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Spring 2016 Focus Flipbook PDF

The spring edition of JVC Northwest's Focus newsletter, celebrating our 60th Anniversary! Inside, you'll find st

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A year of service. A world of difference.

Focus Sneak Peek

Reflections from 1956 and 2016 Volunteers 60th Anniversary Celebrations FJV Survey Report

spring 2016

The Newsletter of Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest

SPRING 2016 Volume 61, Number 1

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Our 60th Anniversary celebration has begun! In this issue of Focus, volunteers from 1956 and 2016 share their insights into this transformational service year, from our simple beginnings to the current volunteer experience. Our values of community, simple living, social and ecological justice, and spirituality shine forth in their reflections. Jeanne Haster To prepare for this anniversary, we conducted a Former Jesuit Volunteer (FJV) survey in June 2015 which resulted in over 840 Northwest FJVs’ participation. The goal of the survey was to help us learn more about FJVs’ experiences, understand ways FJVs want to grow and engage in the values, and help us plan our future outreach and anniversary celebrations. The survey revealed how significantly the JV experience affected FJVs in their lives since their year(s) of service. Community relationships formed during the JV year(s) are strong and often life-long: 70% of FJVs are in frequent or occasional contact with their JV housemates. Many expressed how the JV experience has guided their lives and vocations; 85% shared that their JV experience directly influenced their career or vocational path, and they shared stories of how their experience has led them in their life journey. It is significant how this one year (or a few years!) has substantially impacted former JVs’ lives — in ways large and small. The survey has shaped our outreach efforts and 60th Anniversary celebrations. A major grant has allowed us to hire new staff for increased outreach to FJVs, including new JVC Northwest alumni chapters, a Portland Alumni Council of young formers, and a National Alumni Council (see page 11 for more information). We chose an anniversary logo depicting a compass, which represents the transformative direction of the JV experience and embraces the four core values that guide our lives and career paths. As a result of the survey, we are hosting book clubs, inviting participation in values challenges, and organizing FJV retreats. The goal of the 60th celebration is to help us rediscover our roots in JVC Northwest, reconnect us to our values and relationships, and recommit us to continue making a positive difference in our communities. An infographic report on the FJV survey can be found on page 10. We hope you will invite potential JVs to join JVC Northwest in our 2016-17 anniversary year, so they might also experience the transformation of a year of service. Ask them to walk with those who experience poverty, homelessness, disabilities, addiction, domestic violence, and HIV/AIDS; to offer their skills and knowledge to children in the classroom, youth at risk, and people with health concerns; to improve damaged eco-systems; to accompany people in hospice; and, to assist refugees and immigrants in accessing needed services. We need their enthusiasm, gifts, and openness to experiencing a challenging year full of giving, receiving, and growing — just as JVs have generously done for six decades! 

Jeanne Haster, Executive Director

OUR MISSION STATEMENT Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC) Northwest responds to local community needs in the Pacific Northwest by placing volunteers who provide valuecentered service grounded in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Honoring the Divine at work in all things, we envision the Northwest as a s ustainable region where all live in dignity, are treated justly, and actively contribute to their own empowerment and positive change in their communities. JVC Northwest strives to live out the four values of community, simple living, social and ecological justice, and spirituality/reflection.

Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest • P. O. Box 22125 • Portland, OR 97269 p 503.335.8202 • f 503.249.1118 • [email protected] • www.jvcnorthwest.org

SPRING 2016 Volume 61, Number 1

Board Update Jim Buck, Board Chair (Omak, WA ’69-71)

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emerges more from facing challenges than from easily attained successes. I was fortunate to find a life-partner in another Jesuit Volunteer, Mary Ann (Omak, WA ’68-70), whom I married after my second year as a volunteer at St. Mary’s. Among our closest friends have been other volunteers with whom we’ve stayed in touch—frequently meeting to “rediscover” or replay moments of joy, challenges, personal losses, and blessings. We’ve stayed in touch with two of St. Mary’s Jesuit priests over the years, and they are treated as part of our family. We currently belong to a spirituality group comprised largely of former volunteers and JV EnCorps members. JVC Northwest gives birth to connections that continue to provide sustenance and richness to our lives. 47 years later, one of our students still calls Mary Ann and me, “Mom and Dad.” How do you top that for connections? Our youngest daughter, Emily, became a Jesuit Volunteer in 2006, creating yet another touchstone with JVC Northwest as she served in Sitka, Alaska and fell in love with that community, discovering her new home. Mary Ann and I have had the pleasure of serving as a support couple for the JVC Northwest community in Gresham, Ore. The volunteers’ energy and commitment have been refreshing and renewing for us. Both Mary Ann and I have served on the JVC Northwest Board of Directors. We relish the sharing that comes with working with people who are so committed to making a difference with their lives. Each board meeting, no matter the stress of certain agenda items, offers a palpable grace that touches me to the core.

As classical literature and spiritual guides instruct, life is really about finding your way home, to a place where you truly belong and find purpose. Within JVC Jim and MaryAnn Northwest, I have indeed found that home for nearly 50 years. It is with utmost gratitude that I recount my connections with JVC Northwest and the gifts it has brought to my life. Graduating from Gonzaga University in 1969, I wanted to share my newly honed teaching skills with Native Americans who, at the time, seemed to be among the most vulnerable and marginalized in our society. My heart-felt passion meshed with an invitation by Fr. Joe Obersinner, S.J. to become a JV and come to St. Mary’s on the Colville Indian Reservation. Upon my arrival, I sensed immediately I was “home,” as if fulfilling a destiny, as though my entire life had been a preparation for this purpose. I taught seventh and eighth grade students at St. Mary’s and lived at the school with approximately 21 other Jesuit Volunteers and three Jesuit priests, who together tried to provide care and a family environment for “our kids.” That large family of 180 people, literally breaking bread together every day, was a life-changing experience for me. Being immersed into a different culture and confronting myriad challenges of a novice teacher caused me to question so much about life, my limJim in Omak, Wash. in 1969. ited wisdom, and my own grit. I realized that growth

