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Family Literacy Finding Strength

The Magazine o f the Christian Appalachian Project September - October 1994

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September - October 1994 voi. x m , No. 5

Mountain The Magazine of the Christian Appalachian Project

Emphasizing Strength by Margaret Gabriel

Statistics to Accomplishments by Beth Dotson

The Home Repair Vocational Program by the CAP News Service

26 Family Literacy, page twenty-six.

Family Literacy: Begin at the Beginning by Lisa Bosley

D e p a rtm e n ts 3 15 16

Random Thoughts Letters The CAP Closeup Around The Project

Helping people help themselves F ro m s h o rtly a fte r th e tim e th a t F a th e r R alp h B eitin g first m o v e d to th e m o u n ta in s o f e a s te rn K e n tu c k y , h e s a w th a t th e ro a d th a t le a d s a w a y fro m p o v e rty is th e ro a d th a t th e p e o p le p a v e th e m se lv e s. So, F a th e r B eitin g fo u n d e d th e C h ristia n A p p a la c h ia n P ro je c t, as a w a y o f h e lp in g p e o p le h e lp th e m s e lv e s . E very o n e o f th e o v e r fifty p ro g ra m s th a t m a k e u p CAP w o rk s to h e lp p e o p le g e t to a p o in t w h e r e th e y d o n o t n e e d assista n c e . In d e e d , s o m e o f th e p e o p le w h o h a v e p a r tic ip a te d in CAP p ro g ra m s a re n o w h e lp in g th e ir n e ig h b o rs h e lp th e m selves. O n p a g e fo u r, sev eral m a n a g e rs o f CAP h u m a n d e v e lo p m e n t p ro g ra m s e x p lo re th e d iffe re n t w a y s th a t th e ir p ro g ra m s e m p o w e r p a rtic ip a n ts . O n p a g e tw e n ty six , y o u ’ll re a d a b o u t a p ilo t p ro g ra m w h ic h to o k p la c e at tw o c h ild d e v e lo p m e n t c e n te rs d u rin g th e s u m m e r o f 1994. O n p a g e te n , y o u ’ll m e e t p e o p le at th e F rie n d sh ip C e n te r in W illiam sb u rg , K e n tu c k y , w h o a re fo rm in g y o u n g lead ers! O n th e c o v e r, tw o m o m s in th e lite ra c y p ro g ra m in M cC reary C o u n ty ( p h o to b y G ab riel).

CAP Closeup, page sixteen. Published by the Christian Appalachian Project. Editor: Margaret Gabriel. A dvisory Board: Father Ralph W. Beiting, Mike McLaughlin, Bill Begley, Ike Adams, Barbara Delmonico, Katie Newsome, Beverly Potter. Graphic Designer: Elizabeth Reed Miller. Circulation: Linda Grider East. The M ountain Spirit is published six times a year. The annual subscription price is $6.00. Subscriptions and other correspondence should be sent to The M ou n ta in Spirit, Christian Appalachian Project, 322 Crab Orchard Road, Lancaster, Kentucky 40446. Copyright 1994, The Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Member, Catholic Press Association. The Christian Appalachian Project is a non-profit Christian service oiganization operating throughout Appalachia. The project operates on the philosophy that “helping people help themselves” is the best approach to Appalachian poverty. A summary of the registration and financial documents filed by this organization can be obtained by contacting: in New York, Secretary at State, Office of Charities Registration, 162 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12231; in Maryland, for the cost of copies and postage, the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401 (all financial information is available from the Secretary of State for the cost of postage and copying); in Pennsylvania, residents may call the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1-800 732-0999; in West Virginia, the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305; in Virginia, the State Division of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23209. Washington State residents may obtain a copy of the last report filed with the Washington Secretary of State by calling toll free within Washington, 1-800-332-4483. IN FLORIDA, RESIDENTS MAY CALL THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES AT 1-800-HELP FLA. Or write to Christian Appalachian Project, 322 Crab Orchard Road, Lancaster, KY 40446. Our license number in Michigan is MICS 9933. Registration with any of the above government agencies does not imply endorsement by the state.

T h e M o u n ta in S p ir it

Random Thoughts Katie Newsome H annah has six children, a disabled husband, an elderly m o th er and cares for h e r brother, w h o is m entally retarded. She m akes a special effort to free tw o hours each w eek for a w o m en ’s m eeting, p art o f CAP’S Commu nity H ealth Advocates program . “This is th e only place I can go w h ere I can get som e tim e just for myself,” H annah said. “I used to think this w as selfish —w anting tim e to do w h at I w anted. I’ve learned that I need tim e for m e!” In th e tw o years that Hannah has been attending m eetings, sh e’s changed a lot. She has quit sm oking and gained enough w eight to w ear a size 9-10. She has a n ew haircut and perm and has started to w ear m akeup. She vow s to stop being both ered by things she c a n ’t do anything about. “I’m going to have a good day every day. I see ho w quick everything can ch an g e,” Hannah said. The idea o f w o m en ’s groups w as conceived w h en CAP volun teers kept hearing th e same com plaints from m any ladies: “I d o n ’t go anyw here. I d o n ’t have any m oney to shop. I c a n ’t do anything, b u t clean house, cook and take care o f th e family. I d o n ’t have any friends.” Today CAP sponsors nine groups in three counties. W om en are encouraged to bring th eir little ones; CAP provides child care in another p art o f th e building so that Mama can have som e “m e ” time. Church, com m unity and housing p roject leaders in each location allow us to use their buildings for w eekly m eetings, enabling CAP and th e com m unity to w ork to g eth er to serve local residents. To interest w om en in joining, I visit th eir hom es and invite them

M ay - J u n e 1994

to be m y special guest at th e next group m eeting. At first th ey ’re shy and afraid that they m ight not fit in. “I w o n ’t know w hat to talk ab o u t,” som e say. O thers are hesitant because “I d o n ’t know any o f those p eo p le.” I assure them that “they” are just us — w om en w ith children, families, laundry to do, dishes to w ash, su p p er to cook. Finally, they take that first step, and be assured that for some, attending a m eeting is truly scary. Soon they find that w e are here to learn new things and enjoy each o th e r’s com pany, not to gossip about o u r neighbors or talk about th e bad in the w orld. W e share tidbits o f our lives, affirming that w e are special, each w ith gifts to develop and share w ith one anoth er and our com m unities. During a recent m eeting w e had a registered nurse from a local hospital’s breast cen ter speak on breast cancer aw areness. After the nurse had been talking about ten m inutes, Freda said, “I d o n ’t like to hear all this. It just makes me h urt all over to think that this could happen to m e.” Alice spoke up. “You d o n ’t have to w orry, Freda. The nurse said that one in nine w om en will get breast cancer. Well, there are nine w om en here, and I’m the one w h o has it. I’ve had a radical m astectom y and I’m going next w eek to check on another lum p.” There w as total silence. Later, I called Alice and told h er w hat a blessing I had received w h en she com forted Freda w ith h er kind w ords. Alice thanked me (and CAP) for being there for her in h e r tim e of need. “How do you m ean, Alice?” I asked. “Well, w hen you started this group, I had been a w idow for tw o m onths. My husband and I had been m arried for 48 years and

w e w ere very close and dedicated to each other. I w as totally lost. T hen m y neighbor, Darlene, told m e about th e W om en’s G roup and I cam e w ith her. I love it! I can ’t w ait until w e m eet each W ednes day; having som ething to look forw ard to, seeing all my new friends. Never in my w ildest dream s w ould I have thought that I w ould be out in th e com m unity, doing things, going o u t to dinner w ith friends, creating new projects and accepting new challenges at my age!” W om en’s G roup focuses on good health —physical, em otional, m ental and spiritual. Every w eek w e p resent a topic that concerns at least one o f these aspects of well-being. Each m onth w e have a nutrition presentation and com bine it w ith a birthday dinner for any lady that w as b o m in that m onth. Everyone is assigned an ingredient in a recipe that w e all help p rep are at our m eeting. Last m onth w e stir fried chicken for Betsy’s birthday luncheon. I took h er a box of personal gifts and a card that h e r friends had signed. “I’m 38 years old and I’ve never had a birthday party in my life. Y’all m ake m e feel so good,” she told us through tears. T here are as m any stories as there are ladies in each o f the groups. T hey’re p art o f my long chain o f friendships —each w ith h e r ow n w ay o f life, h er ow n w ay of doing things, h e r ow n heart. By th e way, Alice has been to h er do cto r and learned that th e new lum p w as benign.

K atie N ew so m e has w o rk e d in C o m m u n ity H ealth A dvocates f o r three years, fo r m in g a n d n u rtu r ing w o m en 's groups. She is a n a tive o f Floyd County, K en tu c k y a n d a g ra d u a te o f Alice Lloyd College.

Our w ork is in m any fields (social, eco no m ic, spiritual) and s e e k s to affect the root c a u s e s of problem s a s well a s day to day n eed s. In all c a s e s , w e s e e k to avoid giveaw ays and d ep en d en cy out of re sp e ct for the Appalachian people. Thus, w e will involve the people th em selves in the solutions to their own problem s. e x ce rp te d from the Christian A p p ala ch ia n Project M issio n Statem ent

Emphasizing

Strength ▲

▲

♦ by Margaret Gabriel ♦ 4

^ E m p o w e r ” is a peculiar w ord. It’s used frequently to describe som e of the activities of Christian Appalachian Project program s. But m ore often it’s misused. W ebster says that in em pow ering, one is giving authority o r strength. People w ho w ork in CAP hum an developm ent program s, how ever, recoil from th e idea that strength is given, even that strength is a quality that can be conferred. “W e have to involve people in solving th eir ow n problem s and show them that the answ ers are w ithin th em ,” said Liz Phelps, m anager o f CAP’S Family Life Services. Rose Price, assistant d irector o f hum an developm ent, said that in th e nearly ten years th at she has been w ith CAP she has seen its philosophy o f involving people in the solutions to th eir problem s progress through grow th stages, especially as new program s have begun in th e Floyd County area. “In th e beginning those w ords are hard to im plem ent,” Rose said. “I’ve seen th at as th e program m ing in Martin has m atured. As w e provide services, w e have to balance them w ith th e philosophy and continually re interpret. But really, th e core of all th e program s com es from that philosophy. ” People w h o w ork in hum an developm ent program s agree conclusively that the first step in helping p eople discover their strength is helping them cultivate good self-esteem. This som etim es difficult process is the cornerstone o f CAP outreach, according to program m anager Bev Potter. “W hen they com e in for em ergency assis tance p eo p le often feel quite pow erless and at w it’s e n d ,” Bev said. “W e talk w ith them about th eir incom e and their expenses, and th at’s often the beginning o f the em pow erm ent process. Som etim es w h en you see w hat little resources they have it’s an opportunity to praise them for doing as w ell as they are. “W e try to m ake them understand that asking for help is not a w eakness. It takes courage and is pow erful in itself. T hey’ve had th e w here w ithal to look outside and get som e h elp .” Bev said th at outreach w orkers help people get to a po in t in their lives that enables them to

