Times of Harvest- Giving Thanks - Ontario

Times of HarvestGiving Thanks
Winter 2011 Newsletter
Volume 1 Issue 1
H a r v e s t H o u s e M i s s i o n s 1 6 1 S W 9 t h S t . O nt a r i o , O R 9 7 9 1 4
www.harvesthousemissions.org
From the Director’s Chair
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
From the Director’s Chair
2
Special Thanks
3
4
I am thankful for food. Now if you know me that
probably doesn’t really surprise you, but I am not talking about the
Harvest House Heroes
obvious. In anticipation of making a Power Point presentation, I did
some number crunching. That is something I don’t do as often as I
Overcome Depression
should. Keeping track of anything is not really my strong point.
However, as you know, sometimes nothing says it better than the statistics. Harvest House
Missions is on track to have served over 34,000 meals in 2011. WOW!! I was stunned. It is
especially shocking when you consider that we are a very small organization. We have 2 full
time staff, a couple of almost half-time people and four seasonal staff. That is when I am
reminded of how awesome that staff is and how much we depend on volunteers. So, I am
thankful for food AND people. We could not accomplish this staggering number if it weren’t
for the Southeast Oregon Services/Oregon Food Bank, and all the others who regularly
donate their surplus, leftovers and sacrificial offerings of food. Also, special thanks to the
employees who regularly prepare that food, Margie Yasuda, Hailey Hamilton and Becky
Oddo. For those who make Thanksgiving better for many every year, IRVCO for the turkeys,
Karen Hiatt for her leadership, Pastor Frank and First Christian Church for their facility and
all the volunteers who help out there. And last, but certainly not least, the wonderful
volunteers who help at SEASON, New Hope Community Meal Site, The Boys & Girls Club,
and the Hospitality House. I am afraid if I tried to name you all, I would miss some very
important people and so I hope you all know how much I appreciate you. And especially,
thank you to God, without whom none of this would be possible.
SEASON Youth in Cooking Matters for Teens
Emilio Salinas, Anthony Talamantes, Alex Escobedo,
Brad Byers, Coreena Dieter, Jasmine Ceballos and Jonathan Sanchez
Volunteers teaching the youth were Roxy as Chef and Karan as Chef
Helper. Thanks also to Liz Long from the Food Bank.
Winter Newsletter
Page 2
A special farewell THANK YOU to Kim Wilson, former Director of
Love In the Name of Christ. Kim made a huge difference in the life
of people in this area with her dedicated, selfless service to the
organization that she founded and developed in this community.
We love you Kim. Our best wishes for your future endeavors
Jeanne Opperman
provided handmade
hats to guests
at New Hope Kitchen.
They were a big hit!
Thanks from the Hospitality House
*Fruitland LDS Church for their completion of many projects
*Rich Trimble, Lois Coffin and Dave Henderson for their leadership
*Bi-Mart employees for generous donation of clothing and food
*CASA for much of the furniture
*Love In The Name of Christ for furniture & computer
*Presbyterian Care Center for furniture
Ontario Second Ward for all the work on the kitchen
*David Armstrong for donation of needed items
*Pilgrim Lutheran Ladies for hygiene items
Katie’s Kloset
Fashion Show Fundraiser
It may not have been quite like any other fashion show you have seen, but it was a lot of
fun and for a very good cause. Sue Holman from Katie’s Kloset (see page 3) rounded
up a crew of volunteers and staged a fashion show completely from clothing donated to
Katie’s Kloset to benefit New Hope Community Meal Site. The event featured local
women as models and after the runway show, clothing that was modeled plus other
clothing choices were offered for sale. The deals were extensive, the appetizers
yummy and the whole thing a great time. Thanks Katie’s Kloset, CareOSell and all the
wonderful volunteers.
Note: One of the dangers of starting to thank people is the possibility of
forgetting someone. If this happened to you, please accept our sincere
apologies. Don’t doubt for a minute that we appreciate all your support.
Page 3
Winter Newsletter
Harvest House Heroes
Sometimes in life you get to know some people who positively affect the lives of others but are rarely
acknowledged for their contributions. This month we would like to thank and celebrate a few of those
individuals that we have come in contact with over the last year. They make the world a better place!
Eddie Melendrez works with the Malheur County Juvenile Department
and oversees the Juvenile Work Crews. His crew has helped with several
projects for Harvest House Missions including this shed. Eddie takes on
challenges with a positive attitude and has an exceptional work ethic. We
believe he is an outstanding example to the youth he works with.
