Pregnancy site adds RN; ultrasound unit
Palmer gains national recognition
From our weekly issue dated October 01, 2008
Tina Palmer was honored for Pregnancy Center work.
Awarding a national citation and announcing the addition of a registered nurse were among highlights of a fund-raising banquet held by Pregnancy Center of Illinois Valley.
Some 150 persons attended the gathering Saturday evening, Sept. 27 at Illinois Valley Senior Center. A standing ovation was given for Mary Lefner, pregnancy center executive director, for her leadership. The Selma resident continues to work to provide expanded programs.
Also honored with a standing ovation was Cave Junction resident Tina Louise Palmer. Under a recognition program of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services she received the President’s Exemplary Volunteer recognition for her lifetime achievement as a Pregnancy Center Volunteer.
Noted Lefner, “A Client Advocate III, Tina began volunteering at the center in 2001 as an assistant in the Bridges to Motherhood parenting program. She quickly began connecting with the young women who were facing unexpected pregnancies, providing peer counseling and sharing her own experiences as a teen mother.
“Tina’s unique ability to encourage and teach vulnerable women is amazing -- she is not afraid to share her own past struggles with addictions to show her clients that hope and recovery are truly
possible.
“In addition to her work with the Bridges to Motherhood group,” Lefner continued, “Tina provides pregnancy peer counseling services one day a week, works with the childbirth instructor to present periodic classes,
and occasionally becomes the birth coach when a woman
has no one to be with them through their delivery.
“One of Tina’s most remarkable stories that she shares,” said Lefner, “is that after a failed marriage, addictions, and trying to do things her own way, she cried out to God for help. She found Jesus, and today is married to
her first love (Tom) -- the father of the baby she had as a teen-ager.
“For the past several months, Tina has been providing suggestions and advice as our center develops a
parenting program for fathers. Tina has a special
talent for helping people to become self-sufficient,
and gain an improved sense of self-esteem.
“Tina Palmer has invested more than 2,500 hours of her time, and is one of only seven people in Oregon (and one of two from an Oregon Heartbeat-affiliated Pregnancy Center) to receive
this award.”
The President’s Volunteer Service Award for 2008 is conferred on 32 Heartbeat International-affiliated pregnancy resource centers and 55 volunteers who serve at the centers.
As Palmer returned to her seat with her husband, she held up her plaque, said “Praise God,” and told the audience that she “owes it all to God. Without Him I wouldn’t be here: I’d probably be dead in a ditch.”
Lefner introduced the I.V. Pregnancy Center’s most-recent new staffer.
“(She) is Christi Grier, a registered nurse,” Lefner said. “She has 10 years of professional nursing experience in Oregon, most of it in Southern Oregon. She grew up in Illinois Valley (her maiden name is Miller).
“As Nurse Manager, she will work in conjunction with a physician to provide ‘limited obstetrical ultrasound’ to diagnose pregnancies.” Lefner said that Grier this month began work “to develop our medical program.”
Lefner added that, “It will take us some time to get standing orders set up with a doctor, secure the necessary licenses to operate as a medical clinic in Oregon, and have referral protocols in place.”
She and Grier displayed the ultrasound machine, a Sonosite 180Plus.
It was noted that the device is paid for, thanks to donations and help from God. Also underscored by persons including Austin Patty, a retired pastor who served as master of ceremonies and is on the board of directors, is the fact that a Jericho March was held around what has become the center’s new site.
The guest speaker for the banquet, catered by O’Brien’s Phil Aria, was Beth Chase. She is executive director of Life Choice Project/National Institute of Family & Life Advocates.
She praised the staff, board of directors and volunteers for advances in the services and programs offered by the pregnancy center.
She urged the valley community to consider donating or volunteering to aid the center. Chase remarked that it is better to store up treasures in Heaven through such efforts, rather than using one’s resources to gather earthly belongings.
Chase explained that she believes in the sanctity of life. She, for example, was placed by her mother with a “loving Christian family” after her birth, the result of her mother being raped. She used Revelation 4:11, noting:
“I believe that God has a divine purpose for every child that is conceived and that everyone has a message that they are purposed to share with the world no matter the circumstance surrounding their conception.”
Pay For A Day
Lefner made it clear that the community has many opportunities to help the pregnancy center and its clients. Besides volunteering in various way, anyone can pledge $29 to pay for one day of operating the center.
Lump sum donations also are sought.
To learn about the center’s programs and contact information, phone 592-6058 or visit pregnancycenteriv.org/htm or email PregnancyCenter@cavenet.com.
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