CTA Missoula Opens Its Heart to the Watson Children's Shelter
By Kent Bray
There is a place in Missoula that many children call home the Watson Children's Shelter. The children who call this place home are victims needing a safe, nurturing environment. They are escaping abuse at home, or have been displaced because their parents have been arrested and they have no family to take them in and care for them, feed them, make sure they have clean clothes, and get them to school.
Our relationship with the Watson Children's Shelter started when Fran Albrecht, Executive Director of the Shelter, gave a presentation the First Interstate Bank Advisory Board (on which we both served). She was asking for Christmas gifts for the kids, who range in age from infant to 14 years old. I conveyed this request to our management group and they were quick to embrace the idea and fill the need. Picture this... Rob Arthur and Tim Tolman at the Board of Missoula (a local Skate Board Store), two old men shopping for equipment they had no clue how to use. We also provided turkeys and hams for their Christmas dinner. This is something we have enjoyed tremendously.
The Shelter is unique in western Montana. It works something like this; the police make an arrest then realize there are children involved and as a result of the arrest the children have no place to go. The Shelter gets a call to see if one of their sixteen beds is empty. If there is an opening, the child is introduced to a home like they never experienced before. Caring staff, select new clothes (just the right size) from their stockpile which have been donated from the Missoula Community and stored in a basement room larger than you can imagine. Fran told us how she witnesses time and time again the blossoming of the child's self-esteem during their stay because for the first time in their life, someone cares enough to care for them. They get to school, clean and well fed and they come home to a home cooked meal and someone who cares that their homework gets done. Their stay can last anywhere from one night to a couple months depending on their situation.
Great things are happening at the Shelter...that's the good news. The bad news is that the demand for their services is increasing and they need to build another Shelter. When we heard about this need we asked our entire staff what we might do to help. It didn't take long before there was unanimous agreement for us to help them by donating architectural and engineering services. Needless to say, Fran and the Shelter's Board were excited at the news and expressed their gratitude by inviting us to have lunch at the Shelter. It was a great experience. We got the royal tour and saw first hand how children accept this as home. We were greeted by two giddy young girls who were getting ready for school. Their personalities were unbridled and so enjoyable. They talked excitedly without interruption. It was easy to forget the fact that their lives were disrupted; they seemed to have no care in the world. "Girls, let's go. You're going to be late for school."
The construction documents are well underway and we are all hopeful that construction can begin fall 2008.
And for Christmas this year, rather than donating turkeys and hams for their holiday feast, we have invited the Watson Shelter children to be our guest at our Christmas celebration. Rob and Tim have already started shopping so that each child will have a gift under the tree.
For me personally, I am so happy to have them join us, but I am even more proud to be part of group that has opened their hearts so wide.
For more information on the Watson Children's Shelter check out: www.oneisntenough.com
By Kent Bray
There is a place in Missoula that many children call home the Watson Children's Shelter. The children who call this place home are victims needing a safe, nurturing environment. They are escaping abuse at home, or have been displaced because their parents have been arrested and they have no family to take them in and care for them, feed them, make sure they have clean clothes, and get them to school.
Our relationship with the Watson Children's Shelter started when Fran Albrecht, Executive Director of the Shelter, gave a presentation the First Interstate Bank Advisory Board (on which we both served). She was asking for Christmas gifts for the kids, who range in age from infant to 14 years old. I conveyed this request to our management group and they were quick to embrace the idea and fill the need. Picture this... Rob Arthur and Tim Tolman at the Board of Missoula (a local Skate Board Store), two old men shopping for equipment they had no clue how to use. We also provided turkeys and hams for their Christmas dinner. This is something we have enjoyed tremendously.
The Shelter is unique in western Montana. It works something like this; the police make an arrest then realize there are children involved and as a result of the arrest the children have no place to go. The Shelter gets a call to see if one of their sixteen beds is empty. If there is an opening, the child is introduced to a home like they never experienced before. Caring staff, select new clothes (just the right size) from their stockpile which have been donated from the Missoula Community and stored in a basement room larger than you can imagine. Fran told us how she witnesses time and time again the blossoming of the child's self-esteem during their stay because for the first time in their life, someone cares enough to care for them. They get to school, clean and well fed and they come home to a home cooked meal and someone who cares that their homework gets done. Their stay can last anywhere from one night to a couple months depending on their situation.
Great things are happening at the Shelter...that's the good news. The bad news is that the demand for their services is increasing and they need to build another Shelter. When we heard about this need we asked our entire staff what we might do to help. It didn't take long before there was unanimous agreement for us to help them by donating architectural and engineering services. Needless to say, Fran and the Shelter's Board were excited at the news and expressed their gratitude by inviting us to have lunch at the Shelter. It was a great experience. We got the royal tour and saw first hand how children accept this as home. We were greeted by two giddy young girls who were getting ready for school. Their personalities were unbridled and so enjoyable. They talked excitedly without interruption. It was easy to forget the fact that their lives were disrupted; they seemed to have no care in the world. "Girls, let's go. You're going to be late for school."
The construction documents are well underway and we are all hopeful that construction can begin fall 2008.
And for Christmas this year, rather than donating turkeys and hams for their holiday feast, we have invited the Watson Shelter children to be our guest at our Christmas celebration. Rob and Tim have already started shopping so that each child will have a gift under the tree.
For me personally, I am so happy to have them join us, but I am even more proud to be part of group that has opened their hearts so wide.
For more information on the Watson Children's Shelter check out: www.oneisntenough.com