Former volunteer Colleen Mitchell, a School on Wheels teacher, helps a young mother study fo r her GED.

make long range plans to im prove their situation, if that is th eir desire. O ften those plans are m ade possible w h en an outreach w orker helps to relieve som e of th e day-to-day stress of trying to provide for a family w ith extrem ely limited resources. “A person is going to feel a little b etter about herself if she’s got one less thing to w orry about. If she know s the electricity isn’t going to be turned off this m onth, she can relax a little bit. She m ight be able to think about the literacy training that she learned about from a CAP outreach w orker. She m ight not have know n that som eone could com e to h er house and tu to r her, so she doesn’t have to w orry about w hat sh e’d do w ith the kids if she w ent back to school. It’s very personal, very one step at a tim e,” Bev said. CAP’S spouse abuse shelters also have to tackle self-esteem problem s before they can help people becom e secure in their ow n strength. Anita Seals, m anager o f Bethany House, said that until a w om an begins to see herself as a capable person, th e re ’s no w ay she can see herself as a pow erful person. “Telling them th ey ’re w orthw hile and valuable over and over again reinforces th e idea. And w e make sure they know about th eir choices and let them m ake th eir o w n decisions,” Anita said. Many abuse victim s have never had the freedom to m ake choices for them selves and for th eir children, and are m uch m ore com fort able taking direction than determ ining their ow n path. Even helping w ith the daily chores of running a household like th e shelter contrib utes to th e self-respect of th e residents, Anita said. As they p itch in and help w ith cooking, cleaning and laundry they begin to acquire confidence, often for the first time. Increasing parenting skills during the tim e they live in th e shelter provides another boost for abuse victims. Parents at CAP spouse abuse centers, as w ell as Family Life Services, are introduced to “Systematic Training for Effec tive Parenting,” w hich offers suggestions for effective com m unication for families, h o w to teach children th e co n cep t of consequences, and gives alternatives to corporal discipline. “She’s probably been told since h er child w as b o m that sh e’s an unfit parent, that she doesn’t know ho w to be a m other, that sh e’s

n o t good en o u g h ,” Anita said. “We tell them th at it’s not true, or that she can learn to be a good p arent if she w orks on it.” STEP is one o f m any resources for p arents in Parents Are Teachers, CAP’S program for families w ith children w ith disabilities. Although the program is frequently seen as a service for children, it w as conceived as a program to train p arents in ways to teach children w ith delays o r disabilities. “Ideally, ninety p e rc e n t o f our w ork should be directed to th e parent. W e should go in and never touch th e child, just instruct the p aren t,” said program m anager K athleen Leavell. “W hen w e started [over ten years ago] w e w ere m ore likely to have m om w atch. She m ight have held the children in h er lap or held a book w hile w e did our thing. Now th e p aren t does m ost o f the work. W e’re m ore likely to offer feedback on w hat she tells us is th e p ro b lem .” K athleen said that in the past few years, she and th e o th er teachers in the program have been m ore likely to tell people about th e resources that are available for children and th eir families, rath er than doing all the calling and arranging themselves. “W ith an SSI [Supplemental Security Incom e] application, for exam ple, before I m ight have done all the calling from my office. Now, I’ll probably go to their house

Parents living at Family Life Services often work on parenting skills in addition to academic skills. and m ake the call. The first tim e I m odel for the parent h o w to talk to som eone in the social security office. The n ex t tim e, I m ight make th e initial contact, th en say ‘H ere’s Mary’ and hand h e r the phone. The third tim e Mary m ight m ake the call in my presence, so I can answ er any questions that m ight com e up at th e time. By the fourth call, Mary probably feels com fort able m aking the call by herself. ” no Parents Are Teachers £ w orkers have traditionally been involved as advo cates for the children in th eir program . In th e past, they found that officials in the public school system w ere n o t always well acquainted w ith regula tions that provide for equal opportunities for children w ith disabilities. “It’s great to be the h e ro ,” K athleen said, “but now

1S 8

School on Wheels teachers work to improve the education levels o f adults in Kentucky. T h e M o u n t a i n S p ir it

w e ’re trying to tag p arents th at w e ’ve stood u p for and have them advocate for o th er families w ith disabilities and get them advocating for each o th e r.” N eighbors m ight not think o f it as a fancy w ord like “advocacy,” but m any new students at CAP’S Adult Learning C enter find out about th e opportunities available th ere from family and friends, said p ro gram m anager Lisa Bosley. “They usually start w ith som e h ope or the belief th at they can succeed, but usually a crisis situation has propelled them to com e in. Sometimes a literacy student will have a child ask to have a book read, and he c a n ’t read it. T hey’re sick o f being on w elfare o r tired of being abused and see education as a w ay out. Or th ey ’re just plain tired o f feeling bad about them selves.”

In CAP’S home repair program, home owners frequently join CAP employees and volunteers in improving their houses.

The Adult Learning C enter has students of all ages, from people in th eir late teens to people w h o are w ell past retirem ent age, Lisa said. M otivation changes as people progress through life, but students in th eir forties and fifties often com e as the result o f a career crunch.

“W e had a w om an, probably in h e r midfifties, com e in w h o had been w orking at a factory for over tw en ty years and w as laid off. At th e unem ploym ent office they suggested th at she w ork on h e r GED, that it m ight boost h e r employability. She began studying to sort o f ‘repay’ h e r unem ploym ent benefits. She d id n ’t w ant to be perceived as getting som ething for nothing,” Lisa said. “W hen she finishes h er GED, sh e ’d like to go to vocational school.” Lisa can tell story after story about people w h o are m otivated to appro ach th e CAP Adult Learning C enter in o rd er to im prove th eir lives o r the lives o f th eir families. “W e’ve had a w om an com ing for four and a half years,” Lisa said. “She’s th e hardest w o rk er I’ve ever seen. She has three o r four sons and an alcoholic husband, and usually w orks tw o o r three jobs just to su p p o rt h e r family. She has missed getting h er GED by just one point, S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r 1 994

Independent Life Skills is a program o f CAPRICE, CAP’S training program fo r adults with disabilities. ILSfrequently leads to other CAPRICEprograms, including supported employment

but she keeps on trying. She w ants to go to nursing school. It’s the people like that that I really adm ire.” Last year the cen ter surveyed classes of GED graduates from 1991 through 1993, to determ ine w h eth er students w ere gaining benefits from increased education. Half of

learning center. Almost inevitably, she said, students say that learning to read, obtaining a GED, o r just im proving th eir education m akes people feel b etter about them selves. “They say they never realized that could do things before they cam e here. T hat’s kind of a side benefit that they d idn’t e x p ect.” Students often begin th eir studies asking teachers to tell them w hat to do. “W e w ant to enable people to take charge o f their ow n learning,” Lisa said. “It a foreign co n cep t for m ost students to set th eir o w n goals, but they d o .”

CAP has learned that improvement o f substandard housing frequently lifts selfesteem and leads people to make other improvements in their lives.

the people w h o responded to th e survey said th at th eir GED had helped them get or keep a job, Lisa said. “Twenty-five percen t got b e tte r jobs, and eighteen p ercen t plan to enroll in college o r vocational school.” As telling as these types of statistics m ight be, it is th e individual accom plish m ents th at really paint the picture of the benefit o f increased education. Lisa told of a speaker at a conference she attended recently. “She started out in a family literacy program , like th e ones w e ’re doing [see page 26]. She got h e r GED, and now was in college and giving a talk to a room full of a thousand people. I thought of h er w h en I w as having lunch w ith some of the family literacy students in McCreary County last w eek. I tried to imagine one of them m aking such a big step. “W e c a n ’t imagine h o w frightening that m ust be for people. W e’ve grow n up w ith advantages and education, and know ing that w e could have anything that w e w ere willing to w ork for. People like this w om an, though, could never imagine them selves having anything w orthw hile to share, and they do. They d o .” Lisa said that she asks each student to evaluate th e program and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of the

Asking people to determ ine th eir ow n goals and to set th eir ow n course is another com m on denom inator of CAP’S program s, and is the foundation of Family Life Services. “All of our people require a different ro ad,” said Liz Phelps, m anager of th e program , w hich w orks w ith people w h o are making transitions in th eir lives. “At first w e w ere determ ined to p u t everyone in th e same mold, b u t w e ’ve learned that w e have to m eet people w h ere th e y ’re at, not w h ere w e w ant them to start.” Liz told o f a young m an w h o is living at Family Life Services because o f a deteriorat ing relationship w ith his father and step m other. “He w ants a job and a place to live —and a girl friend —b ut he set a short-term goal o f getting him self up in th e m orning w ith his ow n alarm clock. He never had to do that before, b ut h e w ants a job, and realizes that he needs to start w ith basics.” Liz said that short-term goals have w orked well for the young m an because h e needs the reinforcem ent o f im m ediate success. “H e’s been excellent w ith th e children in the center, so h e ’s been doing som e child care for o th er residents. At first, because h e ’s so good, all the m others w anted to use him, and he w as getting overw helm ed. W e’ve gotten him to realize that he has to say ‘n o ,’ and tell th e m others exactly h o w many children he can handle at one tim e.” That success, and his sense of feeling needed, has been valuable in th e young m an’s ability to determ ine and set his goals, Liz said. “H e’s been tough, though. W e’re used to w orking m ore w ith w om en and children than w ith young m en. W e’ve tried to find him a m entor in th e county, and to

The Mountain Spirit

hook him up w ith his p e e r group. H e’s beginning to realize th e am ount o f effort h e ’s going to have to p u t into his GED.” From th e tim e a person interview s to determ ine w h e th e r Family Life Services w ould be beneficial, staff w orks to im prove th at p e rso n ’s self-esteem. “Being treated w ith respect and understanding is new for som e people. W e tell them that they will m ake th e final decision about w h e th e r to com e into th e p rogram .” Liz said that th e im m ediate problem that m ost o f h er folks have is hom elessness, but that Family Life Services is m uch m ore than just a roof. “At som e point w hile th ey ’re here they realize w hy th e program is here and ho w it can help them . The basic thing is getting a place to live, b u t w e help people w ork on GED and counseling, if they need it, and help them deal w ith o th er problem s as w ell.” As th e w ork o f th e Christian A ppalachian Project has continued, n ew program ideas have tended to be m ore preventive in nature, according to Rose, w h o has been involved in starting a large n um ber o f new program s in th e Big Sandy area. Although th ere is still a need for crisis intervention, Rose said, th e stronger em phasis is on program s th at will encourage local leadership. CAP is taking advantage o f the oppo rtu n ity to blend th e objectivity of people from outside Appalachia w ith the com m ittm ent o f natives, like Rose.