JVC Northwest Staff Grace Badik, Program Coordinator* Karen Beal, JV EnCorps Program Manager Diane Blankenship, Business Manager Nicole Bowman, Program and Communication Assistant Jessica Bridges, Program Coordinator Jeff Bull, On-Call Handyperson Anna Burnham, Recruiter* Carolyn Chu, Program Coordinator* Christie Costello, Managing Editor, Recruitment & Marketing Manager* Carrie Courtney, AmeriCorps Administrative Assistant Ulla Dosedal, AmeriCorps Coordinator Anne Douglas, Director of Advancement Jeanne Haster, Executive Director* Angie Hummel, Program Coordinator

Whitney Johnson, Development Coordinator Sarah Jones, Alumni Coordinator* Clarissa McDearmon, Assistant to Director of Advancement* Martha McElligott, Administrative Assistant to the ED Matthew Norris, Program Coordinator Greg Ouellette, Program Coordinator* Sandy Parker, Business Assistant Helen Pitts, JV EnCorps Seattle Program Coordinator Amy Potthast, Director of Programs Zach Reuter, Outreach and Events Coordinator Rebecca Sutton-Kanyako, AmeriCorps Program Manager

2015-2016 Board of Directors Christine Auerbach, Secretary Kevin Grainey, Treasurer

continued on page 5

Mike Bayard, S.J. James Buck, Chair* B. John Casey Gerald Cobb, S.J. Francis Connell, III** June Cooley Mary Doherty* Thomas Greene Jeanne Haster, Ex Officio* William Larkins Pat Partlow** Barbara Scharff Kathleen Swift, Vice Chair David Thompson *denotes Former Jesuit Volunteer ** denotes current JV EnCorps member

SPRING 2016 Volume 61, Number 1

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Celebrating 60 years

Since 1956, passionate volunteers have committed to a year or more of service throughout the Northwest as Jesuit Volunteers. As of January of 2016, we are excited to be celebrating our 60-year history and the future ahead of us. We hope you’ll join us! The theme of our anniversary, “Rediscover, Reconnect, Recommit” invites us all to rediscover the Jesuit Volunteer experience, reconnect with JVC Northwest and your community, and recommit to the core values of simple living, community, social and ecological justice, and spirituality. We’ve recently debuted a new anniversary logo to kick off the celebrations. The anniversary logo depicts a compass, a fitting symbol, as it represents the transformative journey of the Jesuit Volunteer experience and how that experience has helped many JVs find their direction and an understanding of their life purpose. The compass holds the four core values that guide our journey and help point the way forward in our careers and life. There are a number of ways we will celebrate during the anniversary: Events: Each year, JVC Northwest brings together friends and supporters of JVC Northwest to celebrate the service of JVs and help sustain the organization into the future. This year, as we commemorate 60 years of rich history, we will celebrate in both Seattle, Wash., on May 14, 2016 and Portland, Ore., on June 18, 2016. Mark your calendars now and prepare to rediscover, reconnect, and recommit at these two major events! Learn more about the events on page 11.

Reunions: As we celebrate 60 years of community, we encourage people to gather (or continue to gather!) with former community mates and other FJVs. Perhaps your community would like to reunite for the big Seattle or Portland events, or create a space to get away for a weekend of reconnecting. If you’d like help contacting a long-lost community mate or other FJVs, contact our Alumni Coordinator, Sarah Jones, at 503-335-8202 or [email protected]. We especially encourage reunions for communities celebrating 10, 25, 50, and 60 years of “ruined life” together. Book Clubs: In January, JVC Northwest launched a world-wide book club as part of the 60th Anniversary celebrations, thanks to valuable feedback from our 2015 Former JV Survey. We are offering both in-person meetings across the country and a “virtual book club” format throughout the year. Over the four book clubs, we’ll focus on a different core value of JVC Northwest. Learn more about the upcoming sessions on page 12. Retreats: In partnership with fellow service programs Brethren Volunteer Service and Mission Year, we offered retreats for former volunteers the weekend of April 22-24 in both Chicago, Ill., and Troutdale, Ore. Visit jvcnorthwest.org/60th for more retreat opportunities throughout the country to bring former volunteers together!

Values Challenges: How do you connect with JVC Northwest’s core values of simple living, community, social & ecological justice, and spirituality? We invite you to deepen this commitment during the 60th Anniversary! Join other former JVs virtually, or in person, as we recommit to the values in our daily lives. Throughout 2016 we will focus on each of the values, one at a time, and deepen our understanding of them. We’ll offer simple living challenges in April, community challenges in July, social and ecological justice challenges in October, and spirituality challenges in December/January 2017. Visit jvcnorthwest.org/60th to learn how to participate. You’ll find more about the 60th Anniversary is featured throughout this issue — we hope you’ll join us to rediscover, reconnect, and recommit during this celebration!

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JV EnCorps Celebrating Five Years of Service in the Northwest Jesuit Volunteer (JV) EnCorps, a program of JVC Northwest, engages individuals ages 50 and older in a transformative experience of intentional service, providing a space to serve others, build community, and explore spiritual formation. As JVC Northwest celebrates its 60th Anniversary, JV EnCorps commemorates five years of service in the Northwest! Our initial Portland-based JV EnCorps group convened in January 2012 with 15 JV EnCorps members (JVEs), each serving five to ten hours weekly through a total of ten local nonprofit partners. Now in our fifth year, JV EnCorps engages 66 JVEs contributing to social and ecological justice throughout 82 nonprofit partners in Portland and Bend, Ore., and Seattle, Wash. In September 2016, we will launch a new JV EnCorps group in Spokane, Wash.! In Portland, we now have two groups of JVEs; the newest is a collaboration between JVC Northwest and Jesuit High School. This group is comprised of JVEs who are parents of Jesuit High School alumni. These parents, having dedicated many volunteer hours to the success of Jesuit High while their children were students, are now searching for new ways to contribute to the betterment of the Portland community. JV EnCorps offers them a community rooted in Ignatian spirituality that supports them in service, simple living, and spiritual formation. We anticipate that this group will grow significantly in the coming year. JV EnCorps is now recruiting for all of our groups in Portland, Seattle, Bend, and Spokane! If you feel called to serve or

