Generate Hope
Charlie Ahern lead us off with a prayer of thanksgiving and asking our God to bless with the energy and enthusiasm to follow the Optimist Creed and George Kunberger started off the Pledge of Allegiance
PRESIDENT’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The BOD approved $375 to the Moot Court Team of CHS. They will visit the Club before year end to accept their check
New Inductee: Carla inducted John Downey as a new member during todays meeting. Erin Downey was his sponsor. John was born on the east coast, became a Marine and eventually ended his service here in San Diego. He’s spends time flying for the airlines, but thinks of his job helping to coach the CHS Cross Country team as his primary job. Welcome aboard John.
Club Announcements
Lawn Bowling: The annual match with our friendly Rotarians is scheduled for November 2. If you’re interested in kicking some Rotarian butt, please contact Bill Carinder billcarinder@yahoo.com . He’s our Captain again his year.
Annual Club Roster: Don Crawford has updated the active club roster. A copy will be on the welcome table. Please stop by to ensure your info in correct and initial next to your name.
Halloween Happening is on again this year. 3:00-5:30 PM. We need about 7 vounteers. Contact Diana for details drummedge@att.net
Carla (you remember her) presented Erin Downey with a plague to acknolodge all the great work Erin has done over the last four years as our school interface.
GUEST SPEAKER – Kimberly Harriman
Our speaker today was Kimberly Harriman with Generate Hope. The Mission of Generate Hope of is:
“We serve San Diego’s sex trafficking victims by offering a real way out. Generate Hope is a faith-based organization providing long-term, comprehensive programs to women who have been sexually trafficked, so that they are able to reintegrate into society and walk powerfully into their future.”
Kimberly first shared a few statistics about sex trafficking in San Diego:
- San Diego has the 8th highest amount of Sex Trafficking in the country
- There are approximately 8000 women/year victimized into sex trafficking in San Diego.
- The most common age a child enters sex trafficking in 14-16 years old.
- Typical victims have low self esteem, have absent parents, access to social media, may have been abused, may be foster children, runaways or have substance abuse problems
History – Generate Hope was started in 2008 by Harvard City Church and Susan Munsey as a grass roots effort. In 2010 the program moved to its current location. In 2016 with the help of donors they were able to purchase their Recovery Home debt-free. By 2018 the 100th survivor had been sheltered and the new Transition Home on 7th and A in Coronado was gifted to the program
Programs – The path for a woman to be able to recover and reintegrate with a powerful future consists of two programs
Recovery Program – Where a woman is first provided housing in a family like environment. Receives therapy to address PTSD and other mental health issues. Learns techniques dealing with the many effects of trafficking, betrayal, anger, grief, body image, sisterhood and more. They also use adjunct therapies such as art, dance, yoga, financial literacy, self defense, creative writing
Transition Program – Following a successful recovery program, the women have the opportunity to grow in independence. This includes Holistic Wellness (financial, social, emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual). Career, movement towards continuing to develop a career though part time work, college, vocational training. Therapeutic continuation, psychotherapy, case management and adjunct therapies
You can get more information on how you can help at www.generatehope.org
Thanks Kimberly for sharing all the wonderful work being done by Generate Hope and for opening our eyes to the magnitude of and horrible impact of sex trafficking in San Diego
Brags
The lovely Dianna Drummey bragged that she has lost 30 pounds on her diet. Way to go Dianna.
Erin Downey bragged that today was her dogs birthday. The pooch looked as if he was taking everything in stride however, as he laid outside enjoying the cool breeze
Dings
The Ding Master was reaching way back today. He brought out a story from four years ago that mentioned Tom Brunett and Irish Flynn as members of the Democratic Club. There were lots of folks calling foul over that one. Guess there is no statute of limitations where the Ding Master is concerned. The Ding Master tried to fine Lee Cargill again for something, but Lee is on the lamb in Hawaii. Karl Mueller got dinged about 10 times. The poor guy is just trying to do his job as Superintendent of Schools. Ted Krohne got dinged for a tree falling on his house and not telling 911 when he called them that he was an Optimist. Pretty tough stuff.
Anniversaries
We had four anniversaries this week. Bret Gary, 17 years sponsor Lee Cargill; Cynthia Kosciuczyk, 8 years, sponsor Dick Madouse, Patricia Leighty 11 years sponsor Diana Drummey and Erin Downey 5 years sponsor Laura Lynn Meek.
Birthdays
(none)