RAINbow_vol9no1.pdf
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THE RAINBOW
APublicationof Regional AIDSInterfaith Network Oklahoma
Volume 9 Number I
April1998
Pregnant and Positive
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Network
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Pamela S. Cross, MPH,
Executive Director
Oklahoma City Office:
Joan R. Foreman,
WOK Coordinator
Wesley T. Wise,
Executive Assistant
Jean Felix,
Secretary
1601 N. Drexel Boulevard
Okla. City OK 73107-4728
405.947.3434 fax 405.947.6868
Outside the Metro area:
1.800.324.RAIN (7246)
Eastern OK Office:
Kathleen R. Bird,
Eastern OK Coordinator
Stephen Davis,
Administrative Assistant
Cora Westman,
Volunteer Coordinator
Rogers Heights Christian Church
400 S Pittsburg
Tulsa OK 74112
918.834.4195
fax 918.834.4196
Southwest OK Office:
Victor Cutnose,
SW OK Associate Coordinator
Centenary
United Methodist Church
704 SW "D" Avenue
Lawton OK 73501
580.351.AIDS
Community Education Office:
Dannette Russell Geren,
Education Coordinator
Loeffler-Allen Building
221 E. Dewey
Sapulpa OK 7'°67
918.224.4433
e-mail: rainokla@ionet.net
RAIN Oklahoma is a Member ot
AIDS NationalInterfaithNetwork
(ANIN)
National Minority AIDS Council
(NMAC)
WesleyT. Wise, Editor
The Director'sDesk
[NJ
o one has yet fully
realized the wealth of
sympathy, kindness and
generosity hidden in the soul
of the child," said Emma
Goldman. Some of us don't
have close contact with
children
and
may
not
experiencewhat Ms. Goldman
wrote. I recently was blessed
with two opportunities.
My mother and I attended a
relative's 60th birthday party and were
able to see three new members of the
family, ages two months to five months!
Everyone was so drawn to the babies
that the birthday celebrant was almost
overlooked. A new generation has
begun - with names like Zane, Dylan
and Cameron.
The next morning, my mother and I
sat in a doctor's waiting room, anxious
for the doctor's comments on the
success of her surgery. A precious baby
girl looked at each person there and
gave each a gift - a smile. I was thrilled
when she held her arms out to me and
her mother actually let me hold her. My
own baby turned 21 recently and
grandchildrenare not yet in sight, but for
a few moments I held a child and felt the
hopes and the dreams and the love that
each child represents. It was a powerful
moment.
I admit I struggle with the
reproductive rights of women living with
HIV/AIDS.It is apparent that many of us
have conflicting feelings- we listen to
women facing the decision to have
children after their lives have changed
dramatically with the news that they are
HIV positive. Some women first team
this when they are receiving prenatal
care - what decision is right then?
We know that nine of ten babies
born to HIV positive mothers will
not be infected with the virus if
the mother receives AZT during
pregnancyand delivery and if the
baby receives it after delivery for
a period of time. Studies are
currently looking at the impact of
triple combination therapy on
mother-to-child transmission.
Family, friends and RAIN
team members may have
difficulty
understanding
a
woman's decision to get
pregnant or continue a pregnancy if she
is HIV positive.This is when we all must '
remind ourselves what the H in HIV
represents - HUMAN. When someone
learns that they are HIV positive, it
doesn't mean that she or he stops being
human. Women who are HIV positive
continue to have the hopes and dreams
that
other
women
have
and
experiencingthe joys and the challenges
of mothering are often among those
hopes and dreams. Let us be kind.
Pamela S. Cross, Executive Director
Is Your Faith Positive?
An HIV/AIDS conference for faith
communities will be held Friday, April
17 and Saturday, April 18. A variety of
workshops designed for clergy and
staff, lay persons, youth, and persons
inpacted by HIV/AIDS are being
offered, as well as exhibits by
HIV/AIDS resource organizations. To
register call (405) 947-3434.
April 1998
2 TheRAINbow
•
Calendar
APRIL
16: Women at Risk documentary,
All Souls Unitarian, Tulsa, 5: 15
pm
17 - 18: Is Your Faith Positive?
