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| Memo Pad (continued) ... Centenarian celebrates at ORBH One hundred years ago on April 5, 1906, Bertha Reisinger was born on a Kansas farm. Now she is resident of the month at Oregon Baptist Retirement Homes. Reisinger’s father, Jacob Stroessler, completed a sausage-making apprenticeship in Switzerland before immigrating to America. He and her German-born mother, Marie Haug, married in the United States in 1904. At about age seven, Reisinger moved with her family to Wenatchee, Wash., when her father purchased a fruit orchard. Along with other family members, she worked packing fruit until deciding to go to business college when she was 18 years old. She returned to the orchard as the secretary for the fruit company. As a young woman, she met and married Edward Reisinger. His career at Swift & Company took them around the Northwest. They were married for 48 years and raised two sons. John retired to Switzerland. Richard lives in Richland, Wash., and visits monthly. Reisinger has three grandchildren and six great grandchildren. She collects Hummel figurines and enjoys knitting, reading, board games, card games and dancing. She has belonged to the Fremont United Methodist Church for decades. Upon moving to ORBH, Reisinger wondered if she could live with a bunch of “old people.” Then it dawned on her that she would be the oldest one there. Her advice to others is, “Be happy.” She recalls a happy life and a good husband and now feels OBRH is the best place in the world to be for a person her age. As one friend reminded her, “Though you’re now 100 you still have all your marbles!” Woman takes helm at Elks lodge Gateway Elks Lodge #2411 is celebrating its 38th year with the installation of its first female exalted ruler. Linda Repp was an active Elks volunteer for many years before joining the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks on March 22, 2001. She is the first woman chair officer to represent Gateway Elks. Repp has served Gateway Elks Lodge as inner guard, esteemed lecturing knight, esteemed loyal knight and esteemed leading knight. She is active in several community and charitable activities including organizing the distribution of over 300 Christmas baskets annually. Repp is a strong supporter of the Elks Children’s Eye Clinic, Meadowood Springs Speech and Hearing Camp, and the Elks National Foundation. She was selected as Gateway Elks Lodge “Elk of the Month” in July 2002. Repp is a graduate of Linfield College and a senior investigator for the department of Consumer and Business Services. County opens new privately funded cattery Multnomah County Animal Services is celebrating the completion of its new cat shelter in Troutdale at 1700 W. Historic Columbia River Highway. The new, state-of-the-art cattery facility, designed by Carlton Hart Architects, was funded entirely through the generous donations of hundreds of private individuals and the Friends of the Shelter Foundation. The county maintains an Animal Care Trust Fund, a tax deductible fund set up to receive financial donations from people who want to help with the care of homeless animals. The newly remodeled space is in response to a critical community need to provide healthy shelter accommodations for the growing number of stray, abandoned and homeless cats entering the shelter. Amenities include three spacious free-roam rooms for cats to frolic and play, improved air circulation, natural light, climbing posts and classical music. All designed to create a healthy, comfortable environment for cats. “We are thrilled with the new facility,” stated Animal Services Director Mike Oswald. “It is a celebration, but also an opportunity to raise awareness about the serious issues concerning cats in our community. Over the last five years, we have seen a seventy percent increase in the number of cats entering the shelter. Only three percent of the cats that come to the shelter are reunited with their owners. Most cats entering the shelter do not have licenses or microchips.” “We want to adopt more cats into new homes. But equally important,” added Oswald, “is the need to work together to build a community that values cats as companion animals.” The new cattery facility is part of a campaign to promote and encourage responsible cat ownership, which includes licensing, microchips, spaying and neutering, and keeping cats indoors. Information on responsible cat ownership can be found at www.multcopets.org. State provides refund tracking Web site The Oregon Department of Revenue announced that its popular Web site where taxpayers can check the status of their refunds is now active. This is the second year for “Where’s My Refund?” Last year the site received nearly 200,000 visits. It is similar to the IRS online refund status check site. “‘Where’s My Refund?’ provides 2005 Oregon refund information to taxpayers whenever they want it,” said Joan Linn, Tax Services manager. “Information about refunds and processing is also available at this site.” To retrieve the information from the secure Web site, taxpayers will need their Social Security number, filing status, and the exact whole-dollar amount of their refund from their return. Visit www.oregonrefund.com for more information. Taxpayers may also check their refund status through the automated telephone system. Call 503-378-4988 in Salem or 1-800-356-4222 statewide. Both methods are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Registry facilitates communication with police People with disabilities have a program available to them that helps provide officers with vital information about their disability. This information gives officers an additional tool and helps officers communicate in a way that is most helpful, should police contact become necessary. In the mid-1990s the Police Bureau saw a growing problem with providing assistance to those who are nonverbal or who became disoriented or lost within the community. Many had significant disabilities where communication barriers existed. Officers found themselves with a dilemma when they came into contact with someone who could not communicate with them. With limited resources and no way of knowing how to help the person, officers would resort to taking the person to a psychiatric facility. “There was a great need to help officers streamline the process of assisting people with disabilities without having to go to a psychiatric facility,” said Bill West, chair of the Bureau’s Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee and Adult Case Coordinator for The Arc of Multnomah and Clackamas Counties. In 1996, the Police Bureau’s DDAC created the Disability Accommodation Registry. Individuals, or their legal guardians, can participate in this voluntary program by completing a DAR form, which asks participants for a self-description, emergency contact information, pertinent information about their disability and any additional information that would be helpful if police approached the person. This information is available to officers through the mobile computers in their vehicles. The DAR not only provides a way for officers to communicate with those who may be unable to do so in times of crisis, it is also helpful in making officers aware of any behavioral issues that may exist. In addition, people with Alzheimer’s disease or mental health issues who are significantly impaired are registering with the DAR. “Having access to this type of information allows officers to be more aware of an individual’s behavior patterns so the officer can better accommodate and adjust to that person’s needs,” said Portland Police Chief Derrick Foxworth. “It’s a great program,” said West. “It allows the police access to vital information and helps reconnect those with severe disabilities who may be lost.” After nearly 10 years, the DAR continues to provide a vital communication link between officers and members of the community with significant developmental and mental disabilities. For more information about the DAR or to obtain a registration form, please call the Portland Police Bureau’s Planning & Support Division at 503-823-0283. |
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