I am sorry to hear that you did not receive my letter of 12/15/98 detailing the status of the additional examination room for SCPEO’s Southwest Children’s Health Center

Letter to Jim Valinoti from Kathy Pierson Providing an Update on the Addition of an Examination Room at the Southwest Children's Health Center.

I have more news to report since I wrote you in December. Let me briefly update you:

Since we last met, Elisabeth Chicoine has received the final green light from the Superintendent of the Roseland School District as to a starting time for the construction - the end of this semester (mid June)

We have received an inkind donation from a retired project manager/safety engineer who has offered to oversee the construction of the exam room; and

We are in the midst of creating a partnership between SCPEO’s YouthBuild program and Home Depot.

We are especially excited about the last two pieces of information. Due to a severe cold season, staff at the health center have been inundated with sick children, to the point that well-care visits now have a 2 month waiting period. Everett Pierson, who recently moved to Oakmont after an 8 year position in Saudi Arabia with Parson Engineering, will coordinate the construction project for us and be the liason between the arcitect, the school district, Santa Rosa West Rotary Club, Home Depot and YouthBuild. With construction not exactly being our forte and a deficit of hours, Elisabeth and I are extremely grateful to have his time and expertise.

I am happy to report that the partnership with Home Depot, coupled with the fact that our YouthBuild members have selected the health center as their community service project, enables us to leavrage your organization’s generous contribution even further. By partnering with Home Depot, we hope to receive even more inkind support, like materials and labor.

Your initial donation of $21,000 to build the additional exam room for the Southwest Children’s Health Center will now serve two functions. It will help the hundreds of children who benefit from the health services provided and also serve as a community service project for 10 - 20 high risk youth. You have provided an opportunity for these YouthBuild members to prove to everyone (most importantly themselves) that they can be contributing members of our community.

Thanks again for all your support and I hope to speak with you soon.

Kathy Pierson
Resource Development