HIV/AIDS conference, OKC
21: Eastern OK RAIN Volunteer
Appreciation dinner, Trinity
Episcopal Church
MAY
a & 9: Eastern OK RAIN Team
training, Rogers Heights
Christian Church, Tulsa
JUNE
1 - 25: Summer RAIN, Session I
4, 6 & 7: Hope Candlelight Tour of
Homes, Tulsa
14 -16: State HIV Conference,
DoubleTree Warren Place,
Tulsa
25 - 27: Follies Revue
29 - July 23; Summer RAIN,
Session II
For a Good Time Call RAIN
Smothermon Honored
Join in the
celebration of
Party With a
•
Purpose!
RAIN invites you
to participate with us in "Party With a
Purpose", a diverse medley of party
hosts, guests, and themes. Each
party has a common purpose - to
have fun and raise funds for our
program. As many parties as
possible will be held on a common
day - Saturday, August 8th.
Our goals for this event are:
• To celebrate the work of our RAIN
Teams in the 405 and 580 area
codes in Oklahoma • To promote
awareness about the need to
respond with compassion to those
members of our communities living
with HIV/AIDS • To raise money for
RAIN to support our operating costs
to recruit, train, link, support and
sustain RAIN Teams.
For more information call us at
(405) 947-3434 or 1-800-324-RAIN.
MC Smothermon has been
honored as a "Keeper of the
Dream", an award given in
conjunction with the annual
celebration of Martin Luther King
Day. MC was given the award during
an Oklahoma City ceremony on
January 10, and was recognized for
her work as founder and first
executive director of Oklahoma's
chapter of RAIN.
The award, sponsored by The
Ebony Tribune newspaper of
Oklahoma City, is given annually to
those who exemplify the spirit of Dr.
King by their outstanding
contributions to their communities.
Congratulations, MC!
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In Memoriam
Muskogee Grace Episcopal Church
Debbie
OKC Our Lady's Cathedral Catholic
Jim
RAIN Update
Wish List
In February, 24 presentations
were made to 1,074 people. From
February 1990 through February
1998, 1,236 programs were
presented to 51,250 persons.
Sixty-nine RAIN teams
consisting of approximately 800
volunteers have served 420 HIVinfected men, women, children, their
families and care givers. Fifty-six
clients are currently being served.
RAIN volunteers logged 1,220
hours in February. Since 1990, they
have given 133,652 hours - this
equates to one person working 40
hours per week for over 64 yearsf
At $10.00 per hour, that work would
have cost $1,331,200.00.
Tulsa Office:
Desks, desk
chairs, regular
chairs, shelves,
sofa/love seat,
area rugs, filing cabinets, table, one
air conditioning unit, stands for small
refrigerator and microwave.
OKC Office: Canopy for front
door.
Weatherford Federated Church
David
Tulsa Christ the King Catholic
Bill
Tulsa All Souls Unitarian Team A
Kevin
Sapulpa Good Shepherd Episcopal
James
Edmond 1st Presbyterian
Nick
Norman St Michael's Episcopal
Walter
RegionalAIDSInterfaithNetwork
0
I< L A H O M A
Sapulpa 1st Presbyterian
Charles
3 TheRAINbow
DONATIONS
INDIVIDUAL DONORS
(In alphabetical order)
J. Michael Adcock • Bert Wenda! Ballou • Gary Betow
& Kathy McKeown • Ramona Brecht • Carolyn
Emerson• Fr. Matt Gerlach, St Benedict's Catholic
Church • Karen Harris • Douglas & Carolyn Jones •
Kent Mauk• Rev. Ken McIntosh• Pete Pierce, Ill•
Camille Quinn • Beverly Rapp • Emily Alexander
Shurley• Len Slater, MD• Jeanne H. Smith• Linda
Terry • Donez & Gene Womack • Doug & Nancy
Woodson • Kay Woody
MONTHLY SUPPORTERS
Robert & Dolores Browning • Jackie & Barbara Cooper
• Billie Hurst Gasaway • Jeffrey Gaughan • Terry
Knapp • Warren & Margaret May • Carol M. Woods •
First Presbyterian Church, Edmond • The Oklahoma
Conference of the United Methodist Church
MEMORIALS
William Souter Allen by John & Eleanore Graham •
Roy Lee Beck by Gerald & Betty Beck • Tommy
Bigbee by Polly Houston • Damon Bosse by Dorothy
Messenger, David Kentner • Ollie Buck by Mr & Mrs
B.M. Saltzman, John & Allison Greene, Wayne &
