Page 4 - Sonoma County Gazette - October 2017

LETTERS cont’d from page 3
because many people refuse help. Those who turn down help don’t want the strings of expectations that are attached to the help. But others use the help and welcome it on many levels.
Personally I think families should take care of their own like they did when I was a kid. If the person doesn’t want that...then so be it. Same as that person not using the shelters for reasons of their own. Charity begins at home....not at the government or state office. ~ Donna Martin Seep
We had an amazing “Give back Tuesday”, September 19th at the Rainbow ! We raised $1285 towards Fife creek restoration! And had one $500 donation from The Marks once again! And on the 20th Scottie of Cazgal soaps brought us a check for another $500 she wanted to donate in the name of her Mom that has passed Joyce Scott! And also on the 20th Lynne Phillips donated yet another hundred dollars!
going to build this issue away, nor will we criminalize this issue away. The police cannot handle our social issue this time. Arrests and misdemeanor fines make it more difficult for a person to get shelter.
Thank you for your letter, Vesta
Encampment will continue if people need to sleep, eat and reside. The next time it may be you; gentrification is happening. Have you asked yourself where you will go when your shelter gets pulled?
This notion that if you put a homeless person in a house you will have a home. Flower gardens will bloom. Neighbors will share cooking recipes. And really all those in the vaguely sane spectrum of thought can pat themselves on the back.
Fife Creek Restoration
Demonizing the homeless only removes the condition from your minds. I suggest that you begin to do this work with humanity and dignity. Is it possible you could use the CHAP program around the river and supply those underrepresented individuals with porta pottys and garbage collection?
Of all the things the go on with homeless people a house is the last burden they need or many want. Their psychology is so destroyed that unless you create a chemical straight jacket they will never keep a roof over their head by choice.
With support, encampments do work as with Rememberance Village (formerly Camp Mikeala). WE are having an housing crisis, let’s take a good look around.
Until you step away from the hubris of your own design for your own happy self that should of course make others happy you can’t begin to have the empathy of what they need. Homeless people are quite often homeless because horrific things happened to them in homes and your solution is to put them back in a home ??? Seriously ?
I would like to put out a THANK YOU to our amazing community supporters listed above and not always listed! Bless you all from Friends of Fife Creek! We are on this Fife creek restoration to “no end” and so appreciate all your support! Last but not least a huge thank you to Vesta and the Sonoma County Gazette!
Anita LaFollette
You may not have read the Watershed Cleanups article, or been aware of Clean River Alliance’s work with offering trash service to homeless camps as a way to keep the river cleaner. People living in the camps are cooperating, and several are also accepting weekly visits from community health care providers. This is happening not just along the Russian River but also up in north county. And probably a few other places I am not as intimately aware
Chris Tognini
Vira, The California Mermaid
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of.I’m sure you are aware that homelessness is not just economic. Mental and physical health as well as substance abuse plays heavily into this problem, so it’s not just housing that will solve it. Finding people willing to rise out of substance abuse, and mentally and physically ill people being served by support that provides stability and care is also part of solutions people are trying. Each individual has a unique story so it’s not as easy as building structures and providing services. Volunteers and healthcare providers are very aware of the complexities since they encounter the challenges in their work.
Many volunteers put their time and energy into serving homeless people in all our communities. When someone takes an offered helping hand and uses it to rise out of their predicament into a fully-functions life, that’s when the reward comes for those who help. We never know which person will be the one who takes that hand and uses the help provided.
The Homers Task Force is comprised of very dedicated volunteers committed to finding solutions that work. They do not expect to be able to help every person
Send LETTERS to vesta@sonic.net
4 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 10/17