We had a great, but busy week and weekend. We had our 1st meeting of the new Members of the Board... which was a weekend meeting. We took tours and ate... met in the morning, then ate... met in the afternoon, then ate... took more tours, then had dinner... Got up the next morning and started over!  I'm exhausted again just thinking about it.

The overall wall we kept running into was the funraising aspect. Some of the people kept thinking about bowl-a-thons and bake sales, and where those are very profitable for schools or youth groups, they are not condusive for our needs and a monthly budget of $45,000.

This seemed to be a great weekend for non-profits!

There was a local Community Center in our town that raised several thousand dollars for kids after-school programs (due to the fact that the state cut funding for them). Along with other festivities, they had a rubber-duckie race in the river where they adopted out about a thousand ducks at $5 a pop... and it was great fun for the kids.

The MDA telethon was this weekend as well... WOW!! I think they raised like over 61 million dollars!! What a great foundation!

There were others as well all over our state. I guess what I'm seeing is, is that when folks see a real need, they get on board... I think that's awesome!

Well, as many may recognize... this is very new to me....
but so has just about everything in the last year!

My husband, David, and I are the new Executive Directors of Walker Study Center, a non-denominational faith-based non-profit drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Southern Oregon. (that's a mouthful) We are transplants from Southern California and came to Oregon after accepting this position last October.

Walker Study Center is a residential facility that will house 22 young men age 18 and above. They will commit to a 10 month program where they will have the opportunity for Discipleship, counseling, family counseling, Biblical Studies, Educational Instruction, Job skills and preparation and much more.

We Believe that "Restoration" is a more favorable word than rehabilitation. It takes more than just 30 days in a crisis center and 12 steps. These men need to be restored to their faith, themselves, their family and to society.

We will be opening the doors to Walker Study Center this Fall... and it's been a long road getting here. A lot of planning, meetings, paperwork, etc... However, it will be so rewarding to see lives changed when all is said and done.

Please keep us in your prayers and thoughts as we seek to open the doors of opportunity to these men, leading them to God and away from the drugs and alcohol that have held them hostage for so many years.