Yvonne Clementson, Robert & Lynn Bockmeulen,
Charlie & Carolyn Selman, Bob & Beth Erickson• Wes
Fletcher by Pauline Fletcher • John Hocking &
Damon Bosse by Terry Knapp • Mark Houston by
Polly Houston • Randy Hurst & J.B. Chenoweth by
Billie Hurst-Gasaway • James Knott by Janet Weaver
• Darron Lyon by Jim & Sharon Lyon • Mark Maier by
Fred & Martine Maier • Stephen May by Warren &
Margaret May • Ray McDonald by Ken & Sue Arnn •
Larry Novak on the anniversary of his 46th Birth Day
by Grace Stockstill • John Oldham by Warren &
Margaret May • Mike Pendley on his birthday (Feb 9)
by Mike Blalock • Bob Rowe by Anonymous •
Cameron Schober by Richard Bivins • Douglas Shutt
by Jeanne & Len Williams, Joyce Blackbum, Mr and
Mrs Billy Autry, William & Melba Cooledge, Melvin &
Virginia Shutt, Thomas & Margaret Ann Harp, Kermit &
Sandra Rowe, Kraig & Cheri Rowe, Thurlie Tyner,
Melvin & Carol Norton, Greg & Janet Blackbum, Marse
Lear, his coworkers at Davis Companies-Los Angeles •
David Smith by Charlotte Alexandre • Mark Devin
Taylor by Susan Gilley
April 1998
IN HONOR OF
Sam T. Allen IV by Dan & Lanaya McManus • Tom &
Yvonne Allen by Edwin and Betty Allen • Jewell
Brashier by David Kentner • Pam Cross by Nettie
Caldwell, Janet St George• Steve Daniels & Richard
May by Mary Louise Hoven • Stan Fletcher by Marvin
Fletcher • Joan Foreman by Harbour Winn Ill •
Dannette Geren by Spring Baptist Church, Sasakwa
OK • Betty Mann by Builders Class of Linwood UMC
ORGANIZATIONS
Bartlett Foundation, Creek County • Columbia Hospice
• Crowe & Dunlevy Foundation • Daniels & May
Designs • Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Shawnee •
Halliburton Energy Services (Political Action Committee
Matching Gift Program), Duncan• Herman & Mary
Wegener Foundation, OKC• Jewish Federation of
Tulsa Foundation• Junior Hospitality Club• OK
Classic Bowling Assoc. & Gay & Lesbian Bowling
Leagues-Tuesday Twisters & Sunday Night Lambda
Alternatives • St Monica Parish, Edmond • Tierra Oil
Company• Trinity Episcopal Church, Guthrie• United
Methodist Women, Elgin
IN-KIND
Public Service Announcements by KCCU Classic FM,
Cameron University, Lawton• Office Supplies by
Saundra Powell • Computer by Mark Keeling, The
Banker's Bank• Office Supplies by Darrell Fischer•
2 SWB Calling Cards by Kent Mauk• RAIN Rubber
Stamp by Curtis Oshel & OKC Classic Bowling
Association• Printing of 100 RAIN Volunteer Training
manuals by Lucent Technologies
FUNDRAISERS
Falsetto's, Tulsa• Christmas Card Sales by Southern
Hills Christian Church, Edmond• Christopher Radko
Christmas Ornaments, Tulsa • Turnabout Fundraiser,
Hi-Lo Club, OKC • Strike Pot Bowling, OKC •
OKClassic Bowling Association "Mardi Gras"
HIV/AIDS Action Initiative
AIDS Coalition of Central Oklahoma • Roche
Laboratories, Inc • Oklahoma City Community
Foundation
RAINAppreciates Your Support
Individual,church and corporate giftsare essentialto
RAINcontinuing to recruit, train, link, and support RAIN
teams with RAIN clients. Pleaseconsider makinga gift to
RAIN today to honor or memorialize a loved one.
April 1998
4 TheRAINbow
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Connecting Hearts & Hands Fund Drive Update
'?-
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We are nearly one-third of the way to our goal of raising $25, 000! THANK YOU to all
who have given generously to support RA/N's work of recruiting, training, linking and
5
c.,~ supporting volunteer teams. It's not too late to give to this drive and receive one of the
following gifts:
• Red Ribbon Pins for gifts of $25 - $49 • RAIN Lapel Pin for gifts of $50 - $99
• RAIN Mug for gifts of $100- $249 • 1st and 2nd Edition RAIN Ornaments for gifts of $250 and above
Be sure to indicate on your check that your gift is for the "Connecting Hearts and Hands" fund drive. With
your help, when the fund drive ends on May 31, 1998, we will have surpassed our goal!