Rose said that it is often difficult for local people to spearhead change, no m atter how needed it m ight be, because of the perception that change is impossible. “Folks think that just because th a t’s the way it’s always been, th a t’s th e w ay it always has to be. O r they think that local politics is too ingrained to allow for change. “Outsiders w oke us natives up to th e idea that w e d o n ’t have to have our hills stripped of the trees, o r that o u r children have a right to have books in th eir schools. In many cases, outsiders held up the mirror; w e saw that change w as needed and that w e could make those changes,” Rose said. “People in the helping professions have to be rem inded not to get caught up in doing w hat w e think is good, but to get to the source of w hat the participant w ants in term s of change. We have to help w ith w hat the family is asking for, and in doing that, w e build a partnership that will let them address problem s as they see th em ,” Rose said. “Gradually they m ight com e around to problem s w ith com m unication, dependance on w elfare, parenting. W e m ight have suspected that th e family had these types of problem s, b ut after you’ve established trust, you can begin to address them . Helping to w ork on these kinds of problem s, really, will begin to address the root causes of poverty.” '0"

Kathleen Leavell, left, manager o f Parents Are Teachers, works with families that have children with disabilities. Parents Are Teachers works to enable children with disabilities to live to their greatest potential S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r 1994

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AccaMptùkmHtA A t the Tuiendôldp Centex in WillUtmiivuj, Keitladuj,

Whitley Ctuiutum fieach eut le each dim

In th e kitchen o f th e Friendship C enter in W illiamsburg, Kentucky, three w om en sat around th e table and laughed about som e o f th eir experiences o f the past year. Judy D avenport recalled how she tried to calm Sister Virginia W ilkinson, from Staten Island, N ew York, w h en she w e n t into city spasm s over m ountain problem s. Mildred Carr described an ice breaker at a leadership sem inar w here everyone w as blindfolded and had to walk around a room making animal noises. She w as nervous about attending th e meeting, and th e “stressbuster,” as she called it, helped h e r relax.

The kitchen w h ere these w om en laugh is the same kitchen w here they hear stories of hom es that burned dow n and jobs that ended from people w h o need their assistance. They sit quietly and listen to the stories, em pathizing w ith the tellers like only people w h o have been through it can do. Beyond th e kitchen is th e used clothing store w hich offers affordable clothing to anyone w h o needs it. In case of a fire or flood, Mildred and Judy gather free clothing and household goods for the victims. Across from th e cash register, a

♦ Story and photos by Beth Dotson ♦ 10

T h e M o u n t a i n S p ir it

w orn couch and chair stand as testim ony to th e visitors w h o com e in to relax w ith good com pany and conversation. Each o f these pieces is p art o f this com m unity ce n te r th at w as founded in 1973- Centers like this are scattered throughout th e m ountains, providing a sym pathetic ear and practical assistance to low-incom e families. Increasingly, these centers are also building a leadership base for th e com m unity from w hich future long term changes can com e. This sum m er, Judy, Mildred and Debra W est assum ed m anagem ent responsibilities for the Friendship C enter and its program s. It is th e first tim e since th e cen ter w as established by a group o f Catholic nuns, w ith th e help o f th e local w om en, that it is being run by local people. As non-profit organizations in th e U.S. and abroad w o rk to alleviate som e of the hardships th at burden people in povertystricken areas, they have discovered that the m ost effective program s are those asked for and run by th e local people. At the sam e tim e, A ppalachian com m unities that are tired o f being at the low end of statistical surveys th at m easure social indicators like incom e and education level, are joining efforts to im prove th eir com m u nities.

em ergency problem s, the Soda Shop aims to prevent some of them w hile creating a leadership base among the com m unity’s young people. At the Friendship Center, the philosophy of draw ing from the strength w ithin the com m unity is not a new one. Sister Noel LeClaire, of the School Sisters of Saint Francis, began the cen ter w ith the idea of putting its m anagem ent in the hands of the local people. Sister Noel has since moved on to o th er w ork, but Sister Virginia said she believes it’s not coincidental that the first local w om an w ho is running the cen ter —Mildred Carr —w orked w ith Sister Noel in those early days. “T hat’s w hat Sister Noel based this place on —serving the p o o r in W hitley County. That w as h er hope and anything she should do that w ould serve the p o o r in W hitley County w as her w hole vision,” Mildred recalled. “And she believed w hatsoever you do unto the least o f my little ones you do unto me. That w as w hat Jesus said. She really believed that, w hich I do, too. So this w hole organization has been based on love, really.” Mildred’s love for the organization and dedication to the vision will help h er build

N um erous groups th roughout eastern K entucky w ork on leadership developm ent as a long-term solution to problem s that cannot be solved w ith short-term p ro grams. Some approach it w ith small scale w orkshops for a handful o f potential leaders. O thers bring dozens o f leaders togeth er to discuss regional initiatives and goals. Although varying philosophies and issues sp u r these efforts, they are all a part of th e vision o f p eople from th e region w h o are taking th e reins o f change, rather than shipping in experts from outside w ho foist w ell-intentioned, b u t som etim es inappropriate, program s on them . Leadership developm ent in W illiamsburg is happening at th e grass-roots level w ith the w om en in th e kitchen at th e Friend ship Center, and dow n th e street w ith children in th e kitchen at th e Soda Shop. W hile th e Friendship C enter tackles S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r 1 994

fo r young people to “hang out, ”and since they also run the shop, it teaches business skills.

200. “Most o f all it’s sitting dow n and evaluating everything; saying can w e do this a b etter way, w h a t’s an o th er system? W orking out vouchers for o u r em ergency system. Saying, h o w can w e w ork better w ith o th er agencies? But not just one person doing that but all o f us talking about it and th en evaluating it,” Sister Virginia described th e staff m eetings. “W e could sit and p u t all of o u r heads together and that w as th e great th in g ,” she said. “In that way, everyone learned to g eth er.” That is h o w th e w om en have learned that they are capable of m anaging the center. “She has been here, but w e have done it,” Mildred said, referring to Sister Virginia. “If w e can do it w ith h e r here, th en w e can do it w ith h e r gone. She hasn’t done everything, sh e’s just been w ith u s.”

7he Soda Shop serves hot dogs, nachos and soft drinks. Thefood service requires the shop to meet health department standards.

D ow n the street at th e Soda Shop, a group of adults is learning to give that same freedom in leading and decision m aking to a group of 10- to 14-year-olds. The adults are staff m em bers of W hitley County Com m unities for Children, the organization that w orked w ith students to op en a purple and teal version of a 1950s soda shop. Along w ith a malt m achine, chrom e trim m ed tables and jukebox, the

on h e r experiences at th e center. She and Judy D avenport b oth m ark their years of w o rk at th e Friendship C enter by births of children and th e years they began school. After volunteering for alm ost four years, Mildred quit to care for h er baby. Judy got involved w h en h e r sister left the cen ter to care for h e r child; Judy stepped in to take h e r place. Mildred, Judy and Debra are n o w paid part-tim e em ployees, w orking w ith five volunteers w h o com e in one or tw o days a w eek. These w om en d o n ’t im mediately peg them selves as leaders, perh aps because th eir m anagem ent style is one of consensus building. They have learned their skills through a m ix o f staff m eetings and formal leadership training seminars. W hen Sister Virginia says th ey ’ve probably had 100 staff m eetings in ten m onths, Judy laughs and says it’s m ore like

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standard pool table and updated video gam e room stand ready to entertain the kids. It recreates the kind o f hang out place the students have seen on television. For the adults, it provides the students w ith a place to do som e practical learning and preparation for adulthood w hile keeping them out o f trouble. “T here are kids in this area w here generational poverty is a real pro b lem ,” explained Laura Stigall, WCCC em ployee and m o th er o f Soda Shop w orker Adam Stigall. “They d o n ’t even have any idea of w hat th ey ’re going to be w h en they grow n up. All they know is that their grandpar ents received welfare, th eir p arents receive welfare. They just assum e th ey ’re going to receive welfare. By w orking at th e Soda Shop, it lets them see at a young age that this is w hat it’s like to break th e chain and actually have a job. It gives them a sense of accom plishm ent, a sense o f pride in belonging to som ething th a t’s w orth doing.” Tw enty-eight students staff the shop w hich is o p en on school days from 3 p.m . to 6 p.m . Com m unity donations have helped to su p p o rt th e business endeavor, w hich d o esn ’t tu rn a profit since th e prices are kept low so no one is excluded because o f econom ic hardship.

i = =■ rcc

“T here w ere tim es w h en w e just thought, w ould this work? Are w e going to m ake it?” recalled Jo Ann Sharpe, th e WCCC staff m em ber w ho m anaged th e program during its first year. She had to learn about restaurant taxes and health d epartm ent regulations as w ell as h o w to organize th e students,

The Friendship Center in Williamsburg provides many services to area residents, and operates under the direction o f local people. S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r 1 994

