Reflecting on PHFS' History pt. 2
The second post in a series highlighting our long-term volunteers!
These two women helped found Goose Hollow Family Shelter (now PHFS) in 1994, and they are still deeply involved today! Find out what has kept them inspired.
ED Brandi (with scissors) and Sonja (to her right) at the ribbon cutting to open Family Village!
Name: Sonja Connor
Length of Involvement: 27 years
What has inspired you to stay involved for so long? I have always been inspired to work in ways that would result in families with children getting out of homelessness - permanently! Better yet is to prevent families from becoming homeless in the first place.
Sonja (L) with Phyllis (R) celebrating a birthday at a board meeting.
How have you seen PHFS evolve and change over the years? PHFS continues to evolve! PHFS has met many challenges and found ways to create new programs that better meet the needs of our families. PHFS continues to listen carefully to families we serve, and then innovate to better support the dignity and autonomy of each family unit. Attending to equitable care and opportunity if paramount, and the PHFS team continues to grow in all of these life-giving ways.
Do you have any specific memories of Goose Hollow or Thirteen Salmon? One of my mealtimes at Goose Hollow, I sat down with a single mom who surprised me. She was finishing up a Fisheries Professional Program at PCC. She had two school-age boys with her in the shelter. Finances became short as she was in the last term of her college work, and they lost their home. She hoped this time would be short, as she would have a certificate for a job in several months. We have plenty to learn from our families, and our team listens carefully! I've always been impressed with our very skilled and caring staff.
Evelyn with her Volunteer Award
Evelyn brought a group of friends to Goose Hollow to provide hair cuts
Name: Evelyn Harry
Length of Involvement: 27 years
How have you seen PHFS evolve and change over the years? On my 80th birthday I retired from 15 years on the Goose Hollow (then PHFS) board. Over the years our work changed; from deciding what kind and how many mats to buy, to dreaming of a building of our own; from serving up to 8 families from 6:30 PM to 7:30 AM from November to April to serving 25 families 24/7/365.
Do you have any specific memories of Goose Hollow or Thirteen Salmon? I will never forget Sarah. It was her first night at Goose Hollow. As soon as we went to the gym and set up the family private spaces, Sarah laid down for a moment. Immediately she was sound asleep and snoring loudly. Her two pre-teens played with the other children, then had showers and went to bed. Sarah slept soundly and snored loudly all night. In the morning she came to me and apologized. She said, "I know I snored all night. I am so embarrassed. We have been living in my car for two weeks. I was so afraid for my girls I stayed awake. When we came here I knew they were safe. I was able to go to sleep. Please forgive me."
