Page 5 - HCG Newsletter Oct/Nov 2018

HAYWOOD COUNTY CONNECTION PAGE 5

More News from Recreation and Parks

Claire Carleton, Director of Recreation and Parks participated in the Poverty

Simulation event sponsored by Mountain Projects. “I had to navigate the life of a

single male just released from jail that lived with his girlfriend and her baby. We had

been evicted from her home and had a few days left to find work and housing before
being evicted from the homeless shelter. I found work but missed a week due to

unreliable transportation.”

The situation was eerily similar to one Claire had experienced only the week before
News from the Wellness Clinic
during a scheduled workday with HCDC inmates at Allens Creek Park. One inmate

was approved for work release so he could work to pay child support. The following
week, the inmate showed up for another park workday and Claire asked why he

wasn’t on work release. Due to reasons beyond his control, the job had been

delayed. The training and work incident provided more insight into situations close to

home and services our county as well as non-profits offer. It was also a time for

reflection on what remains to be done and thankfulness for a good job.

Photo courtesy of The
Mountaineer Publication.

Click here to go to The
Mountaineer webpage
and read the article.

News from Register of Deeds

Sherri Rogers, Registrar of Deeds, also participated in the Poverty Simulation event.

Sherri’s role in the poverty simulation was a working mother, my husband was
unemployed, and I had a sixteen year old daughter who was expecting a baby

and one other younger child. I missed one week of work because of unreliable

transportation which was detrimental to my family. My family needed every dime

of my paycheck to make ends meet. We were placed in a homeless shelter at

one point in the simulation. This simulation is so many families reality in our
community. With no transportation, it is so hard to keep a job. Without a good job,

it is almost impossible to have reliable transportation. I am thankful that Mountain

Projects allowed me to participate in the Poverty Simulation.