love you.
■ Joyce Chiasson, Port Angeles. In memory of Jack Chiasson.
■ Isabel Paniagua-Stevens, Sequim. In honor of Joyce Gallagher.
■ David and Diane Horton, Port Angeles. In memory of David’s dear sister, Sandra
■ Robert and Donna Snow, Port Ludlow.
■ Irene Gutierrez, Port Townsend.
■ Glen Martin and Rita Frangione, Port Townsend.
■ Bob and Joanne Bird, Brinnon.
■ Marie Cauvel, Port Angeles. In honor of Lee Ostlund, honored educator.
■ Paul and Donna Downes, Port Angeles.
■ Bob and Carole Travis, Sequim. In memory of Jack Snively and Mr. and Mrs. James Tavaglione.
■ Roger and Cat Hoffman, Port Angeles. In honor of Thornton and Evelyn Hawkins; Genevieve Hoffman.
■ Joseph R. Majerle, Port Angeles. In memory of Wanda Lee Majerle.
■ Steve and Jean Reed, Port Townsend.
■ Frederic M. Robinson III, Sequim.
■ David and Jeanne Oldenkamp, Port Angeles.
■ William Bugg, Sequim. In memory of Sharon Bugg.
■ Frank and Karen Jahns, Port Angeles.
■ Dick and Lee Swenson, Sequim. In memory of Evelyn Eckert.
■ Steve and Linda Bailey, Carlsborg.
■ Rex and Linda Averill, Port Angeles.
■ Parkview Residents Fund, Port Angeles.
■ Lowell and Dora Cook, Sequim.
■ Joe Floyd and Barbara Noble, Sequim.
■ Gretchen Dabel, Orinda, Calif.
■ Verna Partridge, Port Angeles. In memory of Jack Partridge.
■ Linda Whitehouse, Port Angeles.
■ Sandy Frankfurth, Sequim. In memory of Eleanore Phillips. You’re missed always, especially at Christmas time.
■ Sequim Lavender Company/DOGdotCALM, Sequim. The Sequim Lavender Company pledges its support to our neighbors and military personnel and thanks the patronage of our customers who help make this possible. God bless John Brewer.
■ Diane and Bill Dettmer, Port Angeles.
■ Lex and Karla Morgan, Sequim.
■ Dorothea and Vergil Shafer, Port Angeles.
■ Ron Hayes and Melinda Bryden, Port Townsend.
■ David Brewer, Port Angeles.
■ Robert and Dolores, Port Angeles.
■ Gary and Carol Zellmer, Sequim.
■ David and Martha Zatopek, Port Angeles. In honor of DZ and MZ.
■ Mr. and Mrs. Donald Thompson, Port Angeles.
■ Bill and Joyce Brown, Port Townsend.
■ Sharon C. Scairpon, Carlsborg. In honor of family and friends.
■ Mark A. Stehly, Sequim.
■ Steve and Dianne Henrikson, Sequim.
■ Pat Gilbert, Port Angeles. In memory of Dottie Jensen, Anne Sistek.
■ Jean Tyson, Port Angeles.
■ Jay and Paula Richter, Port Angeles.
■ Richard Alzsamit, Sequim.
■ Chris Walvatne, Port Townsend.
In honor of our parents: Casper and Anna Walvatne, Clarence and Betty Brown.
From Warren and Chris, Port Townsend.
■ Mary Jill Klay, Sequim.
■ C.A. Modena, Port Townsend. In memory of Dana Roberts.
■ Alexandra Twarowski, Port Angeles.
■ Timothy Johns, Port Angeles.
■ Peter and Karen Bulkeley, Sequim.
■ John Bodger and Selden McKee, Port Townsend.
■ Bill and Lois Zynda, Port Angeles.
■ John and Lois Camealy, Galena, Ohio. In memory of mother Nan Anthony.
■ Ron and Phyllis Stecker, Sequim.
■ Jean and Sterling Epps, Sequim. In memory of Louise and Russell Hetsler, who always gave generously of their limited income.
■ Lon and Joan Zimmerman, Port Townsend.
■ H.J. and D.M. Legg, Carlsborg.
■ Robin C. Gabriel, Port Angeles.
■ Anna Bush, Sequim.
■ Robin and Gabe Ornelas, Port Townsend.
■ Elaine Goodwin, Port Townsend. In memory of Alan Goodwin.
■ Pat and Patti Fogard, Sequim.
■ AMS Audio Enterprises Inc., Sequim.
■ Steven and Diane Ross, Sequim.
■ Stan and Colleen Freidberg, Port Townsend.
Many thanks also to these donors (who requested anonymity):
■ Port Angeles — $110. In memory of Rachel Corrie.
■ Seattle — $100. In honor of Marjorie McDonald.
■ No city given — $20.
■ Port Angeles — $50.
■ Port Angeles — $1,000.
■ Sequim — $50.
■ Sequim — $25.
■ Port Angeles — $50.
■ Sequim — $100.
■ Port Angeles — $100.
■ Port Townsend — $250.
■ Sequim — $25.
■ Sequim — $10.
■ Port Angeles — $200.
■ Sequim — $2,000.
■ Sequim — $20.
■ Sequim — $500.
■ Port Angeles — $200.
■ Sequim — $25.
■ Port Angeles — $50. In appreciation to our kindhearted, sweet and beautiful mothers, Ellen and Betty. And in memory of our outstanding fathers, James and Harvey.
■ Sequim — $500. In loving memory of Aunt Linda and all who helped those many years ago. Blessings.
■ Port Angeles — $250.
■ Port Angeles — $100. In honor of Harry Jackson.
■ Port Angeles — $500.
■ Port Angeles — $500.
■ No city listed — $350.
■ Port Angeles — $200. In memory of Gladys Bondurant.
■ Port Angeles — $25.
■ Sequim — $55.
■ Port Angeles — $100.
■ Sequim — $100.
■ No city given — $20.
■ Port Townsend — $100. In memory of Glenn Johnson.
■ Port Hadlock — $100.
■ Sequim — $75.
■ Port Angeles — $30.
■ Port Angeles — $50.
■ Carlsborg — $100.
■ Port Angeles — $200.
■ Sequim — $200.
■ Port Angeles — $100.
■ Port Angeles — $10. In memory of Arlene Engel.
■ Sequim — $200.
■ Port Townsend — $100.
_________
HANDWRITING CAN BE hard to decipher at times.
Please report any errors in this list to John Brewer, 360-417-3500 (there’s voice mail if he’s away) or email him at john.brewer@peninsuladailynews.com.
We’ll rerun the listing correctly.
Our sincerest appreciation again to our donors.