This is w h a t G o d w a n ts, a n d th is is w h a t w e ’r e g o in g to do. w ho com e from tw o different school systems, into w orking teams. “It seems like things fall into place. This is w hat God w ants and this is w hat w e ’re going to d o ,” JoAnn said. “I think that W illiamsburg has com e to the point w here people are realizing that if the kids d o n ’t make it th en th e re ’s not a future here and if they d o n ’t see that there is som ething here for them , th en they will move away. T hat’s w here w e ’re hoping to help kids see that. Y our future is w hat you make of it. If you w ant to live here in Williamsburg, then you can. And there are people here in the com m unity w ho are willing to help you.” While w orking at the Soda Shop show s kids that the com m unity supports them , it also gives them practical experience in using som e skills they have learned in school, and in developing as leaders. “They are learning to take responsibility. W hen new w orkers com e in, they sort of take them under their w ings and teach them because th a t’s their job. This is their place and if they w ant it to w ork, they have to be responsible for it,” JoAnn said. The first group of w orkers received training in running the cash register and handing the food, w hich included candy, drinks, nachos, hot dogs and ice cream. “The kids w ho have com e on since then have p retty m uch been trained by the o th er kids,” JoAnn explained. “We found that they learn so m uch easier from the o th er kids and it’s w orked out really well. W e’ve not had any m ajor mess-ups or anything. W e haven’t had any custom ers w ho ran out of here scream ing.” They have had difficult custom ers, how ever. “T hat’s really a learning experi ence, especially w h en you have som ebody w ho is not the nicest p erso n ,” JoAnn said. The students are learning diplom acy skills along w ith the practicalities of running a business.

im portant in keeping kids in school w here they can discover their unique talents. W hen school isn’t that positive experi ence, problem s occur. “T hey’re at that age w h ere you can see them getting sucked into th e same patterns that the o th er p eople in th eir families have done, w h eth er it’s teen pregnancy and then dropping out of school at an early age, o r drugs or alcoholism or w hatever. If you d o n ’t give them som ething else and show them an o th er w ay to go, give them som e hope, show them they can do this instead, you’re going to lose them at that age,” Laura said.

The used clothing store at the Friendship Center provides a social setting fo r area residents, as well as affordable clothing. “W e’ve found that th e kids will find out w h at w orks and th ey ’ll stick w ith that. W e’re w orking tow ards getting them m ore involved in th e actual running of the p la c e ,” JoAnn said. The actual running o f th e place will entail form ing com m ittees so the students can o rd er food and supplies and plan special events like parties. The involve m ent will give th e students m ore responsi bilities. “Some o f our kids are hyper, and not real sociable. Through w orking here, it’s helping th e m ,” JoAnn said. “T hat’s w hat w e ’re here for —th e kids w h o need som ething, w h o need an outlet, an extra curricular activity th at d o esn ’t require them to have th e best o f clothes and the best o f th at kind o f th in g .” Because th e Soda Shop is accessible, it draw s kids from different social classes, breaking dow n som e of th e social barriers th at often separate adolescents. “We have kids w ho, at school, probably w ould not talk to each other. But w h en they com e in here, they w ork together. I think it’s breaking som e o f those barriers dow n so w h en they get to school they will talk to each o th e r,” JoAnn said. Laura Stigall said the program is also giving som e students role m odels that they m ight not find elsew here, and a sense of belonging. That sense o f belonging is

Instead of losing kids, th e Soda Shop is pulling som e kids back from trouble. Laura tells of one student w h o w as always in trouble at school, h er w ay o f seeking the attention she d idn’t get at hom e. After being involved in the Soda Shop for a w hile, the problem s at school diminished. She had a productive place w here she could use h er energy, and get som e recognition for w h at she had done. The w om en at the Friendship C enter have also gotten recognition for their talents and w ork from their latest m entor, Sister Virginia, w h o said she learned som e im portant lessons from them . “I appreciate their unflappable spirit,” she said, describ ing h o w there w ere tim es w h en the future for the cen ter and people involved looked very dim, but they reassured h er that things w ould get better. “If I can take that m ore and m ore into my life, th a t’s a precious treasure.” Mildred has m ade a transform ation in h er life as she has becom e the Friendship C enter’s leader. H er self-esteem allows h er to know that she is capable of the w ork before her. She is beginning to speak to com m unity groups to get financial suppo rt for the center. She dream s of sponsoring m ore program s at the Friendship Center, maybe an evening for gospel singing. As the kitchens of W illiamsburg continue to produce leaders, the groundw ork is being laid for long-term change that will allow m ore people from the region to make their voices heard in the effort to change those statistics into accom plish m ents. ft T h e M o u n t a i n S p ir it

Letters to the Editor I love y our m agazine, The M o u n ta in Spirit. It is a source of inspiration to me. I feel privileged to have so m uch: family, friends, m y faith, m y h ealth and a decent husband and hom e life. I love the articles telling all you do and all th at needs to be done. I w ish I had m ore m oney so I could help m ore. So m uch needs to be done. W hat w onderful p eo p le are a part o f the Christian A ppalachian Project. I am Catholic and p roud o f Father Beiting. The May-June issue w as great; especially telling us about Father B eiting’s early life —God bless all o f you! R o sem arie Sm ith Oroville, CA I hasten to give you praisew or thy thanks for your superb w ork on behalf o f dom estic abuse of w om en in America. Although I’m te n th generation American and Presbyterian (since 1907 o r so), I w as about to tell you th at I d id n ’t care w h e th e r the good people in CAP w ere Catho lic, P rotestant o r Hindu, so great and unbounded w as m y admira tion for th e w ork done by you in th e cam paign against abuse of w om en in th e hom e —w h en lo, and behold, I found th e enclosed piece in The N e w Y ork Tim es today by a Jew ish w riter. [The article lam ented the lack of involvem ent in dom estic violence issues on th e p art o f clergy. —Ed.] To m y surprise, th ree w om en, m y nurses aides (after a broken hip), all sided strongly against Nicole Sim pson in h er struggles w ith Sim pson’s beatings because she w o u ld n ’t follow through and m ake charges to the police. N ow thanks to you, I fully understand h e r failure to do so. Clifton F. Weidlich N ew York, N ew York S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r 1 9 9 4

As a form er CAP tem porary volunteer w ho w orked closely w ith W anda Penman, I was moved by the article, “Reaching Out in Lincoln County.” As I read her quotes, I heard the sincerity in h er husky voice and I saw each expression on h er face. As I so fondly rem em ber, W anda’s face d o esn ’t hide m uch. It show s her genuine understanding and desire to help, and it also tells exactly w h en W anda m eans business. Your article and photos caught it all. CAP is surely blessed to have Wanda. But CAP and the folks in Lincoln County aren ’t the only ones w ho benefit. I know that she provided this Connecticut native w ith one of the m ost rew arding experiences of a lifetime. Thanks for th e memories. J a m es C. W hite Granby, CT

The heart-warming stories make m e realize th ere’s still som e good in this crazy w orld.

I was b o m and raised in the Appalachian area. My father was a coal m iner in Hardburly and then w e m oved to W heelw right, Kentucky. We left the area in I960 and m oved to California, as my dad was injured in the m ines and could no longer do that type of w ork. I know first hand that the needs are great in that area and our prayers are w ith you as you try to help. My m other and I w en t back for a visit a couple of years ago to visit relatives. We found that the area has not changed that m uch in all these years; w e still consider K entucky hom e. My father passed away in 1977 at the age of 59 years, and w e feel the coal mines that he w orked in so many years brought on his early death. I am very m uch looking forw ard to receiving The M o u n ta in Spirit and I will pass it on for m y m other to read. May God bless you in your work. J ea n Craig Victorville, CA

I cannot contribute m uch m oney, and I cannot com e out to CAP and w ork, but The M o u n ta in Spirit makes m e feel close to CAP and w ant to be a part of it all. W ho know s, maybe som eday I’ll m ake it!

Everyone should read The M o u n ta in Spirit. It is interesting to see h o w everyone w orks and gets along so w ell together.

D orothy E. M cCawley M yrtle Beach, SC

It is a spiritual magazine and that is w hat helps. Someday I h ope you will be prosperous and have plenty. By hard w ork you will succeed.

I think your articles on persons behind the scenes w ho help the people of Appalachia are outstand ing. I rem em ber the smile and com m ents from last year about an African American lady w h o w orks in your office. America needs m ore p eople like her. J o h n Philip Sousa Essex, CT

Lillian H. Casto Augusta, W Y Letters to the editor are welcome. They sh o u ld n o t exceed 150 w ords in length, a n d w e reserve the right to ed it th em f o r space. Address letters to The M ountain Spirit, C hristian A ppalachian Project, 3 2 2 Crab O rchard Road, Lancaster, K Y 40446.

The CAP Closeup “You n eed a little ex citem en t in y o u r life!” Life in Jackson C ounty has a slow-paced charm , accented by th e beauty o f th e Daniel Boone National Forest. For tw enty-tw o days at th e end o f the year, though, that pace is accelerated by produ ctio n o f tens o f thou sands o f Christm as w reaths w hich th e Christian A ppalachian Project sells th ro u g h o u t th e country. “You need peace and quiet, but you need a little excitem ent in your life,” Carol Parrett says o f the bustle o f w reath production. “It’s always good to see th e w orkers w h o com e back every year.” Carol supervises over 120 em ployees w h o m ake, decorate, box and ship w reaths. “W e have great people. I see th at they do their job accurately and stay busy. If there are problem s w ith anything, I try to solve th em .” W hen Carol applied for a job in CAP’S w reath factory, she had been laid off from a factory in nearby R ichm ond, Kentucky. Although she w as responding to a

listing for seasonal em ployees, program m anager Gene Hensley told h er he also needed a quality control w orker. Carol applied for th e full-time job and w as hired to oversee production o f w reaths, as w ell as o th er crafts that CAP was producing at that time. Carol’s concern for and pride in h e r w orkers is evident w h en she talks about the outstanding safety record they achieved during the 1993 production season. In response to w h at Carol and o th e r directors and m anagers of the w reath program considered to be an excessive num ber of accidents in the factory, they form ed a safety com m ittee that w e n t through th e factory to fix anything that posed a potential hazard for w orkers, as well as visitors. “It took us about a year to get everything shaped up. After w e started and really began paying attention, w e noticed a lot of things that needed to be fixed. Everyday things you ordinarily w o u ld n ’t think of.”

