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July 2010 Spokane Union Gospel Mission Newsletter
July 2010 Spokane Union Gospel Mission Newsletter
July 2010
Men’s Shelter | Men’s Recovery Program | Women’s Recovery Program - Anna Ogden Hall
Crisis Shelter for Women and Children | Youth Outreach | Thrift Stores | UGM Motors
Hands of
Healing
Last year, the UGM clinics treated 954
patients who might otherwise have
ended up in area emergency rooms.
A Musician’s Gift
Frank Delany and his wife, Maddy, had been playing nights the library at the Union Gospel Mission is filled
music for chapel services at the Mission for about a with the sound of men making music and pursuing
year when Frank began to wonder if some of the men lifelong dreams. ● Great to see Frank shar
in the recovery program might be interested in learning ing his
talent with Ronni
to play the guitar. He offered ten weeks of free lessons e and Brandon !
in folk guitar on Wednesday nights and picked up two
very eager students: Ronnie Rutt and Brandon Gwyn.
Ronnie is a songwriter who wants to learn how to put
his lyrics to music. Brandon said he has wanted to play
the guitar since he was a teenager, but “it’s just one of
those things I never followed through on.”
Frank, a producer for Spokane Public Radio and an
accomplished musician, loaned Ronnie one of his own
guitars and did some repair work on a loaner from the
Mission for Brandon. After the first 10 weeks, the three
men were having such a good time that Frank extended
the lessons into blues guitar. So, now, on Wednesday
HANDS OF HEALING | page 3
...continued from cover page volunteer doctor once a week, the pace and purpose
of the women’s clinic differ from that of the men’s.
“Three-fourths of what we do here is education,”
said Susan Vowell, the clinic coordinator, with the
three major emphases being: quitting smoking, eating
right, and exercising. Each woman receives a complete
physical, something the majority has not had in years.
Many residents have been treated for emotional
issues before coming to Anna Ogden Hall. “In the
system,” Susan said, “they’ve often been treated as a
number, and unfortunately, the most expedient solution
to their problems has been medication. When the ladies
come here, time is not a factor. They get to express their
needs. A relationship is built.” And a holistic approach
Dr. Charlie Wolfe has been volunteering to their health is established.
at the clinic for 13 years.
Gratitude
The Union Gospel Mission Men’s Shelter began offering
Dr. Seely had to end his recent shift at 4:30 p.m. sharp
medical services free of charge to its homeless guests in
to run to another appointment, and though he worked
February 1992 when the clinic was opened by Dr. Dexter
to the last possible moment, two men were still waiting
Amend and his wife, Yvonne. Well over 10,000 patient
to be seen.
visits have been performed since that time by the
One was Clyde, who, although he had waited for
doctors and nurses who volunteer their time. Services
over an hour, wasn’t at all upset. On the contrary,
are provided on a first-come first-served basis once a
Clyde – who had seen Dr. Seely previously – sang his
week on Wednesday afternoons. No narcotic drugs are
praises: “He’s just awesome. He’s always going above
prescribed.
and beyond. He’s even purchased my medication out
Dr. Charlie Wolfe, who takes one shift a month at the
of his own pocket. If I ever had the opportunity to do
Men’s Shelter and also serves on the Mission’s Board of
something for him, I would . . . in a heartbeat.”
Directors, emphasized the two-pronged benefits of the
The other man was hoping to get a prescription
clinic. First and foremost, God’s love is demonstrated
filled – a prescription for a two-hundred-dollar
in a very tangible way to men in great need. The doctors
inhaler. Dr. Seely gave him two: “Don’t thank me,”
and nurses carry out Christ’s ministry of healing.
he said. “Thank God. He brought them to me, and I
Secondarily, the community benefits because basic
brought them to you.” ●
health needs and chronic conditions are handled
outside hospital emergency rooms and communicable
diseases are stopped before they spread to the larger
community.
Last year, the clinics of the Union Gospel Mission
treated 954 patients and gave an additional 141 tests
for tuberculosis. Dr. Wolfe suggested that if even half
of those 954 patients had ended up at the emergency
room for basic services, the costs (estimated at a low
$150 per visit) would have added up to $71,550 – costs
that would have been passed along, one way or another,
to paying patients.
One World Spokane As part of the training taking place in the food services
department of the Union Gospel Mission, kitchen
supervisor, Steve Viers, and his crew were the guest
chefs at One World Spokane, 1804 E Sprague Avenue,
on Friday, June 18. One World Spokane is a non-profit,
organic, community kitchen whose goal is to provide
a dining-out experience to everyone in the community,
regardless of their ability to pay. Hence, customers pay
what they can.