2015-16 Portland JVEs (front row, L-R): Karen Beal, Marianne LaBarre, Kathleen Glover, Jane Mize, Mary Davidson, Karen Ford, Carole Myers, and Anne Mildenberger; (back row, L-R): Cathie Jarosz, Fran ArrietaWalden, Pat Partlow, Gabriella Maertens, John Braunger, Margaret Johnson, Lucy Nonnenkamp, and Corby Ward. Not Photographed: Frank Connell, Mary Marre, Nancy Molina, Marilyn Veomett, and Kay Weaver.

2015-16 Seattle JVEs (front row, L-R): Jo Plorde, Deb Easter, Pat McCoy, Dianne McAuliffe, Kate McJannet, Paul Snow, and Denny Duffell; (mini row, L-R): Kathy Johnson and Storey Winder; (middle row, L-R): Nancy Walton-House, Brigid Anderson, Helen Harris, Peggy Frazier, Elizabeth Hansen, and Carole Woodard; (back row, L-R): Pam Jarnigan, Becky Colwell, Mary Zoppi, Margaret Milanowski, Bill Anderson, Bill McJannet, Helen Pitts, Jane Krebs, and Alex Krebs. Not Photographed: Sr. Margaret Dimond, Tony Charity, and Pete Wickstrand.

know someone who might be, please contact us for more informa tion and an application for the next program year, beginning in September 2016. If you live in a city/community interested in having a JV EnCorps group, please contact our JV EnCorps Program Manager, Karen Beal, at: at 503-335-8202 or [email protected] Website: www.jvencorps.org 

Board Update, continued from Page 3

In this 60th Anniversary year we celebrate the vitality of JVC Northwest, we discern its warmth that radiates afar, and its passion to make life-changing differences for those on the margins. We recognize, perhaps more profoundly, that JVC Northwest’s major impact across its history has been in bringing people home to themselves through sharing with others. 

Corrections: we’d like to correct the misspellings of two names in our previous Fall 2016 edition of Focus: from the article “Walking Humbly in Yakima, Washington,” Eric Anderson should be Erin Anderton (Washington, DC ’83-84); from the In Memoriam section, Beth Blankmeier should be Beth Blankemeier. We apologize for these errors. 

“All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents.” – Pope Francis, Laudato Si

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SPRING 2016 Volume 61, Number 1

1956 Volunteer Reflections

In 1956, a few committed volunteers helped build and teach in the new Copper Valley School in Copper Valley, Alaska, a boarding school for Native Alaskan and European-descent Alaskan students. These first volunteers were recruited and supported by the Jesuits of the Oregon Province and the Sisters of St. Anne. While this movement and gathering of volunteers wasn’t formally named Jesuit Volunteer Corps until later, we trace our roots back to this small group of volunteers. Here are some of their stories. Jackie Langlois (Copper Valley, AK ’56-58) First a few facts on some of the volunteers from 1956: two volunteers were graduates from Anna Maria College, in Paxton, Mass.: Shirley Richards and Rosemary Bobka. Two were graduates of Regis College: Anne Kent and Margie Mannix Spils. Then one mongrel, yours truly, only a graduate of a Commercial High School. Our nickname was the Flannellets. We all arrived together. Sometime later, Jeannette Rageotte from Rhode Island came up to help, as did her brother. Jeannette did a great deal of the cooking. Caribou, moose, rabbit, duck, and whatever else she could find. It was suggested that the first bunch of volunteers were the seed of the Corps. I have no idea when the Corps "was born" into the world. The first group went up to help set a dream in motion to have a school and it was called the Copper Valley School Project. I decided to volunteer after I heard Sister George Edmund, SSA speak at my church in Worcester, Mass. She showed us slides of the children and spoke about the Mission of Holy Cross in the western part of Alaska and a school that was in the planning stages. “Train these children to go into the world prepared,” she said. At the time I went to speak with her, I was a title examiner and office worker for a title company. She was sure she could use me. So bottom line, I went because I was touched by Sister George’s plea for the children. Alaska was just a territory and not a state then. It was a wilderness in many parts. It was rugged and awesome in the true sense of the word. To get us up there, Sister went on a radio show called Queen for a Day to raise funds. She earned enough. My first job at the school project was to write to all the people who had sent Sister George money for her school. Some were from children: a penny, a nickel, a dime. . . . I used a manual typewriter. No electricity; no plumbing (an outhouse was our accommodation). When we arrived we slept in bunkbeds (top bunk warmer at night but colder in the morning). The beds were part of the chapel building, away from the main buildings going up. There was a partition wall separating the chapel and our bunkbeds. The Sisters also slept in the same room behind the chapel, and we were awakened each morning with the sisters reciting, in unison, the Angelus. As it was being built, we all moved down to the school which was being built into a series Copper Valley School of buildings arranged like spokes of a wheel, each spoke a long building: kitchen, chapel, boys dorm, girls dorm, etc. Anne, Margie, Shirley, and Rosemarie taught. When anyone was sick, I would sub. Typing, shorthand, office practice, English, History, etc. The Sisters of St. Anne were in charge of the girls, and the "Misters," as part of their priestly training, were in charge of the boys. Sister George Edmund was sister superior. Fr. James Spils, S.J., Fr. Fallert, S.J. were the priests. When I returned home I decided I wanted to teach English. I had a taste of it while subbing and I loved it. Anna Maria College accepted me as a student based on my work in Alaska with the sisters. And so I taught and, of course, ran the Mission Club. Although a cliché, I received more than I The first volunteers at Copper Valley. gave. I met living saints and lived and walked with them.