W orkers view tapes about safety, th e walls in th e factory display posters and safety e q uip m ent is required now , Carol said. “Most of th e accidents w ere just little cuts from th e shears they use to cu t fir, b ut th ey w ere still accidents that could have been prevented if w e ’d had th e right eq u ip m en t,” Carol said. By stressing th e im portance of safety and providing preventive equipm ent, th e w orkers at the w reath factory com piled an im pressive statistic in th e 1993 production season. “W e had zero accidents —w e w ere so pro u d of o u r people! “W e’d been reducing accidents over th e last th ree years, b ut our goal w as zero. And w e did it! We couldn’t have done it, though, if everybody h ad n ’t taken part. It w as a factory-wide thing. And everybody’s equally p ro u d .” Carol said that in th e last few days o f p ro d uction o f 1993, know ing that they w ere close to

♦ Story and photos by Margaret Gabriel ♦ 16

The Mountain Spirit

Carol Parrett their goal, “W e started walking around on eggshells. W hen the last day cam e w ith no accidents, w hat a good feeling!” During th e eight m onths o f the year w h en w reath p roduction is a mem ory, Carol manages the Tyner branch o f O peration Sharing, CAP’S in-kind distribution pro gram. “I d id n ’t know w hat O peration Sharing w as until w e got into it, about tw o years ago. W e’re really excited about it.” Carol enjoys giving things away to the needy p eople in Jackson and surrounding counties. “I didn’t know th ere w ere so m any needy p eo p le right here in my ow n county. The first year w e had over a h undred groups com e in, and this year I’ve lost track, but I know that it’s m ore than w e had last y ear.” They distribute books, used and new clothing, office furniture, food and toys ( “you never k now w hat y o u ’re going to get, or w h en !”) to small ch u rch groups and resource centers, w hich are affiliated w ith th e local schools. “They k n o w th e needs, and w h ere the things can be u sed .”

five children live in Jackson County; the fifth is in nearby Madison County. “Three of my children live w ithin seeing distance o f me. “W e have a w onderful Christ m as,” Carol said. “I w ant all of them th ere for Christmas break fast at 6:00 a.m. We started this tradition about ten years ago. They can go any place they w ant for Christmas dinner, but I w ant them at my house for Christmas breakfast. We eat breakfast, then o pen Santa’s gifts. I fix dinner, if they w ant to com e back. It’s a m adhouse!” The Parrett Christmas tradition begins before the w eek before Christmas morning, w h en Louie and Carol’s four sons take to the hills o f Jackson County and hunt the rabbit that Carol prepares for breakfast, along w ith the eggs, biscuits and gravy. Does rabbit taste like chicken, Carol? “I d o n ’t know; I cook it, b ut I d o n ’t eat it.”

Carol says she is lucky that h er children have been able to stay in Jackson County, despite its p o o r job opportunities. She is proud that w orkers in th e w reath factory have been able to p u t their experience to use in perm anent positions. “People d o n ’t like being on welfare. T hey’d like to see som e change in their lives. W e need m ore job opportunities here in Jackson County. A lot of our w orkers have gone on to w ork at Mid-South [an electronics factory in th e county]. I get calls fre quently asking for references for people w h o ’ve w orked h ere.” Carol says she is pleased that the w reath factory is making a positive im pact on Jackson County by providing job training that people can take on to perm anent positions. She enjoys th e giving aspect of O peration Sharing, and th e contributions she m akes to needy com m unities. She especially enjoys the blend of giving and teaching. ft

Carol’s care for th e w orkers in O peration Sharing and th e w reath factory m irrors h er care for the focal po in t in h e r life, h e r family. She and h e r husband, Louie, a farm er, have five children and seven grandchildren. “W hen I w as young, m y parents divorced, and w e m oved from here to here to here. W e w e re n ’t a stable family, and I d id n ’t w ant that for m y family. I w an ted to have a close-knit family.” It appears th at Carol has achieved th at goal. Four o f h er S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r 1 9 9 4

I __ __— __ ___- — _ ... _______ ___—-— ----— Through Operation Sharing Carol has had the opportunity to meet many o f her fellow Jackson Countians. Many o f the goods are distributed to Family Resource Centers, which are affiliated with the local schools.

---- Around the Project — CAP Summer Camps Have Successful Season The sum m er o f 1994 saw another successful season at Camp A ndrew Jackson in Jackson County, and Camp Shaw nee in Floyd County. People w h o have been hearing about cam p for years and years, frequently w o n d er about th e im pact th e program has on kids.

Joe could see that Tony had turned a big co m er on Skit Night, “W ednesday Night Live,” they call it at cam p. “He told a story that he m ade u p ,” Joe said. “He stood up in front of about ninety people, and kept their attention for over five m inutes. There w asn’t a p eep out o f them! I’ve never seen Tony h ap p ier.”

At th e end of th e w eek Tony received the “M aster A uthor Aw ard,” Joe said. “One w eek isn’t going to do it,” Joe said, “but I think if he com es back to cam p for five o r six years, I can see that it will m ake a big im pact on his life. H e’s really a great kid.”

Joe Brannon is a tem porary volunteer from Boston. He has w orked at Camp A ndrew Jackson for th ree years, and tells o f Tony, a ten-year-old boy, w h o has enjoyed his tim e at cam p. “He has a lot o f negatives at h o m e,” Joe said, “so th e positive reinforcem ent he gets at cam p has really been good for him. At the beginning o f th e w eek, he said ‘I can ’t do th a t’ to everything w e w ere doing, b u t by th e end o f th e w eek, h e ’d say, ‘I’ll try it and see w h at h ap p en s.’ By th e end o f the w eek h e w as doing great w ith sw im m ing and going u n d er w ater and everything. H e’s extrem ely intelligent,” Joe said.

..............-.............................—......... ........................ i..:...; ............................ LA . .................. CAP camps alternate weeks fo r boys and girls during the summer. Campers range in age from six to fourteen. This is a group o f younger girls at Camp Shawnee.

Big Sandy Spouse Abuse Opens Satellite in Adjoining County In February o f 1994 the K entucky legislature m andated that each county in the state m ust have a victim s’ advocate. The Big Sandy Family Abuse C enter in Floyd County used that m andate as an opportunity to expand its satellite program in nearby Pike County. “It all cam e to g eth er at th e right m o m en t,” said c en ter m anager Sister Judy Elder. Helen Bowlen, a case w o rk er at th e Christian Appalachian Project shelter had been w orking a few hours a w eek in th e county before th e m andate, but th e state requirem ent opened several doors, Sister Judy said. “W e’re in an office th a t’s p art of the county a ttorney’s suite. It’s a 18

neat opportunity to be there as w om en go through the system .” Tw o case w orkers from the CAP shelter will spend 24 hours a w eek in the Pike County office. Sister Judy hopes that the program will also serve as a m odel for counties that have even m ore need for an abuse program . “In term s of hum an services, th e re ’s m ore of a need in Martin and Magoffin counties,” Sister Judy said. “We need to extend in areas w ith few er services.” For now , though, Sister Judy is pleased that the idea of the satellite office has taken off. Eventually she w ould like to see a team of w orkers in each county,

that can help people in abusive relationships. “They could include professional and non-professional folks and give com m unity sup port, help m om s get re-estab lished, give housing support, that kind of thing. “W e’re extending our energy and effort,” Sister Judy said. “It’s a good beginning. Hopefully, w e ’re m oving in solidly.”

C hristian A ppalachian Project is a p a rticip a tin g agency in the C om b in ed Federal Cam p aign. Federal a n d m ilita ry em ployees can co n trib u te to CAP by designating # 0 8 9 8 on the CFCpledge card.

The Mountain Spirit

________ around the project. . . continued What Can I do to Help CAP? CAP supp o rters often ask w hat m ore they can do to help elimi nate suffering in A ppalachia. First, you can tell others o f the p ro b lems in Appalachia w h ich you learn about in The M o u n ta in Spirit and o th e r CAP publications. Please share this maga 2ine w ith a friend and w e ’ll send a replace m ent. Ask us about any o f th e problem s in A ppalachia and w e ’ll be hap p y to share any know ledge w e have o r to refer you to another organization th at can help you. Secondly, you can give us a m ost valuable com m odity —time. Since volunteers first arrived in 1950, millions o f hours have been

donated to th e Christian Appala chian Project in helping the people o f Appalachia help them selves. If you w ould like to volunteer three w eeks or m ore, contact The M o u n ta in Spirit and w e ’ll pass the inform ation to the volunteer office.

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Finally, our m ost pow erful form o f assistance is prayer. We believe th at if o u r supporters spend at least one m inute a day praying for p o o r p eople everyw here, m oun tains can be moved, the course of rivers changed. The CAP family forms a pow erful prayer n etw ork reaching into Appalachia and across th e nation.

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CAP G ra n ts S e rv ic e S c h o la rsh ip s Donna Lyons (not h e r real nam e) graduated from high school this year. She plans to attend Eastern K entucky University and earn a degree th at will p rep are h er for pharm acy school. Donna is in a small p ercentage o f high school graduates in A ppalachia w h o will go on college. During th e last four years, Donna has actively donated h er tim e and talents to projects that m ade h e r com m unity a b etter place to live and w ork. She participated in th e Adopt-AHighway program ; taught in h er c h u rc h ’s Vacation Bible School; tutored o th er students w h o w ere having difficulty w ith grades. Donna helped raise funds to help buy toys for underprivileged children and w ith a cam paign to m ake others m ore aw are o f drug and child abuse. Donna is one o f about 60 students w h o have been recog nized by CAP for th e contributions they m ade to th eir com m unities w ith C om m unity Service Scholar ships. S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r 1 9 9 4

Scholarships w ere aw arded to students in 32 counties of eastern Kentucky, w ith the am ounts ranging from $375 to $1,500. The aw ards are given annually to students w ho have dem on strated a com m itm ent to help im prove their com m unities and schools. Financial need and academ ic achievem ent are secondary considerations. Recipients are chosen by com m ittees in each county, w hich review applications from the students. On applications students detail th eir service activities and w rite a short essay identifying a need in th eir community. Recipients are encouraged to use th e m oney for tuition, room , board, o r books. In May and June high schools had aw ards cerem onies to recognize students w ho have received scholarships and aca dem ic aw ards, w ith m any CAP em ployees m aking presentations in th e high schools.

ZI P code

NEW ADDRESS

ZIP code

Mail to: The Mountain Spirit, 322 Crab Orchard Road, Lancaster, Kentucky 40446.

