558 N. Main St., Prineville, OR 97754 | (541) 447-6205
In the photo above, Dale Beshara and Luke Wilson, Oregon National Guard Reintegration Specialists, are among the volunteers loading up one of several truckloads of supplies for homeless veterans this month. Many of the items are basic survival necessities, such as blankets, sleeping bags, tents, cooking utensils, and food.
Identifying and reaching out to the homeless who are living off the grid can be a daunting and difficult undertaking for local organizations.
This is especially true of many homeless veterans, according to Crook County Veterans Service Officer Angie Gilley.
“It’s really hard to tell (where they are), because a lot of them are up in Juniper Canyon and they’re off the grid,” said Gilley. “Some of them are on BLM land.”
According to Gilley, it’s really hard to get a good count for homeless veterans.
Local resident Beyona Smith saw a need in this sector of the population in Crook County, and started a chain reaction among several members of the Prineville community.
Smith posted notices in the Central Oregonian and the Roundup seeking donations for winter clothing and other survival items, which would be gathered and placed with local homeless veterans.
“A bunch of people have been calling, and you wouldn’t believe the people in this town who have come together,” commented Smith, upon the response to her notices. “Basically, it has been all volunteers who said they wanted to help.”
One of the groups who took on the project of gathering items for the homeless veterans was the Senior Bowling League of Rimrock Lanes. According to Vice President Jan Hodencamp, their secretary came across the notice in the paper asking for donations.
“The executive officers got together and said ‘What do we think?’”
The league voted unanimously to take on the project. President of the Senior Bowling League Mina Cole said that their group really wanted to support their local veteran community.
“Rather than just for one time of year, we decided we would try and help out a little bit more,” said Cole.
She commented that Smith had some trouble getting help at first, but then their 16 teams joined in.
“That seemed to get the ball rolling.”
Hodencamp said that they made a proposal to Smith, and it was agreed that all donations made would stay in the community.
“Wow, we had a super response,” she exclaimed.
There are 64-70 members in the league, and they collected items at the bowling alley, The Roundup, and some items were kept at a unit donated by Puckett Mini Storage.
“I was assigned to be the go-between and ask for things,” explained Hodencamp.
She said she made a list of needed camping items, and they also received money donations-which were used for groceries.
“They (member donors) had such carloads that they started dropping them off on their own.”
Hodencamp said that there were too many donations to measure, but she said they filled up four pickups, as well as SUV’s and carloads.
“They were all stuffed. I don’t know how to tell you how much we gathered.”
She said they received homemade quilts, camping gear, sleeping bags, and numerous other items.
Smith said there were countless other donors and volunteers, including members of the Reintegration Team for the Oregon National Guard.
Dale Beshara, Reintegration Specialist for the Joint Transition Assistance Program for Central Oregon for the Oregon National Guard, was helping load the trucks the first day of deliveries. He is one of 19 members of the program in Oregon who help veterans in their reintegration into the civilian world. He said that this involves help in education, healthcare and employment. He commented that gathering resources such as this is a great help to local veterans.
“It helps everybody, but now that we have broadened our horizon of whom we look at as homeless, we can help even more people.”
The first day of deliveries began at the Oasis, because according to Smith, there are a large number of veterans who are homeless who go there to eat.
“At one point this winter we were up to eight or nine homeless people,” said Rich Will, Oasis Soup Kitchen Manager.
He said that at the current time, many of these are place-bound due to temperatures and weather. Will also said he personally knew about five or six people who were up in the woods at the current time.
After a stop at the Oasis, the volunteers took more loads up to several of the local homeless camps.
“We took six trucks up there,” said Smith. She said that there were many veterans who were no longer there, because they can only camp in one location for 14 days.
According to Law Enforcement Supervisor for the Bureau of Land Management Michael Baldree, there is no residing on public lands. There is camping allowed, however, for 14 days.
“On BLM administered lands, you can camp for 14 days in the Prineville District,” commented Baldree.
He said that beyond those 14 days, they would need to move at least 25 miles to another location.
“If you are camping, you can camp for 14 days, and then basically you have to move 25 miles and then you can camp again. Within the 28-day period, you can camp for 14 days.” He emphasized that there is a big difference between residing and camping.
Smith said there are still supplies to be handed out and camps to visit. The community has been generous, and many veterans have benefitted from the generosity and will have warm clothing and supplies for the cold months ahead.
In Crook County, there are some recent breakthroughs in the efforts of the community to help the growing homeless population. In September, the 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness was launched by a coalition of non-profit and governmental leaders in Central Oregon.
The One-Night Homeless Count will once again take place on Jan. 26. Last year, the One Night Homeless count revealed 229 homeless individuals in Crook County, and 13 of those included veterans. Fifty-six were 17 years old and younger. The homeless count is voluntary, and there are many yet to be identified in the community who are never counted.
Resources for local veterans:
• Angie Gilley: Crook County Veterans Service Officer: 541-447-5304
• Veterans Club and Veterans of Foreign Wars: 541-447-5651
• Band of Brothers, Art Rowe: 541-416-1101
• Oregon National Guard, Dale Beshara, Reintegration Specialist: 541-331-1316
• Resource page from Congressman Peter DeFazio: http://www.defazio.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=25&Itemid=34
• Central Oregon Veterans Outreach: 117 NW Lafayette Ave., Bend 97701. 541-383-2793. Charles Hemingway, Executive Director.