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Al (Gil) Gyllenhammer (Copper Valley, AK ’56-58) I was invited by Fr. Jack Buchanan, S.J. to come and help Fr. James “Jake” Spils, S.J. build a school complex. I laid the blocks for the boy’s dorm, then served as Brother George Feltes’ right hand man in Anchorage driving trucks, getting surplus from Elmendorf AFB, going back and forth to Copper Valley with loads of materials, supplies, and stuff. In the meantime and in between time I did some carpentry work at Copper Valley. When Brother Feltes was transferred to Fairbanks, I was appointed and anointed as the chief purchaser and expeditor for Copper Valley School in Anchorage (I didn’t even know what those words meant). In the fall of ’58 I began my studies for the priesthood with the Jesuits, until I left in ’66. Fr. John Gurr, S.J. then asked Donna (my now wife) and me to come to Fairbanks, Alaska, to run a boys’ home. We later moved to Spokane and raised a family. Both of our sons volunteered to work Gil at work in Copper Valley. with the Jesuits; one at St. Mary’s, Alaska; the other at El Paso, Texas, with Fr. Rick Thomas, S.J. Donna and I have since been working with the Jesuit missionaries on the Spokane Indian Reservation (and occasionally our daughter as well). After 33 years of teaching I am now retired and we’re still involved with our Jesuit brothers. My real claim to fame is that I was the very first Santa Claus at Copper Valley School in the Christmas Gil and his wife, Donna. of ’56. If I had a compass, it would point out "meaning" in all I do and all I knew. I learned to SEE meaning in myself and in the volunteers. I learned to LOVE this meaning in us all. I learned to LIVE this meaning of us all. In all I have come to see the image and likeness of God in us all. Gil as Santa in 1956.

Father Tom Gallagher, S.J. Fr. Tom Gallagher, S.J., worked with Jesuit Volunteers in Alaska for five years at Copper Valley, three years at St. Mary’s, three years (at Monroe High School) in Fairbanks, and six years in Bethel. He currently resides in Anchorage. I first came to Copper Valley as a scholastic in 1956; they sent me to Holy Cross to fly these kids to Copper Valley, when Holy Cross Mission shut down. I was “Mr. Gallagher” from 1956 through 1958. I had charge of 12 boys, 14 and under. The school was not finished yet so we used the classrooms for sleeping quarters and had old military bunks, one on top of the other. Most of the kids used sleeping bags. We had no running water so there were a lot of chores such as hauling water. I left for Theology and final vows, was at Monroe in Fairbanks from 1962-63 and returned to Copper Valley as “Fr. Gallagher” from 1964-67. I was a classroom teacher and principal. When I think of the Jesuit Volunteers I met there, the opening prayer of the fourth Sunday of Lent comes to mind: “Let us hasten towards Easter with the eagerness of faith and love.” That describes these people, these Jesuit Volunteers. They challenged me. The quality of character and their professionalism pushed me to do better. The volunteers I met over the years brought an atmosphere to Copper Valley that made it more of a family. They loved each other and had a great time. Copper and St. Mary’s would never have happened without the volunteers. After my time there, I worked with volunteers in Fairbanks, St. Mary’s, and Bethel. When I was in Bethel I was working for the state schools. We had JVs in the school dorm, group home, and parish. One night a week we had Mass and sharing. I recently attended the 40 year Fr. Tom Gallagher, S.J. reunion of the Bethel volunteers last summer. 

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2016 Volunteer Reflections

How might the experience of volunteers in Copper Valley compare to the Jesuit Volunteer experience today? We asked current JVs the same questions as those who volunteered in 1956. Below are the stories of JVs currently serving: their reflections about their current roles, what motivated them to serve this year, what their experience has been like thus far, and if/how they potentially see this year acting as a “compass” for them. Maggie Ayau Academic Support, Pretty Eagle Catholic Academy St. Xavier, MT When I discovered JVC Northwest as a college senior, I found it strange that this top-rated service program didn’t even list service as one of its four core values. Now, after serving as a JV for what will be two years, I can see why: the four values of spirituality, social and ecological justice, simple living, and community do not replace the value of service, but rather inform and enhance it. They are essential to sustaining a meaningful relationship with the world. Although I didn’t understand this fully when I applied, I sensed that JVC Northwest’s full-bodied approach to service would help me learn how to be not only a more active citizen, Maggie at Orientation. but a more aware and appreciative person. In this, I was not disappointed. For the past two years my service has been based in rural reservation communities in Montana. Living and serving on the Ft. Belknap and Crow Reservations have allowed me to humbly reevaluate my own cultural biases, learn about Native histories from Native peoples, and reflect on the ways in which I participate in and benefit from unjust systems. And then, of course, act. From 2014-2015 I served as the 2nd grade teacher of Aaniiih (White Clay) and Nakoda (Assiniboine) students at St. Paul’s Mission Grade School in Hays; this year, I serve the young people of the Apsáalooke (Crow) nation as an Academic Support Specialist at Pretty Eagle Catholic Academy in St. Xavier. Much of my day is spent helping 1st through 5th grade readers build fluency and comprehension. I hope I can continue using literacy and literature as a way of empowering young students, particularly Native students, to better understand their histories and compose their future stories. This I know for certain: the practices, relationships, and lessons I gained as a JV will stick with me long down the road as I continue pursuing opportunities to expand my worldview, deepen my spiritual and cultural awareness, and develop my gifts to contribute to a more just and compassionate world for all.

Caley Terry Client Specialist, Bethel Alaska Public Defender Agency Bethel, AK This year, I serve as a client advocate for the State of Alaska Public Defender Agency. I help connect people to resources (housing, substance abuse treatment, etc.) that’ll help them stabilize their lives. I sought out JVC Northwest to serve and discern. By walking alongside people figuring out their future, I hoped to figure out my own as well. As a JV, I am a part of a long legacy of volunteers. My housemates and I have the unique opportunity to build on a decades-long Caley (second from left) with Bethel JVs. relationship from all the volunteers that have served in Bethel before me. People know us before we introduce ourselves and seek us out because we are JVs. It is a privilege to be asked to serve this city’s needs. Even halfway through my year, my compass needle still dances. I thought this year would point me to a career path, but instead I don’t find myself thinking in terms of career anymore. Instead I find myself asking, “How can I invest my life into a comCaley at a dog sled race. munity?” I don’t have an answer for that yet.