Juan Rodriguez works at the Southeast Oregon Services-Oregon Food Bank. Juan
always has a smile on his face. He never seems to get flustered or grumpy and he
makes you happy just to be around him. In our opinion, he is the perfect
example of great customer service.
Sue Holman operates Katie’s Kloset which provides free clothing to individuals in
need in this community and many others. They have sent clothing as far as the
Ukraine, Haiti and Mexico, but Sue is best known for giving out quality used clothing
right here in our Community. She spends countless hours, transporting, sorting,
cleaning and distributing these items. We believe she personifies a sacrificial spirit.
Martin Castellanoz is the owner of O-Town Boxing Club which trains, mentors and supports many young
people in this area, using boxing as a means to provide character
development, personal discipline and goal setting. Marty spends his
own time and money to help these youth grow and realize their
potential. We believe these kids are lucky to have Marty on their side
of the ring.
Emilio Carbajal has been taking youth men to Boy’s Camp for over 20 years. These kids get to spend
time with men who are mentors, teachers, and others who help them make better
choices and teach them about the love of God. The boys get to hike, swim and play
sports in the Cascade Mountains as they learn more about themselves and Jesus.
Emilio’s quiet strength, humble faith and sense of humor make him an outstanding rode
model for these youth men.
The question for each man to settle is not what he would do if he had means, time,
influence and educational advantages, but what he will do with the things he has.
Hamilton Wright Mabie
Winter Newsletter
Page 4
Find your purpose in life and overcome depression
permanently
You can try fighting clinical depression as much as you want, and might even succeed at it temporarily. However, if
you do not have a firm goal or purpose to continue living, then it’s almost inevitable that you will succumb to the
disorder again.
Drifting about in life without purpose is one of the most common causes of clinical depression. If you find yourself
adrift, if you find yourself wondering why people around you seem to be able to find a purpose strong enough to
motivate them every day, even if their purpose seems superficial to you, stop focusing on those negative thoughts
and start focusing on setting a positive goal or purpose for yourself.
You might have reasons for viewing society, or life in general, differently than others. You might strongly believe
you are right. Perhaps you encountered a rude awakening to “reality” from the perceived falsehood of your previous
way of life or your thinking, and now feel completely disconnected from the community you once engaged with
actively. However, resentment towards society at large can, without a doubt, lead to severe depressed emotions and
feelings. Perhaps your purpose could be to awaken society to your different viewpoints. This will not happen easily,
but again, having a goal to focus on is much better when trying to overcome depressive disorders without directly
seeking help, rather than just wandering aimlessly.
Altruism is a noble goal to pursue. This is why many people report feeling much better when they perform volunteer
work. Helping others doesn’t just keep the volunteers busy; it helps the volunteers focus on other people’s pain
instead of their own, and can even get them to perceive life in a different way. Best of all, altruism is a goal that’s
never quite finished, which means you can continue keeping your depression at bay as long as you focus on your
altruistic goals.
When you have managed to identify your purpose, however lofty it is, you need to plan the small steps you can take
to accomplish your goal. Without a solid plan, your purpose is still not properly defined and you are really still just
drifting along in life.
If you find that you are constantly failing at your goals, redefine your small steps. Plan out even smaller steps that
you can take, so that the success you gain can motivate you to accomplish your main goal. Never lose focus of your
larger purpose, unless you now feel it is incongruent with yourself. If that happens, then you must identify another
purpose for yourself that is congruent with your new self, before depression takes control of you.
What happens when you actually manage to accomplish the main goals you have set in life? This is a time when you
are most vulnerable to depression. Once you do manage to accomplish your goals, you can revel in your success for
a time, but you should then start focusing on new goals. Otherwise, the success will be short-lived, and you will find
yourself falling into the pit of depression yet again.
Having a purpose in life is key to fighting off depression, and finally overcoming it permanently. Identifying your
purpose or goals is not easy, but is necessary if you find yourself adrift in life. A purpose provides you with a sense
of worth as well as the motivational push you need to finally climb out of the hole of despair. This purpose does not
have to conform to societal standards, nor does it have to be immutable; it is something that is unique to yourself,
and something you can personally derive satisfaction from. As you find yourself growing as a person, your purpose
can change if it is no longer suitable for you, and this is perfectly fine.
http://how-to-fight-depression.com/blog
*This is just one person’s opinion and not meant to be medical advice.