~
Individuals
Yvonne Allen • Janice & Jack Alexander •
Ann S. Alspaugh • Lois Ball • Ann Bartlett Burke
• Joy & Robert Beckerly • Ina L. Bond• Linda
& Sam Bowman • Don & Virginia Brashear •
Priscilla Braun• Ramona Brecht• Betty Brown•
Dorcas Bundrick • Kathleen Cairns • Frances
Herndon Chandler • Mrs. A.B. Cleveland • Chris
& Gina Covington • Janet & Patrick Curth •
Margaret Dean • Ailene DeBell • Mary Lou
Dodican • Dr. & Mrs. Norman L. Dunitz • Ruth
Foreman • Stan & Beverly Foster • Elsie A.
France • Jennifer & Mark Galvin • Jack Gillett •
Fernando Godefroy • Elise Perrault Grant•
Leslie Heathman • Robert & Carolyn Helms •
Ralph & Patricia Henderson • Darren Hildebrand
• Sydney S. Hill • Jane Ho & Franc Skirball •
Murlin Hodgell • Mr. & Mrs. KR Hornbrook•
Helen Hummel • Elmer & Pat Kamphaus • Diane
R. Kovacs• Patrick D. Little• Lucent
Technologies • Lurline R. Mabrey • John &
Karen Mackey • Jesse & Barbara Manering •
Betty Mann • Kent A. Mauk • Warren & Margaret
May • Grady & Joan McCullough • Gerald
McMahon • Daniel Morton • Marilyn Ogilvie •
Dan Pulver • Steve & Jackie Rosen • Margaret &
George Selby • Emily Alexander Shurley • Mary
D. Smith • Vivian Valdmanis •
Memorials
Duncan Alford by Martha & Tom Alford •
William Souter Allen by Bradford Hoopes, DDS;
Anne Segrest McCulloch; Guy Berry; Jeff & Amy
Bell; Deborah Rainey Nelson; and Kevin Connell
• Roy Lee Beck by Gerald & Betty Beck• "My
Brother Bill" by Glenda Ross • Rob Borders by
Chris & Elizabeth Borders• Damon Bosse by
Jim Mccampbell • Robert Read Browning by
Robert & Dolores Browning • J.B. Chenoweth &
Randy Hurst by Roy & Aline Brown • Lynn
Church by Marilyn & Arvon Staats• Kim J.
Coburn by V.N. Wilde• Wes Fletcher by Pauline
Fletcher • Chelsea Henson by Lana Henson •
John Hocking by Steve Womack (Jungle Red)•
Mark Houston by Polly Houston • Michael
Wayne Hudson by Peggy Sue Hudson • David
Ince by Maxine Ince • Paul Kerby & Nick Porter
by Eva & Robert Durant• Paul Kirk by Bob Hill•
Paul Kirk by Timothy Kubiak & Kenneth Spittler •
Rod Kite & Paul Kirk by Joseph Kirk & Daniel
Hardt • James Knott by Martha Knott • Paul &
Duncan Knox by Jean Szostkowski • Chris
Lewis by Anonymous • Jerry Lilly by Robert &
Betty Lackey • Keven Lockyear by Doug &
Myrna Campbell • Vince Mazeo by Mary Harris
• Charley (Chay) McDermitt by Opal Jane
McDermitt • Chuck Meers by Curtis Oshel •
Jeffrey Penson by Dr. Jeff Beal • Jim Perry,
Mitch Langston & Dusty Leigh by Sharon
DeGraff • Brian Pool by Mary Pool • Nick
Porter by Kay Holladay • Nick Porter by Michael
Harmon • Ron & Norman and so many others
by J.T. Moore• Dorcy Sargent by Jennefer
Branch • Jim Schmitd by Jeanne DeVilliers •
Kirt Smotherman by Phil & Debbie Smotherman
• James Snider by Pam Berry • Thomas
Stewart by Sue Boyd • Mike "Mickey"
Swepston by Bill Peiffer • John Wesley
Townsley by Larry & Claudia Vandiver• Randy
Tucker by Russell Brumble • John Whittmore by
Peggy Byerly • Buddy R. Williams & Trevis
Brooks by Franees H. Warren • Michael Wilson
by Betty C. Wi Ison
Honorariums
Mary Eve by Scott Bolton • Alisa Hall by John
Hudgens • Jeudi Hamilton by Jackie Gilley •
Kathy Leithner by Anonymous • The
Smothermons by Larry & Shannon Freeman•
Terrye Williams by Ann Jackman
5 The RAINbow
News From Around
the State
News from the West
RAIN says "Good-bye!" to
Saundra Powell, who resigned
her position as SW Associate
Coordinator and "Hello!" to
Victor Cutnose, who took over
the position on Feb 20. We will
miss Saundra and appreciate
her hard work and all she did to
improve the quality of life of
PLWAs. We are pleased to add
Victor to our staff. He is a
member of the Ryan White Title
II Advisory Council for the state
of OK, a Certified AIDS
Educator, and co-founder of
SWAN (South West AIDS
Network). We also welcome
intern Isaac Olorunnisomo, OU
graduate student.
