New Home, Same Heart

The Tualatin School House Pantry moves to Rolling Hills Community Church
by Terri Conlin

The ribbon was cut and the doors swung wide announcing the grand opening of the Tualatin School House Pantry at its new location, 3550 SW Borland Road. On Monday, August 17, lower level space at Rolling Hills Community Church became the new home of the Schoolhouse Pantry, spacious, organized and sunny with a drive-up entrance. Among those present at the ribbon cutting, President of the Board, Mike Shiffer, said, “It’s the perfect spot. We couldn’t be happier.” The Tualatin School House Pantry may be smiling from a new face but the original mission lives on, to feed the hungry. Also present at the ribbon cutting ceremony, was Interim Senior Pastor of Rolling Hills Community Church, Bill Towne, who commented,

“I had no idea so many other people in our community have been a part of this a lot longer than we have. I'm humbled and challenged by that. What a privilege to partner with other people, churches, and organizations in reaching out to people going through difficult times.”

Teamwork is at the heart of this enterprise including partnerships with the City of Tualatin, civic groups, local churches, businesses and schools as well as varied individuals, each with a heart to serve. The Pantry continues to be an ecumenical and community endeavor uniting various church denominations, public and private sectors and people from every generation.

The Tualatin School House Pantry, a member of the Oregon Food Bank, currently serves up to 500 families per month in the Tualatin area, providing emergency food boxes to the disabled, the homeless and those in crisis. That’s up 30 percent from last year at this time. Families are served with dignity and respect in a warm and welcoming ambiance. In the first days at the new location, a single mother and her eleven-year-old boy came to the Pantry. She did not speak or hear, so her son signed to her as they shopped, working together up and down the aisles like any family at a local grocery store. That is just the atmosphere the Pantry strives to provide its customers.

The Tualatin School House Pantry is currently looking for ordinary people willing to serve in an extraordinary community. The Pantry takes pride in its 100% volunteer staff and always has room for one more. The present staffing needs include a Volunteer Coordinator, Pick-up and Delivery Coordinator, and an army of willing hands to write thank-you notes to generous donors. All donations are welcome and appreciated, especially boxed cereal, sugar, hygiene products and canned fruit. In addition, every dollar contributed allows the purchase of ten pounds of food to feed the hungry.

An open house celebration to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the
Tualatin School House Pantry is planned for October. Store hours and contact information can be found at www.schoolhousepantry.org.

Home in Trent's World

By Cornelia Seigneur

When Tyler plays fetch with Indie the dog and Peanut the cat, Trent just laughs and laughs.

“And sometimes I will put the ball near Trent and act like he is throwing the ball and he laughs at that. He loves making voices, impersonating movies. During his freshman year of high school we would do a lot of thumb wrestling and he would use his other hand, and I teased him about cheating, and now, even though he does not have control of his hand, he remembers that and I will tease him about cheating at thumb wrestling and he laughs at that. He is pretty spirited, he loves to laugh, it is very contagious,” says Tyler.

Tyler first met Trent in 2003 while Tyler was an instructional assistant at Athey Creek Middle School in a special needs class. Trent was an eighth grader and Tyler had just finished his degree at Multnomah and was also an intern in youth ministries at Rolling Hills. He got to know Trent quite well while assisting in the classroom at Athey.

Trent has a rare terminal diagnosis; he is one of only a handful of cases in the State of Oregon in the past 30 years with that particular condition. He has seizures. He now uses a feeding tube to eat. He cannot dress himself.

“At the time that I started working with Trent, he was walking with the assistance of a walker but by the end of the year he was in his wheelchair full time.”

Tyler attended Trent’s eighth grade graduation. “Trent was never made fun of at school. Everyone grew up with Trent, from kindergarten on. I got to wheel Trent out on the stage when he got his diploma, and he was given a standing ovation. His reputation for being the young man that he was, was very contagious.”

When Trent continued his education at Wilsonville High School, Tyler was asked to help Trent in the family’s West Linn home on a regular basis. His family is also a believing family. “I just really hit it off with Trent, and his Mom and Dad saw that and I think that our mutual faith gave them a peace of mind to invite me into their home.”

Tyler has been arriving at Trent’s house at 7 a.m. most school mornings since 2004 to help Trent prepare for school. Trent was 14 when Tyler started. Trent is now 19 and attending a post-high school special school.

“I feed him breakfast, get him dressed. Over the five years he has become chair ridden with no use of his legs. He has been non verbal the past two years. He now gets fed through the tube. It changes each year. We read books together; we listen to his Odyssey and Veggie Tales tapes. I stay with him ‘til the school bus comes. We listen to music on his I-Pod which was given to him by actor Will Smith during Trent’s Make-a-Wish day. Trent has the joy of the Lord in him and he blesses you without even saying anything.”

He attended Tyler’s marriage to Kate in 2006. “It was here at the church. I did not see him before hand and when it came time to do our vows, Trent heard my voice -- it was miked -- and he was very excited hearing us do our vows. He responded out loud to the vows, it was audible, and he can’t speak so he communicates by making noises. For him it starts with a big smile and turns into a happy screech, and everyone at the wedding heard it, and they all know about Trent in my life. It made the moment that much more special.”

This summer Trent’s mom and dad needed some time to get away, so Tyler came over on three days to take care of Trent.

“He is loving life in his current situation, that is a testimony, being happy with simple things.”

“I read the scriptures of doing unto the least of these, and I know he has taught me about having a servant’s heart.”

Visit Cornelia’s website at www.corneliaseigneur.com