Kids Attend Camp at Burr Ridge The Family Life C enter Day Camp had a n ew tw ist during the sum m er of 1994. In addition to activities at th e Renfro Valley location, forty to fifty children attended a CAP day cam p in Burr Ridge, in Rockcastle County, according to Pat Hagan, assistant director o f hum an developm ent. “The Burr Ridge Holiness Church let us use th eir grounds,” Pat said. “It w as really neat —w e set up a ten t and tables for craft activities, and there w as enough space on the grounds for sp o rts.” Residents from the area, as well as parents, d ropped by during the day, Pat said, giving the cam p a nice com m unity feeling. Pat called th e Burr Ridge cam p a pilot project, and w ould like to use o th er locations for cam ps in th e future.

around the project. . . continued Communities to Operate CAP Programs The Christian A ppalachian Project has great success stories to tell in tw o com m unities w h ich are taking over program s that w ere form erly o perated by CAP. Larry Cranfill, directo r o f physical su p p o rt services, reports that in Casey C ounty CAP has been acting as a liaison w ith com m unity leaders w h o are organizing repair efforts by local people. Also in Casey County, CAP is planning to transfer o peration of its used clothing store to a n ew non-profit organization w h ich has been established by th e ministerial association. A lthough th e store will be ru n by local people, CAP will continue to supply m erchan dise, w h en it is available. In Somerset, m onths o f discus sion will culm inate w ith Bethany House, one o f CAP’S th ree spouse abuse shelters, becom ing a com m unity project. “Spouse abuse is a com m unity problem , so it’s b e tte r if th e shelter is run by th e com m unity,” said Anita Seals. Anita is a long-time CAP em ployee, and has been involved w ith victim s o f dom estic violence since CAP open ed its first shelter in th e late 1970s. She will con tinue as executive directo r o f the shelter. “The rest o f th e staff will have th e o ption o f staying in th eir positions if they w ant to. I’ve w orked for CAP for a long tim e, so I’ve got m ixed em otions. Overall, though, I know it’s best for the shelter; I’m glad it’s going in that direction.” CAP h opes th at th e transition will be accom plished by J uly 1, 1995.

T h e M agazin e o f th e C h ristia n A p p a la ch ia n Project M a y -J u n e 1993

The cover o f the May-June 1993 issue o f The Mountain Spirit won a second place awardfrom the Catholic Press Association fo r “Best Single Color Cover. ”

The M o u n ta in S p ir it Wins Awards The M o u n ta in Spirit received tw o journalism aw ards from the Catholic Press Association in its recen t com petition.

March-April 1993 issue, exam ined th e similarity o f p o o r peo p le in eastern K entucky and p o o r people in developing nations.

The May-June 1993 issue placed second in the “Best Single Color Cover” category. The cover featured a p h o to of Joe Begley, a native of Letcher County, standing on th e front p o rch of his general store in Blackey, Kentucky. The ph o to graph is the w ork of form er CAP v olunteer Lorraine Corsale.

Judges for th e aw ard com peti tion said, “Beth D otson is able to develop th e germ in h e r title by depicting th e way peo p le's problem s are alike in K entucky and Rio de Janeiro, India and Appalachia. She gives a universal ring to th e pains o f poverty. Poetic, personalized w ith indi vidual stories and effective in forging bonds w ith peo p le th e w orld over.”

“W herever You Go, Poverty is Poverty and People are T eachers,” by Beth Dotson, another form er volunteer, received a second place aw ard for “Best Article Originating w ith a Mission Magazine.” The story, w hich appeared in the

Congratulations, Beth and Lorraine, and thanks for your contributions to The M o u n ta in Spirits.

The Mountain Spirit

around the project. . . continued H o u sin g C o r p o r a tio n S u rvey S h o w s R u r a l H o m e le ssn e ss A recen t survey gives m ore evidence to th e idea that hom elessness is m ore than just a urban problem , and m ore than a problem o f just single men. In th e sum m er o f 1993 the K entucky H ousing C orporation surveyed adults and children at hom eless shelters, ch urches and jails. O f th e 5600 p eople surveyed, nearly 80% w ere interview ed outside o f th e urban areas of Kentucky. Forty-four p ercen t o f the people surveyed in rural areas w ere und er

th e age o f 17. Only 15% had no shelter at all; m ost w ere living in overcrow ded conditions w ith family o r friends. Nearly 61.5% of the adults w ere w om en, half of w hom said they w ere victims of dom estic violence. The (Louisville) CourierJ o u r n a l reports that the survey will be used to dem onstrate the need that a portion of the $900 million w hich the Clinton adm inis tration has budgeted for reduction o f hom elessness in the United States should be targeted in rural areas.

value o f homes is $24,100. In the U.S. the median value is $78,000.

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Swie Volunteer with the Christian Appalachian Project CAP volunteers assist the people of Appalachia through such programs as child development, elderly outreach, adult education, home repair, and emergency assistance while focusing on a life of prayer, community and service. Permanent volunteers: 21 years of age or older; one year (renewable); room and board; health insurance; monthly stipend. College loan deferment information available. Temporary volunteers: 18 years of age or older. Three weeks to three months. Room and board. Applications accepted year-round. Contact CAP Volunteer Program, 235 Lexington Street, Lancaster, KY 40444, (606) 792-2219, (800) 755-5322, Fax (606) 792-6625. S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r 1 9 9 4

--------------------around the project. . . continued Administrative Offices Moving to Paintsville Renovation and construction began recently on a w arehouse in th e Paintsville, K entucky, area w hich w ill enable th e Christian A ppalachian Project adm inistra tive offices in th e far eastern p art o f th e state to m ove to enlarged quarters. The n ew site im proves CAP’S facility needs n o w and in th e foreseeable future, according to Mike Sanders, senior directo r of th e Martin program s. “It provides a central location for th e adminis tration o f program s in this p art o f CAP’S service area,” says Mike “And it p u ts us in a b e tte r position to adm inister program s w h en CAP m oves into W est Virginia.” The n ew building will house one o f CAP’S th ree O peration Sharing w arehouses (th e o th er

tw o are in Tyner and Lancaster), the outreach program for Floyd, K nott, Magoffin, Lawrence and Martin counties, vehicle m ainte nance, and th e adm inistrative offices for CAP’S eastern projects. Adult education, Rejoice Respite, and Visually Im paired Pre-school Services will be relocated from various places in th e county to the old adm inistrative office building. Home repair will occupy the cu rrent vehicle m aintenance space. Foundation donations have m ade th e acquisition possible, and local businesses and organizations are w elcom ing CAP as a new neighbor to the area. For exam ple, M ountain Com prehensive Care, th e local m ental health agency, donated plants and shrubs for landscaping.

G raduates H onored in Three Counties During May and June, CAP h onored 114 p eo p le w h o received high school equivalency certifi cates during cerem onies in Rockcastle, McCreary, Magoffin, and Lincoln counties. Each graduate w as a student in a CAP adult education program w h o passed a series o f tests know n as the G eneral Education Develop-

m ent tests. Every year th e Adult Learning program s in Renfro Valley and Martin have recogni tion cerem onies for students they helped to prepare to take the tests. The Adult Learning C enter in Renfro Valley, w hich has p ro grams in Rockcastle, Lincoln,

The Christian Appalachian Project honored 114 students in adult learning pro grams who received high school equivalency certification.

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You Use Payroll Deduction? If your employer has a payroll deduction giving program, you may donate to any tax exempt [501 (c) 3] charity of your choice including CAP! If you would like to use this easy way to make your gifts to CAP, please designate: Christian Appalachian Project 322 Crab Orchard Road Lancaster, KY 40446 Please be sure to include CAP's address when you make your request. If you would like more information about ways to become involved in corporate giving, contact Teresa McAnly at CAP's address. McCreary, southern Madison, Garrard, and Owsley counties has had 104 graduates since June 1993- The program in Martin, w hich has students in Floyd, Magoffin, Lawrence, and K nott counties, has had 10 graduates since Septem ber 1993A unique feature o f th e gradu ates in Renfro Valley w as family involvem ent. Lisa Bosley, w h o m anages the Adult Learning Center, says that tw o sisters received th eir GED w hile a m other, h e r sister, the m o th er’s son and daughter-in-law received th e ir’s at th e same tim e. A m arried couple, in th eir 50s, received the exact same score. A Lincoln C ounty graduate, Brian Clarkson, is quadriplegic and began his studies w ith a CAP School on W heels tu to r during a period of rehabilitation in an extend ed care center. N ow that Brian has his GED, he plans to go on to a rehabilitation program in Thelma, Kentucky, and learn a trade.

The Mountain Spirit

around the project. . . continued F ifth G r a d e r s S h a re w ith S e n io rs f o r O ld e r A m e ric a n s M on th “W hat kind o f gam es did you play?” “W e played jum p rope, tag, hide ‘n ’ seek, and m arbles.” “W hat do you play now ?” “W e play chase, baseball, tag, and a few others, but not m arbles.” “W hat h ap p en ed w h en you did som ething w rong o r did som e thing really bad?” “The teach er w ould w h ip th e boy o r girl w ith a sw itch, o r make them stand in th e c o m e r o r p u t th eir nose in a circle on th e black board. If they did som ething really m ean and disruptive, th e teach er could send th e student h o m e.” “Today th ere are few spankings, and if a stu d en t is expelled th ere is a pro ced u re th at m ust be fol low ed .” Sharing like this took place at a special gathering at th e Berea Senior Citizens C enter in obser vance o f O lder Am ericans Month.

Senior citizens from several counties joined children from the Berea Com m unity School to share experiences about school days. The inter-generational m eeting w as sponsored by Berea Senior Citizens and the Christian Appala chian Project’s Emmaus Christian Life C enter and elderly visitation program s. Senior citizens from CAP’S program s in Madison, Estill, Jackson, Lincoln, Rockcastle, and Owsley counties participated. The day saw fifth graders and senior citizens sharing in small groups, com paring notes on school days. Loyal Jones, form er d irector o f Berea College’s Appalachian Center, told hum or ous stories about school days in th e m ountains, and second and third graders sang old-fashioned songs. Peggy Patrick and th e Emmaus staff helped to organize and coordinate the event.

CDC Conducts Parenting Classes Sarah D ixon, m anager of C hildren’s Discovery C enter in Somerset, co nducted tw o w eeks o f special parenting classes during July. The classes w ere a collabora tive effort b etw een th e child developm ent c en ter and Bethany House, th e CAP spouse abuse shelter in Somerset.

Gift Annuities

K itchen w ith Your Child.’ She read ‘G reen Eggs and H am ,’ by Dr. Suess, th en m ade green eggs and ham !” Sarah said.