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Tony Newton Next Step Job Training and Office Operations Coordinator Furniture Bank, Catholic Charities of Spokane, WA This year, I serve as the Next Step Job Training Coordinator for Catholic Charities Spokane Furniture Bank. In this role I work with individuals who face barriers to employment. I facilitate weekly discussions and conversations about identity, servant leadership, and communication among other items.

As a volunteer I find I am deeply motivated by the connections I form with people I interact with at service. In interviewing for my position, I knew I wanted to be able to interact with people. One thing I have learned in life that I hold very true is that relationships with others are the strongest catalyst for social change. That’s something I wanted and Tony (bottom right) with Spokane Romero JVs. need to experience more. My experience has been challenging. It has been difficult for me to find my comfort level within my position. As a job training coordinator, it is my role to identify a person’s career barriers and work to find solutions for them. In my own inexperience I find no small amount of uncertainty trying to solve some of their life challenges. However, as the time has progressed I’ve learned it is not my role to be an expert in knowing how to face every challenge; it’s my role to provide and foster a time and space for individuals to feel comfortable tackling these challenges. I am able to simply walk with them and be a constructive challenge. This year has helped me realize that I may not exactly know what I am getting myself into or feel 100% comfortable with what my role is and where I fit in. However if I stay rooted in values that I know to be true, such as connecting with others in simple ways, then that will help keep me true, too.

Claudia Gomez Postigo Minority Community Outreach Coordinator - Hospice Specialist, Care Partners Hillsboro, OR I serve with Care Partners Hospice, an organization that provides compassionate endof-life care for patients and their families. With language, literacy, and cultural barriers in mind, my role is to help Care Partners effectively meet the needs of the Latino families we care for. I have helped translate Spanish outreach materials and resources, I do weekly outreach in local health centers, and my favorite, I get to make home visits and spend time with our hospice patients and their families.

Throughout college I always had a year of service in the back of my mind. I Claudia tabling with Care Partners. researched JVC Northwest and loved that they focused on both ecological and social justice. I also saw an opportunity to learn about the social justice issues that surround the US’s health care system. I helped a friend organize a Q&A panel where current and former JVs talked about their experiences, and after hearing their stories, I decided to apply. I was put in a house with five strangers and slowly we learned about and from each other through intentional community and spirituality nights. Our focus in social and ecological justice has made me aware of how my actions have affected those living in the margins. This has been a crazy, enlightening, and challenging year so far. I recently read a Lenten reflection from the Ignatian Solidarity Network that said working for justice “…demands stepping beyond who and what we know. There is inherent discomfort in that, and yet, often times the easy, convenient, comfortable way is the dominant way that has created the unjust system we say we want to transform.” My experiences at service and with other JVs have taught me that I must be willing to be inconvenienced and I must welcome discomfort in my life if I want to work for change. I trust that my year of service will act as a guide for me in the future, to help me live intentionally and welcome the inconveniences that it brings.  Claudia (top right) with Hillsboro JVs.

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Celebrate 60 Years with the JVC Northwest Community

Join us for the Seattle and Portland Events: May 14 and June 18

Our 60th Anniversary has provided many unique opportunities for our organization to celebrate six decades of service and valuescentered living, including our “Ruined Readers” Book Club, values challenges, and former volunteer retreats. Our two biggest celebrations are coming up with our Seattle Event and Portland Event. We expect 350 people each at these events, which will both raise money for the next 60 years of JV and JV EnCorps programs and also serve as a time for former and current JVs and JV EnCorps members, Jesuits, staff, Board members, partner agencies, friends, and family to reunite and celebrate with one another.

Our Seattle Event will take place Saturday, May 14 at Seattle University, and our Portland Event will take place Saturday, June 18 at Jesuit High School. Both events will begin with a Mass celebrated by Fr. John Whitney, S.J. in Seattle and Fr. Larry Gooley, S.J. in Portland. A social hour and dinner program will follow to include JV and former JV reflections, a video, and a raffle. The Seattle Event will also include the presentation of the Fr. Jack Morris, S.J. Memorial Award and a keynote presentation from Fr. Pat Conroy, Chaplain to the U.S. House of Representatives. The annual JVC Northwest fundraiser began with our 50th anniversary celebrations in 2006. A tireless group of dedicated former JVs stepped up to plan and coordinate these events, and with the help of staff, were able to put on successful fundraising events in both Seattle and Portland. With our two major upcoming gatherings, we invite the entire JVC Northwest family, and former JVs in particular, to rediscover the Jesuit Volunteer experience, reconnect with JVC Northwest and their community, and recommit to the core values of simple living, community, social and ecological justice, and spirituality. We hope to see you there; we encourage you to bring your JV community mates along with you! Register online at jvcnorthwest.org. 

Presentation of the Fr. Jack Morris Award at the Seattle Event.

National Alumni Council Launches JVC Northwest recently established a National Alumni Council to help expand our networking and fundraising capacity nationally by inviting former JV (FJV) Council Members to act as advisors and ambassadors for JVC Northwest. Council members will advise our staff on efforts to engage and reconnect with FJVs across the country, promote and increase the visibility of JVC Northwest nationally through their existing networks, and assist in fundraising efforts. The inaugural council of 12 members hosted their first annual planning and strategy meeting the weekend of April 8-10

in Chicago. We are honored to have the wise counsel and expertise of the following FJVs as our inaugural members: Hunter Biden (Portland, OR ’92-93) Kathleen Biden (Portland, OR ’92-93) Margie Carroll (Portland, OR ’71-72) Suzanne Curtin (Copper Valley, AK ’64-66) Dan Daly (Woodburn, OR ’00-01) Kate Daly (Bend, OR ’00-01) Naivasha Dean (Portland, OR ’11-12) Denny Duffell (Copper Valley, AK ’69-70, Hays, MT ’70-71) Jim Francesconi (Portland, OR ’74-75) Michael Grant (Grays Harbor, WA ’03-04) Meg Keeley (Portland, OR ’91-92) Lyn Miletich (St. Mary’s, AK ’72-74) 

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Update Your Records the JVC Northwest Office Has Moved!

