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"There is a time for departure even when there's no certain place to go."
- Tennessee Williams.

Time. It's an idea or concept that many people take for granted or ignore until they find themselves running out of it. There are only so many hours in a day and our schedules are often so packed that we never seem to find a spare minute. How we construct our days are, largely, our own doing. We might complain about the job we have or the events dictating our existence, but many people are products of an environment in which they have some semblance of control.

It's rare to hear a person lament the overabundance of time on their hands.

This is not a tangible reality for a lot of people so the idea of 'killing time' loses meaning. As a rigid schedule marches an individual through the day, a byproduct emerges from the chaos of such a frenzied routine: purpose. The fact that a person is so busy implies there is an element of purpose to their life that is driving them to be that busy in the first place. When an individual can assign meaning to their life, that life becomes not only tolerable, but an air of excitement and hope seeps in.

But what happens when a person is faced with countless hours and not much to do? Being left alone with nothing more than your thoughts and reflections can cage a person and remind them that life is not turning out the way they imagined. Not having a strict schedule allows the mind to wander to places that can produce joy and madness in a single moment.

My name is Curt and I'm the new guy at Samaritan house. My next post will be an hourly comparison between myself and a resident at Samaritan House. Draw from this what you will. How does your day parallel the life of the homeless? I am not asking you to walk a mile in another person's shoes; instead just imagine a different day.

All hands on deck...

The past few days have been a whirlwind of activity at the Samaritan House Administrative Center. Local volunteers, as well as trekkers from across the state, donated their blood, sweat and tears (mostly the sweat) in a monumental effort to help Samaritan House refurbish and retool the campus.

Pictured, is a group from St. Bernard's Catholic Church from Billings. Paint was flung, weeds got plucked, overgrown hedges met their fate, and stoves were scoured by selfless individuals who wanted nothing more that to lend a helping hand. The attitudes were matched only by the weather, which was absolutely ideal.

There are changes on the horizon at Samaritan House beginning next week as we endeavor to serve dinner at the administrative center. More on this later...

Clays for Kids

I participated in a great event over the weekend - Clays for Kids - a clay shooting event aimed at raising money to help organizations that assist hungry and homeless children.

Pictured above is Clint Walker (on right) and myself representing Samaritan House and Homeless in the Flathead.

The local CBS affiliate KAJ-TV did a very nice video covering the event - click here to view.

The Vampire and the Hoarder.

Blood loss is not typically a good thing. We often go out of our way to prevent any sort of activity that might induce a spilt drop or two. Securing mass quantities of a particular item also smacks of behavior that is frowned upon by society. On July 20th, Samaritan House was a willing participant in both a massive blood-letting and the stock-piling of commodities.

And it was great.

The Red Cross held a blood drive at the Samaritan House's campus at the old armory. Thirty-five people donated their time, energy, and platelets. At the same time, a food drive was unfolding beneath the same roof. It was a beautifully orchestrated dance of charity and selflessness that will benefit countless faces who did not have the opportunity to set foot on the premises. Volunteers from across the community inundated both Samaritan House campuses doing everything from painting to organizing food.

Some of Kalispell's needs were met on two very distinct levels. First, the medical ramifications of the blood drive cannot be underscored. The Red Cross provides an invaluable service to the community and it was an honor to partner with them on this endeavor.

Lastly, Samaritan House was able to expand our pantry which will allow more people to eat and have some basic needs addressed. The volunteers did an amazing job and shouldered a great deal of the burden on this project. Thanks to all who donated and made this a successful event.

Thanks to all the vampires and the hoarders!

Project Homeless Connect and Veterans Assistance - Kalispell, Montana

Project Homeless Connect & Veterans Help at Samaritan House June 16th and 17th

Project Homeless Connect will be at Samaritan House Administrative Center June 16th and 17th. This two day event promises to offer local homeless with much needed assistance.
Project Homeless Connect is a one stop community wide event that will host every available service and organization to help the homeless.
Project Homeless Connect is an international movement to end homelessness which has been replicated in over 200 cities including Missoula and Billings. The purpose is to help eliminate barriers that prevent homeless people from gaining access to aid. Key characteristics of Project Homeless Connect include: Hospitality, Immediacy, Partnership, Community and Excellence.
The Interagency Council on Homelessness says this of the event, "Project Homeless Connect is equal parts welcoming homeless neighbors into the life of the community, changing the way resources are accessed, and acheiving quantifiable results for the people experiencing homelessness."
Here are the details:
Dates & Time: June 16th, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
June 17th, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Samaritan House Administrative Center
Address: 1110 2nd St. West
Kalispell, MT 59901
Services Available include Pet Services, Medical Help, Educational Help, Financial Education, SNAP (Food Stamps), Medicaid, Social Security Application Info, TANF Applications, Healthy Montana Kids, CHIPS, Office of Public Assistance, Food, Healthcare, Childcare, Housing Counseling, Legal Services, Mental Health Case Management, Literacy Help, Personal Hygiene Products, Clothing, Haircuts, Veterans Services, Senior Services, Job Services, Transportation, Assistance towards Photo IDs, Gas Vouchers, Cell Phone Minutes and a free warm lunch will be served both days.

Samaritan House "Reach Around" Concert Series Presents the Kalispell Middle School Orchestra Students

This month the Samaritan House "Reach Around" Fourth Friday Concert & Lunch Series features music from the Kalispell Middle School Orchestra Students. The menu includes Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup, Fiesta Taco Soup, Fresh Green Salad, Breadsticks and Warm Apple Crisp.
Here are the details:
Date: Friday, May 27th
Time: Noon - 1:00 pm
Where: Samaritan House Administrative Center
Address: 1110 2nd St. West
Kalispell, MT 59901
(The former US Army reserve Center on the corner of Meridian Rd. and 2nd St. West, across from Peterson Elementary School.)
$10 ticket includes concert and lunch.
For more information call (406) 257-5284.