“The different speakers m ade it special,” Sarah said. Professionals from th e state social services, local m ental health center, and th e psychiatric unit o f the regional hospital spoke on topics that included physical and m ental health and stress reduction.

The tw elve people w ho at tended th e classes w ere n ew to CAP program s, Sarah said. “Some o f th eir children are in foster care, and by attending our classes, th ey ’ll have a b etter chance of getting them back. W hen som e of them cam e in, they had some resentm ent, because th ey ’d almost been forced to com e b ut by the end o f the first day, they w ere really excited and looking forw ard to com ing back the next day.

“C harlotte Trim ble, from next door at Bethany House, gave a class on ‘Having Fun in th e

“W e’ll definitely do it again, and will carry som e of our success into th e fall,” Sarah said.

A gift annuity to the Christian Appalachian Project will help us continue to provide employ ment opportunities to Appala chian people. This activity is an essential part of our mission to help people help themselves. But, what is a gift annuity? It's a legal agreement by which you make a gift to CAP and receive a guaranteed life income in re turn. For a more complete expla nation, write today for your free copy of "Giving Through Gift Annuities" by filling out the cou pon below and enclosing it in the envelope provided. Christian Appalachian Project 322 Crab Orchard Road Lancaster, Kentucky 40446 Clip and send

N am e___________________________ Address_________________________ C it y -----------------------------State, Z IP _______________________

S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r 1994

Date of Birth ___________________ Telep h o n e______________________

T he Home R epair V ocational P rogram

I t ’s hard to identify an exact tim e w h en CAP becam e involved in repairing hom es. Some o f th e first CAP volunteers, how ever, w ere Father Ralph Belting’s parents, and since Mr. Beiting w as a carp en ter by trade, chances are p retty good that in th e earliest days, CAP volunteers w ere helping the people of Appalachia m ake th eir hom es liveable and safe. O ver th e last few years, though, w orkers in th e hom e repair program have seen th e ir role gradually shift from that of carpen te r to teacher. The advent o f hundreds o f volunteers —som e w ho com e for a few days, others fo r a year o r m ore, began th e shift. Program m anager Jim Lynn and physical su p port services d irector Larry Cranfill began to p u t som e formal structure to the teaching aspects o f hom e repair for a couple o f reasons, accord ing to Larry. “It com es o u t o f th e idea o f getting help to th e m ost people for th e dollar,” h e said. “It’s an extension o f w hat w e ’ve been doing in changing th e program from four guys w earing uniform s and driving nails. T hey’re teachers n o w and th e people that do m ost o f th e w ork are th e volunteers, right n o w .” And they’re hoping to add an o th er dim ension to th e classes. W hile W ork Fest and o th e r special volunteer events will continue to use th e teaching skills o f th e hom e repair w orkers,

♦ by the CAP News Service ♦ The Mountain Spirit

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th e training program is expanding to include peop le w h o se hom es are repaired. Jim p ointed out th at hom eow ners are currently asked to assist w ith th e labor on th eir hom es, if they are able, and th at putting som e organization to th e instructional program will benefit everyone involved. Five to eight p eo p le can be involved in th e program at any one tim e, Jim said. The curriculum will cover an eight m onth period, w ith tim e equally divided b etw een th e classroom , th e shop and the construction sites. The program will have th e flexibility to allow students to w ork, in farm ing and day jobs, w h en w o rk is available. “Hopefully w e ’ll be able to build som e n ew houses, in addition to th e repair w ork w e ’re already doing,” Jim said. Jim and Larry b o th p o in t to a shortage of w orkers in th e construction business, particularly house fram ers, and see the vocational program as an opportu n ity for peop le to learn a trade that has great potential for em ploym ent. “It’s been publicized for over a year no w that th e re ’s a shortage o f house fram ers in Kentucky. W e w an t to p rep are o u r clients to go to w ork for an o th er con tracto r as a skilled carp en ter and earn a ca rp e n te r’s w ages,” Jim said. “If th ey ’re hired as unskilled people, th ey ’re w orking for m inim um w age and you can hardly afford to drive to a construction site for that. But a carp en ter advertises him self w ith his skill, and once he gets started, h e ’s in dem and. I h o p e th at w e get som e credibility in o u r program . T hey’ll also have th e possibility o f self-em ploym ent.” W hile th e vocational program will be open to everyone, Jim and Larry b oth h ope that m en in th e area will take advantage o f the opportunity. “W e know that a lot o f the m en in our families w ould like to be o f help on their ow n house, b u t because o f th eir lack o f skill, or lack o f self-confidence, they d o n ’t even w an t to try ,” Larry said. “O ur program is going to focus on young peop le w ith no self-confidence,” Jim said. “W e’re already getting p ast those barriers because w e w ork w ith them w h ere th ey ’re at. W e’ve found th at th e y ’re very good S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r 1 994

“The idea is that if people are skilled, they’ll work. ” learners w h en they’ve got one-on-one instruction.” Both Jim and Larry point out that a young m an w h o is reluctant to attend group instruction at CAP’S Adult Learning C enter m ight be very com fortable in a one-on-one, hands-on learning situation. “G roup activity is foreign to them , and they think everyone thinks that every guy should be able to drive nails. We w ork side by side, and show them w hat to do, so they gain confidence,” Jim said. The confidence that w orkers gain will enable them to help w ith th eir ow n hom e, and will give them an opportunity to help their neighbors, as well, Jim said. “That, too, is a v olunteer spirit. And the program m ight encourage som eone to continue education w ith som eone else, even getting into a governm ent program . The idea is that if people are skilled, th ey ’ll w ork. T h ere’s w ork for carpenters w h en th e re ’s no o th er w ork around.” Larry said that he hopes that th e vocational program will take th e hom e repair program in a new direction, one that will encourage com m unities to use CAP as a resource to help them form local repair crew s. He told of the help that has been given in several com m unities. “Jim has helped several churches in Casey County get projects organized, and w e ’ve been w orking w ith Habitat for Hum anity in organizing com m unity w o rkers.” In Rockcastle County recently three new houses w ere constructed w ith m aterials furnished through a governm ent grant and CAP donating the labor o f em ployees and volunteers. “We effectively gave them $45,000 in free labor and supervision, so that they could perp etu ate them selves," Larry said. “Eventually th ey ’ll be able to do that for them selves, and w e ’ll be a resource and an encourager to m ake it h ap p en .” ft

F am ily L iteracy B egin at th e B eg in n in g

Four young mothers are sitting around a table playing with play dough. One of the women, Linda, looks as if this is a very new experience. She squeezes and pulls and rolls the yellow dough out, looking around at the others with a delighted smile. The teacher, Paula Woodman, has given them the recipe for the homemade play dough, and now they work math problems based on the recipe. “What is the ratio of flour to salt?”Paula asks. “How many cups of water would you need if you wanted to triple the batch?”Linda smiles and listens. Math is fairly new to her.

♦ by Lisa Bosley ♦ Photos by Margaret Gabriel 26

The Mountain Spirit

Linda w as one o f my first students w h e n I cam e in 1990, as coordinator o f th e adult literacy program . I had been called by Regina, Linda’s boyfriend’s sister, w h o told m e that Linda needed to learn to read and becom e m ore independent. I m et Linda at Regina’s hom e. The house w as dark and Linda hid behind h er long brow n hair. She d id n ’t speak. Regina told m e th at Linda had grow n u p in Bell County and lived w ith h e r parents until th eir death several years ago. Linda w as practically deaf, she said, and h e r family had p ro tected h e r from th e w orld by keeping h er inside and always near them . W hen h er m o th er died o f cancer, Linda, in h e r early 20s, had com e to Rockcastle County to live w ith h e r aunt. Linda’s aunt did not share h e r p aren ts’ fear o f doctors and th e outside w orld, and she w anted to have Linda’s hearing problem diagnosed and treated. According to Regina, how ever, Linda’s aunt was afraid th at Linda w ould lose h e r Social Security check if h e r problem w ere diagnosed therefore she did not follow through w ith m edical treatm ent. Linda had m et Mark by this time, and after spending several days w ith his family, Linda discov ered th at h e r aunt had left tow n, leaving no forw arding address. Linda m oved in w ith Mark. A couple o f years later, fearing th at Mark w ould never com m it to m arriage, Regina called CAP, hoping w e could help Linda gain som e skills to p rep are h e r for th e possibility o f living alone. The first thing Linda and I did w as get to an ear specialist and have h e r hearing problem diagnosed. The do cto r fitted h er for a hearing aid that im proved h e r hearing seventy-five percent.

Together, mothers and children make ice cream. The milk and cream mixture goes in a small coffee can which is placed in a large coffee can packed with ice and rock salt, and rolled on the table until the ice cream freezes. The method is loud, but the results are delicious. S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r 1 994

Families who are involved in more than one CAP education program, such as child development and School on Wheels, were invited to the family literacy pilot program. The doctor, technician, Linda and I all had tears in our eyes w h en Linda first heard the little beeps and signals of th e d o cto r’s test. She looked at m e w ith a huge smile and said, “I can hear!” I drove hom e w ith Linda beside me in the car, h er head cocked to one side, listening the w hole way, smiling. “Birds,” she said. “Cars are loud!” She’s 28 years old, I thought. Five hundred dollars and tw o doctors visits and she can hear. W hy didn’t this happen before? The ignorance and fear that Linda experienced is becom ing m ore of a rarity in Appalachia, but geographic and social isolation are still realities and play a large role in K entucky’s rank as the forty-ninth state in the num ber of adults w ho have com pleted high school. Getting parents together to play w ith play dough is one way to break dow n the barriers of many kinds of isolation. Linda is one of several parents w ho attended a six-week family literacy p roject at the Family Life Child D evelopm ent Center in Rockcastle County. W ith her

children. The project w orks to provide com prehensive education program s that help break the cycle of under-education w hich parents pass to their children. W hen Father Beiting visited CAP program s during the w in ter of 1994, he said over and over that CAP had to con tinue to focus on strengthening families. Healthy families are the backbone of a healthy society, he said. His message was taken to heart by CAP education workers; the same message is being heard across Kentucky and across the country. The K entucky Education Reform Act contains many provisions that encourage family participation in children’s education. The debate on welfare reform focuses on ways to lessen the num ber of single parent families and preserve and strengthen families. Politicians have latched on to the term “family values,” as it touches the nerve of our m ost im portant social issues.

tw oyear-old son W essley, Linda rode a CAP bus to th e c en ter once a w eek. The adults spent tw o hours w ith an adult education instructor, w orking on reading skills and studying for the GED. Their children w ere nex t door at the child developm ent ce n te r playing and learning from th eir teachers and th e o th er children. Families and staff had lunch together, then teachers led a family activity, such as reading stories out loud, making a collage, o r learning silly songs and games to play at hom e. A similar program w as conducted at th e Eagle Child D evelopm ent C enter in M cCreary County.

