Do A Little Driving For Visually Impaired

Sun., June 21, 1998

Lynn Gibson Correspondent

There are still openings in the Lilac Blind Foundation’s Charity Golf Scramble Wednesday at Indian Canyon Golf Course. The tournament is sponsored by Target stores with proceeds to help the non-profit organization provide free services for blind and visually impaired individuals in our community.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. for the 18-hole mixed scramble using the Calloway scoring system. The tourney begins with a shotgun start at 7:45 a.m. Entry fees are $70 per player which include golf cart, prizes, raffles and lunch. Register by calling 328-9116.

NAB volunteers needed

Over 2,000 youths commit minor criminal offenses in our community each year. The Spokane County Juvenile Court is seeking volunteers to serve on the Neighborhood Accountability Board (NAB) to hold these youngsters accountable for their crimes while impacting their lives in a constructive manner. The NAB training session begins July 6.

Using established guidelines, teams of NAB volunteers meet with a juvenile offender to review the crime and impose a consequence for his or her behavior. NAB volunteers receive training, meet twice monthly, and participate in the program for at least a year.

Involvement with NAB provides volunteers the opportunity to enhance written and oral skills, understand the juvenile legal system, and make a difference in the community. For a volunteer application and screening interview appointment, contact Susan Cairy at 458-2469.

Community events

The 1998 Moran Fair Royalty will be officially introduced to the community at a “Strawberry Social” Thursday at the Moran Grange, 61st Avenue and Palouse Highway.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with a talent show at 7, followed by bingo and strawberry shortcake. Tickets are $3.50 for adults and $1.75 for children. Admission for kids five and under is free. The event is hosted by the Moran Fair Association, which is also sponsoring the Moran Fair, from Aug. 14 to 16. For more information, call 448-2903.

For children with disabilities, Easter Seals now offers respite care and recreation programs at the downtown Spokane YMCA. Children, ages 8 to 14, can enjoy sports, games, swimming, songs, dance and crafts under the care of trained Easter Seal volunteers.

Designed to give parents and caregivers a break from the demands of caring for a special needs child, Easter Seals programs also include new monthly “Parents’ Night Out” and “Kids’ Day Jamboree” sessions. For program information and volunteer opportunities, call Easter Seals at 326-8292.

Non-profit notes

A donation to Easter Seals is money well spent. For the 18th straight year, Easter Seals has ranked first among voluntary health agencies for the highest allocation of program dollars to provide direct client services.

Financial information from The National Health Council’s annual audit lists Easter Seals at the top of the 42 member agencies. The report shows that Easter Seals spent 94 percent of its total program expenses on direct services to help people with disabilities achieve greater independence. In comparison, the next member organization allocated 62 percent of its program dollars to direct client services.

The non-profit Easter Seals assists more than 10,000 people with disabilities in the state of Washington with programs including training placement, employment evaluation, respite care, computer-assistive technologies and housing access services. For information, call (800) 678-5708.

KUDOS Gov. Gary Locke has appointed Sue Manfred, executive director of the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, to serve as a member of the Washington State Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. Manfred’s one-year term begins this month. The Council meets on a regular basis to advise the governor’s office on issues impacting families and children in the state. Its purpose is to support statewide programs which build strong families and protect children, including parenting classes and support groups. Manfred will continue her responsibilities at the crisis nursery, overseeing programs to prevent child abuse by providing respite care to children while offering support to their parents.

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