After a few years of discerning, visioning, and researching, the JVC Northwest Board recently made the decision to move the office from our space on North Williams in Portland to a new building in Milwaukie, Ore. While this move feels bittersweet — the space on North Williams was home to JVs and staff for 21 years — this new building is more seismically sound, offers much more meeting and work spaces, is easily accessible to public transportation, and is in a community of more modest means. To learn more about the move, head to jvcnorthwest.org/ media and read our note about the move in our Fall 2015 edition of Focus. Please note our new mailing and street addresses: Mailing address: P.O. Box 22125, Portland, OR 97269 Street address: 2780 SE Harrison St., Milwaukie, OR 97222 

Ruined Readers Book Clubs

Building Connection and Community In January 2016, JVC Northwest launched a quarterly “Ruined Readers” book club as part of the 60th Anniversary celebrations, thanks to great feedback from the Former JV Survey (survey report on page 10). Each round of the book club focuses on a different JVC Northwest value, using a book nominated by the JVC Northwest community. The first group of “Ruined Readers” met in February and March of this year around the value of Simple Living, featuring Richard Rohr’s Simplicity: The Freedom of Letting Go. The book club garnered participation from current JVs and JV EnCorps members serving in the Northwest as well as former JVs from across our 60-year history. In total, 174 people participated, with 27 clubs meeting in person across 13 states; virtual and self-directed readers were active in 15 states across the country and four continents worldwide. The clubs fostered new connections among former JVs and provided the chance to connect around their shared values and experiences as Northwest Jesuit Volunteers. Bronx, NY book club host Bill McCormick, S.J. (Omak, WA ’07-08) shared this:

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"The challenge of being an FJV for me is the challenge of living out the graces of JVC Northwest after the JV year. I’m grateful for the chance this book club provided to share the joys and struggles of that life with other FJVs. It helps me to remember why I did JVC Northwest in the first place!" Krissy Peterson (Bethel, AK ’07-08) a host in Boulder, CO shared reflections on the club participants: “Our book club had representatives from several decades of service, so I enjoyed hearing about the different experiences that we have all had as well as what we have in common through the shared JVC Northwest values.” Book clubs will meet throughout 2016 around the following values: Community (May-June), Social and Ecological Justice (August-September), and Spirituality (November-December). If you are interested in participating or serving as a host in your city, contact Alumni Coordinator, Sarah Jones, at [email protected] or by phone (503) 335-8202. 

Announcing the “60@60” Bequest Campaign

60 gifts for the future in celebration of 60 years To commemorate JVC Northwest’s 60 years of service with those living on the margins of society, we are setting a goal to welcome 60 members to our newly formed Legacy Circle. Just as the Jesuit Volunteer experience has left an indelible mark on many of you, you, too, can leave your own legacy by including JVC Northwest in your estate plans. The purpose of the Legacy Circle is to recognize those individuals who have promised to leave a future gift to Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest after their passing. If you plan to or have already made arrangements to give a gift to JVC Northwest in your estate, please let us know so that we may properly thank you. For questions, please contact Anne Douglas, Director of Advancement, at (503) 335-8202 or [email protected]. A gift of any size can make a lasting difference. Be a part of JVC Northwest’s Legacy Circle to create a sustainable and socially just future for generations to come. With your legacy gift we can continue connecting volunteers to a year of service that makes a world of difference — for 60 years to come. 

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CROSSROADS The opinions expressed by Former JVs and those providing comments are theirs alone and do not reflect the opinions of JVC Northwest or any employee thereof. JVC Northwest is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by Former JVs.

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Tim Crawley (St. Mary’s, AK ’74-76)) recently wrote a book based on his two JV years in Alaska at St. Mary’s High School, called To Kill A Raven. Tim’s book is available for Kindle on Amazon.

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Dr. Lou Coda (Bethel, AK ’78-80) and wife Marty Coda (Bethel, AK ’78-79) were honored by the Mission Doctors Association with the Msgr. Brouwers Award for Faith and Service at their annual Heart for the World Auxiliary Gala in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 13, 2016. Lou and Mar ty were recognized for their prolonged medical service stays, starting in 1990 and going through today, in places including Papua New Guinea, Cameroon, and Uganda. In a recent email to Mission Doctors staff, Marty Coda named Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest as “near and dear to our hearts.” Mission Doctors Association assists Catholic doctors and their families in their desire to serve in mission. Learn more at www.

missiondoctors.org. Pictured above: Lou and Marty Coda with their sons and Bishop Callistus Rubaramira of Uganda.

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Katie Doran (St . Mary’s, AK ’79-84) and Tim Doran, with a lifetime of experience in international travel and education, are once again committing their lives to full-time volunteer service, this time with the Peace Corps. Tim and Katie are currently placed in Palau, a nation made up of 250 islands in the western Pacific. Both have service placements in education, with Tim working as a planning specialist and Katie as a trainer for the Ministry of Education. Speaking on their choice to enter full time service again, Tim said, “It’s come full circle, volunteering, then careers, now volunteering again.”

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such an important role for the families of this county.” Patrick is married to FJV Mary Ann Henry (Tacoma, WA ’87-88) with whom he has four children: Joe, Rachel, Ruth, and Kate. More on Patrick can be found at: https:// multco.us/multnomah-county/ news/senior-county-attorneypatrick-henry-named-circuitcourt-judge.

years. Speaking on the connection, she said, “My work now is directly rooted in my time as a Jesuit Volunteer. Building relationships in Ashland with my housemates and the local community was an invaluable experience, helping me to be a better leader in my school and family member and friend to those around me.”