We would like to thank
Father Stephen Bird, Pastor, St.
Patrick Catholic Church in OKC,
his staff and the St. Patrick RAIN
Team for hosting the World
AIDS Day Memorial Service on
Dec 1 and RAIN Volunteer
Training in January. Thanks also
go to Rev Denny Hook, Pastor,
First UMC in Ponca City, and his
staff for hosting our Feb training
and forming the Ponca City RAIN
Team. They soon will begin
working with their first client.
We are grateful to Rev Carla
Gwartney, Pastor, and Jeni
Markham-Clewell, Diaconal
Minister with Epworth UMC in
OKC for hosting RAIN's Annual
Pot-Luck Dinner and Volunteer
Appreciation Event on Feb 13.
Volunteers were presented with
RAIN lapel pins.
The OKC At OS Walk will be
held Oct 25 at the Myriad
April 1998
;-«;(ii~
Regional AIDSInterfaith Network
OKLAHOMA
Gardens. Persons wishing to
serve on the Walk Committee
may call Co-chair Kay Holladay,
Executive Director of CarePoint,
at 405-232-AIDS (2437).
- Joan Foreman
exciting time as we experiment
with new models of volunteering
that get teenagers involved. With
April being National Volunteer
Month, we would like to say
thank you to all of the teams and
individuals who work so hard to
make a difference in the lives of
people living with HIV/AIDS.
- Kathy Bird
News from the Southwest
So many things are
happening in the SW area. I'm
excited to be a part of RAIN and
the ministry we provide to our
brothers and sisters living with
HIV. Saundra left some big
shoes to fill, but I'm sure we'll
continue our work in this area.
We had our volunteer
appreciation potluck on March
24. The turnout was small, but
good food and lots of fun was
shared. Pam and Joan
presented Saundra with a
beautiful plaque in appreciation
for her years of service to RAIN
and the HIV community.
Requests continue to come in
for new teams. I can't wait to do
my first training. I had the great
opportunity to be a counselor at
a youth retreat in HIV prevention
in the Tulsa area in March. The
kids were so energetic they wore
me out, but I'm looking forward
to returning next year.
- Victor Cutnose
News from the East
In case you haven't heard,
we've moved again! Our new
home is on the 3rd floor of
Rogers Height Christian Church.
Cora's AmeriCorp project is
becoming a reality. It is an
SUMMER RAIN Brings Hope!
RAIN is excited to be
involved with the Tulsa Youth
Volunteer Corps in developing a
summer community service
program for teens 14-18 years of
age. Teens make a four week
commitment, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm,
Monday - Thursday. Session I
will be June I - June 25 and
Session II will be June 29 - July
23. After completing a week of
training, youth will be involved in
projects assisting individuals and
caregivers affected by HIV/AIDS
- yard work, house cleaning,
child care, animal care, etc.
Interested Tulsa area youth
should contact the Tulsa
Volunteer Center for information
on "Summer RAIN" (918)
585-5551. RAIN-trained adults
interested in volunteering
with this pilot program should
contact the Tulsa RAIN office
(918)834-4195. Financial
support for this youth program is
provided by the Charles and
Lynn Schusterman Foundation.
Thanks!
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I understand RAIN Oklahoma is a non-profit
organization and my contribution is tax
deductible. My canceled check will serve as my
receipt. (Please check here D if you prefer to
remain anonymous and do not want to receive
RAIN newsletters and mailings.)
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