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Sisters rallies to help those in need
By Jim Cornelius

The Sisters community has woven an intricate -- and highly effective -- safety net for local families in need.

Theresa Slavkovsky, who operates Sisters Family Access Network (FAN), sees that safety net work again and again, with a generous community finding ways to help those who have hit hard times.

Recently, Slavkovsky arranged for an eye exam for a Sisters youngster who was having trouble seeing properly in school. The child's family could not get the exam on their own.

"Because of their situation, they just didn't have the funds to get an eye exam," Slavkovsky said.

Sisters Vision Clinic cuts its fees for FAN clients, and FAN helps pick up the difference (clients contribute what they are able to afford). The child got the eye exam.

As she dealt with the case, Slavkovsky learned more about the family's situation. Both parents had been working full time, but the father had recently run into some serious health problems and could not work. In fact, he needed medical tests, but the family could not come up with $1,000 needed to qualify him for the procedure.

At just that time, another thread in the net was working. A woman had approached Sharlene Weed, director of Sisters Habitat for Humanity, looking to help out a family in need during the holiday season. Weed contacted Slavkovsky to see if she could recommend someone who really needed help.

"I called this lady and she committed $1,000 to help the family," Slavkovsky said. "I called the woman whose husband needed the test, and she was speechless."

The donation will go directly to the medical facility, earmarked for the man's procedure. All of FAN's financial help is handled this way.

"I never give direct checks to clients," Slavkovsky noted.

FAN also qualifies candidates for help, to ensure that the needs are real and to avoid scams.

"They're legitimate stories," Slavkovsky said.

And over and over, the Sisters network finds ways to help effectively. Care providers like Sisters Vision Clinic, Bend Memorial Clinic and High Lakes Health Care have arrangements with FAN to help clients. Sisters Rotary, Kiwanis and the local churches all help out.

Sisters Community Church has a program to purchase clothing for children.

"Any time I need winter snowboots for a child, I call this lady with a size and they'll get snowboots for the child," Slavkovsky said.

The local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter splits firewood cut by Sisters Kiwanis members and Sisters Middle School stacks it up, ready to be donated to families for winter heat.

This Saturday, Dawn Carroll at B-J & Friends will host a "cut-a-thon," donating the proceeds of a day of cutting hair to FAN.

That support is crucial and it helps FAN come through without fail.

"It seems like as soon as I'm out (of options) something comes through," Slavkovsky said.

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