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Louis Chen (Portland, OR ’07-09) and Kaitlin Shorrock (Omak, WA ’07-08, Portland, OR ’08-09) were married on July 11, 2015, in Marin County, Calif. In attendance were groomsman James Ferus (Portland, OR ’0809), bridesmaid Danielle Palkert Hermanny (Hays, MT ’07-08), Sarah Attwood Otto (Portland, OR ’07-08), Rachel Linso Metcalf (Portland, OR ’07-08), Katie McLaughlin (Billings, MT ’07-08), Joe Witiw (Ashland, MT ’07-08, Portland, OR ’08-09), and Cristina Stella (Portland, OR ’07-08). Louis and Kaitlin are currently living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area, Louis as a Registered Nurse and Kaitlin as a Jesuit high school science teacher.

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Patrick Henr y ( Tacom a , WA ’87-88) was appointed to be the next Multnomah County Circuit Court judge by Oregon Governor Kate Brown in Oct. 2015. Patrick has worked at the Multnomah County Attorney’s Office since 1999, where news of his appointment felt bittersweet. Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury, speaking on his departure, said, “I will miss his clear thinking and sound advice. But I am thrilled that he is taking on

M a rcelo M a iorano and Kathleen Maynard (both Juneau, AK ’09-10) welcomed their second daughter, Maëlle Abigail Maiorano, on July 24, 2015. She joins Cecilia, who recently turned two. The couple reside in Jackson, N.H., and look forward to introducing the new baby to their Juneau family when they visit for Folk Fest in April 2016. Marcelo also recently started a new job providing student assistance and substance use prevention services at their local middle and high school.

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Alex Bazarian (Ashland, MT ’08-09) recently sent in an update to the office, sharing how her current work is rooted in her JV experience eight years ago. Alex currently works as the Seventh Grade Leader Teacher & School Counselor at the Nativity School of Worcester, where she has been for four

Alison Russell (Yakima, WA ’10-11) married Ji m Grace i n C h ic ago on Oct., 10, 2015, at Old St. Pat’s Church, where they are both active members. Of her six JV housemates, five were in attendance, making for a wonderful “Yakimama” Reunion. In

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addition, Yakima natives and support family Roy and Barb Simms were there to celebrate with the bride and groom.

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There was FJV joy and merriment aplenty at the wedding of Maggie Wright (Portland, OR ’11-12) and Nathan Stepp (Cleveland, OH ’10-11, Hillsboro, OR ’11-12) in Sept. 2015, in Chicago. It was Portland Mac’s first reunion since completing their JV year in 2012, so, in Maggie’s words, “We felt compelled to recreate the photo from the day we first met. After all these years, our love and acrobatic skills remain abundant! Pictured below: (all Portland, OR ’11-12): Cole Merkel (also Portland, OR ’10-11), Eddie Guilbeau, Kelsey Alexander (also Portland, OR ’12-13), Naivasha Dean, Lindsay Poston (also Gresham, OR ’10-11), Maggie Wright, Amie Harris, and Darryl Yip.

Clare Garvey and Matthew Pazderka (both Seattle, WA ’1112), welcomed their daughter Ada Jeanne to the world on Dec. 28, 2015. They’re living in Omaha, Nebr., and will relocate soon for Matthew’s family medicine residency. Ada is keeping them laughing, joyful, busy, and excited about their upcoming adventure. She is going to be their most wonderful challenge and lesson

In memory

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in community, spirituality, and simplicity yet!

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Patrick Burns (Tacoma, WA ’12-13) was married to Katie Mathews on Oct. 17, 2015, in Cleveland, Ohio, at John Carroll University. Several housemates and other FJVs that served in ’12-13 were able to celebrate with him! A photo of the group, sans Patrick, standing on John Carroll’s campus outside the chapel was taken to commemorate the FJV camaraderie and reunion. L-R: Tom Nass (Portland, OR ’12-13), Nick Dominique (Grays Harbor, WA ’11-12, Portland, OR ’12-13), Anna Osborn (Hillsboro, OR ’12-13, Hood River, OR ’1314), Nicole Poletto (Gresham, OR ’12-13), Amanda Brown (Spokane, WA ’11-12, Tacoma, WA ’ 1 2-1 3) , Sh ane Young (Juneau, AK ’11-12, Gresham, OR ’12-13), and Steph Haas (Portland, OR ’12-13, ’13-14 JVC Northwest staff).

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Laura West (Anchorage, AK ’13-14) married Michael Fischer on Sept. 19, 2015, at G eorgetow n Un iversit y i n Washington, D.C. All of Laura’s JV housemates were able to attend the wedding — it was their first full reunion since their JV year. Laura and her husband have since moved to

Greg Sparks (Seattle, WA ’83-84) was born Aug. 26, 1959, and passed away on Jan. 19, 2016, surrounded by family and friends after a courageous battle with cancer. Greg was a former JV and former Board member for JVC Northwest. He was also an avid potter, beekeeper, musician, and singer, and was closely connected to St. Ignatius Catholic Church in SE Portland, where, in conjunction with a Jesuit priest, he started the Contemplative Mass nearly 15 years ago. In addition, he was a beloved figure at the Port of Portland, where he worked for 23 years. To learn more about Greg’s life and legacy, please visit www. gregsparks.life.

