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Mother Oaks Child Center for Grieving Children |
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| In
September Mother Oak's Child Center for Grieving Children launched
a citywide Pay it Forward campaign with at community celebration with
400 people in attendance. Mother Oak's produced and distributed 5000
"Pay it Forward" bumper stickers and 7500 lapel stickers
throughout the city. As part of the celebration, Mother Oak's auctioned
large baskets filled with goods and then passed the baskets on to
other local non-profits. The Humane Society, Women's Crisis Center,
and Homeless Shelter received necessary goods to support their programs.
Each of the 400 people in attendance received a hand-made fabric covered
box that contained five post cards requesting the recipient to tell
Mother Oak's about the "Pay it Forward" experience in their
lives. In addition to the kick off party the following has happened:
Three proclamations:
The Salem City Club-a local community service organization invited "Pay it Forward Ambassadors" Trey Malicoat and Krina Lemons to address their club and then they proclaimed December as the Pay it Forward month and challenged members to "do something real good" The Salem Chamber of Commerce Leadership class adopted the "Pay it Forward" concept as their theme for to 2001-2002 year. They are focusing their education and community resources on local non-profits and businesses and will conclude the year with a special "Pay it Forward" project. This speaking engagement was featured on local TV. Pringle Elementary School has displayed a "Pay it Forward" bulletin board and puts the names of kids caught doing something "real good" on the board. Sprague High School has designated a "Pay it Forward" week in January to educate the student boy about the concept, promote PIF activities and celebrate the results. Schirle Middle School's 5th grade class has created "Pay it Forward" calendars celebrating the concept and is distributing them throughout the school. Western Oregon University Student Shauna Bates distributed a small handbill to people all over campus suggesting they take a student home for thanksgiving. She then served as a coordinator to connect lonely students with families who wanted to open their homes. Blanchet Catholic School administration made "Pay it Forward" the theme for staff and showed the movie as a motivator at the first staff meeting. Ongoing PIF activities have happened in multiple classes. Salem Riverfront Carrousel has adopted "Pay it Forward" as their organizational directive and has encouraged their staff and board to give free carrousel rides to unsuspecting children and to do other PIF activities in the greater community. 2000 teacher education kits were distributed to area teachers. This kit included a laminated card of 50 ways to PIF, a book on supporting children through change, bumper stickers, lapel stickers, and a 4-page curriculum instruction kit for various disciplines to most effectively teach the PIF concept. Mother Oak's Child and Willamette Valley Hospice with the very generous support of the Pay it Forward Foundation offered live presentations by Catherine Ryan Hyde to all area middle and high schools during the week of November 5-8th. Catherine spoke to four area high schools, Western Oregon University, eight middle schools, and conducted a citywide writers circle-over 10,000 area students heard the powerful message of hope! The best part of the campaign is, knowing that all sorts of things are happening throughout the area-the ball is rolling and the greater community is celebrating "Pay it Forward"! Thanks, |
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