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A Wonderful Time Was Had at “Art From The Heart 2014”
On May 3rd 2014 Valley Restart, in partnership with The Diamond Valley Arts Council, held its 5th annual “Art From The Heart” event and fundraiser. This year’s event was held in at the Diamond Valley Arts Center in San Jacinto in partnership with the Diamond Valley Arts Council. New this year was a 3 week preview period of much of the art available for auction on the night of the event. The art was on display for the general public and pre-event bids were taken.
Over 65 people donated time, art, or silent auction items 2 wineries and 10 food vendors provided the sustenance. Thirty five pieces of art were auctioned and there were 50 items available in the silent auction. The event grossed and estimated $8,000.
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Good-bye Rev. James Hall
With great regret we have to announce the retirement of Rev. James Hall as our Community Resource Specialist. If you’ve been involved with Valley Restart you know this Valley Restart Icon. Rev. Jim has been our link to the Rotary Club, Interfaith Council, Chamber of Commerce, and many other community organizations and churches. Over the Years Rev. Jim has successfully spearheaded our fundraisers such as Art From The Heart and Sizzling August Nights. Rev. Hall will remain an active part of the Valley Restart Board but we will miss him tremendously!
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Director’s Corner by Linda Rogers
The Key to a Successful Program at Valley Restart Shelter
Who Puts What in the Pot? Here Are Examples...
Without what is so generously given, we would have little to offer. So many volunteer hours fill the gaps: providing a pair of hands to help, hours to answer phones, help fill out employment applications and create resumes, sort clothes, man yard sales, cook, clean, be on fundraising committees, drive, donate, listen and give sage advice.
Below, we have listed a few of our community partners who have become “pot-fillers”:
- Barbara Brown Foundation, overseen by Valley Health Systems, provided funding for a remodel of Valley Restart’s Learning Center and for tutoring and counseling for children temporarily disabled by their families’ state of homelessness.
- Riverside County Office on Education and The Learning Edge offered testing, assessment and tutoring for all children 2-18 years old staying at Valley Restart, which we did in the Learning Center.
- YouthBuild, a California Family Life Center and Riverside County Office on Education mentoring program for young adults interested in learning trades in the construction field, used Valley Restart as a training site to remodel the Learning Center and upgrade the Reception Area and offices.
- HomeAid, a non-profit organization with an Inland Empire branch, provided funds, expertise and materials for the Learning Center as a part of their mission to improve housing for the homeless and those in need.
- Home Depot provided materials for the upgrade of the Learning Center and the offices.
- Lowe’s made Valley Restart their Volunteer Community Project this year. Volunteers spent time fixing, painting, planting and beautifying the grounds.
- An Eagle Scout project combined with the Girl Scouts to provide curtains for each of the Family Rooms.
- The Bishop’s Storehouse, an arm of the Churches of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, through their Humanitarian Grant process provided monthly food supplies and other items essential to Valley Restart operations.
- Soboba Foundation provided a $1000 donation toward security system for the facility.
- Forty-one churches and service organizations provided food for and prepared an evening meal on a regular basis for each of the 365 days this year. Some provided a monthly hot lunch or breakfast well.
- Fresh and Easy, Little Debbie distributors, Starbucks at the Hemet Mall and on Palm/Florida and Panera all have blessed our participants with their overstock. Our Lady of the Valley provided overstock of donated produce to us too.
- Hemet Unified School District offered Valley Restart all the excess lunch items throughout the year.
- Walgreens provided flu shots for all residents and staff.
- Donated working computers allowed for us to fill a need in the Learning Center and to upgrade our own systems. Residents who had an interest in having a computer system when they were discharged were given one as well as any of the donated televisions.
- E-waste, newspapers and cardboard recycling donates by many throughout the community all added income.
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Meet the Board
We want you to know who is on the board! Many of the board are longtime members and supporters, they include:
Pastor Randy Jones, President
Ret Pastor John Bunge
Vice President Hank Schmitz
Secretary Winston Green, past President
Marv Nottingham
Susan Devine
Rev. Jim Hall
Dr Jorge Larrando
Dorothy McGargill
Some of the newer Board includes:
Andrea McKenna, Treasurer
Min. Fred McKnight Lisa Quinn
In the next few issues we will be featuring the Board Members so you can get to know them better!
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SAVE THE DATE!!! Sizzling August Night
Saturday, August 2nd 2014! 5pm to 8pm FREE ADMISSION
This year’s FREE event will include and even bigger car show with awards, bounce house, petting zoo, hamburgers and hot dogs ($6.00), vendors, children’s corner crafts, silent auction and raffle and a karaoke contest! Come enjoy a great summer evening in our community! BBQ tickets available at the VRS office or purchase online:
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A lifetime of substance abuse finally overcome. The story of LQ
LQ came to use after a life of addiction and bad choices. In trouble as a teenager, she was in out of home placements by the time she was 14 including a convent and youth authority. In order to support herself and her habit she turned to several criminal activities and went in and out of jail and prison.
From 1981 through 2014 she went in and out of active addiction. LQ would have periods of sobriety. During these periods she was able to get children back from CPS and even owned a home. Unfortunately whenever crisis occurred she would fall back on old habits, including drug use and criminal activity. LQ would spend almost 30 years in this cycle. She was able to clean up and maintain herself for a while, and then would fall back, never quite able to keep herself on track.
In 2013 she was released from prison and went to live with her mother and one of LQ’s children. Her mother was suffering from dementia and passed away, triggering another bout with drugs. LQ sought help from her parole officer, requesting to be returned to prison, but for the first time LQ went to treatment at Hacienda Valdez. When she left treatment she was enrolled in a special program with Mental Health called AB109 and was partnered with a Peer Support Specialist. The Peer Support Specialist brought her to Valley Restart.
When LQ came to VRS she was physically and emotionally crippled. The years of substance abuse, incarceration, and general self-neglect had really take their toll. However LQ would have to wait a few days for an opening to become available. During this wait LQ stumbled under the fear and stress and used the day before she entered Valley Restart. This discovery jeopardized her entry into VRS and LQ was given the choice to come clean to her Peer Support Specialist or leave the program. With the support of VRS she choose to come clean. LQ was subject to drug testing for an extended period as a result of her choices, but once she choose to stay she was immensely successful. During her stay she was able to remain clean and sober, get medical and dental care and was admitted into a permanent housing program in the desert area.
LQ stays in touch and continues to be successful. Shortly after she left she was approved for social security. We are so proud of her and her success!
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Looking Forward
Valley Restart is currently preparing for the next big event, Sizzling August Night. In addition we are continuing to look at where we can make repairs and upgrades to our facility, with the next focus being the facilities bathrooms.
The new Community Resource Specialist, Andrea McKenna will be out and about meeting our community members, and trying to expand our network of resources. This includes improving our communications, starting with this newsletter, and including electronic and snail mail contact.
If you haven’t already done so please visit our web site at www.valleyrestart.org and sign up for our electronic communication. You can also see our up-coming events, and make donations at the web site. We would also encourage you to visit our Facebook page (Valley Restart Shelter) and become our “friend”. We post all of our events on Facebook as well as the yard sale dates and any special needs we have.
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Join Our Online Mailing List!
The cost of printing and mailing newsletters is expensive. We welcome you to join our e-blast mailing list. You may opt out at any time. Please call us at (951) 766-7476 and give us your e-mail address or use the form below.
Register For Our On-Line Newsletter
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