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It is with deep sadness that we report the passing of former Jesuit Volunteer Mike Hughes (Portland, OR ’8485), who died on Sept. 23, 2015, after a dignified battle against cancer. Mike resided in Cohasset, Mass., and is survived by his wife Nina and his two children Samantha and Max. Mike is mourned by a wide network of family, friends, associates, and former volunteers who remember what a very special person he was. His goofy humor and selfdeprecating manner masked a fierce intelligence, a generous spirit, a deep kindness and an openness to people and their experiences. He may have been seen as a “golden boy” and a gifted athlete, but he was the first to mock himself and poke gentle fun at the absurd and the pretentious. Most importantly, though, he could always be counted

the United Kingdom where she is pursuing a Master of Science

in Environmental Change and Management at the University of Oxford. Pictured (back row, L-R): Erin Gibson (also Hillsboro, OR ’12-13), Laura West, Rob Dean (also Boise, ID ’14-15), (front row, L-R) Chris Vaudo, Claire Anderson, Katie Giardino (also Missoula, MT ’12-13), and Caroline Proulx (also Bethel, AK ’14-15). 

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on to be there for people, whether it was being the first to sign up for a reunion, to make weekly calls to a sick former housemate and research her meds, or to travel to earthquake-ravaged Haiti to offer medical services. Mike served as a JV in Portland, Ore., from 1984 to 1985. He was a member of the St. Andrew’s House community, and worked as director of the Community Center at St. Andrew’s Parish, as well as taught gym and coached basketball to the students of St. Andrew’s School. He delighted in the people he met in what was then the “inner city” of Portland, flirting with the senior citizens or joking with his middle school boys. Mike embodied JVC Northwest values in all he did. While he enjoyed the finer things in life, he understood that people mattered more, and was generous to a fault—both with his time and his blessings. Mike continued a life of service and a belief in social justice. Besides serving as an emergency room physician for over 20 years, Mike volunteered at Bridge Over Troubled Waters, a charity in Boston serving troubled and runaway teens. Mike worked many evenings on their medical van, treating teens in need, and later became a member of their Board of Directors, ultimately rising to chair their board for over five years. Mike was always very real and very present to his faith. Whether it was during times of doubt and struggle, or times of consolation and hope, he never stopped wrestling with the bigger questions of life. We, the former members of St. Andrew’s House 1984-85, know that a light has gone out in our lives. We have always known we were blessed in the gift of community that we received during that special year, and have worked at maintaining our bonds across time and distance. Mike’s passing leaves a hole not only in our lives, but in the lives of countless others who were touched by his warmth, caring, and presence.

Written by Mary Cutri-French, Mike Wright, Jane Murphy, Brian Kelly, Suzette Goul Kent, and Katie Foy (all Portland, OR ’84-85)

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Margaret “Margie” Wrobel (Anchorage, AK ’85-86) (Sept. 26, 1962 – March 6, 2015) was born in Fort Ord, Calif., to

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Barbara and John Smith. As the daughter of a U.S. Navy officer she moved often growing up, spending time on both coasts as well as Japan, China, and Guam. She earned a degree from University of Notre Dame before becoming a Jesuit Volunteer in Anchorage in 1985, serving as a Client Advocate at Standing Together Against Rape (STAR). After her JV year, Margie joined the National Guard, eventually achieving the rank of second lieutenant and also meeting eventual husband Robert “Butsch” Wrobel, with whom she had two children, Teresa and Matthew. Following her stint in the National Guard Margie spent most of her life as a Registered Nurse, working in both hospitals and schools, until her retirement in 2013. After her passing, Margie’s family asked that friends, family, and loved ones “enjoy each day with those you love” in lieu of donations.

Friends of JVC Northwest Sr. Alice M. Legault (Oct. 24, 1925 – Oct. 28, 2015) joined the Congregation of Sisters of Saint Anne on July 24, 1946, as Sister Marie Alice Therese. After teaching in an elementary school for several years in Quebec, she left to begin an apostolate in Alaska and Western Canada, a ministry in which she served for 35 years. She came to Holy Cross, Alaska, first and, for four years, worked at a boarding school for orphans, ultimately leaving for Copper Valley School in 1956, which was not even completed at the time. She worked with the first Jesuit Volunteers and the First Nations children who attended the school for 12 years. After her time at Copper Valley, Sr. Alice headed north to Fairbanks, where she was heavily involved in social pastoral ministry, including volunteering with the Salvation Army, connecting marginalized populations with social services and resources, starting a women’s prison ministry, and volunteering as part-time chaplain on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Sr. Alice left an enduring legacy for the students and Jesuit Volunteers of Copper Valley, but also for the poor and marginalized across Alaska, British Columbia, and Quebec. Fr. Thomas Weisse (Jan. 10, 1969 – Dec. 6, 2015) was a Catholic priest who served across the state of Alaska. The Rev. Thomas Weise, also known as Fr. Thomas, was pastor of St. Rose of Lima parish in Wrangell, Alaska, St. Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, Alaska, and served at Juneau’s Cathedral of the Nativity. The 46-year-old was hospitalized while visiting family in Southern California and passed away ten days later, surrounded by his loved ones. Rita Byrer is the Petersburg parish secretary and knew Weise for about 10 years. Speaking on Fr. Thomas, she said, “He was a warm, kind, gentle, very humble, caring person. He loved children, he loved people in general. He just always made you feel welcome.” Fr. Thomas helped lead retreats for Alaska JVs for several years and will be missed by the current and former JVs’ lives he touched. 

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P. O. Box 22125 Portland, OR 97269 Change Service Requested

What’s new with you? What’s happening in your world? We love hearing news from our Former JVs! It’s quick and easy to e-mail your news and a photo to [email protected] with “Crossroads” in the subject line. If you generally don’t email, please fill out the form below and send it to JVC Northwest, Attn: Crossroads, P. O. Box 22125, Portland, OR 97269. As space allows, we’ll share your news with the JVC Northwest world in our next Focus issue! Name JV Placement Locale(s)

Year(s)

Current Address City State Zip Phone Email My news is:

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Cover photo: (clockwise, from top left) ’14-15 Alaska JVs; Kevin Glackin- Coley (Tacoma, WA ’84-85); ’87-88 JVs; Maggie Ayau (Hays, MT ’14-15, St. Xavier, MT ’15-16).