Off site meetings are always fun and the day’s meeting at the new, under remodel YWCA was no exception. KARL CORPRON met everyone at the door and directed us to the cozy conference room for our meeting. STEVE SOELBERG invocated and JULIUS GLOVER led us in song (which sounded much better in the smaller room). LOUISE TABAYOYAN brought the lone guest, Julia Hennesy her colliege at the YWCA and a prospective member.

President RON honored our veterans in attendance, JOHN BENSON, STEVE EMHOFF, and WENDY AGUILAR. We were also asked to think of DON DAVIDSON who is home from the hospital recovering from pneumonia.

JOHN WARREN alerted us all to the Salvation Army Bell Ringing in two weeks. The sign up list is on the Kiwanis website, first come first served. Send an e-mail to PAT DANIELSON with your preferred time and place.

ROGER BELL announced that Tuesday night, 11/18/08, at 6:00 p.m. will be the Division Council Meeting at Keith & Keith in Terrace Heights.

Because we were off site, there was no Bingo, 50/50, or Sergeant, so we were able to get right to the day’s program, Elizabeth Farley, Executive Director of the YWCA. She started by quizzing us on the four types of domestic violence. Wendy was able to name them,
Physical
Mental
Verbal
Emotional
and Elizabeth explained that the YWCA runs the largest facility in Central Washington with over 8,900 bed nights last year. The current facility is full, but when the women and children using it move into the new building, nine months ahead of schedule, they will have a great new place to recover from one or more of the four types of domestic violence they have suffered.
Elizabeth couldn’t say enough good things about the generosity of the Yakima community. She spoke of needing $1.7 million, in cash, in order to open the doors of the new facility and it somehow materialized in time to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving in the new building. Though all of us in the room could easily see it was Elizabeth’s passion and enthusiasm that helped the money come in.
The new building will double the space of the existing emergency shelter. When phase two is open in another year or so (and another $8 million), transitional housing will be added to the mix of services the YWCA offers. These services currently include: legal advocacy, support groups, working women’s wardrobe, 72-hour response line, transitional housing assistance, and life skills classes. Soon to be added will be the playground equipment that our Kiwanis Club has purchased for the patio area.
Elizabeth then showed us a video of where the women and children have been staying and took us on a tour of where they will soon be staying. Quite an accomplishment in a short period of time.

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