The state of Kentucky has been a leader in the “Family Literacy M ovem ent,” developing the Parent and Child Education (PACE) m odel and establishing the Na tional C enter for Family Literacy in Louis ville. CAP w orkers have taken advantage of training opportunities available and have been talking about to p quality child developm ent program s and a strong adult education program . Often those program s w ork w ith the same families, but there w as little collaboration in setting family educational goals or developing an integrated curriculum that w ould address the educa tional needs of the w hole family, says Joyce Harvey, program m anager of Family Life Child D evelopm ent Center. The family literacy program begins to address this need for collaboration.

The pilot family literacy project is a collaborative effort o f several CAP pro grams: tw o child developm ent centers; and th e Adult Learning C enter and School on W heels program s; Parents are Teachers, w h ich guides parents in teaching children w ith disabilities; and Infant and Toddler: Parent Connections, w h ich provides early intervention for families w ith at-risk

Jean Barnes, manager o f Eagle Child Development Center (left), encourages adults to read aloud to their children. A group meeting began with mothers reporting how many books they had read to their children that week.

in Parents Are Teachers, CAP’S program fo r families that have children with disabilities.

The Mountain Spirit

Families w h o participate in m ore than one CAP education program w ere re cruited for th e sum m er program . Linda, for exam ple, w as enrolled in th e adult educa tion program as w ell as th e infant and toddler program . Many parents w ith children in a CAP child developm ent cen ter need to w ork on th e ir reading skills o r study for th e GED, and m any parents in adult education need to im prove parenting skills. A goal o f family literacy program s is to help p arents see th at th eir education directly im pacts th eir child’s education. Brenda Riddle, assistant directo r of hum an developm ent, supervises both the adult education program and th e child developm ent centers. She is excited by th e stu d en ts’ enthusiasm and interest. “These families are faced w ith a lot o f pro b lem s,” Brenda says. “Some have no running w ater, som e are in abusive situations, m any w ere abused as children, som e have little o r no reading skills, m ost are quite isolated. To see them addressing o r overcom ing these problem s is inspiring.” A nother goal o f this collaborative effort is to help staff im prove th eir ability to w o rk w ith families, n o t just w ith adults o r children. Adult educators are learning ho w to incorporate parenting inform ation into th e GED curriculum , and h o w to encour-

Sherrie told a story about how her grandmother killed tarantulas. . . age parents to read to th eir children by observing th e child developm ent teachers. Child developm ent staff is learning ho w adults learn through their involvem ent w ith the adult educators. Suzann Fenton, a teacher in Parents are Teachers, says that she has becom e m ore aw are o f th e ways she can prom ote literacy in h e r families. Research show s that adults enrolled in family literacy program s stay in th e program s longer and have greater success in m eeting their goals. “Having their children nearby helps alleviate th e guilt parents often feel w hen they choose to do som ething for them selves,” Joyce says. The parent and child activities m odel and teach parents fun and effective ways to play w ith their children. Twenty-one families participate in the project Family Literacy pilot site in McCreary County —all w ere eager for fun activities for th eir children, quiet study tim e for them selves, the air-conditioned com fort of the cen ter to break the mo notony o f h o t sum m er days, and maybe m ost im portant, the com pany o f o th er adults. “This program is good for m e and my kids,” says Tina, a GED student. “They get away from m e and I get to com m uni cate w ith o th er people and study for my GED.” Jean Barnes, program m anager at Eagle Child D evelopm ent C enter sees this opportunity to interact w ith o th er families as a m ajor learning experience. “Parents are really enjoying th e program , and they’re asking for m ore.” Jean tells o f a young w om an nam ed Sherrie w h o is the m other o f 12 children — one is hers and eleven are h e r stepchil dren. Sherrie is shy and tim id, and h er reading skills are very limited. During a parenting class, Jean asked the m others to share stories about th eir grandparents. Sherrie, w ho had attended every class but never said a w ord, said “I have o n e .” Jean w as delighted w h en Sherrie told a story about ho w h er grandm other killed tarantu-

S e p te m b e r - O c to b e r 1994

las w ith a ham m er. “Building paren ts’ self esteem is crucial to their ability to raise well-balanced children, so that cycles of poverty are not rep eated ,” Jean says. “W e’re taking all th e participants into Som erset for d inner at the end of the project; Sherrie has never been to a restaurant. All these little things —like her perfect attendance, h er sharing a story about h e r grandm other, and the trip to the restaurant help h er build her confidence and know she can succeed in larger w ays.” Jean says that the four objectives of the sum m er p roject are to help parents establish a reading routine at hom e w ith th eir children, to allow p arents the opportunity to w ork w ith o th er parents on th eir GED, to encourage com m itm ent and follow through —attendance has been excellent, Jean says —and to help parents learn th ree discipline alternatives to spanking. “These seem like sim ple tasks,” Jean says, “but w hen I had a m om volun te e r to read a ch ildren’s story aloud to the rest o f the class, and she read it w ith em otion, it w as a m onum ental achieve m ent —that took courage!” Rita, a m o th er from Parents are Teach ers, attended th e program w ith h er fouryear-old daughter Sara, w h o has been blind

since birth. “This program has given m e a new perspective on life w ith Sara,” she says. “W e’re doing things I never though w e ’d do. I’m w orking on my GED and Sara is interacting w ith o th er kids. She is learning ho w to share, take turns —sh e’s even trying to ru n .” Rita’s goal is to enroll Sara in preschool this fall, and the CAP program is helping h e r overcom e h er fear of Sara entering the outside w orld w ithout h er m other there to p ro tect her. Kate N orthcott, a volunteer teacher in Eagle’s infant and toddler program says that w orking w ith Sara has been good for all the staff and o th er parents as well. “W e see too many families w h o hide their children w ith disabilities from the w o rld .” W hen I listen to Kate and Rita talk about Sara, I am rem inded of Linda, and the fear that kept h er parents from preparing her for adult life. Linda has com e a long way since th e day I m et h er w h en she w o u ld n ’t look m e in the eye and I struggled to understand h er speech. N ow Linda looks people in the eye. She can sit at a table w ith o th er parents and study m ath and reading. Her speech is a bit clearer and m ore confidant. She w ants to get h er driver’s license. Through h er w ork w ith the infant and toddler teachers, Linda has learned ways to encourage h er son W essley’s language developm ent and m otor skills. The family literacy project allows h er to escape from h er small, dark house on a back road ten miles from tow n and engage in fun learning activities w ith h er son and o th er families. The co n cep t o f “Family Literacy” is based on th e fact that children’s success in education relates directly to th e education attainm ent of their parents. As Rita w rote in h er journal, “I feel that m e furthering my education will also encourage my children to not drop out of school, and to continue on to college.” W ith th e seed o f that know ledge, placing that kind of value on education, Rita and h er children are very likely to succeed. ft

that the educational attainment o f children is in direct relation to the educational attainment o f parents.

Lisa Bosley is the p ro g ra m m a n a g e r o f the A d u lt L earning C enter a n d School on Wheels program s.

The Mountain Spirit

A Former Bethany House Resident Reaches Out to Help Others "It's people like that that you work so hard for," said Anita Seals, manager of Bethany House, a Christian Appalachian Project spouse abuse shelter, on hearing that one of her former residents had gotten a bachelor of arts degree and a job. Barbara tried to escape her abusive husband thirty-three times before she was able to make the final break. "Our fighting must have attracted some attention because Social Services paid us a visit. . . I was really scared." The state worker took Barbara and her two children to a CAP spouse shelter. "I didn't realize it at the time, but when I stepped through the front door of this haven, I had indeed taken my first step up." While Barbara lived at Bethany House, she had several more contacts with her husband, and sadly realized that nothing she did would change his violent behavior, and that there was nothing left of their marriage. She was able to enter another CAP program, Family Life Services, where she and her children received family counseling. At CAP's Adult Learning Center, Barbara brushed up her academic skills. Her math and English scores indicated that Barbara was definitely college material, so off she went to Eastern Kentucky University, where she obtained a degree in philosophy. Today, Barbara works in the communications department at EKU, and as a freelance writer. She plans to use her personal insight into and experience with domestic violence, and her skills as a writer, to make others aware of the horrors of such a relationship. "I hope my story will help others to realize that their lives could be in danger," said Barbara, who plans to interview families of women who have died at the hands of their abusers. Barbara says that much of what she learned about her own strength, she learned from CAP. She is using that strength, she says, to reach out to others by telling her story. CAP workers know that we have you — and other CAP supporters — to thank for Barbara's success. A gift today of $10 . . . $1 5 . . . $25 will enable us to continue the chain of helping people so they can help others, and they can help others, and on and on and on. Will the chain begin with you?

Health Care in Appalachia — A Need for Reform •

In one area served by the Christian Appalachian Project there is only one primary

care physician for every 5,000 people. •

Health problems are worse in the mountains, yet health care in Appalachia is limited

by the high ratio of patients to health care providers, the small number of hospitals and clinics, and inadequate transportation to these facilities. •

Statistics concerning infant mortality are often used to give a clear image of the state

of health care in an area. In some areas of Appalachia, the infant mortality rate runs as high as 40%. The U.S. rate is 9%. •

The infant mortality rate for babies born to teenage mothers in Kentucky is 31%

greater than for mothers older than age 20. •

One out of every five babies in Appalachian Kentucky is born to a teenager. In one

area CAP serves, that number /£$^s from 20 to 28%. Shaded area indicates the boundaries o f the Appalachian region

CHRISTIAN APPALACHIAN PROJECT 322 CRAB ORCHARD ROAD LANCASTER, KY 40446 The Mountain Spirit

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIO U.S. POSTAGE PAID Christian Appalachian Proje<

Address Correction Requested

CAROLYN SUE MARKS 4 4 3 0 KY. HWY 6 4 3 WAYNESBURG KY 4 0 4 8 3